Meet Our Contributors
Jeremy Lasek began his career in the Illawarra with the Lake Times, ABC Radio and WIN-TV. He was executive director of ACT Government Communications, Events, Arts, Heritage and Protocol for many years. Before returning to Wollongong, Jeremy was CEO of the National Australia Day Council and head of communications for the Australian Federal Police.
Tamara Hynd is the curator of Shellharbour City Museum which moved to a new contemporary facility at the Shellharbour Civic Centre in 2018. She loves history, heritage buildings and places, and is on the board of Museums and Galleries NSW.
Lesley Roulston is a passionate writer who enjoys hearing the inspiring stories of the people of the Illawarra. She can be found walking her King Charles Spaniel most evenings around the Shellharbour Marina. Her interests include reading and listening to podcasts on health and ageing well.
Phebe Fidge is a marine ecologist passionate about repairing nature and mitigating the effects of climate change. She has over five years of experience in environmental education and science communications with an Honours degree in ecology and conservation biology from the University of Queensland.
Ken Magnus was born in Dubbo and moved to Sydney to complete an apprenticeship as a compositor. After studying at Sydney Tech College, he worked in the printing industry for 54 years. Ken joined the Lions in the 70s after watching a telecast fundraiser for St Vincent’s heart clinic. On retiring, he moved to the Shellharbour area where, after over 35 years as a Lion, he is still serving – currently as the Oak Flats media liaison.
Julie McDonald is a member of the Illawarra Ramblers and the Southern Illawarra Older Women’s Network. She and her partner were early tree changers, fleeing Sydney for the rolling hills of Jamberoo in 1994. She enjoys camping, bushwalking, kayaking and swimming. Prior to retirement, Julie was a senior academic and researcher in primary health care at UNSW.
Contact Lesley on 0411 025 008 or book online at www.theillawarraflame.com.au
Next deadline is Nov 15 for Summer
EDITORS Genevieve Swart, Marcus Craft CONTACT hello@theillawarraflame.com.au.
Features Coordinator Shellharbour: Lesley Roulston, 0411 025 008, shellharbour@ theillawarraflame.com.au
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NEXT EDITION Summer 2025
DEADLINE 15 Nov. Contributions welcome. COVER Maddison Glover, of Illawarra Country Bootscooting. Photo: Anthony Warry THE ILLAWARRA FLAME is published by The Word Bureau trust, ABN 31 692 723 477
DISCLAIMER: All content and images remain the property of The Illawarra Flame unless otherwise supplied. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission. Views expressed do not reflect those of the publishers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The publishers acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their cultural and spiritual connection to this land. Their stories are written in the land and hold great significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, from the mountains to the sea.
THE ILLAWARRA
STRONGHER
Why This Program Matters to Me
As both a trainer and the owner of Vision Personal Training Shellharbour, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful strength training can be for women – especially during perimenopause and menopause. This stage of life often comes with challenges like weight gain, fatigue, mood changes, and even loss of confidence. That’s why I’m so proud to introduce our new program, . For me, isn’t just another fitness option –it’s a way to give women back control over their health. Strength training helps protect bone density, boost metabolism, and build muscle, which are all crucial during this stage. But what excites me most is how it changes the way women feel: stronger, more energetic, and more confident in their bodies.
I also know the importance of community. creates a supportive space where women can share experiences, lift each other up, and realise they’re not alone. Watching clients grow in strength and self-belief is one of the most rewarding parts of my job, and this program makes that possible on a whole new level.
is about more than exercise – it’s about empowering women to thrive, not just survive, through menopause and beyond.
— Rachel Macedo, Owner & Trainer, Vision PT Shellharbour
Dream to launch Camp Abilities
By Lesley Roulston
After smashing stereotypes to triumph in her own sports, vision-impaired para-athlete Lily Piccolo wants to empower others by launching Australia’s first Camp Abilities in the Illawarra.
The Shellharbour para-cyclist and triathlete recently spent time in the US as a coach and volunteer at the 2025 Camp Abilities, an educational sports camp for children with visual and sensory impairments.
Inspired by her time at the State of New York University in Brockport, where Camp Abilities has run for 30 years, Lily is now on a mission to start a local version of the life-changing children’s event.
“It has always been a dream of mine to start some sort of recreational camp for visually impaired kids,” Lily says. “I wanted to see how the camp was run so I could emulate it with an Aussie flavour here at home.”
The US camp, held from June 29 to July 5 this year, brought together about 50 children aged from nine to 19. It offered one-on-one coaching and the chance for participants to try a range of sports, including swimming, cycling, running and athletics, tennis, soccer, goal ball, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding and fitness.
Lily says visually impaired children in the US are often excluded from mainstream school sports but the camp’s programs show how simple adaptations – such as placing a bell in a soccer ball (for the sport of goal ball) – can open up a new world.
Spring Diary Dates
What’s on in September
Sept 16 Bush Tucker Connections: Exploring Indigenous Flavours and Medicine, 10-11am at Shellharbour City Library
Sept 12-30 PromenART Sculpture Walk: 50 works along the marina’s edge, Shell Cove
Sept 20 Eats and Beats Oak Flats: Street food, music, family fun 10am-2pm Central Avenue.
Sept 20-24 Ekphrasis, an exhibition of perfume and art, GLaM Gallery, Gerringong
Sept 23 Kinchem Hegedus author talk – Inner Landscaping, Kiama Library, 5.30pm, free
Sept 28 Run Shellharbour: various course lengths including a marathon. www.runshellharbour.com.au
“The camp creates a safe space allowing the children to really thrive,” Lily says. “They don’t feel different as many of the coaches are visionimpaired too.”
Lily is determined to “smash stereotypes” and leads a full life despite a rare eye disease that has rendered her legally blind in her 20s. She is a champion tandem cyclist, having competed at a national level; last year she trekked the Camino Way; and, most recently, she enjoyed snow-skiing during the 2025 Ski for Light, a week-long annual cross-country skiing event in Colorado, USA.
Next on Lily’s to-do list is to complete the 155km-long Bondi2Berry charity bike ride which raises funds and awareness for dementia research – it is being held this year on November 15. In 2026, she is hoping to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, a gruelling five-day trek.
Lily’s goal is to have Camp Abilities Australia up and running in the Illawarra by January 2027. She is speaking to local Rotary clubs about her plans, and says they seem keen to get onboard. She would also like to collaborate with other local community groups to help the camp become a reality.
Visit www.lilypiccolo.com
What’s on in October
Oct 3 Chris Hammer talks about his crime thriller, Legacy, Kiama Library 6pm, $10
Oct 29 Rachael Johns talks about her book The Lucky Sisters, Shellharbour City Library, 6pm. Oct 31-Nov 2 Shellharbour SUP Festival, visit www.supshellharbour.com
What’s on in November
Nov 1 & 2 Lapidary Club’s Jewellery Gems & Minerals Festival, Ribbonwood Centre, Dapto
Nov 23 Shellharbour Civic Centre market with young makers, creators and performers.
Nov 15-16 GV Block party: Greenvalleys Mountain bike club hosts boutique MTB event
Nov 29 Jane Austen movie bingo, Gerringong Library, $5, book online
Garden gates to swing open
The Edible Garden Trail is back for its third year, Tyneesha Williams reports
Garden gates will swing open across the region this spring as the Illawarra Edible Garden Trail returns for its third year.
Held on November 22 and 23, this year’s self-guided tour will stretch further than ever, with gardeners from Helensburgh to Shellharbour ready to share what they’ve been growing.
Trail coordinator Emily Fowler says the event taps into a wealth of growing knowledge by introducing new gardeners to seasoned ones.
“We’re hoping to connect all of the Illawarra because there’s communities in Otford and Helensburgh that are growing, and then there’s a bit more agriculture going on down near Shell Cove,” she says. “The idea is to try and connect growers across the community, so they can share knowledge whether they’re in their first year or their 10th year of gardening.”
It’s Emily’s first year coordinating the event. Raised in North Queensland, she moved to the Illawarra to study nutrition science, then began thinking more critically about food systems.
Her passion for growing took off while running the kitchen at Moore Street General in Austinmer,
where she focused on sourcing local produce.
Emily is now encouraging gardens of all sizes – from balcony pots to backyard beds – to register for 2025’s event. Run by Healthy Cities Australia in partnership with Food Fairness Illawarra, and sponsored this year by Gilly’s Kitchen Garden in Otford, the trail aims to strengthen local food systems. Garden hosts will have the chance to meet and swap stories at pre- and post-event dinners. Sign up at foodfairnessillawarra.org.au
NEED A SKIP BIN?
Capturing Vivid Dreams
By Lesley Roulston
Multi-media artist Gennifer Anderson, the president of Shellharbour City Arts Society, is a champion of public art who takes inspiration from both dreams and nightmares.
“I think that’s where some of the more surreal images and monsters come from,” Gennifer said ahead of her upcoming exhibition Vivid Dreams.
To be held at The Garden in Berry from November 13 to December 10, her solo show will feature old and new pieces with elements of resin and paper on board. Look out for one large artwork called Monster Eating the World, which she says is “an example of how we use art to express feelings that can’t be discussed with people – an example of
Kayakers clean
By Julie McDonald
up
Kayakers from the Illawarra Ramblers spent a winter morning cleaning up rubbish on the foreshore of Lake Illawarra’s Gooseberry Island as part of Plastic Free July.
how art can be used as a way to release emotion.”
Her work reacts to a time of global upheaval. “War and violent crimes were being mirrored through volcanic eruptions and threats of tsunamis – our behaviour as humans was turning the world into its own enemy,” Gennifer says.
One of her favourite materials is resin, which Gennifer uses in an exceptional manner to create a textured look. She leans towards collage, evident in her artwork at Shellharbour’s Ambulatory Care Centre. It features a waterfall tree root at Macquarie Pass and a trunk endearingly inscribed with the names of hospital staff and community members.
Follow @genniferandersonart on Instagram
Led by Gerry O’Leary, a 12-strong crew of Ramblers volunteered, gathering at 8am on a chilly July 17 morning at Berkeley for a briefing and safety instructions as the task involved clambering over rocks and oyster shells along the foreshore.
The kayakers used their gloved hands to collect about 20 large bags of rubbish, several car tyres, a car wheel, a plastic chair, a heavy foam mattress and a huge amount of small and large pieces of plastic, as well as numerous drink straws, water bottles, fishing line, broken glass etc.
At the end of the morning, a boat (thanks to Paul and Rodney) hoisted the bags onboard and a tired but satisfied group of paddlers returned to Berkeley for a well-earned cuppa as they watched trucks remove the huge pile of rubbish.
Thanks to a stalwart team of paddlers (Gerry, Fay, Heather, Charlie, Julie, Roger, Theresa, Phil, Fred and Peter). Now we’re planning a rubbishremoval trip to Hooka Island later in the year.
A Welcome Reunion
By Cristina Sacco of the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra (MCCI)
Lita and Livia grew up in the same small, tight-knit, and vibrant Fijian village. They were familiar with each other’s families and are even related on their fathers’ side. But as luck would have it, they never actually met back in their home village.
Today, both women have made the life-changing decision to move to Australia. They arrived separately, and adjusting to life in a new country came with challenges: unconventional work hours, new surroundings, no familiar faces.
Coincidences continued to surface. Livia and Lita both work in aged care and are receiving support from Local Connectors to settle into their communities, with Livia’s family recently joining her from Fiji. Remarkably, the two now live very close to each other on the beautiful South Coast, one in Shellharbour and the other in Nowra.
One night, they attended a sunset pizza event hosted by The Welcome Experience, and it was then they finally met. It was a simple introduction, but for both women, the recognition was instant and heart-warming. Livia learned that Lita was from her village, and they began naming relatives, realising how deeply connected their families were.
“Even though this is our first time meeting, it feels like I’ve known her forever,” Livia said.
For Lita, meeting Livia brought a piece of home to her new life in Australia. “It’s a different feeling,” she said. “You feel like you’re back in Fiji, with someone who understands everything; your stories, your language, your ways.”
Now, just a stone’s throw from each other, they plan to spend time together when they can. The Welcome Experience didn’t just introduce them, it reminded them of who they are and where they came from. In a foreign land, they found family, friendship, and a sense of belonging.
The Welcome Experience is designed to help essential workers and their families who are relocating to regional NSW, providing them with support and local connections. MCCI delivers this free support service in the Illawarra Shoalhaven.
Dr Bateman of Ravensthorpe
By Tamara Hynd, curator of Shellharbour City Museum
Dr Arthur Wigley Bateman was a fascinating, and well-travelled man.
He was born 1844 at St Pancras, London to Thomas and Marianne Bateman (nee Daubeny). His father was a solicitor and the family lived in Endsleigh Street, with several servants. Arthur attended Rossall Boarding School in Lancashire, known locally as the ‘Eton of the North’, before enrolling at Magdalen College, University of Oxford.
In 1865, aged 20, Arthur set off for Australia onboard the Venus. He left Gravesend in May and arrived in Melbourne in August, and kept a journal of his trip. In 1868, he returned to Australia onboard the Agamemnon, and recorded his travels in his journal which he dedicated to his sister, Mary. This trip was a scientific one for Arthur. He set off for Tasmania to collect specimens for Dr George Rolleston, a now famous physician and zoologist. A decade later, Arthur again returned to Australia. He was by now, about 34, and a physician and surgeon, L.R.C.P (Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh).
During his 10 years away, Arthur studied medicine, travelled and, while visiting his Uncle Edmund in Germany, was possibly introduced to the dawn of ‘Volapük’. Volapük was a constructed language, invented in 1879 by a German priest who believed God had directed him to create an international language. Arthur maintained a great interest in Volapük for the rest of his life, developing demonstrations of the language to exhibit at the Albion Park Show in the 1890s.
When Arthur came to Australia in 1878, he settled in Tenterfield as the Government Medical Officer and Vaccinator for the district. It was here he met his future wife Anna Louisa Kennedy, who he married 12 months later. The couple made a quick trip back to London, where their first child, Mary Louisa Daubeny Bateman, was born in 1880.
On their return to Australia, the family lived at Rylestone and Manly. In the 1890s they moved to Albion Park for Arthur’s new appointment. He treated cuts, broken bones, gunshot wounds, pleurisy, typhoid fever, influenza, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and injuries caused by accidents.
At Albion Park, on the rise of a hill on Tongarra Road, the Batemans built a beautiful home they named ‘Ravensthorpe’. It had an adjacent doctor’s surgery on the eastern side of the house.
Arthur and Anna had 10 more children.
Blanche Ethel Minter Bateman died when she was three years old in 1891. Six years later, John Kennedy Bateman, 16, died in a boating accident
on Lake Illawarra. Charles Daubeny Bateman followed in his father’s footsteps and became a doctor, serving in the First World War.
In 1944, Charles lost his only son, Peter, in the Second World War.
One of Arthur’s good friends was another well-known doctor, George Edward Rundle, a trustee of the Australian Museum, who served as president of the Zoological Society. It is believed, in 1900, Dr Rundle donated two thylacines (known as Tasmanian tigers or wolves) to Sydney’s first zoo, Moore Park Zoo.
Dr Arthur Wigley Bateman was only 54 years old when he died at Ravensthorpe. His good friend Dr Rundle erected a monument in his honour at the Albion Park Anglican Cemetery.
Today, the former Bateman family home, ‘Ravensthorpe’, is a luxury wedding venue, with the doctor’s former surgery, used as the honeymoon suite.
Visit discovershellharbour.recollect.net.au
Charles Daubeny Bateman circa 1916 and his family home, Ravensthorpe, c. 1910. Photos: Shellharbour City Museum
“Jane Austen for all intents and purposes is Elizabeth Bennet,” Renee said. “Through her writing, we engage in timeless themes and ideas. At its core, it’s a story of romance, but also one of humour, society and its foibles.”
McGinn has adapted several novels for stage and knew the story had to have an engaging flow.
“A play is not a novel,” Renee said. “He kept true to the words and actions of the story, but also added some fresh twists to key moments. One example of this is with the incorporation of modern pieces of music played Regency style by string quartets”
Behind the Curtain
With Brian Kelly
“Mr Darcy!” “Miss Bennett!” Shellharbour will come alive with Regency-era romance and all its wonderfully suppressed emotions with Roo Theatre’s September celebration of Pride and Prejudice
Roo production manager Renee Brighton said Brian McGinn’s stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s 1813 novel contains themes that still resonate more than two centuries later.
Austen’s heroines often challenged society’s prescribed roles for women. “They found ways to shape their own destinies,” Renee said. “Austen produced works that embraced feminist ideations and shaped the way for the need for equality. This continues to resonate with young women today.”
Sophie Bentley and Kyran Bishop play the lead couple and, Renee says, bring “breathtaking” chemistry to the script. “They remind the audience of the overwhelming talent the Illawarra has to offer, as does the whole cast. They are both extraordinarily talented actors who portray the characters in a way we are sure Jane would love.”
Roo will perform Pride and Prejudice from September 19-28. Tickets: roo-theatre.com.au
L to R: Molly Chapman, Sophie Bentley, Loryn Pacheco and Natalie Abreu. Photo: Brittney Jones
feature Cover
Bootscooting superstar
By Jeremy Lasek
Pretty much anywhere else in the world, Maddison Glover would be a household name.
The bubbly 30-year-old from Albion Park is to bootscooting what Lionel Messi is to soccer. Put simply, she is among the best of the best.
When The Illawarra Flame caught up with Maddy it was clear her family’s long-held passion for dancing has become infectious. Each week hundreds grapevine their way to her classes at the old Kanahooka hall overlooking Lake Illawarra. Over time, it’s become something of a shrine to country music and the fun times that come with it.
The Glover family’s bootscooting story starts
back in 1993 when Tom and Donna took their three sons along to the Woolshed at Yallah “as a family thing” and they were all instantly hooked.
When Maddy came along, it was as if she could dance before she learned to walk.
Rewriting the record books
Proud mum Donna has watched all her kids excel.
“The boys competed and went on to be Australian bootscooting champions,” Donna said.
“Then Maddy came along and pretty much rewrote the bootscooting record books both here and across the world.”
Maddision Glover with her Friday Bootscooting class. Photo: Anthony Warry
Maddy came along and pretty much rewrote the bootscooting record books both here and across the world
– Donna
Over the past 12 years Maddy has won multiple Australian titles before going on to take out so many international Crystal Boot Awards (the sport’s highest accolade) that she’s no longer eligible to compete in three categories. She’s a five-time Crystal Boot winner of the Bootscooting Personality of the Year and Choreographer of the Year.
While Maddy may excel in competition, it’s the bootscooting community that she and her family has helped to create that gives her the greatest pleasure.
“I get so much satisfaction teaching a group who knew nothing about dancing when they arrived and within 20 minutes they’re all moving in the same direction and thoroughly enjoying themselves,” Maddy said.
Such was the demand for her classes, during Covid lock-downs, Maddy juggled her busy life as a primary school teacher at Tullimbar with online line dancing. It helped people get through those difficult times of isolation and loneliness.
Then 18 months ago, as the numbers in her classes kept growing, Maddy took the bold step to quit classroom teaching to concentrate on running Illawarra Country Bootscooters as a full-time business.
“It’s work that I love”
“I loved being at school but in the end, I just wanted to be here,” Maddy said after leading a two-hour class with more than 60 eager participants. “If you find something in life that you love, then you should pursue it. I say it’s my work, but it’s work that I love.”
While seniors fill the majority of Maddy’s classes, she says there are more and more young people getting involved, especially younger women
and girls “who danced other genres when they were younger”.
Maddy says the emergence of country music on mainstream radio in the past decade has had quite an impact.
“Some people say ‘Hey, country and line dancing is cool again’, but those of us who’ve been doing it for decades say it’s always been cool.”
Watching Maddy’s little line dancing community step their way through different routines, song after song is a joy to behold. You can see how much pleasure everyone’s getting while at the same time being deep in concentration, so as not to make a misstep while the pesky man from The Flame is pointing his camera in their direction.
“It’s a place where people can come for an hour or two and forget all about their problems,” Maddy said. And she’s spot on.
Karen Harris, from Jamberoo, has been attending the classes for nearly 20 years. “I lost my husband in 2006, and this is the only thing that kept me going,” Karen said. She attends Maddy’s classes up to six days a week. “It takes me into a whole different world.”
Sue Wentworth-Perry, from Wollongong, describes bootscooting with Maddy as “fun and inclusive”.
“I love dancing, and I wanted to stay fit and healthy, and keep my brain active. It’s such a positive environment.”
Bootscooting besties
Lorraine Harriman from Kanahooka and Elaine Davis from Albion Park took up dancing 30 years
I love dancing, and I wanted to stay fit and healthy, and keep my brain active. It’s such a positive environment
– Sue Wentworth-Perry
When
you walk in each time there’s always someone to talk to, and
we’re all friends
– Lorraine
We invite spectators, social line dancers and competitors to join us for this unforgettable experience
– Maddy
ago and they’ve been besties ever since, enjoying bootscooting holidays together over the years.
“When you walk in each time there’s always someone to talk to, and we’re all friends,” Lorraine said.
Elaine is a fan of country music and loves the exercise and meeting people in the hall.
There’s no doubt bootscooting is a great way to get the heart pumping.
At the insistence of a friend, Trish Wilson joined the beginners’ class two years ago.
“As soon as I came, I was hooked. It really surprised me how much of a workout is involved and, of course, Maddy is so positive and full of energy,” Trish said.
One of the originals, John Hol, from Albion Park, started line dancing at the Woolshed in 1993, taking his 10-year-old daughter and joining Maddy’s parents, Tom and Donna.
Like Maddy, John’s daughter also became an Australian champion.
“I just love the atmosphere,” John said.
“It’s fun for us blokes ’cause there are so many ladies here,” he joked.
Physical and mental exercise
Judy Goodley, from Balgownie, is a bundle of energy and joined her first class eight years ago.
“I always wanted to dance but I have a husband who can’t,” she quipped.
Judy loves bootscooting and exercising solo, but in a room full of like-minded people.
“It’s just terrific, fun and a great blend of physical and mental exercise,” Judy said. “It’s also social, and while that’s important for people of all ages, it’s really important as you get older. I find it creates a lovely connection, to people and to place.”
Several regulars have been bootscooting for decades. Judy Garrett, a line dancer for “31 years, going on 32”, recommends it for body and soul: “After breast cancer, I came for therapy, and I’ve never looked back. It helps your mind.
“I’ve had a fractured hip, and the doctors and the therapists tell me, ‘line dancing is wonderful’.
“It’s wonderful for your body and your strength, your mind, your recovery.”
Join Maddy at ‘The Stomp’
Since giving birth to her first child, Darcy, Maddy has tried to slow down a little – but it’s clear that’s easier said than done. She’s putting together a big two-day event, The Stomp, to be held in Wollongong Town Hall on September 19-20.
“We invite spectators, social line dancers and competitors to join us for this unforgettable experience,” Maddy said.
Visit www.linedancingwithillawarra.com
Get the most out of subsidies
By Denise Aubourg of Electrify Illawarra, a volunteer-run group
There have never been more incentives to install solar panels and batteries in our homes, but there are different offers by Federal, State and Local governments – so confusing! Here’s a summary:
• Roughly 30% subsidy on rooftop solar and batteries from the Federal Government.
• If you’re in a unit-complex, your body corporate or strata manager can apply for the NSW Solar for Apartment Residents (SOAR) grant of up to $150k for rooftop solar. Cut-off: 1 Dec 2025.
• Sign up to the new Community Renewables Program. The solar-battery bulk buy & Virtual Power Plant (VPP) offer is for all Illawarra residents. Register at shinehub.com.au/isjo
• Join a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). There’s a NSW government incentive of $400-$500 for a 10kWh battery (up to $1500 for a 27kWh battery) for the first time you sign up to a VPP. The VPP operator will provide the incentive as an upfront
payment, instalment or credit off your power bill.
• If you want to be more hands-on, you could also switch to a retailer, like Amber, that allows you to access the wholesale electricity market.
What’s a Virtual Power Plant (VPP)?
A network of batteries that act like a larger power plant, supplying energy to the grid by drawing a limited amount of energy from each battery. VPPs help stabilise the grid, reduce peak loads and provide a financial return to the owners of the batteries of about $300 a year. VPP plans vary; the SolarQuotes website provides a good comparison.
How much do I need?
A 10kW solar system and 10-15kW battery is about right for an average two-person home. A 5kW system will support the home including an EV in summer but is not quite enough in winter.
POWELL PLUMBING ILLAWARRA
290359C
Sea Change
Tropical species are moving into Illawarra reefs, writes Phebe Fidge
Sometimes we all need a sea change, though few take this as literally as the critters riding ocean currents from one reef to the next in search of a new home. The Illawarra’s kelp reefs have received some unexpected visitors over the past few years, and they may be overstaying their welcome.
The East Australian Current – affectionately known as “the EAC dude”, thanks to Crush the turtle from Finding Nemo – carries warm water from northern Australia onto the east coast’s temperate reefs via a series of interlinked and dynamic circular currents called “eddies”. Ocean warming has caused the EAC to intensify, meaning warmer water is more frequently being transported further south for longer incursions.
While climate-related “range expansions” of species can threaten existing communities – for example, long-spined sea urchins (Centrostephanus rodgersii) have depleted kelp beds across the Great Southern Reef – recent changes in Illawarra’s temperate reef systems have been more subtle.
Surprise finds
Local diver Duncan Leadbitter has noticed unusual shells. “I was out spearfishing around Bellambi Point late last year and found some shells I had not seen before despite many years of collecting and spearing around Wollongong,” Duncan said.
After consulting a mollusc expert from the Australian Museum, he confirmed that the shells were from a military turban snail (Turbo militaris) that had only been documented north of Sydney!
Juvenile fishes taking shelter from the currents in The Gutter at Bass Point Reserve including two Klein’s butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii), a yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens), and a humpnose unicornfish (Naso tonganus).
Photo: Max Dall’Asta.
On the more ornamental side is the stunning imperial shrimp (Zenopontonia rex). Native to the Indo-Pacific region, this little guy has several colour forms and is tiny at less than 3cm long.
Local diver Carly Jacobsen did well to spot the critter on a winter dive at Bass Point. Although the imperial shrimp has been documented as far south as Sydney, they are most often found on coral reefs. Imperial shrimps are frequently seen hitching a ride on nudibranchs, sea stars and sea cucumbers.
Last but not least, we are starting to accumulate a wealth of colourful tropical fish, from yellow tangs to butterflyfishes! Local diver Max Dall’Asta couldn’t believe it when he spotted at least three different species sheltering behind the same rock in The Gutter.
Although it is exciting to discover new characters, their presence indicates change is in the water and there is a critical research gap in the Illawarra. We need to understand how climate change will affect our temperate reef ecosystems.
Inspector awarded
Well done to Marine Rescue’s Stuart Massey
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Stuart Massey –featured in our Winter issue – won two awards at the 2025 Rotary Districts of NSW Emergency Services Community Awards (RESCA) in August.
The Illawarra’s Zone Duty Operations Manager was named Marine Rescue NSW Officer of the Year and the RESCA Overall Winner (serving in a paid capacity). Insp Massey is pictured above with Commissioner Alex Barrell.
Little Athletics celebrates 40 years
By Lesley Roulston
A training ground for countless young athletes, including Olympian Jessica Hull, over the past four decades, Albion Park Little Athletics Club is set to mark its 40th anniversary with a party, and an invitation to all ages to join the fun.
Past and present life members will reunite at a celebration at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club in October, with club president Katie Dent saying the aim is to “honour our past, celebrate our present and embrace our future”.
And this year, not only children but parents can hit the track, thanks to a merger in NSW Athletics giving clubs the chance to accept members aged three to 93.
Albion Park Little Athletics is working towards becoming a “One Club” with a new “community membership” now on offer for older athletes.
“It is a family-friendly association,” Katie said. “We have more than a few families who have up to three generations involved at our track on a regular Friday night, so adding community memberships for athletic participation just adds another level of fun for everyone.”
Coaching and Build your Skills sessions are also planned for club meets, Katie said. “The aim is to make Albion Park Little Athletics Association a destination athletes seek for the quality coaching opportunities and their emphasis on building athletes from the grassroots level up.”
Albion Park Little Athletics Club was formed in 1985 to accommodate athletes “living on the western side of the municipality” who were competing at Lake Illawarra Athletics Club.
A home ground was established at John O’Dwyer Oval on Croome Road in Albion Park, where the meets are still held each week during the season, which runs from September to March.
The club’s many success stories include Olympian Jessica Hull, who won a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 1500m and is also a four-time Australian champion.
Now, with Brisbane to host the 2032 Olympics, Albion Park is joining a nationwide push to encourage young Australians to learn to officiate athletics events in the lead-up to the Games.
Albion Park’s 2025/2026 season will begin on Friday, October 10 at 5.30pm. Free ‘Come and Try’ days will be held at John O’Dwyer Oval on two Sundays, September 14 and 21 at 9.30am.
Contact: info@aplac.org.au, 0421 461 100, albion-park.lansw.org
Lions here for the community
By Ken Magnus of Oak Flats Lions Club
On Saturday, August 2, the Music Makers entertained more than 200 guests at the Pavilion Kiama with three hours of song and dance by 21 performers with disabilities. A truly memorable event. Music Makers stage this event each August and are proudly part sponsored by Oak Flats Lions Club. Put this event in your diary for 2026.
Award for Albion Park Men’s Shed
The Albion Park Men’s Shed were totally surprised when they won the Ken Lentfer, OAM Community Services Award. Lion Gary Flint, President, Oak Flats Lions Club, presented the plaque.
A Fair to remember
On Sunday, September 21, take a trip to Riverwood Park, on Coleridge Street in Riverwood, for a Community Fair run by a suburban Lions Club. This fair attracts more than 40,000 people, plus 300 vintage and veteran cars, hundreds of stalls and attractions for all ages. Second only to Sydney’s Easter Show, it’s a great family day out.
Pre-loved Books
Oak Flats Lions Club runs a pre-loved Book Shop, 59A Central Ave, Oak Flats. Open 9am-4pm Monday to Friday, 9am-1pm on Saturday.
