APRIL 2024

Meet Our Contributors

Anna Martin is a frothing surfer who grew up between the bush and sea on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast before heading to Sydney to become a hard-working, hard-playing TV editor. Along the way, she gained a bag of skills, tripped over a couple of kids, and landed between the green and blue once again, where she loves life as a digital marketer and manages to fit in a slightly irresponsible number of surfs weekly.

Georgia Matts took April’s cover shot of surfer Yvonne Turner. “At 30 years old, residing along the scenic South Coast, I balance motherhood with my role as the Digital Media Coordinator for the NSW RFS, while managing a thriving freelance content creation business, Coastal Co,” Georgia says. Born into a family of surfers, Georgia was the first woman photographer to have her work on the cover of Tracks magazine.

John Groom is president of the Illawarra Ramblers. He has lived for two years in Thirroul and previously 19 years in Stanwell Park. From 38 years bookselling John retired to the Illawarra, is now on Thirroul Beach most days and walking or riding in the district a few days a week.

Zach Houtenville is a student at UOW, studying journalism and communications & media. He is an American, born and raised, but also half Australian. Zach moved here to study and lives in Gwynneville, close to major sporting spots. Sport is one of his greatest interests, alongside science and socialising with friends.

Caitlin Sloan was born and raised in Helensburgh and the fifth generation of her family to attend Helensburgh Public School. A journalist with a passion for writing, travel and wine, Caitlin also works at historic Helensburgh Hotel.

Dr Julie Blaze took over Bulli Medical Practice from the late Dr William Feneley in 1999. She has a special interest in Chronic Disease Management, Travel Medicine, Women’s Health, Weight Management and Aged Care. Julie supervises students from the University of Wollongong and General Practice Registrars from GP Synergy. Julie enjoys family life, cooking, yoga, reading, exercising and travelling.

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.

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THE ILLAWARRA

NEXT DEADLINE 17 April for theeditionMay

EDITORS Genevieve Swart, Marcus Craft

CONTACT hello@theillawarraflame.com.au; 0432 612 168; PO Box 248, Helensburgh, 2508. TheIllawarraFlame

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DEADLINE 17 April. Contributions welcome.

COVER Yvonne Turner of Woonona Boardriders.

Photo: Georgia Matts of Coastal Co.

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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.

KANE DOWNIE

Dancing in the dark with strangers

By Amanda De George

Shay O’Day is the principal of Stanwell Park Public School, a mother to two teenage daughters and an incredible dancer. Allegedly. I say allegedly because even though I spent one sweaty hour dancing my heart out with her I still have no idea just how good a dancer she is. That’s because our hour together was spent in darkness, the blinds of the Thirroul Railway Institute Hall drawn, black card up against the glass to prevent any light leak.

It’s not as odd as it sounds. Shay is the Dance Ambassador for No Lights No Lycra Thirroul (NLNL). When the lights go down, the music starts pumping and you dance like no one is watching … because even if they tried, they wouldn’t be able to see you.

No Lights No Lycra was created in Fitzroy, Melbourne in 2009 by Alice Glenn and Heidi Barret out of a need to find enjoyment in dance again, away from mirrors and choreography and expectation. It’s a drug- and alcohol-free event and the lights are dimmed so that you can let loose, dance off a bit of stress and have some ‘me time’, all without worrying about how you look. Phones are out of sight, Fitbits and Apple watches are covered up with sweat bands and there’s no talking so that you can truly lose yourself in the music.

“When the music is on it’s an independent

pursuit and talking is discouraged but we do encourage whooping, clapping, singing, all of that,” Shay said.

I admit that when the lights first went out, as Big Ben chimed (that’s your cue to stop talking and start stretching), I started to laugh. What on earth was I doing? How was I – a shy, self-conscious human – going to start dancing in a room full of strangers? By the time Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves came on I was singing and clapping with the best of them.

Naomi Poole, who helps out as a Dance Commander and is also allegedly an amazing dancer, said, “Once the sun goes down, it’s really dark and you can’t see anything.”

The Thirroul branch of NLNL started almost four years ago.

“When my kids were really little, I was going to Wollongong [NLNL]. They start at eight, finish at nine so by the time I was getting home it was too late for me,” Shay said.

“So I thought, ‘I reckon it’s got legs in Thirroul and I’ll start one here.”

She sat on the idea for a while until she was inspired by a dancer in a very unusual place. “At the time there was work on Bulli Pass and there was a stop/go woman who was dancing at the same time and people were commenting on it and I thought, ‘It could be the right time’.”

While the No Lights thing is very much adhered to, the No Lycra is much looser. You can wear whatever you want and I ended up dancing in leggings and no shoes. All up, there were about 20 others letting loose in my session.

“We’ve got blokes, we’ve got kids, we’ve got oldies, we’ve got all walks of life,” Shay said. “Teachers, artists, poets, government workers, nurses. We’ve danced with crowds of less than five or six and as big as 30. It really does range from week to week.

“I always say if you’re not sure the first time, come again because it’ll be completely different.”

By the time the last song played, (Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off; Shay loves a theme and Tay Tay was in town) I was red-faced, dripping with sweat and feeling pretty euphoric. I had done it. I had sucked up my fears, tried something new and done it in a room full of strangers … and turns out I was actually the best dancer in the room. Allegedly.

NLNL is held at Helensburgh Scout Hall on Tuesdays and at Thirroul Railway Institute Hall on Thursdays. More info on Facebook or visit www.nolightsnolycra.com

Naomi Poole and Shay O’Day. “Preparing the playlist is the best part of my week,” Shay said.

Photos: Tom Ross, Amanda De George

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Magic of puggle born in Royal

By Genevieve Swart

Yuin Elder Uncle Dean Kelly has named the first juvenile platypus found in the Royal National Park ‘Gilli’, a Dharawal word meaning ‘Flame’.

“It signifies the flame or life that’s been ignited in the park,” said lead researcher Dr Gilad Bino, of UNSW’s Centre for Ecosystem Science.

The first-ever translocation of platypus in NSW took place in 2023, with 10 animals from the Snowy Monaro and Kangaroo Valley regions re-introduced to the Royal National Park, where they had been locally extinct for 50 years.

Fresh out of her burrow and weighing 850g, Gilli is now a six-month-old juvenile (no longer a puggle, a term reserved for a platypus in the nest).

“Her health is amazing, so she’s perfect,” Gilad said. “Every birth is a miracle, right? But we were elated. We were over the moon, very speechless.”

Researchers have kept a sharp ear out for the platypuses since they were released in May 2023.

“We use these acoustic little tags. They’re about Panadol-sized trackers that we implanted in the platypus and they emit a sound pulse in the water.

“We’ve got an array of listening stations and so as these little platypuses, kind of like submarines, they ping and we detect where they are. That gives us a really amazing amount of information.”

Last spring a sudden quietness told them three females might be breeding. “They disappear into the nest for about two weeks; you don’t see anything and then they start coming back at increasing frequency.”

Each female can lay one to two eggs, Gilad said. “I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that there’s more than one [juvenile in the park].”

Locals have been worried about the health of the platypuses after coal wash spills from Peabody’s Metropolitan Mine into Camp Gully Creek in 2022 and 2023. The Environmental Protection Authority, which monitors the mine, issued fines, made changes to its licence and took legal action.

Photos: UNSW

Gilad said researchers do regular habitat checks.

“Our surveys extend on the Hacking River all the way up to the confluence with Camp Gully. Everything seems to indicate that platypus have plenty of food and the water-quality conditions are favourable to platypus,” he said.

Gilli would have drunk her mother’s milk for the first four months, but is now off on her own, foraging for macro invertebrates. “So large spineless water bugs, like the larval and nymph stages of different flies and dragonfly nymphs, caddisflies, shrimps, worms, things like that.”

Gilad, Dr Tahneal Hawke and Prof Richard Kingsford are the core team in the Platypus Conservation Partnership, supported by WWF, Taronga Conservation Society and National Parks and Wildlife. Local volunteers have also helped.

“Friends of the Royal have been terrific,” Gilad said. “They’ve also deployed a few cameras in some areas that we were curious about.”

The best time to spot the shy monotremes is dawn or dusk as they are active at night. “You have to be patient,” Gilad said. “And stay on the paths.

“We’re still a bit hesitant to say exactly where they are. The main concern is excited people go trampling on the banks and there’s a real risk of collapsing burrows and disturbing and destroying the habitat for them.”

One release last year took place near Wattle Forest picnic area and Lady Carrington Drive has good vantage points over the Hacking, Gilad said.

“There’s a pool when you’re walking in that area, I think it’s just before Jersey Springs … there’s a good spot where you’re up high and looking down.”

Most platypuses were released into the Hacking River but two were in Kangaroo Creek, so kayakers should watch for ripples in the water too.

“If you’re lucky, you might be able to see them.”

Log your sightings at platy-project.acf.org.au

How you can help Hi Neighbour

By Genevieve Swart

In April, Bulli actor Yael Stone will be celebrating the first birthday of her not-for-profit Hi Neighbour. In year two, the charity with the friendliest name and the smartest circular model in the energy transition is calling for support via a new fundraising button on its website.

“I’ve never been more nervous to press go on anything,” said Yael, who hopes residents will support the movement to lower local emissions and ensure no workers are left behind. “It’s with all of us that we will make this transformation.”

Hi Neighbour funds businesses to install rooftop solar, using interest on loans to fund scholarships for local workers to upskill for renewable jobs.

A mum of two young children, Yael famously starred in Orange is the New Black, but gave up her Green Card and US screen career to study sustainability at UOW and start Hi Neighbour after the Black Summer bushfires. Her charity launched in April 2023 with an innovative partnership with Bellambi tool belt maker Buckaroo.

“Both their manufacturing work and their transport fleet is now fully electric and solarpowered,” Yael said. “They’ve been doing repayments for the last 12 months, and their interest will go into a future scholarship round, which would be called the Buckaroo Scholarship.”

Hi Neighbour’s recent Electrify Everything scholarship round is supported by Dr Saul Griffith’s Rewiring Australia. It’s helping 10 Illawarra electricians with $2000 each to cover training in solar grid connection and battery storage work.

In life post-New York, Yael finds the parent network invaluable. It’s connected her to everyone from board members to Thomas Creative craftsman Troy Henman, who she met at a party. Troy then introduced her to business owner David Thomas, Hi Neighbour’s newest ally.

“It’s about the real human connections every single time,” Yael said.

“We just announced our next community solar partner with Thomas Creative. They’re in Unanderra. They make theatre sets, they do signage and they’ve worked in the Illawarra for seven decades.”

Hi Neighbour is volunteer-run. Support their work at hineighbour.com.au

Austi Scouts triumph at Billy Cart Derby

By Paul Rustomji of Austinmer Scout Group

On the evening of Monday, 4th March, Scouts from 1st Austinmer joined Scouts from nine other Scout Groups from across Wollongong to compete in the annual Billy Cart Derby. 1st Austinmer had three Patrols competing, all aiming to win the perpetual trophy. Held in Bulli Park, patrols of four have to race their Billy Carts down the hill, and run back up dragging their Billy Cart.

Nearly 100 Scouts from across the district competed this year, all with wooden Billy Carts constructed as part of their Scouting programs. As twilight fell everyone was excited to see the final race between a patrol from 1st Figtree and one from 1st Austinmer.

1st Austinmer won the final, winning the trophy back from 1st Bulli, who won in 2023. Congratulations to all Scouts involved.

Austinmer Scouts (ages 11-15) and Venturers (15-18) meet at Austinmer Scout Hall on Mondays at 7pm during term time. Cubs (8-11) and Joeys (5-8) meet on Wednesday evenings and afternoons respectively. Contact Steve Turner on 0406 695 575 for more info.

Natalia, John and Emily, winners of the 2024 Illawarra Scouts Billy Cart Derby

Hi Neighbour’s Yael Stone and volunteer Darryl Best. Photo: Melanie Russell

Memorable moments in theatre

By Local Studies librarian Jo Oliver

Did you meet your sweetheart at the movies? Were you in a local theatre group? Remember your first kiss in the drive-in? Who remembers seeing Aunty Jack in Bloody Concert in 1974?

Theatre in the Illawarra is an exhibition of photos from Wollongong City Libraries’ Illawarra Images Collection. It’s on display from April in Wollongong Library as part of the National Trust’s Heritage Festival. There are pictures of actors in

P35952 Endgames, SPAT 1990

comedies, tragedies and everything in between. The photos will evoke memories of connections made at theatres in the Illawarra.

Theatre going, to see movies or amateur and professional theatre performances, has been a vibrant part of local life, a place where people connected as participants and audiences. The photographic exhibition includes images of local ornate theatre buildings that showed the latest movies, photos of actors in stage productions at local theatres large and small and even a drive-in movie theatre with cars from the 1950s and its cafe.

Huge numbers of people attended local theatres, particularly on Saturday nights, before the advent of television in homes in the 1960s. They were an important place for social connection for all ages, especially teenagers. Some of the theatres still exist, but others have gone or have been repurposed.

The exhibition showcases these buildings and the many local theatre groups in the Illawarra during the 20th century, such as Stanwell Park Amateur Theatre (pictured). It will evoke memories for those who were part of audiences or in amateur acting groups. Despite free-to-air movies and streaming services, the Illawarra continues to have a vibrant theatre scene and it is still a valued place of connection for all ages.

View the images at illawarrastories.com.au/ theatre-in-the-illawarra/

SRC starts fortnightly short films

By Melanie Kable and Annaye Chisholm of Helensburgh Public School

Each year at Helensburgh Public School two students from each class are voted to be part of the Student Representative Council (SRC). SRC members share their ‘voice’ on different matters of importance to them. They will be part of the planning of fundraisers and school environmental matters. Our SRC will have the opportunity to strengthen communication and organisational skills. Student voice is very important to us. We want our students to be able to have a voice, solve real problems and make real decisions.

The SRC is implementing a new and exciting Fortnightly Focus Films initiative, which will showcase short films on different matters in the school and wider community. Some upcoming film topics include Earth Hour and Endangered Species Day. These will be shared each fortnight on our school Facebook page, so stay tuned!

Our first Fortnightly Focus Film, about our school Buddy Bench, was covered by our 1/2M SRC representatives. Our Buddy Bench was a gift from our year 6 students in 2023. They wanted our students to have a place to go if they needed a friend at play times.

When will interest rates come down?

By Ian Pepper of Ray White Helensburgh

Recent discussions around the Reserve Bank of Australia’s potential rate cuts have sparked considerable speculation despite the RBA meeting on 19 March maintaining the status quo. The decision to cut rates will primarily hinge on future inflation trends and the timing of data releases.

Inflation rates have been decreasing more rapidly than expected since the end of last year, altering market expectations significantly. Although markets are currently predicting a rate cut in September 2024, the timing of quarterly inflation data releases will also influence the decisionmaking process.

With monthly inflation hovering around 3.4 percent, attention is drawn to the upcoming March 2024 quarterly inflation report, scheduled for release on April 24, 2024. If this report indicates inflation below three percent, it is likely that the RBA will consider implementing a rate cut at their subsequent board meeting on May 7, 2024.

Meet the Admin

University of Wollongong journalism student Zachary Houtenville chats to Ainslie Collison, who helps run Coledale’s CommUnity Notice Board

As one of the Facebook admins for Coledale CommUnity Notice Board, 77-year-old tech-savvy retiree Ainslie Collison is connecting locals and navigating online challenges.

The Coledale page is a private one with 2.2K members and more than 250 posts a month. It was established in October 2016 and Ainslie joined as an admin in December 2022. With group founder Stacey Leigh handling nearly 20 pages, Ainslie embraced the chance to help.

“Well, I feel like I am helping out the community and it’s a way I can do it without leaving the house,” Ainslie said.

“I mean, some people are doing Meals on Wheels and this and that, but I’m sort of helping out in a way.

“I feel like if I don’t do it, who’s going to do it?”

Ainslie, a retired secretary-word processor for Standards Australia, integrated staying up to date on modern technology into her daily routine during her working years.

“To me, if I didn’t learn something new every day, it would be a wasted day,” Ainslie said.

“I got really involved in learning how all these programs work and all that sort of thing.”

In 2010, Ainslie relocated to the Illawarra where she continues to enjoy and use her digital skills, whether that’s playing games on her phone or helping fellow residents at her over-50s village in Fairy Meadow.

“I spend a lot of time with technology,” Ainslie said. “A lot of the people around me know nothing about it, so if they’ve got a problem, they come to me.”

Working as an unpaid volunteer admin for the Coledale group and 13 other community pages –with a total of almost 74,000 members – Ainslie puts in about two to three hours of work a day in managing these forums.

Her primary responsibility is to act as a gatekeeper, ensuring that the group remains a community for locals by carefully managing its membership.

“It’s really checking out the people before they join to really make sure that they are locals.

“We don’t like people swearing and abusing other people, so if anybody starts coming up with that sort of thing, they will automatically get banned.”

One of the biggest problems with social media today is spam and scams, she said.

“So many do not answer questions but if they put an address or say they want to join ‘this lovely group’ you immediately get suspicious,” Ainslie said.

“Usually they are scammers from overseas.

“The groups need to be private to check every applicant and still some get through.”

Through her time as an admin, Ainslie has witnessed the value of these Facebook pages as a good way of alerting the community to what’s going on and creating awareness of local issues.

“I didn’t realise there was so much theft and vandalism until it started coming up in the groups,” Ainslie said.

“I suppose the fact that people have more security cameras, they want to tell everybody what they saw on the camera.”

She has also appreciated the community’s ability to unite for regional issues.

“It seems like the fact that everybody’s getting together to try and stop these wind turbines out in our ocean,” Ainslie said.

“I think that’s positive that people are getting on board and getting together.”

Anyone in the Wollongong area seeking updates on the Coledale community is warmly welcomed and encouraged to join.

Ainslie Collison with her granddaughter. Photo supplied

The how-to of heritage

(The abridged version) by architect Ben Wollen

With the new planning amendments the State Government is proposing under its Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program, it could be that one of the only defences against the legislation will be if a building or an area is heritage listed.

While this makes sense in terms of preserving heritage, you could end up with the berserk scenario in which there’s a six- to eight-storey apartment block right next to a heritage building. If the heritage building is on the south side of the new apartment block, you can imagine the effect on its solar access. This is an example of where a broad brushstroke approach to urban design can go wrong.

The NSW state government is under pressure to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2029 and there’s no doubt we will need them and it makes sense that this density is situated on transport hubs. History has shown that it’s likely the government will under-deliver on its target. The time to address the housing crisis was the past two decades, not in the next five years. Alas, we Homo sapiens need a crisis to act. Just look at our baby step attempts so far to address the climate crisis.

So, this whole scenario has led me to investigate how a building becomes a heritage item. My initial thought bubble is Gary Larsson Far Side-esque in that there’s a committee of old bearded blokes smoking pipes in a stone chamber out of Hogwarts, who pore over the merits of a building’s proportions, fenestration and details like gablets or dentil courses. Of course, it’s not like that now.

A heritage committee assesses state-listed items, maybe their meeting room is a stone chamber but likely they don’t smoke pipes. They meet roughly once a month to assess heritage nominations, using the Burra Charter to assess whether something should make it onto the register or not. The charter

is a document first published in 1979 by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS). It’s the bible for how to assess, preserve and protect all things of cultural/heritage significance. Anyone can apply for a place, structure, building or thing to be added to the heritage register but it’s not easy. Generally it requires professional expertise like a heritage consultant. You know how legal teams turn up to high-profile court cases with trolleys full of documents? I’m thinking that level of research. Okay, so maybe that’s an exaggeration, but you know what they say – wear them down with paperwork!

The application form for a state-listed nomination is 20 pages long. For a building it helps to have original plans, evidence of who the original designer was, archived and current photos, news clippings etc. etc. Given that the Heritage Council assess against the Burra Charter, a good knowledge of that would help. Get this – you don’t actually need the owner’s permission! But, it helps.

If a building becomes a heritage item, it severely restricts what the owner can do to it – or what a developer might be able to build on top of it!

In general, the process looks like this:

1. Research and Preparation

2. Submit application

3. Engage stakeholders

4. Public notification and consultation (democracy at its best!)

5. Assessment & Decision

6. Appeals (if you get a rejection and won’t take no for an answer)

Certainly sounds like a court case, doesn’t it! There are also interim heritage orders for those last-minute ‘stop the wrecking ball’ scenarios.

Beyond the state register, there is also the local heritage register. This is generally for less significant heritage items. Some local Thirroul examples include Anita’s Theatre and the Bathing Pavilion complex. The process is the same but instead of the heritage committee, it’s the local Council that does the assessment and there’s no ministerial involvement. Wollongong Council has information on its website.

So if you know of a special building, you have a passion for research and a truckload of time, check out www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/heritage Best of luck!

If you have gone through the heritage listing process, I would love to hear from you. Please email me care of the editor, hello@ theillawarraflame.com.au

Anita’s, formerly known as Kings Theatre, was built in 1925. Photo: P02811 from the Collections of Wollongong City Libraries

What’s On

More events at theillawarraflame.com.au

Thirroul Library

Sat 6 April Music in the Library 11am-noon. Musicians from the Conservatorium of Music and other ensembles region play mellow tunes.

Wed 10 April Arcadian Lamplighters Male Choir, 2-3pm. Free concert, followed by refreshments.

Sat 27 April Kevin Hunt Trio. Doors open 6pm for 6:30-7:30pm. Kevin Hunt (piano), Karl Dunnicliff (bass), and Dave Goodman (drums) will deliver an evening of jazz, rhythm and harmony. With guests Sarah Fogarty (voice) and Hugh Fraser (bass). Bookings via Eventbrite. School Holiday fun Free, book via Eventbrite.

Mon 15 April Planetarium Show – to the Stars and Beyond. 5+ years, 2:30-3:30pm. Tilt - Join Annie and Max for an adventure on Earth and in Space to find out how the seasons work.

Mon 15 April Planetarium Show – to the Stars and Beyond. 8+ years, 3:30-4:30pm. Aboriginal stories in the stars – Explore Indigenous astronomy in this fascinating mobile show.

Fri 19 April Superhero Craft Crazy, 5+ years, 10-11am. Create your own superhero kit – power wrist bands, superhero cards and slime.

Fri 23 April Magic Wands & Mandrakes 8+ years, 10-11am. Create your own Mandrake and Wand.

Helensburgh Library

Wed 10 April 5:30-6:30pm, Acoustic Chat with Dave. Local muso Dave Oliphant and his band Fiddledance perform at a lively evening, intertwined with stories. Free, book via Eventbrite School Holiday fun Free, book via Eventbrite.

Wed 17 April Superhero Comic Drawing Workshop with Matt Lin. 5+ years, 2-3pm. Fri 19 April Magic Wands & Mandrakes 8+ years 10:30-11:30am. Make some magic.

Tue 23 April Movie: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 5+ years, 10:30-12:30pm. The Turtle Brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers.

NSW Justice Association Wollongong

Free JP services at Community Desks at Thirroul, Corrimal, Wollongong, Dapto & Warrawong Libraries. All services given by JPs are free of charge. They cannot give legal advice. More info: branch president Morgan Prosser, 0432 378 318.

Sporulation Art Festival

24 April-5 May An art-for-social-change project in support of psychedelics at Project Contemporary Artspace in Wollongong. See sporulation.online

A great view: Minnamurra River mouth. At right: Transporting our bikes so we are not doubling back on trips. Photos: Illawarra Ramblers

Riding with the Ramblers

By Illawarra Ramblers president John Groom

The Illawarra Ramblers walking group came into being in 1991. Soon after, cycling and kayak paddling became regular additional activities.

Today, all three activities happen weekly and we have about 240 Illawarra-based members, plus a few from further north and south. Most club members are retirees.

On this occasion, I’m writing about cycling as our club has recently joined Bicycle NSW, the state’s premier cycling entity, as an affiliate. This endows us with training options for leaders and riders, activity-related insurance, networking with other clubs and a voice in advocacy about safety and infrastructure matters.

We ride almost exclusively off-road, most often on shared pathways. Some of our members have more than one bike but our club does not engage in mountain biking, BMX or road racing.

We ride for exercise. Many of us ride batteryassisted e-bikes. This has resulted in riding for the same length of time as before but travelling much further, most often 30 to 40 kilometres on an outing. Hills are no longer obstacles avoided at all costs. Pedalling is still necessary. That works up the thirst for coffee.

Weekly the Ramblers can be seen on shared paths anywhere between Austinmer and Kiama,

very occasionally doing the whole length in one go. That day necessitates a train ride in one direction but as we are blessed with pretty reliable trains, lifts at most stations and reasonable comfort on board. This enables a lot of flexibility about where we go.

Out-of-area routes we enjoy include Bowral to Moss Vale, Mt Annan, Bay to Basin from Huskisson, a tour almost of south and west Sydney from Liverpool to Wolli Creek via Parramatta and Olympic Park, plus the odd excursion around Narrabeen Lake via train and ferry.

The club’s leaders come up with well-patronised trips away. Our exploits were chronicled in a recent Rail Trails Australia journal referring to trips to Victoria, Queensland, the NSW Northern Rivers Rail Trail, and Lake Macquarie.

We usually stay in caravan parks and for those without a tent, camper trailer or caravan, cabins have many of the comforts of home.

Our website has a range of photos, information about contacting us plus listings of our walking, paddling and cycling programme. Have a look.

Visit illawarraramblers.com.au

What’s cooking at CWA

By Marion Cook

Thanks to the community’s support, the Keiraville Branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) has made significant donations so far this year. We are committed to helping others and in doing so we are also creating a wonderful group of women who enjoy the friendship that the CWA offers. Members also enjoy cooking, handicraft, art and creative writing competitions, as well as teaching skills to others. In March, three of us travelled to Sydney to make Moroccan Relish on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show. Our next meeting is Tuesday, April 23. Visitors and new members are welcome.

L to R: Elizabeth Corfield, Bek Ryan and Marion Cook on The Morning Show.

Best Fruit in Show!

Jo Fahey reports from Darkes Glenbernie Orchard

Darkes Glenbernie Orchard last month won the Most Successful Fruit Exhibitor at the Camden Show. We are thrilled to showcase our eating, heritage and cider apples and to get an award for so many of them and be recognised for their quality is a big buzz for our family.

We are still harvesting but when we get to the end of harvest we will then turn to making more delicious and new ciders.

This year is going to be most exciting. The orchard is at the forefront of an apple revolution, nurturing Heritage apples hailing from the rolling countryside of England and France.

This pioneering endeavour is not about forgetting the beloved eating apples that have long been a staple of the orchard. Rather it’s an opportunity to broaden horizons, offering a glimpse into the rich tapestry of apple varieties beyond those found on supermarket shelves.

This initiative serves a dual purpose: it diversifies the orchard’s offerings and provides a platform for education on the nuances of apple varieties and their unique profiles. Presently, enthusiasts and curious palates alike can purchase these rare apples directly from the orchard, inviting a personal exploration into the world of distinguished flavours.

For AppleShack farm store visitors, we will shine a spotlight on a “Focus Apple,” alternating between these intriguing new arrivals and time-honoured favourites, fostering adventures in taste and knowledge.

Focus Apple: The Bramley

To kick off April, the Bramley apple takes centre stage as our Focus Apple. Renowned for its remarkable culinary qualities, the Bramley is a true gem among cooking apples, hailing from the heart of England.

Characterised by its large, round squat shape and a skin that’s a lively green, occasionally blushed with red, the Bramley has a strange look in comparison with modern apples. It looks like someone sat on it! Its flesh is white, crisp, and juicy, and when cooked, it transforms into a deliciously fluffy texture with a bit of tart tanginess.

This makes it ideal for pies, crumbles, and sauces, earning it a revered spot in the kitchens of those who know about them. The Bramley’s tart flavour and versatility make this month’s feature an opportunity for food enthusiasts and home chefs to reignite their culinary creativity with a truly heritage-style apple.

Visit us at the farm to try our focus apples and take some home!

TRY OUR HERITAGE APPLES IN STORE

(while stocks last)

Skills of the star finder

By Caroline Baum

Chances are that if you have watched any Australian drama featuring First Nations actors, it was cast by Austinmer resident Anousha Zarkesh. Think of award-winning series like Total Control and Mystery Road: Anousha. Or films like The New Boy and High Ground: Anousha again.

Over her many years as a casting director for film and television, Anousha has become known as the pioneer of diversity casting, discovering new talent everywhere from Arab communities to Aboriginal men and women from remote outback town camps.

Children who have never performed for a camera before are her speciality.

It’s work that requires a unique combination of skills: “You need to love actors and acting, be a good observer of human behaviour, have strong facilitating and communication skills and be a part-time amateur psych,” she says.

It’s not a desk job. Every production takes Anousha on the road, which is how she likes it. “For Warwick Thornton’s The New Boy I visited three schools a day between Adelaide and Alice. The car is my office.”

She treats every casting as an adventure, venturing out into deserts and isolated communities with relish. If it means camping, that’s fine. Using a helicopter because roads are closed? She’s up for it. Crocodiles? Just a work hazard. She never travels empty-handed. Having first gained permission from traditional owners, she arrives with basics, including fresh food and water, for places where these are in short supply. The

Anousha Zarkesh recently won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA)

Award for Best Casting in Film for Shayda. She also did the casting for The New Boy. The film’s young star Aswan Reid – pictured with his mum Maisie – won Best Lead Actor. Photos supplied

welcome is not always warm: “It can feel edgy, but I have never felt unsafe.”

Maybe her mixed heritage gives her an edge: her mother Carol owns Austinmer’s much-loved Mala Beads and her father was an Iranian political dissident. Anousha’s temperament is fiery, but she also knows how to wait, for hours if necessary, sitting under a tree, or yarning with a mob in the middle of nowhere, to earn the trust of amateurs and coax them into auditioning for her camera.

Where once she used to watch for stand-out kids outside school playgrounds, now she is invited in to talk at assemblies about opportunities and careers on screen, having essentially created a professional path that did not exist.

“In some communities where language may be an issue, I have a book that shows the story we are trying to tell. Often I’m demonstrating what I need, like spear throwing, and everyone is shrieking with laughter.”

She stays in touch with many of the performers she discovers, finding them agents, giving informal advice. It’s 24/7 work, and has at times overwhelmed her life as the mother of two daughters, one of whom is now working alongside her, learning the biz, casting extras.

Somehow, Anousha managed to fit in two years as vice-president of industry body Screen Illawarra.

Her current production slate averages about 10 shows a year: “But it’s going up all the time. I don’t get the non-diverse gigs, and sometimes I wish I did, but there are no gaps in my schedule and these are the stories I want to tell.”

Time to paint landscapes

Janice Creenaune meets Thirroul landscape artist Hal Pratt, who, after a full career in architecture and photography, has found a new journey through watercolour landscape painting. Photos supplied.

At 83 Hal Pratt has a contemplative demeanour as he considers a colourful life journey that has culminated in exceptional watercolour artworks.

Growing up in Parkes in central west NSW, Hal at age six wanted to become a landscape artist like his uncle, Douglas Pratt. His mother guided him to a safer career in architecture.

“I stayed with architecture for an entire career, however, I was eventually disillusioned with the business and the mounting regulations and paperwork that restricted the creative process.”

When computer drafting made his skills as a draughtsman redundant, Hal moved to Thirroul in the mid-1990s, easing away from architecture and into photography. He built his own studio, with a dark room, and studied dark-room techniques.

“Every year I worked towards a solo photographic exhibition including at Wollongong, Orange and Manly regional galleries. My focus was abstract painterly landscapes inspired by the surface transformation of boat hulls during their slipping in Wollongong Harbour.”

In 2003 the State Library of NSW commissioned Hal to photograph 350 public grain silo facilities across country NSW. He took seven years to complete the task and an image of each appears in the Library’s archives. (Visit nswsilos.com.au.)

Hal revived his interest in drawing and in 2008 attended the first of 10 Larapinta Creative Camps in Central Australia.

“These camps offered the opportunity to engage

creatively in drawing and painting around the Macdonnell Ranges, east and west of Alice Springs. Artists such as Fred Williams and Albert Namatjira continued to inspire me.”

He has mainly painted en plein air and developed larger works in his Thirroul studio.

“I have accepted the challenge of watercolour work, especially the inability to re-work the medium, although the real challenge lies in my interpretation of our unique landscape.

“I appreciate it when others choose my works to hang in their own homes and it gives me immense satisfaction.”

Hal began exhibiting watercolours in 2015 and has exhibited and sold his works locally and also at the New York and Hong Kong art fairs.

In the 2016 Calleen National Art Award, Hal’s painting Hidden Gorge NT was Highly Commended.

“Over the last three years I have exhibited in joint shows with another local artist, Ashley Frost, in the beautiful Clifton School of Arts. I have also been selected for many exhibitions and awards which has helped to widen my viewing audience.”

Hal is now working on a series of watercolours of sand dunes and still painting the iconic River Red Gums for which his uncle Douglas is renowned. The six-year-old has come full circle.

Janice is a volunteer for PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia. Email janicecreenaune@gmail.com

After 30 years, retirement is in the picture

By Robyn Misios of Thirroul’s Beach Framing

Hanging art on your walls is a great way of bringing your personality into your home. Every work makes you feel happy, and invokes a great memory.

As a picture framer, I like to have an understanding of what will suit your family, and take as much time as needed to get a great result.

Colourful frames, colourful mats, classic neutrals, or black with white. Everything can change depending on the look you’re after.

Northern Illawarra has a long history of picture framers. Many names will spark great memories, and I’d love for you to remind me of any I don’t mention, and let me know where their workshops were.

If you have any photos of those old shop fronts I’d love to see them.

Some of our great past picture framers were: Cliff Caladine, Clive Bock, Paul and Amanda Townsend, Heather Carey, and Tony Marshall.

Some business names were Platypus Framing, Mango Framing, Rich & Frameus, Beach Art, and Beach Framing.

I started picture framing with Tony and Rose Marshall over 30 years ago.

Their first shop was in Thirroul where Finbox is now. We were an art gallery, art suppliers and picture framers.

Rose ran the cafe next door, (where Finbox cafe is now) We also held art classes upstairs.

Beach Art then moved to Park Road, Bulli, again as an art gallery, art suppliers and picture framers. We developed such great friendships with so many people and, of course, local artists.

Tony and Rose employed Jennifer, Liz, Reka, Elle

and Emily. These young women were able to work locally, and learned a great craft.

Sadly, in 2017 our Rose passed away.

Tony decided to retire and I brought the framing workshop back to Thirroul, this time to 13 George Street.

Sadly, the time has come for me to hang up my framer’s apron, and step away from managing a workshop.

For over 30 years I have had the privilege of framing your precious items. Celebrations, adventures, sports, great memories, and dreams. I’ve loved listening to all your stories.

Our lives are always changing, Con and I have welcomed one grandchild, and we have another little one on the way.

So, we’re looking forward to spending lots of time with them.

You won’t lose me too easily, I’ll continue to be in the workshop in George St until mid year, and then, after that, will operate by appointment only.

It’s been my pleasure to meet you, and craft your works. To see the joy a completed work gave you, and as excited as you were, so was I.

Pop in and see us Thursdays and Fridays 9.30am-4.30pm, Saturdays 9am-12pm or contact me on 0422 865 648 or robyn@ beachframing.com

0422 865 648

robyn@beachframing.com

13

Thursday and Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Saturday 9am - 12pm

Robyn in the George St workshop after its opening in 2017.

Reawakening the Whale Songline

A two-year odyssey has begun, writes

Dr Jodi Edwards has always been a trailblazer. As a girl, she busted the gender barrier to play soccer for NSW and represented Australia in powerlifting and weightlifting. As an educator, she has led the revival of the Dharawal language. Locally, Jodi has founded youth programs, helped create public art and written bestselling children’s books.

This month, this proud Yuin woman with Dharawal kinship is embarking on another first: using her gift as a story sharer to research the relationships connecting dolphins, orcas, humpback and southern right whales with Land, Sea and Sky Stories in a project called Unbroken Whispers – The ripples connecting sea kin

“It’s such a big project, such an important project for me,” Jodi said last month at the University of Wollongong, where she is a Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security.

Unbroken Whispers recently received $300,000 in federal government funding and will take Jodi and her research partner, ecologist Dr Chelsea Marshall, all along the East Coast to reconnect Aboriginal knowledges over the next two years.

“The ancient coastline is what we’re mapping, from a cultural perspective,” Jodi said.

“We’ll be looking for the things that nonAboriginal scientists don’t look for. So ancient billabongs, ancient artifacts, ancient engravings, ancient caves that have art still inside of them.

“We start in Mirning Country, South Australia. We’re going to migrate with the whales.

“We’ll go in and out of Sea Country. We’ve

Genevieve Swart

looked at 20 communities that have whale kinship connections. We will go to those communities, spend time in there and then we’ll travel with the whales when they go to the next community.

“We’ll be out on boats, out on the water. We’ll have drones up; we’ll have hydro drones down. We’ll be in the water, on the water, on land, because we’re not only mapping the whale migration, but we’re mapping the ocean floor, we’re mapping the land that relates to the stories of the ocean, and we’re mapping the sky that relates to the stories that relate to the whale migration.”

Jodi – whose Yuin ancestors were among the first cultural whalers – will also explore symbiotic relationships and how scientific truth has survived in age-old stories. “Dharawal people have a kinship connection with the humpback [burri burri]. The humpback teaches us about moving Country and rising waters, an ancient story of climate change.

“The whales come through and share their songs and stories of the world. Then the dolphins, to me, are story sharers, they pass the stories on to their cousins the sharks. The sharks are the ones that say, enough talk. Sharks teach us about personal space, particularly the bull shark.

Jodi is driven by the fact that research so far has been done through a non-Aboriginal lens.

“I wanted to ensure that we were looking at our ancient coastline based on our stories, our songs, our dances, our rock art, because that’s how we learn. That hasn’t been done.

“It hasn’t been done with Aboriginal people … This is more than just a mapping exercise.

“This is looking at the symbiotic relationship between whales and dolphins, sharks, marine life, the relationship that then goes back to land country and sky country.

“When non-Aboriginal people want to know something, they go to a library or they Google it. When we want to know something about Country, we go on Country, we find the story that goes with it.”

Stories are far more than words, they are songs, dances, art and landscape. “The coastline has never been mapped like that,” Jodi says.

“It’s no good people just saying, oh, there’s a whale migration pathway out there. Because there’s a whale migration pathway on Country, there’s a whale migration pathway in the sky. It’s more than just Sea Country, there’s an inherent and cultural kinship connection.”

Dr Jodi Edwards and sculptor Julie Squires with Burri Burri at Reddall Reserve. Photo: Shellharbour Council

Arm yourself for winter

By Dr Julie Blaze of Bulli Medical Practice

As the seasons continue their march, it is an important time to prepare yourself and your family members to reduce the risk of illness from respiratory viruses that circulate in the community in late Autumn and Winter.

The big three are Influenza, RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and Covid-19.

Influenza and RSV cause seasonal epidemics

Symptoms range from mild to severe but those over 65 years are at increased risk of more severe illness. People with medical conditions that lower their immunity, chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, chronic lung disease and cardiac failure as well as pregnant women, infants and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background are also at increased risk.

Vaccination for influenza is available from April and is free for people most vulnerable to serious illness from six months of age. A private vaccine can be accessed for a charge of around $30.

Vaccination shortens and lessens the severity of the illness meaning less time off work and less time sick in bed.

Stronger and more effective vaccines (adjuvant vaccines) are now available for certain groups.

New vaccine to fight RSV

A new vaccine is available to fight RSV called Arexvy and is indicated for people over 60 years. At this stage it is not free, and costs around $300 per dose. This will be a significant barrier for a lot of people but hopefully it will become more accessible soon. The RSV vaccine for infants and babies is highly anticipated but not yet available.

Covid-19 infection has never gone away. Currently there are high numbers of infections in our community so please consider if you need a booster. The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation recommends a Covid booster for people over 75 years (or at higher risk of severe Covid infection) and six-months duration since their last booster or natural infection.

People aged 18 to 74 years should consider a booster depending on their circumstances.

Ask your GP at your next appointment about your individual risk.

Rising crowds at Dawn Services

By Zachary Houtenville

To mark Anzac Day on Thursday, April 25, join the community at these events hosted by Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branches in Helensburgh, Austinmer/Thirroul and Coledale.

Austinmer & Thirroul

The Austinmer-Thirroul RSL Sub-branch will conduct two Dawn Services on April 25 – one at Austinmer Beach and the other at Woodward Park in Thirroul. Both services start at 6am sharp.

Sub-branch president Will Lee, a former army serviceman and master of the ceremony, arrives very early at Austinmer to make sure everything is set up. He has noted a steady rise in attendance at the Dawn Service in recent years.

“Over the years, the popularity of the Dawn Service across Australia has increased remarkably,” Will said. “We estimate around 1500 people attend the Austinmer service and at Thirroul we get about 250 people at that Dawn Service.”

Recently, vandals targeted the Memorial on Austinmer Beach, where people gather for the service. The City of Wollongong was quick to respond and sent a team to remove the graffiti.

“Well, it’s disgusting really,” Will said.

“The Austinmer Memorial was unveiled in 1922. It’s there to show honour for those that served in the First World War.”

An Anzac Day service is a chance to engage with the community and honour those who have lost their family members while serving their country.

“It’s a very solemn and commemorative event,” Will said. “A lot of the general public come and lay floral [wreaths] and put tributes on the memorial.

“The Wheatley family always come to lay floral tribute on behalf of their grandfather, Kevin Dasher Wheatley, a Victorian Cross recipient, and that’s a solemn tribute when it’s laid.”

Helensburgh

People gather from 5:45am at the War Memorial at Charles Harper Park for the Helensburgh Dawn Service, traditionally organised by local Scouts.

Michael Ali, who served in the army for about 40 years before joining the Helensburgh RSL Sub-branch, said while the number of attending veterans has decreased, more local residents have been coming to the Dawn Service.

“There’s been a steady increase in the overall numbers attending the service and especially the young families,” Michael said.

“This is encouraging because we interact with the schools and the children a lot.

“There is an award, the Anzac Award, that we

sponsor for each of the schools, so there’s a bond.”

Michael believes people like the first-hand involvement in the community. With local veterans, churches, schools and service organisations taking part, it’s an inclusive event.

“It’s always good to have people who are retired and people who are active there, members of the community,” Michael said.

“Then you put the two together and it’s magic.”

Coledale

The past year has been a rollercoaster for Coledale RSL. The club was facing closure from December 2022 to April 2023 but volunteers came to the rescue and it reopened just in time for last year’s Anzac Day Dawn Service. In January, the club received the prestigious Lord Mayor’s Award.

“It was just good to get a little bit of recognition,” said David Lynch, Coledale RSL operations manager. “We’re so proud of what we’ve done.”

After successfully hosting last year’s Dawn Service, the club is encouraging everyone to take part in this solemn yet unifying occasion in 2024.

“Last Dawn Service is obviously our first one since we’ve been back and it was the biggest they’ve ever had,” David said.

“So we’re expecting even bigger, this time.

“It’s just such a sombre and moving event, paying homage to those that have fallen.”

Watch WW1 film

See Beneath Hill 60 at Coledale RSL

There will be a special free screening of World War I movie

Tuesday, April 23. Presented by Clifton School of Arts, the film will be introduced by its writer and co-producer, David Roach.

Based on an extraordinary true story, Beneath Hill 60 stars Brendan Cowell as Captain Oliver Woodward. In 1916 Woodward tears himself away from the woman he loves to join the army’s new, top-secret Australian Tunnelling Company. After minimal training, these civilian miners are sent to the mud and carnage of the Western Front. Deep beneath the German lines, Woodward and his platoon fight to defend a labyrinthine tunnel system packed with high explosives.

More info: 4267 1873; hello@coledalersl. com.au. Bookings are essential via events.humanitix.com/beneath-hill-60-withdavid-roach-at-coledale-rsl

Cuppa & biscuits to follow memorial

By Fran Peppernell of Helensburgh Lions

Our Helensburgh Lions Club will once again host an Anzac Day memorial on Thursday, 25 April at Stanwell Tops Lions Memorial Park commencing at 10am. Please join us to commemorate the Anzacs and all the armed forces. After the memorial, we all enjoy a cuppa and Anzac biscuit.

GET READY EVERYONE … at a recent meeting it was decided to hold the popular Brick Fair at Tradies Helensburgh. Please Save the Date for Sunday, 30 June 2024. We’ll keep you updated via our Facebook page. There will again be terrific prizes and colouring competitions!

Classes at Clifton

By CSA president David Roach

Well-known artist and art educator Ivor Fabok will be running a new program of art classes at Clifton School of Arts throughout 2024. The first series of two full-day classes will be held from 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, 3 April and Thursday, 18 April.

Anyone is welcome to attend regardless of their level of expertise. We are hoping to have a group of students who are committed to their art practice.

During classes, students will be involved in a series of exercises to build understanding and skills, using a variety of mediums and creative processes with a focus on basics such as composition, line, positive and negative space and the use of tonal studies. Ivor will also examine historic and contemporary practices that underpin art expression. The aim of the ongoing classes is to equip students with confidence and an understanding of the fundamentals necessary to develop their own independent practice.

Booking is essential: events.humanitix.com/ art-classes-with-ivor-fabok

Early bird festival tickets go on sale

By Elizabeth Heffernan of SCWC

The South Coast Writers Centre (SCWC) has announced the dates and first guests for its 2024 South Coast Readers and Writers Festival.

For the past two years, the festival has been held at Wollongong Town Hall but this year it will move to Thirroul District Community Centre and Library and take place on 13 and 14 July. The festival line-up will feature an array of stellar award-winning authors, talented new voices, acclaimed poets, broadcasters, and thinkers across more than 18 sessions.

The first guests announced for the festival are writer Bri Lee, leading television producer Roger Simpson, independent journalist Antony Loewenstein, novelist Catherine McKinnon, inaugural Parramatta Laureate for Literature Yumna Kassab, Gunai woman and artist Kirli Saunders OAM, music biographer Jeff Apter, and historical fantasy author Kell Woods.

SCWC director Sarah Nicholson said:

“Returning for its third year in 2024, the South Coast Readers and Writers Festival promises a weekend filled with captivating stories, thought-provoking discussions, and inspiring conversations.”

The full program will be announced in May.

Early bird tickets are now available at www.southcoastwriters.org/festival

SPAT calls for quick wits

By Stanwell Park Arts Theatre president Sonia Westwood

SPAT’s visual display in Thirroul library was well received, with many passers-by remarking on the rich and wonderful history of SPAT over the past 50 years.

Our next event will be TheatreSports. Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping, laugh-out-loud evening! The concept of TheatreSports is simple yet thrilling – teams of quick-witted improvisers compete against each other in a series of improvised scenes and games, all based on suggestions from the audience. From hilarious scenarios to heartwarming moments, every scene is spontaneous, unscripted and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. There will be a workshop on Sunday, 2 June to familiarise participants with the games and to

establish teams. Then the real fun will be on Saturday, 8 June at the CWA Hall.

And the last two weekends in June will see SPAT’s next production of Andrew Bovell’s award-winning play Things I Know to be True. We are bustling with energy and creativity as the actors, directors, and crew members dive into rehearsal mode.

Our amateur theatre group is not just about entertaining audiences; it’s about bringing people together, igniting imaginations and celebrating the power of storytelling. Community theatre remains a place where connections are forged, and memories are made. Come and join us!

spartstheatre@gmail.com or spat.org.au

New track to giant of Vine Forest

By Grevillea Park volunteer John Elton

Enter the Vine Forest at the Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden and you will find a magnificent blackbutt tree believed to be more than 150 years old. Blackbutt (Eucalyptus pilularis) gets its name from the rough bark at the tree base which is usually charred black from past bush fires. It is highly valued for its timber. Fortunately for us, this magic tree escaped the heavy logging that once took place in the forest.

The park has always maintained a walk that the public can access every day of the year. In recent years, access has been restricted due to the rain and floods washing away parts of the track around Slacky Creek. Consequently the volunteers at the park set about repairing the damage and decided to build a new track that leads directly to this monster of a tree. From the rear of the park, it is only a five-minute walk to the tree. Of course, there is also much more to see in the vine forest. It has an abundance of climbers, palms, ferns and trees, including Red Cedar. The tracks will take you along Blackbutt Walk to the magnificent Magic Blackbutt, through a forest of cabbage tree palms, along the Cedar Walk to the Crooked Cedar, and to the upper track giving views to Slacky Creek.

A great time to enjoy the vine forest is during our autumn open days on Saturday and Sunday, May 4, 5, 11 and 12; 10am-4pm. The Grevillea Park is at the rear of the Bulli Showground.

Books for all tastes

With the team at Collins Booksellers Thirroul

We hope you enjoyed a relaxing Easter and, for those with children, that this rolls on into the holidays. April brings the first hint of winter and we have plenty of games and activities to occupy the kids.

It’s also a great time of year to be expanding your repertoire in the kitchen. Make a pact with yourself to try one new recipe each week through winter, a different cuisine, or some of the wonderful recipes celebrating taste and nutrition.

We love stocking local authors and Doctor Verena’s Kitchen is a great example. It’s all about eating for optimum healthsustainable, nutritious, delicious! Lastly, an early (not out till September) heads-up for fans of Ottolenghi: we’re very excited and will soon be taking pre-orders for his next book: COMFORT.

books, games and gifts for all ages collins

Beetling About

With Dr Chris Reid of the Australian Museum

Dear reader, you are among the privileged few to see the first record of the Lesser Coconut Weevil (Diocalandra frumenti) south of Byron Bay. It is about 6mm long. The beetle flew onto the head of a colleague at the edge of Sydney’s Domain. Perhaps it mistook their head for a coconut? (I’m not passing judgement on anybody.) Landing on entomologists is a dangerous occupation for young weevils and this one is now safely ensconced in the museum collection, after being posted on iNaturalist.

tunnelling larvae – but fortunately it doesn’t occur in Australia (yet).

The Lesser Coconut Weevil is widespread in the Old World tropics, from East Africa to Tahiti in the Pacific – previous records in Australia were from the north and north-eastern coast, as far south as Byron Bay. So, probably another example of the influence of climate change on insect distributions. Of course, we can’t eliminate humans moving palms around, but the important thing is that it’s a tropical weevil surviving in Sydney.

The weevil does not confine its feeding to coconut, and is often regarded as a pest species, but Elwood Zimmerman, the former weevil expert at CSIRO, wrote that it attacks dead or damaged palm fronds rather than healthy plant material. As anyone who keeps palms will know, they shed a lot of dead material. So while it may turn up in the Illawarra soon, and may already be here, it is unlikely to cause problems.

A Lesser Coconut Weevil suggests there must be a Greater, and there is, a dark red monster up to 4cm long (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus). The Greater kills palms due to damage by the big fat

Join Thirroul’s VIEW Club

By Harriet Cartwright

I knew Elwood Zimmerman (‘Zimmie’) well, as he was one of a cluster of octo- and nona-genarian retired entomologists hanging around CSIRO while I worked there in the 80s and 90s. (Entomology must be a healthy occupation.) His first published research papers were in 1936! Zimmie was supposed to be completing a revision of the 8000 species of weevil thought to be present in Australia and he published five large books covering just a small portion of them. One volume includes the Lesser and Greater Palm Weevils and their relatives, enabling me to identify our species easily. The ambition was too much for Zimmie, of course, but he generously bequeathed enough money to employ researchers to continue that work, and they continue to this day. You can read about Zimmie here: https://en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Elwood_Zimmerman

We are an enthusiastic and friendly group of women who enjoy socialising but the main focus is supporting Learning For Life students.

Our club sponsors 14 students in the Smith Family’s Learning for Life program and raises funds to help disadvantaged students across Australia.

Our monthly lunchtime meetings are held at Woonona Bulli RSL. We meet at 10am for morning tea before the meeting, then lunch followed by a guest speaker. The seating plan changes each month, allowing members to mix, get to know other members and make new friends.

There are monthly craft and social days, fundays like Bingo and Melbourne Cup, and outings as well as theatre trips. Our active successful club has 102 members and we love welcoming newcomers. Contact Harriet on 0419 572 542 or email harriet@bigpond.net.au

Lesser Palm Weevil in Sydney. Photo: Cynthia Chan, Australian Museum

Return of the Powerful Owl

By Kieran Tapsell of Banksia Bushcare

From time to time at Stanwell Park we are woken up by the screech of a train, a police or ambulance siren, mufferless motorbikes and someone doing wheelies in the parking areas. But it is not often you are woken at 3am by a powerful owl less than 50 metres from your bedroom window. I had heard powerful owls before in the middle of the night, but they seemed to be further away and closer to the escarpment. This one nearly threw me out of bed.

I contacted Ewan Auld, a dedicated local birdwatcher and told him about my interrupted sleep. He went for a walk on the track from Stanwell Avenue to the kiosk where the Art in the Park nests are. There, above him in one of the taller Turpentine trees, was a roosting powerful owl.

They are the apex predators and travel widely in search of their food, mainly ring-tail possums and sugar gliders. Not far away was a frogmouth, often mistaken for an owl, who was there for the same gastronomical reasons, although they usually dine on insects, frogs and smaller vertebrates.

Powerful owls are listed as endangered in Victoria but classified as “vulnerable” in New South Wales. The reasons are the same, the loss of habitat not only for the large tree hollows that they require for nesting, but for their food sources. They usually avoid built-up areas and forest monocultures because their marsupial meals require plant biodiversity for their own food.

This powerful owl was prepared to cross over the built-up area of the Stanwell Park village to roost in the Stanwell Avenue Reserve on the middle headland of the beach. There can be only one reason for that, the rich food source now created by the successful regeneration of the littoral rainforest cut down in the 1920s by real estate developer Henry Halloran. In 1968, most of the land was resumed for a park and the rainforest allowed to regenerate with the help of Wollongong City Council and its volunteers. There are 40 native

species of tree that have regenerated naturally in the reserve and another 40 of mainly Illawarra trees have been planted there over the past 50 years to replace the invading weeds, Lantana, Ochna, Senna and Asparagus fern. Residents have also planted native species in their gardens, boosting food sources for birds and marsupials, which then bring in the owls.

Ewan tells me that Stanwell Park is particularly rich in bird life. He and his father Tony have identified some 200 bird species within the village and its surrounds, and it is not uncommon for him to see 40-60 species in a 2-3 hour walk around the village. Not all of these birds are permanent residents as some are migrating.

Being woken up in the middle of the night by human-induced noise can be annoying, but there is something serene about the call of a powerful owl, perhaps a sign that good things are happening somewhere in the world.

The tawny frogmouth (left) and powerful owl photographed by Ewan Auld in the Stanwell Ave Reserve

Cover Who will be

QUEEN?

By Anna Martin

The Illawarra’s first all-women invitational surf showdown, The Ocean Queen Classic, hosted by Woonona Boardriders, is set to run on May 5 at Woonona Beach.

Showcasing the area’s rich and rising talent, the invitation-only event will highlight surfing by the hottest women surfers from Cronulla to Ulladulla in both junior and women’s divisions, crowning a queen by day’s end.

Winners will also receive a generous prize purse intended to help them on the road to surf stardom.

The day will be a fun one with food trucks, ice baths, music, stalls, and a presentation and party in the surf club afterwards, said Kirby Mowbray, who is Woonona Boardriders women’s coordinator and the Ocean Queen Classic’s main organiser.

Kirby is excited that the event will also feature a heritage heat, showcasing the incredible women who have paved the way for our current stars.

This battle of the old guard will feature Australian surfing icon and world champion Pam

Burridge and local ex-world tour surfers Jenny Gill, Yvonne Turner, Kim Wooldridge and Fiona Hunt.

“We’re uniting the past, present, and future of surfing into one great event,” Kirby said. “And it’ll be fun to see some old rivalries revisited!”

Yvonne Turner, a World Competition Tour competitor in the late ‘90s and a Woonona Boardriders member, said that the day is something that is sorely needed.

In the past, she said, competitions weren’t set up to support women’s surfing. “We were always side acts for men’s comp surfing in bad conditions and receiving a fraction of the prize money and prizes.

“An event like the OQC has been long overdue … It will help to undo some past misdoings in our sport, it will financially support and showcase our best current elite surfers, and it will help inspire the next generation of female surfers.

“Our community will get to see the beauty of female surfing.”

Yvonne’s daughter, Aimee Turner, is one of the

L to R: Anna Martin, Aimee Turner, Rachel Cheetham, Pearl Peters and Kathryn Ward

rising stars who will compete in the comp’s junior division. Aimee said she was excited to get to surf in front of her mum at such a quality local event.

“It’s pretty epic; I’ll get the opportunity to meet and surf against the best junior surfers in my region on my local beach. I’ll meet other female surfers that share my passion, and because it is in my local area, I can share the day with my family and friends,” she said.

And Aimee is pretty proud of her mum too.

“Mum has always dreamed of seeing something big happen for female surfing in our area and has worked tirelessly with many other Woonona Boardriders members and friends to make it happen. Mum is already pretty busy with my other sports and her job, but she does it so we can have opportunities that her generation of surfers missed, which is great for us.”

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Woonona Boardriders has seen a significant shift as more women have joined in recent years. Kirby said the club has undergone a huge transformation.

“By providing support and resources, more girls are joining, and we are creating an atmosphere where everyone feels valued and welcome,” she said. “We have a variety of skill levels at our club and provide opportunities for everyone, whether it be competition, skill improvement, increased participation, and enjoyment of the sport.

“This change has highlighted the need for events specifically tailored to females. That’s why a competition of this nature is so important to showcase the skills and achievements of female surfers in the region.

“Women and girls everywhere are progressing at an unprecedented rate. It’s way more exciting to watch women’s professional surfing right now, and that’s an indicator of things to come. We will need more and more of these events to give our up-and-coming girls and women the platform they deserve.”

Georgia Matts – the comp’s creative visionary, an award-winning surf photographer and designer – echoes these sentiments.

“We wanted a female surf comp that highlighted how hard girls are ripping these days but was also about confidently being a woman in the water on female terms,” Georgia said. “Our Instagram, branding and everything we’re incorporating on the day speak to this, and that’s why this event will be unique and brilliant.

“Community support has been amazing; we’ve had generous financial support as well as product and service donations. The event will truly be a community effort.”

Follow on Instagram @oceanqueenclassic

Above left: Kirby Mowbray. Above right: Yvonne and Aimee Turner. Right: Georgia Matts. All photos: Georgia Matts/Woonona Boardriders

Local champion of Women on Waves

By Caitlin Sloan

To end her posts on Women on Waves – an Instagram community with a 14,500-strong following that she’s built since 2016 – Fiona Hunt likes to use #healthyobsession.

For the owner of Helensburgh’s Essential Surf and Skate shop and surf school, someone whose bread, butter and dessert is surfing, to describe the sport as her passion would only be scratching the surface.

“I think that’s exactly what it is – it’s a healthy obsession,” Fiona said.

‘[It’s about] paddling out in the ocean, just having the salt water on your skin and being able to look around and say to yourself, ‘Where else would I rather be?’”

Moving to the coast as a teen in the early 70s, it wasn’t long before Fiona’s pocket money was spent on surf magazines and her bedroom walls were lined with posters of women’s surfing pioneers Margo Oberg and Lynne Boyer. Soon 13-year-old Fiona and five of her friends were inspired to take to the water themselves.

Five decades on and her healthy obsession hasn’t once let up. Fiona competed in amateur surfing competitions throughout the 80s, met her husband and business partner, Peter, out in the surf and, in 1999, chased her dream and opened Essential Surf and Skate in Stanwell Park. Now in Helensburgh, the shop was initially geared towards women in surfing.

“I really wanted to concentrate on the women’s side of surfing because I loved it

myself and felt that I could really offer something in that area,” Fiona said.

“Being someone who had the hand-medowns of their brothers’ wetsuits, and even clothes, because I wanted to wear surf clothes growing up, I just sort of thought to myself [around] 1998, ‘Why isn’t there something just for women?’

“Sadly, it was ahead of its time… and at the same time, our son and his friends were pretty insistent I had to make it unisex because they were missing out.”

This year marks 25 years in business for both the shop and the school, with the first learn-to-surf session held in December 1999. While their fun, relaxed classes for all ages and levels have stayed constant, what has changed is the number of women and girls in the lessons. All of Fiona’s and half of Peter’s students are women, with the surf school averaging 60 per cent women students.

For Fiona, this indicates how far attitudes towards women in surfing have come since her early teens. “It was pretty intense to be a woman surfer amongst all the men,” she said.

“I grew up with brothers, so I was used to being teased… but the others found it quite intimidating, so out of the six of us [who started surfing together], I was the only one that actually kept going.

“[Women are] so much more accepted now, and it’s still got a way to go, but it’s a lot more comfortable now than it was back in the 70s.”

While she acknowledges there are improvements to be made in how surfing is marketed to women – as a sport and lifestyle choice, over aesthetics – she says one of the most exciting developments of recent years is the admiration of elite women’s surfing.

“Most men these days are fantastic. You’ll hear them encouraging girls… and most of the dramas I have heard about tend to be that older generation, who as a young girl I had trouble with,” Fiona said.

“I’ve actually heard a few comments just watching the professional comps, like the [World Surf League] Championship Tour, and when you hear some of the guys interviewed on the surfing that’s been done recently, I’ve actually heard some of the really high-level guys say, ‘I don’t know if I could do that.’

“[Women are] of a level now that is just blowing people’s minds, and a lot of those minds are men.”

Women of the Illawarra will have their own chance to shine at the inaugural Ocean Queens Classic at Woonona Beach on May 5.

Fiona’s Women on Waves team will field

22-year-old local surf sensation Darci Air as their top Essential Surf-sponsored rider on the day, before Fiona paddles out herself to take on former Australian world champion Pam Burridge, and local surf legends Jenny Gill, Yvonne Turner and Kim Wooldridge in the highly anticipated heritage heat.

Essential Surf and Skate will also be donating skateboards, sunglasses and other goods to the event’s prize pool.

“I’m just so excited to be involved in it,” Fiona said. “I really feel this comp is a showcase of women’s surfing.

“I just cannot believe how the girls have done so well with sponsorship… and the prizes and the prize money are just amazing.

“A lot of people around here don’t know the history of women’s surfing in the Illawarra… These girls were really, really good surfers. They were either on the circuit, or not far off.

“I can’t wait – I just hope we get good waves. That’s the only thing with comps, you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature, but it should be a fantastic day, and people should come down and watch the best in the Illawarra take it on.”

Fiona Hunt (left); Essential Surf star Darci Air and (below) Woonona Boardriders’ Pearl Peters (photo: Georgia Matts)

Thirroul Village Committee Update

By TVC secretary Annette Jones

The TVC held a general meeting on Sunday, February 25, with a full agenda. A synopsis of discussions is provided below.

McCauley Lodge

The TVC worked closely with residents located near McCauley Lodge to help them prepare for the Land and Environment Court (LEC) Conciliation Conference, held on site on February 27. There was no shortage of speakers opposing the proposal before Council. Concerns with the development include building height, bulk, overshadowing, privacy, stormwater drainage and protection of the heritage-listed trees. At time of writing no outcome had been reported.

Changes to Planning Policy

The TVC made a submission to the Department of Planning and Environment (DPIE) about the planned changes to state planning policy. The proposed changes will certainly have an adverse effect on most LGAs across the state. It will mean an increase in housing density and building height – especially for those suburbs close to the railway stations and shopping centres. The effects will forever change the look and liveability of suburbs.

Bulli Bypass

From discussions with Transport for NSW (TfNSW), there are a number of options under consideration, but it was reported that TfNSW has no preferred option. The TVC encouraged residents to make submissions about a bypass of Bulli. Submissions are now closed and TfNSW is currently reviewing the submissions.

Graffiti Report

During the past three months graffiti attacks have continued around Thirroul and Thomas Gibson Park. A check of the Council register revealed there were 22 reports around Thirroul with the cost to Council of this graffiti removal estimated at $8850.

If residents see graffiti, please report it to council on (02) 4227 7111, or email Council with the details – council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au.

Garden report

Before Christmas, Council cut down the mature Hibiscus trees on Lawrence Hargrave Drive (LHD) by the railway overbridge. The reason was there had been complaints that bits of the Hibiscus were falling onto the cars parked in the railway carpark behind/beneath them. When staff attended to trim them, the trees were found to be rotten through the

trunks, so were at risk of falling. They were planted about 40 years ago by a resident. The Northern Depot Manager is aware of residents’ concerns and is looking into suitable replacement plants.

There are only a few months to go before the crowds arrive in town for the Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival, and the garden sub-committee is working to help make the town look its best for the festival. The Seaside and Arts Festival will be held from Friday, May 31 until Sunday, June 2.

Amy monument

Recently there was wilful destruction of the Amy monument on the roundabout at the entrance to Thirroul Beach. The monument commemorates the lives lost on board a brig, the ‘Amy’ which ran aground off Thirroul in 1898. The broken bricks and top section of the monument have been taken into safe keeping by Council staff and discussions have been held with Recreation Services staff about relocating the monument to a safer site.

Update on Skate Park

As a result of a recent budget meeting with Councillors, a number of things planned for 2023-2024 had to be postponed due to increasing costs. The skate park was one. This will be looked at in the 2024-2025 financial year when a suitable site will be selected and plans drawn up.

Leash-free areas for dogs

Council is looking for a potential dog park in the northern suburbs, which is proving difficult. Council responded to the TVC about the issue of dogs running freely on ‘Orange Zoned’ beaches –timed off-leash beaches. Council is investigating extending the operational hours of compliance officers and providing more education for dog owners.

Traffic lights near library, corner of Lawrence Hargrave Drive and Railway Parade

A local resident raised concerns about the pedestrian wait times at the intersection of LHD and Railway Parade. A lot of people ignore the don’t walk sign and walk or run across the road, which could lead to an accident. It was suggested that consideration be given to changing the signalling on LHD. This has been a problem since the introduction of the three traffic lights that occur in quick succession – LHD and Railway Parade, LHD and Phillip St and LHD and Wrexham Road. A letter will be sent to TfNSW, with a follow up letter of support from the TVC.

Bulli Pass and possible secondary route to and from Thirroul

The fallout from the recent traffic accident is still raw. Bulli Pass has been a concern for many years, as it is an old horse and buggy trail that has been converted to a main road by being bituminised. Perhaps having the Bulli Bypass join up with the M1 might be the best and most cost-effective solution as constant work needs to be done to maintain safety on Bulli Pass.

In the meantime, one suggestion was to utilise the green parkland at the end of Bulli Pass where the exit ramp to Thirroul is located in order to create a more sweeping left-hand turn. This would be safer than the current ‘stop’ sign at the junction of LHD and Bulli Pass as sight lines at this junction are extremely difficult.

Traffic noise studies

The NSW Government agreed that Wollongong will be part of a trial with one camera in place per ward. This is the same system that has been trialled in the UK.

Next meeting 4pm Sun, April 28 at TRIPS Hall; thirroulvillagecommittee@gmail.com

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.

Since 2020 Neighbourhood Forum 3 (Woonona, Bulli, Thirroul and Austinmer) has not had a convenor and residents have been welcome to attend NIRAG quarterly meetings to discuss and contribute to local community issues and concerns.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 1 at 7pm at the Bulli Community Centre (in the upstairs meeting room). Council officers will be attending to outline the Draft Delivery Program 2022-2026 and Operational Plan 2024-2025, which has the principal activities that Council will implement to achieve the longterm objectives in the Community Strategic Plan. The Delivery Program accounts for Council’s stewardship of the community’s longterm goals, outlining what it intends to do. The Plan will be on exhibition from Wednesday, 10 April to Tuesday, 7 May.

Minutes of previous meetings are on the Flame’s website. For more information or to add items to the agenda email nirag@bigpond.com

Next meeting: Wed, 1 May, 7pm at Bulli

Okanui!

By Paul Blanksby of Helensburgh Men’s Shed

Okanui! What is that?! Godzilla’s bride? Frankenstein, when he dropped a hammer on his toe?

No! An Okanui is a 1950s-era hollow timber surfboard, made in the hundreds in Australia. Ken Holloway had one, rescued from Maroubra SLSC. But it wasn’t quite a surfboard. It was more a box of firewood, some long interesting curvy bits and a painting of a swordfish.

When his friend Rod Gorvin brought it along to the Men’s Shed, we could see it would be a great challenge. The Guru of the Grain Timber Technician Stephen Dodd, and us chappies had a good look, made comforting and encouraging sounds, and told Ken and Rod – no problem.

Yes, it took a while. At one stage we had 10 blokes and all the shed’s clamps and straps doing the glue-up processes. Yes, sourcing NZ kauri and Australian red cedar to make up repair parts was tricky. Plus, realising that some of the bits in the box weren’t from the original surfboard!

But look at that beautiful creation now, Ken on the left, Stephen on the right. And the swordfish, tall and proud in the sun.

Sometimes we may feel we’re in bits. Or maybe we feel stuck in a box, unloved, just junk. Let me tell you, I’ve felt like that. But the Men’s Shed is one place where you can get out of that box, and stand tall in the sun again. Okanui!

199a Parkes St; Mon-Wed 9am-3pm. 0478 892 485; helensburghmensshed.org.au

‘Australia Felix’ at Stanwell Park

By the show’s writer, Geoffrey Sykes of Stanwell Tops

Special performances of Australia Felix (The Life, Tales, Trials, Sentencing and Execution of Clarke the Flying Barber) will be presented at Stanwell Park’s CWA Hall on Friday and Saturday, 26 and 27 April, at 7pm. Australian theatre and history are re-imagined in this independent production following seasons at The Richard Wherrett Studio, Roslyn Packer Theatre and Chippen Street Theatre.

This story of runaway convict George Clarke and his tale of a fabulous river and a fertile inland influenced Thomas Mitchell, the Surveyor General of NSW and the first person to set up a solid residence in Stanwell Park. Mitchell set off on his first expedition based on the convict’s tale.

Clarke’s life story is told by a travelling theatre company of the time, on the eve of the execution of the convict. Clarke rustled cattle and horses for hungry Aboriginal people excluded from their traditional homeland by pastoral farming. Genres are inverted, history upended.

The show includes encounters between Mitchell and Clarke that resonate with current issues. There will be a Q&A following performances.

I have lived at Stanwell Tops for over 30 years and wrote the first version of this show when I lived in Sydney. We are not presenting the show at Stanwell Park because I am local. There is a remarkable link through the life of Mitchell.

Mitchell lived at the end of Stanwell Ave. It was a holiday home – he already had an impressive

Gothic home on Sydney Harbour. Mitchell named the prominent geographical feature at Stanwell Park, Mt Mitchell, after himself, and built the bullock track at the side of the mountain. Remains of that track can be found today on the Wodi Wodi track.

The show has a professional cast, with Mark Alexander, Rick Butler, Tisha Kelemen, Freya Moore and Melissa Glinn. Songs are by Steve Wood with musical direction by Kate Stewart. Visual design is by local graphic artist Aschara Pothmann. We hope to tour the show regionally and interstate.

Tickets via www.trybooking.com/CPAEG or search “Australia Felix” at Trybooking.

Happy 20th! 4 founders cut the cake

By Pete Dawson and Lorraine Jones of Helensburgh Probus

In February Helensburgh Probus Club celebrated its 20th birthday. What an achievement for the founding members who started the club, five of whom are still regular members and four of them, Carole, Margaret, Mark and Barry, were at the February meeting and cut the cake!

Members continue to enjoy outings and activities, from our usual monthly bowls and golf days to a forthcoming trip to Cockatoo Island.

This month the club held its AGM and welcomed our new president, John Stimson, and new committee. The club meets on the second Thursday of the month at 10.30am at Tradies

Find friends and fun with Thirroul Probus

By publicity officer Yvonne Bryce

The Thirroul Probus Club is a relatively new club that has seen a consistent rise in membership over the past few years. Its ethos of FRIENDSHIP, FELLOWSHIP and FUN has definitely made this a great club to belong to as many of us ease into retirement or look to make new friendships in retirement. There are so many monthly activities on offer (walking group, cycling, golf, barefoot bowls, book club, coffee club, buzzer lunches, small

Helensburgh. We have had two successful outings this year. The first was a bush walk followed by lunch at Bundeena RSL. We noticed that the native fig trees were lower-hanging than the massive fig trees seen in local parks and Sydney streets.

During February’s visit to Kiama, we saw the blow hole spouting at its best. Members have played golf and bowls, and a picnic at Audley was planned for March 28. In April, we will be going on a nine-day bus trip to Dorrigo, with sightseeing at the beaches and towns on the way back.

Please contact Val, our new Membership Officer, with enquiries on 0419 129 984.

group dining, theatre outings, caravan/cabin trips, day excursions and, of course, our monthly meetings with interesting guest speakers). As you can see, there is something for everyone!

A recent highlight was a Mystery Tour into the city, where we began with a coffee stop and were then given clues to guess our next destination. This was the Sydney Museum, which had interesting displays and films on the building of the Opera House and early Australia. From there, we caught a ferry (still not knowing our destination) and alighted at Watson’s Bay to enjoy a delicious lunch at the Watson’s Bay Pub. The day ended with a surprise Happy Hour visit at the Pullman Grand Quay. It was an amazing day out organised by Gail and Mike Brennan.

Another highlight was a caravan and camping trip to Tuross Head; 35 Probus members came along and stayed for 3 or 4 nights. Again, there were activities for everyone including walking, bike rides, golf, swimming, a winery visit, cafes, barbecues, happy hours and lovely dinners out. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed. Thanks to Mark Bryce and Rodd Smith for all of their organisation!

Thirroul Probus Club is a very active club with a great group of members!

New winners pop up at Camp Treachery

By Ian Pepper of the Scarborough Boardriders

Firstly, congratulations to our team that made their way to Queensland on the weekend of 9-10 March to represent our club at the Australian Boardriders Battle National Finals.

Team: Nic Squiers, Mannix Squiers, Fin McLaren, Will Clarke, Shyla Short, Rod Morgan.

Team Coach: Christian De Clouett.

The surf was large and unruly with multiple challenges like rock jump entry and a long run back to tag the next surfer. We had big clubs to overcome in the first round, including previous winners Snapper Rocks, but all the training paid off with a formidable performance from everyone in particular Nic Squiers scoring a 6.47 to clinch second place. This meant we made it to Finals day for the first time in years. The surf picked up eand our team put forward a great performance but narrowly missed a chance to get through to the

Roller School starts

By Caitlin Sloan

Groove is coming to Helensburgh in 2024!

Sugartown Skate Club has launched Helensburgh Roller School and one-on-one street coaching sessions for roller skaters of all ages and skill levels.

At Helensburgh Scout Hall, the Roller School’s timetable aligns with school terms. Under-14s and adult classes are run three days a week:

Mondays: All levels/Under 14s: 5:30-6:30pm. All levels/Age 14+: 6:30-7:30pm.

Thursdays: All levels/Under 14s: 4-5pm

Fridays: All levels/Age 14+: 6-7pm

BYO skates and safety gear.

A class in the Scout hall. Photo: Anthony Warry

semi’s when the ocean went flat for the last five minutes of the heat, leaving Nic Squiers unable to catch a wave. Overall, a top effort with 21st place in the huge field of 42 clubs. Well done to local team Burleigh Heads for taking out the title.

The following weekend 15-17 March about half our club headed north for our annual pointscore at Treachery (near Seal Rocks). You know what they say, go hard or go home. Well, there was some charging going on with decent-sized clean waves at north Lighthouse Beach, an unusual location for the annual trip to Camp Treachery. With the conditions looking big and onshore Friday arvo, a late start at Lighthouse as the wind dropped proved to be the right move as Huey delivered the goods. With fewer crew on deck (except the over 55s who were there in spades), some new winners emerged.

Congrats to Lennox Golding for hitting the big sections to take out A Grade, with Oscar Hargreaves on fire all day taking 2nd and Rod, never-too-old-to-slash Morgan 3rd. B Grade were also producing the goods with Tommie Cartwright taking the win, and in a breakthrough moment for the over 55s David Crossley stormed the garrison scoring a 9, wrestling the lead from marathon man Brett Davis with Dave never-give-up Tanner in 3rd. Amira Rankin dominated the Open Women with a 13.97 total, with Macey Jolley 2nd and Summer Cahill 3rd. The ultra-competitive U18s saw Finn O’Connor take this one out ahead of Rhett 2nd & Ashton 3rd, with the ever-consistent Noah Kornek winning the U12s. It was a big day in the sun with more than a few cars somehow slipping deep into the sand and having to be rescued.

Photo: Tanya Pepper

Your Letters

Write to hello@theillawarraflame.com.au

Miner Statue’s coat of many colours

Congratulations to all our Local Creative Geniuses who come up with brilliant ideas to decorate our Miner’s Statue with to help celebrate important events in our town. You all should be very proud of your great efforts to bring alive our beloved statue.

Thanks heaps, keep up the great work.

Note: The statue outside Helensburgh Post Office was created by local sculptor Gaye Porter.

– Jim Powell, president of Helensburgh and District Historical Society

Re: Nuclear Power

John Ingle raised a very interesting point about the use of small scale nuclear reactors to solve our energy crisis in last month’s Flame. Good idea. Can I suggest that we install the first reactor in Coledale and that the waste also be stored there. Seems like there is local support for these units.

– Martyn Frappell, also an engineer, Bulli

Re: No Lights No Lycra digital article

I just read Amanda De George article on NLNL and am sorry I missed her incredible dancing! I’m a regular at the Wollongong NLNL which is currently on pause due to venue renovations and so I’ve started going to Thirroul in the meantime. Brilliant article on NLNL!

– Melissa Errey

Readers invited to Open Day and Book Launch

By Janet Lee of Helensburgh and District Historical Society

Save the date: Saturday, April 6, from 10am-2pm, 78 Parkes Street, Helensburgh.

Join us at 11am as we launch our new publication Teaching the 3Rs, Pioneer Schoolteachers of the Helensburgh District, written by Janet Lee. The book costs $20 and is about three pioneer public school teachers – Edwin Byrnes at Helensburgh, Arthur Gilchrist at Otford, and John Surtees at Stanwell Park.

The title is, of course, a reference to the old method of teaching “Reading, Writing and Arithmetic”, but these three pioneers did much more than that. They brought enrichment and enjoyment to the lives of young people through music, poetry recitations, sports, gardening, science, history, geography, nature study, sewing, citizenship, debating, patriotic events, and even practical life-saving lessons, as the children worked towards passing their examinations, in the hope of progressing to secondary education, or obtaining a good job. Not only that, the three teachers also helped form and enrich social life in the villages, by involving themselves wholeheartedly in community organisations.

We are reprinting the popular booklet by Dr Lorraine Jones, Helensburgh NSW and the 1919 Influenza Epidemic, and it will be available for $10 at the Open Day. We still have copies of last year’s publications available: Historic Helensburgh ($25) and Helensburgh Snippets ($20). Pay by Eftpos or cash or pre-order for pick-up.

At the Open Day, you can also tour Dr Cox’s 1935 surgery, look through our photo collection, get help with your family history, or update us with new information. Contact Jan on 0418 681 384 or info@historichelensburgh.org.au

Clockwise: Miner’s Christmas Santa 2014, World UCI Cyclist Race 2022, Easter Bunny Miner 2024, Thistles 3 grades in Grand Final 2022.

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Port Kembla Tidal Chart

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Australia 2023, Bureau of Meteorology

Astronomical Tide (UTC +10:00) or daylight savings time (UTC +11:00) when in effect

Helensburgh Sunday Social Golf Club

Robert ‘Indy’ Jones reports

Golf news

HSSGC roamed the fairways and greens of Campbelltown on March 3rd to witness the elegance and beauty of a man on top of his game.

With El Presidentè believing this effort to be a new highest score for the club, who was it you ask on the way to a massive 47 Stableford points, sinking five birdies and leaving all others behind?

Mr Peter Gardner, with a HSSGC handicap of 14. I am bemused that our star on the day did not claim one on-course prize, he generously (or otherwise) allowed seven lucky winners to seize upon the on-course goodies.

Meanwhile, Rob Carter and Luke Hatcher were 2nd and 3rd place-getters, on a more than reasonable 38 points, decided by count-back.

Next events: Campbelltown, April 7th, 6:28am; Campbelltown, May 5th, 7:38am; Campbelltown, June 2nd, 7:31am.

Contact Tony on 0418 863 100 for membership information and to register your attendance and cart requirements at our next event, registrations needed on the Tuesday ahead of the date.

Join us to enjoy a game of golf, the great outdoors and good company. Also, Blotto is waiting, so don’t miss out, get a number and win.

Indy signing off …

Did you know that golf is like fishing? Both unusually encourage exaggeration.

Tradies Social Golf

Barry Thompson reports I was unable to attend the last swing fest due to a lurgie handicapper and my informants appear to be on strike. Therefore, all information for this rather sparse report was provided by our handicapper, Mick Carroll.

As all golfers know, there is no such thing as a dishonest handicapper, so I report from his result sheet in full confidence.

The event, which was played under fair conditions, was a two-man Ambrose with pairings drawn from a hat. This method is itself fraught with danger as the hat can sometimes throw out some dodgy results. However, Mick got away with it and apparently there was no drama.

Mick and Gary combined well to take the crown with a nett 60, followed by Geoff Gavin on 61¾.

For