The Bugle News 14 November 2025

Scully doubles down on Kiama high-rise plans

Paul Suttor

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

Paul Scully said Kiama needs in-fill development in the form of multi-storey buildings to solve the housing crisis which has engulfed the area. After revelations last week that there could be a residential building as high as 14 storeys in Kiama’s town centre, Scully said the NSW Government was responding to the wishes of local residents who did not want to see new

housing estates swallowing up the green hills that make the surrounding region so picturesque. “Kiama residents have previously expressed a desire not to see extensive greenfield development –that means that additional density needs to be seriously considered if Kiama’s housing pressures are to be relieved,” Scully told The Bugle “There is no part of NSW that is not in need of more housing. Every part of the state has to do their part in addressing our housing supply challenges, including Kiama.

“Infrastructure considerations are part of the state-led rezoning that brings all agencies to the table. The Minns Labor Government has also reformed state infrastructure contributions so that funds are available to assist in delivery infrastructure.”

The Level 33 proposal for Akuna Street is causing plenty of angst in the local community - the developers and Kiama Municipal Council are currently engaged in a legal battle which will resume in the Land and Environment

Court in mid-December. Level 33 plans to turn the old Kiama Independent site into a multi-storey commercial and residential building and has submitted an Expression of Interest to the Housing Delivery Authority for a 32.5 metre development at the eastern end of Akuna Street.

Its proposal is still in the early stages of planning but if it is approved by the HDA, it could be declared a State Significant Project by the Minister, which would pave the way for the developers to make it a 14-storey behemoth

which would dwarf the town centre, against the wishes of Kiama Council, which wants a limit of seven storeys.

The HDA is an optional pathway with strict criteria and all projects go through a full merit assessment process, including community consultation. Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald, in his column for The Bugle, said the new planning pathway “enables concurrent rezoning to circumvent local planning controls, removes Council from decision-making and limits our community’s voice

to a submission - that’s not good planning”. He added that Council had written to the NSW Government to express their concerns about the process and that “Kiama’s future should not be dictated by Sydney-based planners and bureaucrats”.

Kiama MP Katelin McInerney weighed into the debate in her maiden speech to NSW Parliament.

“It is is imperative that we build communities, not just put up more houses. Infrastructure must come

Continued - Page 6

How the proposed Akuna Street developmentcould look from Shoalhaven Street. Digital illustration: The Bugle

Paul Scully and Katelin McInerney.

Ageless Chippy a fitness example to all of us

Dylan Penrose

Gerringong 82-year-old John Le Carpentier, or “Chippy” as he is known around town, defied Father Time yet again at a gruelling event at University of Wollongong’s recent Illawarra Fitness Festival.

Despite his age, Chippy braved the Team Race category alongside 21-yearold University of Wollongong College graduate Cohen Harms and student Max Ferri. His contribution included a 700m run and 700m on the

rowing machine, followed by another 700m run before finishing with 140m of a farmer’s carry with two 10kg weights.

While he found the weighted exercises breezy, the competitive and intensive nature of running was the event’s most taxing aspect.

“I'm quite capable of going out tomorrow and walking 40 or 50km, that would never bother me. But running is a different thing,” he said.

Chippy is no stranger to fitness challenges - he has previously been involved in a 12-hour Lifeline walk and the 1000km Oxfam Trailwalker

with his family.

He also attends spin classes twice a week, takes daily 6km walks and frequently orienteers, also logging a fitness activity for every single day of September as part of Million Moves’ campaign to popularise physical exercise.

To train for the Hyrox event at the uni, Chippy called upon his instructor Korin Koutsomihalis and UOW College fitness student Daniel Fleming, both of whom work at Soul Fit Co.

“Doing exercise with other people is motivating as opposed to just doing it on your own, because you

news! We are now publishing our free independent newspaper weekly and

TEAM news@ thebuglenews.com.au 0412 415 101

0428 662 499

Sing along at Jamberoo after Kiama Ultra Challenge

Months of planning and training will culminate this weekend with a charity fundraiser based around ultra endurance, indoor rowing and cycling on Saturday at Kiama Surf Club. Two of our region's most dedicated athletes, Nardia Guillaumier and Alan Swan, will be leading the charge from 8.30am with personal targets for Nardia to row 100km and Alan to cycle 200km. Nardia, a dual world indoor rowing gold medallist, is no stranger to setting herself physical goals.

“I have always enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself to the limit and am delighted that we will be doing so for such wonderful causes,” she said. “Whilst this challenge will be testing our physical, emotional and mental strength we expect that we will giving over 100,000 heartbeats to our 4 deserving causes.”

Nardia and Alan will be joined by rowing and cycling teams with each of its members working in rotation to raise money.

Australian Amyloidosis Network (AAN), The Leukaemia Foundation, Breast Cancer Network Australia and Kiama Surf Life Saving Club will receive donations from the event.

Following their marathon effort, they will be retiring to Club Jamberoo where local choir leader, Kate Whitworth, will be leading the throng in a club choir. The choir starts at 6.30pm and will climax with everyone singing along with the band.

New committee kicks off with a bang

Kiama Council's newly formed Finance and Major Projects Advisory Committee held its inaugural meeting this week, marking a significant step forward in delivering strategic oversight and community-focused outcomes. The committee brings together the expertise and energy of community members, Councillors and senior Council staff to guide the financial and major project priorities of the municipality.

Mayor Cameron McDonald chairs the committee which also includes Councillors Melinda Lawton and Stuart Larkins, Council CEO Jane Stroud, Director Corporate and Commercial Joe Gaudiosi, Director Strategies and Communities Ed Paterson and Head of Implementation Kimberley Norton.

can always find an excuse to [avoid] it.

“But when you do it as a group, you feel obligated to turn up and do it, and you kind of bounce off each other,” Chippy said.

He has no intentions of slowing down, with a trip to Japan on the horizon that includes a seven-day mountain hike.

“My thing with keeping fit is not about the length of life, but the quality of life,” said Chippy. “So it's kind of advantageous - you spend less time getting treated by doctors because you're healthier.”

“There are some big projects on the horizon – including the proposed depot merger and looking at our other identified catalyst sites including Council’s Administration Centre, Havilah Precinct and Spring Creek,” Cr McDonald said. Appointed community members are Multicultural Communities of Illawarra board member Lynette Cuell, Cukuna Sales owner Rob Danby, civil engineer Matthew Dawson, project delivery manager Marco Maldonado, University of Wollongong Deputy Chancellor Warwick Shanks and Sydney Kings co-owner Paul Smith.

Record-breaking rescue start to boating season

It's been the busiest start to a boating season for Marine Rescue NSW, with volunteers across the state performing 460 search and rescue missions in October - including 130 emergency responses - and safely returning 989 people to shore. Acting Commissioner Todd Andrews said the figures are the highest recorded for an October, continuing the record pace set the month before.

Locally, Marine Rescue Illawarra units - covering Port Kembla, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla, and Kioloa - completed 43 search and rescue missions in October, 17 of which were emergency responses. A total of 78 people were safely returned to shore, with Jervis Bay and Sussex Inlet recording the highest demand (10 rescues each), followed by Port Kembla (8) and Shoalhaven (6).

Property Law with a human touch.

Myah Garza

Kiama Council’s decision to increase parking patrols and the installation of boomgates at Kiama Shopping Village has sparked plenty of local debate. Council has announced that two dedicated parking rangers are now in operation throughout the local government area with more

Parking patrols and boomgates spark debate

parking infringements set be issued in a bid to alleviate the problem of motorists disregarding the time limits for street parking.

The new parking system at the Shopping Village means motorists receive three hours of free parking but will be charged $10 charge for every

Life after likes:

Local schools prepare students for social media-free future

engagement at Bomaderry High School.

With Australia’s social media age ban coming into effect in less than a month, parents are celebrating - but local schools are bracing for the impact on students.

From 10 December, anyone under 16 will be banned from creating or using social media accounts.

All “age-restricted platforms” - including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit will be required to take reasonable steps to identify and deactivate accounts held by under 16s, block new sign-ups and prevent workarounds such as fake birthdates or “parentmanaged” profiles.

While many agree it’s a much-needed intervention, educators say the change will challenge a generation raised to form friendships through Facebook likes and Snapchat updates.

“Many young people are uncertain about what life without social media will look like,” says Holly Pastor, head teacher, equity and

“Students are worried about how they’ll communicate and what this will mean for them.”

There’s also concern that one platform may simply be replaced by another, such as WhatsApp, which isn’t classified as social media but has become a growing forum for online bullying.

To help families navigate the change, Bomaderry High will host a free seminar on November 25, from 5.30pm to 7pm, featuring teen therapist Dan Hardie from MyStrengths.

The session, Screens, Stress and Social Media - How to Raise a Healthy Teen in 2025, is open to all parents and carers in the Shoalhaven.

“At Bomaderry High, we’re helping parents, carers and students build resilience and find positive ways to stay connected offline,” says Pastor.

“It’s a practical, engaging session tackling boundaries, screen time and mental health.”

To register, visit mystrengthsparenting.mykajabi.com/ parent-webinar-sign-upbomaderry-2025

subsequent hour. Kiama’s community has expressed mixed feelings about the new measures. Some workers and residents say the current parking limits make it hard for employees and visitors to enjoy Kiama without worrying about fines, while others say it’s time to crack down on the issue.

Lau Amadeo, owner of Westend Coffee Lab, said more inspectors would help keep parking fair for everyone.

“I think more inspectors is definitely a good move from Council. It’s needed because the parking restrictions are not getting respected,” Amadeo said.

He touched on the new boomgates at the Shopping Village car park, located across the street from his cafe, saying they were also a reasonable change.

“They’re still allowing customers to park there for three hours for free, which is essentially what they do in other suburbs like Wollongong, but I don’t see a big issue with that,” he said.

“If you’re looking to park your car all day, you might have to find a side street. If

you want to park on Terralong Street, you shouldn’t be leaving your car there all day.”

Amadeo said there is parking available nearby if people are willing to walk a short distance.

“Nobody was respecting time restrictions,” he said.

“I park there daily, and my staff parks around the area toojust a bit further up. Obviously, it’s becoming an issue as more people live in and visit Kiama, but the boomgates and more parking inspectors aren’t a big problem. It’s something that’s been done in many suburbs, and it works.”

At the other end of Terralong Street, KG Cafe owner Darren Ormsby expressed concern about the impact on workers and customers.

“I get here at five o’clock in the morning and won’t leave until about nine o’clock at night. So where do they expect us to park?” said Ormsby.

“I believe every business owner should get some sort of parking exemption. I’d be happy to pay a couple of hundred dollars a year for it. We already pay for outdoor dining, so why can’t we as business owners pay for parking instead of getting fined?”

But there isn’t always a

simple yes or no response.

Another local business owner, who asked to remain anonymous, voiced their feelings of conflict.

“I think it’s probably a good idea, because some people do park in spots all day,” they said. “But we do want our customers to be able to park out front.”

Others fear the increased enforcement will drive visitors away from spending time in town.

“I think it discourages people from staying,” said Emily Markowski from Anglicare Op Shop.

“People will be in and out and that’s it. As a result, the whole local business district will suffer. I think visitors will suffer too.”

Kiama resident Evie Stein, who works on Terralong St, said parking and transport issues go beyond enforcement.

“There’s next to no public transport and minimal parking, so where do workers park? It’s fine to enforce rules, but the rules are wrong. There’s a lot that could be done to improve the situation. It’s a poor show for infrastructure,” she said.

More concerns arise as residents worry the changes could take away from Kiama’s small-town charm. “The whole

point of having people come down from Sydney is so they don’t have to pay for parking,” said another local worker, who asked to remain anonymous.

“We’re a small community; we don’t need that. What’s next - they’re going to put traffic lights in?”

With the holidays around the corner, some local shop owners believe the increased presence of inspectors could discourage shoppers during the festive season.

“It puts people off Christmas shopping if there’s too much of [the inspectors’] presence. If Council had provided enough parking, then there would be no problem,” another business owner said.

Kaye Julian, of Coastal Fusion Kiama, said customers often worry about being fined while shopping. “People come in here all the time asking if they’re going to get booked at the front or not,” Julian said.

“They always ask that question because parking is only half an hour. People stay longer than that, but there’s nowhere else to park.”

While opinions vary, most agree parking in Kiama has become a huge challengewhether the solution lies in more enforcement, more space or simply more patience.

Amy Molloy

West End barista Pete Henderson.

The controversial boomgates at Kiama Shopping Village

Uphill push over sand mining for locals with Gerroa truck increase

GBeadman

erroa Environmental Protection Society and local residents are concerned over an increase in Gerroa Quarry production and the impact it will have on roads within the area.

GEPS president Warren Holder has lived in the Kiama Local Government Area for around 40 years and told The Bugle that the principal concern is the pressure more trucks will have on the Gerringong and Gerroa areas.

“When Cleary Bros owned it, they averaged 56,000 tonnes a year [product transport limit] and rarely hit the capacity,” Holder said.

“Since Maas Group has taken over, they’ve hit 80,000 tonnes and now they want more [120,000 tonnes per annum].”

The route the trucks would

follow through Gerringong is heading north along Crooked River Road, onto Fern Street, through residential areas and left onto Belinda Street before heading onto the highway.

“We’re getting 70% coming up this way [trucks through Gerringong],” Stephen Brazier from Gerroa said.

“We need to keep in mind the effect on the residents of Gerringong and Gerroa, and of course all the patrons who use the caravan park during the holiday periods.”

Brazier warned the winding roads in the Gerringong and Gerroa areas, combined with an increase in the number of trucks, could lead to accidents. “Across the bridge [from Seven Mile Beach to Gerroa], up the hill and around past Gerringong Golf Course, there are those very sharp bends in the hill and one of the problems there is

that you get lots of tourists towing caravans down there,” Brazier said.

“And while they’re distracted by the view, they might not see a truck coming around the bend that is taking up half the road.”

The Bugle asked whether Brazier would be open to a schedule for trucks to move through the town at a certain time and while he said he could not speak for the residents of Gerringong and Gerroa, “I would think that some improvements could be made if they’re going to insist on these trucks.”

Brazier and a group of residents exercised their democratic right and asked for the exhibition period to be extended.

“We wrote to Carl Dumpleton who is the project manager for the Department of Planning [Housing and

Infrastructure] on this project and we also asked Kiama MP Katelin McInerney to shoot off a letter to Paul Scully [NSW Minister for Planning],” he said. “As a result, we received a week extension – it would have been nice to get the two, but we only got one.

The Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure is collating submissions from a State Significant Development modification of the Gerroa Quarry–Gerroa Sand Production Increase project application. The Gerroa Sand Quarry, recently acquired by the Maas Group but still operating under Cleary Bros, is seeking to increase the annual product transport limit at the quarry to 120,000 tonnes per annum – a 50% increase from 80,000 tonnes.

A report from the Kiama Council’s director of strategies and communities Ed Paterson recommends that Council endorse the increase from 80,000 to 120,000 tonnes per annum at next Tuesday’s monthly meeting.

Kiama Council and Maas Group did not wish to make any comment.

Minnamurra group raises alarm over Dunmore development run-off

Mitchell Beadman

Minnamurra Progress Association is calling for greater consideration from all levels of government surrounding the environmental impact from the development at the new Shellharbour Hospital in Dunmore.

At last week’s MPA meeting, members aired their concerns regarding the new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy proposed by the NSW Government and the potential run-off from construction at the hospital site into the nearby Minnamurra River.

“The thing that really concerns us is the effect of the new development,”

MPA assistant secretary Cliff Mason said. “Hard surfaces, stormwater run-off and the build-up particularly in longterm rain events.

“There’ll be a lot of run-off into the nearby catchment area of the Rocklow Creek and the Minnamurra Riverthat is a major concern to our association.”

A Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure spokesperson said the department enforced conditions on the Shellharbour Hospital development as part of its approval “to safely manage and mitigate any environmental impacts during

construction and operation”.

“Any additional development in the area will be required to consider potential water quality issues as part of the rezoning and development application process, prior to any approval being issued,” the spokesperson said.

MPA member Jacqui Forst said there were concerns not only about the potential housing development in the Dunmore area, but also the nearby sand mine.

“It needs to be assessed on all the things that are impacting the river to be future focused,” Forst said.

“The river catchment is under enormous ecological stress from the [Dunmore] Boral sand mine, but the new threats that will come from the sewage substation and the storm water run-off from the 450 new homes is significant.”

It is expected the homes in the New Shellharbour Hospital Precinct will be put up for public exhibition in 2026. The DPHI is preparing studies to inform the rezoning proposal for the surrounding precinct, which will deliver complementary housing and employment opportunities.

The Department is engaging with Shellharbour City Council and state agencies prior to exhibition of the plans for the precinct.

Mitchell

Warren Holder at Kingsford Smith Lookout

Profound change, coming to a street near you

It seems that all the town can talk about is growth, housing and (over?) development.

News over the past week of multiple high(er)-rise proposals in Akuna Street and a Council-led initiative at the Kiama Depot in Shoalhaven Street has sparked a veritable frenzy of conversations in town and across social media.

In the last term of Council, it would have been unfathomable to hear our elected officials (whether at the state or local level) spruiking an eight-storey development just outside of the town centre. How times have changed.

We at The Bugle genuinely admire the leadership of Mayor Cameron McDonald.

It’s been a year of challenges and redressing inherited issues from the former Council, culminating in the very controversial Local Housing Strategy earlier this year and another round of consultation for the Employment Lands Strategy to close out 2025.

It’s well and good to finalise strategy after strategy knowing all too well that the process of development approval and construction could take years, or in the case of Bombo Quarry, decades to come to fruition.

It's a completely different equation to spend money purchasing a strategic landholding, particularly when finances are tight, then identify that landholding for future development, and then partner with the State Government to deliver a fast-tracked rezoning outcome.

And with a 30m or eight-storey height limit (the highest in the local government area) to boot!

When the enlarged Kiama Depot site is eventually sold to a developer to deliver 450 dwellings (including 10% affordable housing) it will likely be a bonanza for Council’s coffers.

The cynics among us might look at the fizzer of the Glenbrook Drive land auctions, or the current travesty that is unfolding at the Akuna Street carpark site as poor or mismanaged outcomes.

But it’s not often that something of this size comes to the market, at a

scale that is three times the Akuna Street carpark development.

Kiama MP Katelin McInerney took it upon herself to spruik the merits of the proposal by posting to a local Kiama Facebook group.

Queue outbursts, outcry and outrage.

This is certainly what we expected and to an extent, what we got from the community. And rightly so! In the context of developments along Akuna Street, CEO Jane Stroud told The Bugle “the look and feel of Akuna Street … is going to profoundly change”.

Surely, she would have to say the same for Shoalhaven Street, too.

But after the weekend and some time for the news to make its way from door to door, Council would be chuffed at some of the commentary that is emanating from the community and its views on development.

Comments noting the need to encourage the creation of local jobs (particularly for our youth), finding carers for our ageing population, and places for those aged care workers to live, are threads of progressive thinking that within our community.

It’s certainly not the absolute majority, but we’d hazard a guess that it might be closer to 50-50 issue than most think.

Ultimately, proof will be in the pudding, or the planning process as it were.

McInerney has also foreshadowed that the future development application to allow for construction to begin will likely be a State Significant Development, again, effectively sidelining Council from determining the outcome.

Ultimately, this approach allows Council an effective “it’s not us” defence.

In fact, the only way to stop development from occurring is for Council to completely abandon a future sale of the site, which is clearly not happening.

While there are some significant development proposals that have been out of Council’s control, the depot is truly by their own design and profound change is indeed coming to town.

The Bugle’s View this needs to be a profoundly positive change.

South Coast reflects for Remembrance Day services

Mitchell Beadman

The community gathered across the South Coast for a moment of silence to honour the returned service personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice for Australia.

At Kiama’s Memorial Arch in Hindmarsh Park on Terralong Street, the strongest crowd in recent years of more than 100 people gathered to listen and reflect on the lived experiences shared during the service.

Kiama Rotary Club chair Phil Whyte said he found the most moving part of the service was during the moment of silence at the 11th hour when The Last Post rang out across the town.

“I must admit that it was quite eerie hearing three or four different bugle calls all around town,” Whyte said.

“That’s what happens in the big army camps, you have echoes of the Reveille [the call that breaks the silence after the Last Post] to get us up in the morning.

“And it was always because of the distance of that the others were out of tune.”

Kiama Rotary’s Tonia Barnes said that seeing her uncle’s plaque among the others on the wall parallel to Terralong Street donned with poppies

“really gave me a shake down my spine”. “The whole connection brings us back to our roots of our community and that’s what is important,” Barnes said. “This will be quite important for our community in Kiama and not only seeing the Kiama-Jamberoo RSL Sub-Branch in play but also Rotary, the Country Women’s Association and the Men's Shed [who all laid formal tributes].”

Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald, who was joined by Kiama Council CEO Jane Stroud, said the Remembrance Service was a pause for reflection after the many conflicts Australia has fought in. “It’s a real honour to attend the service today as the Mayor of Kiama and be able to read out the opening prayer,” Cr McDonald said.

“I think Remembrance Day11th hour, 11th day, 11th month - has always been special, and even more so that people are continuing to further reflect on this day. And that is the ethos of giving in our community, which is really humbling actually.”

Lieutenant Colonel Gary McKay MC OAM (Ret’d), president of the KiamaJamberoo RSL Sub-Branch, told the service about his family connection with the

Australian military and the camaraderie shared among service personnel.

“For my own family, my mum and dad served in the Second World War,” McKay said.

“Dad was sent out to western NSW to guard a water reservoir and Dad gave his guys the afternoon off to go to the pub at the same time as the agent who came around and did an inspection.

“So, the old man went to jail and was busted back to digger, back to private.

“And my mother was a telegraphist, a morse code operator and Mum did very well at that. She finished the war as a full corporal, a fact that she never let my father forget.”

More than 100 community members gathered at the Memorial Headland Flag Pole for the Gerringong RSL SubBranch’s Remembrance Day ceremony.

Sub-Branch president Michael O’Leary spoke about the sacrifices made by 64 local men who went off to World War I with only 50 of them returning home safely.

A stirring part of the ceremony was when Gerringong Public School students Hamish Burke, Ivy Payne and Isaac Winchester

told the tales of four locals who made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefields of Europe.

John William Donovan, a dairy farmer, was killed in action at Gallipoli in 1915 at the age of 23, railway fireman Joseph Bernard Harding was just 17 when he died in France a year later and Foxground brothers Albert and Lindsay Parrish were 28 and 21 respectively when they selflessly gave up their lives “for King and Country”.

“We were talking about having something different this year so we asked the school to see if some kids who could talk about the people who were on the memorial wall,” O’Leary said.

“They chose three kids from their leadership group and I thought their speeches went very well.”

O’Leary quoted a famous speech by war-time Australian Prime Minister John Curtin in which he said “we only want them to learn about the history so they can keep the respect for the people from those wars - they don’t want medals or thanks, they just want remembrance.”

Remembrance Day services were also held at Albion Park RSL Club, the Wollongong Cenotaph and the Sussex Inlet RSL War Memorial.

Tonia Barnes and Phil Whyte

Scully doubles down on Kiama high-rise plans

Continued from Page 1

online alongside growth, ensuring we have the resources, facilities and services in place to support our residents at every stage of life.

“We must plan sensibly, in a way that respects and protects our beautiful natural environment so we hold onto our wonderful sense of community and the character that makes this place so special.

“I’ll work relentlessly with all levels of government to achieve this. I will be a strong advocate for the investment, forward planning and sustainable solutions our region needs to thrive now and into the future.”

She last week said she “shares the community’s concerns” about the Level 33 proposal.

The NSW Government’s landmark Planning System Reforms Bill 2025 passed both houses of Parliament on Tuesday.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the Bill was the most significant overhaul of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 in a generation, modernising the foundational legislation of the state’s housing, jobs, infrastructure, and energy delivery.

Minns said the planning

system had grown overly complex and slow, holding back the delivery of new homes, job-creating investments and adding unnecessary costs and delays to the construction pipeline.

These reforms will help clear the bottlenecks and make the system work for communities, councils and builders, according to the Premier.

“For too long, NSW has been held back by a system that was slow, complex and out of step with the

necessity to deliver more homes for those who need them,” Minns said.

“These reforms will help us build more homes faster, in the right places, giving young people and families the chance to access a home.”

Scully said the “overwhelming support of the Parliament for the Bill demonstrates a shared commitment to tackling NSW’s housing challenges and enabling a modern economy”.

“This Bill will enable

a planning system fit for the 21st century, one that supports housing and energy delivery, encourages job creation, investment and builds better communities.”

Recently appointed Shadow Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Chris Rath said he was concerned that the NSW Government had not sufficiently invested in infrastructure to cope with Kiama’s soon-to-be rapidly increasing population.

“Kiama is one of the most beautiful and liveable parts

of all of Australia and more people should be given the opportunity to call it home,” he told The Bugle.

“Young Australians will increasingly be squeezed out of the housing market unless we build more supply.

“The Minns Labor Government needs to explain how they will be funding and delivering more infrastructure and services in Kiama to keep up pace with this population growth.

“They’re not off to a good start when about a quarter of all trains travelling to Wollongong and Sydney are running late.”

Kiama Council is working in partnership with the Planning Minister for the redevelopment of its twohectare depot site further south on Shoalhaven St, opposite the Bowling Club.

Council is aiming to build new buildings between six and eight storeys with 450 residential homes and the proposal is on public exhibition until Wednesday, 3 December.

Three local drop-in sessions were held this week at the Joyce Wheatley Centre and Kiama Farmers Market for residents to provide feedback on the Shoalhaven Street Precinct plans.

Charity fundraiser pedalling towards a dementia free future

The Bondi2Berry Ride to Remember will celebrate its 10th anniversary this Saturday.

The 155km bike ride sees participants pedal from Bondi Beach to Berry to raise funds for the Dementia Research Community.

The charity is volunteer-led and in its nine years has raised over $1.9 million which has been channelled into 10 research projects dedicated to raising awareness and finding a cure for Australia’s leading cause of death.

In addition to this annual event, the organisation is responsible for coordinating multiday rides that take place every two years, including Bondi2Barosssa, Bondi2BlueMtns, Bondi2Brighton and this year’s Bondi2Byron.

Kiama local Jay Gaffey will be among the 300 riders, participating in remembrance of her mother and aunty who passed away from dementia.

At 11am, the riders will make a pitstop at Kiama’s Hindmarsh Park, where live music, face painting and a bake sale will be open to the public.

The event will be hosted by Kiama Municipal Council, with proceeds going directly to dementia research.

Donations can be made to: https://drc.supporterhub.net.au/ fundraising/bondi2berry-2025/ bondi2berry

Katelin McInerney

Paul Suttor

The new Shadow Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast, Chris Rath, believes the Coalition can alleviate the housing problems in the region if they can get back into government.

Rath recently stepped into the role, taking over from Deputy Liberal Leader Natalie Ward and the Wollongongborn Upper House MP is adamant the Coalition has the policies to solve the widespread issue.

The Coalition will have to wait until early 2027 before the NSW electorate goes back to the polls but Rath said their recently announced policy of stamp duty concessions for downsizers was the kind of action needed.

situation at the moment where there's a lot of older people that are in large houses that want to downsizeempty nesters,” he said. “But they would be

hit with a huge stamp duty bill if they were to move to the next place. And it's often a disincentive. And it means that those houses aren't then put on the market for younger Australians to buy.

“I think it is a really positive policy because, particularly in the Kiama area, housing is such a massive issue. It's incredibly expensive.”

Rath supports development in town centres as the appropriate place for extra density.

“You've got to get the balance right. And you've got to bring the community with you,” he said. “It's not unreasonable for people to want the infrastructure to keep pace with housing supply and for them to want to be consulted in the process.

“We do need more housing everywhere. We can't just oppose all housing and say that our own community must look exactly the same today as it did 50 years ago or will in

New Shadow Minister’s home-grown housing solutions

going to change, but it's got to be done in the right way.”

“Every area is

Rath, who attended St Patrick's Primary School at Port Kembla and Edmund Rice College before he went to Sydney for university, is moving back to the area.

When he was approached by Opposition Leader Mark Speakman to take on the Shadow Minister’s role, he was thrilled. “I think it made sense from Mark's perspective when

he did approach me to put me into the role as someone who's moving back to the area, grew up in the area, his friends and family are there, who knows the area really well to represent it,” he said.

“I don't think there's any greater honour than to be able to represent and advocate for the area that you grew up in and a part of the world that you love and that you want to see thrive and prosper.”

Labor is dominating the political landscape along the South Coast at state and federal level. “This is a problem for the Liberal Party - from Helensburgh to the Victorian border, we don't have any Liberal representation,” Rath added. “And if you go back not that long ago, state and federally, we had a lot of seats - we had the state seat of Heathcote, we had Kiama, we had South Coast, we had

Bega. Now we don't have any of them.

“So, hopefully as a member of the Upper House, who will be based locally, at least there will be some Liberal representation in the Illawarra. That's important to hold Labor to account as well. We want to present our views, our policy ideas, we think we've got the better approach, we want to try and win back some of these seats.”

KBN reflects on a year of growth and advocacy

Kiama Business Network has reported a year of solid progress, connection, and advocacy for local business, according to its 2025 Annual Report.

Former KBN president Cameron McDonald and board member Michael Cains successfully stood in the recent Council elections, with McDonald now serving as Mayor of Kiama.

The board says this close link between business and Council has strengthened collaboration on key local issues.

Attendance at Business Connect events continued to rise, with growing participation from new and established enterprises.

The Micro-Business event at The Pavilion and the first Kiama Business Awards, held in partnership with Business Illawarra, were standout highlights.

KBN confirmed the Awards will return in 2026, thanking Kiama Municipal Council for its support.

Workshops and events this year focused on practical outcomes, including digital marketing, business mentoring and financial management.

A “Business Health Check” in May helped members assess their financial position, while strong demand for Mental Health First Aid sessions prompted early work on new wellbeing and youth employment initiatives.

KBN has also continued to advocate for local businesses through submissions on housing, employment lands, the 24-hour economy and Special Entertainment Precinct planning.

It remains engaged with Council on improving access to affordable commercial and light industrial spaces.

Community involvement has remained a priority, with Team KBN entering 18 participants in this weekend’s 100km Kiama Ultra Challenge, raising awareness and funds for local causes.

KBN plans to expand mentoring and digital skills programs and explore stronger regional links.

The report concluded with thanks to outgoing board members, executive officer Mel Scarr and membership manager Leanne Brookes, acknowledging their continued contribution to local business support.

Local organisation making movements in marketing and gender equality

Dylan Penrose

Kiama business

Marketing Movement has been chosen as a finalist for the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards (AWSBCA) 2025 in the Marketing category.

The team of 11 assists businesses with their digital marketing approaches, reviewing performance data to tailor these strategies to meet specific objectives. Their expertise offers clients constructive intervention on aspects such as analytics, digital advertising and promotional campaigns, social media management, website design, and branding.

Founded in 2018 by Kiama resident Megan Storey, the company is innovatively modern, undeniably successful, and unapologetically female.

“Women tend to bring empathy, collaboration, and a focus on culture that can really elevate teams and client outcomes,” she said.

“I think the key is leveraging those strengths, staying confident, and not being afraid to shake up traditional ways of doing business.”

Storey is energised by the AWSBCA recognition, stating that “marketing, like many industries, still carries biases” as women are often dismissed by their male counterparts and continue

to cop the brunt of a 33% pay gap.

She believes that while progress is being made in our culture’s awareness of gender inequality, more can be done to accommodate leadership roles for women.

As a dedicated mother of three, Storey often finds herself juggling parenting with hefty workloads and other priorities like volunteering, travelling and the gym.

This is where Marketing Movement thrives. Storey has facilitated a flexible and collaborative system for many other strong-willed women in the same boat. She aims to encourage women to get back into the workforce after having children, with

an emphasis on support and mentoring to drive success.

“It’s not just good ethics, it drives better results,” Storey said.

She says that with a closeknit support network of kindness and positivity from the women around her–notably her mother, her daughter, her sisters, her friends, and her elite sports coach–“it’s hard not to be inspired every day”. Marketing Movement has plans to partner with a women's charity to reinforce its commitment to nurturing disadvantaged women in the community.

The winners of the AWSBCA will be announced on Friday night at the Fullerton Hotel in Sydney.

Tides & Textures brings the ocean to life at Cin Cin

Belle Wood

The hum of conversation and clink of wine glasses provided the perfect backdrop for Tides & Textures, the latest exhibition by Illawarra artist Nicky Lett, launched at Cin Cin Restaurant & Wine Bar last Thursday.

With a welcome from owner and host Michael Bowden of Cin Cin’s and Michelle Springett for Expressive Art Trail, Nikki shared her journey with art patrons.

Born in Rotorua, New Zealand, and now based

Picnic for nature at Jerrara Wetlands and

Rainforest Reserve

locally, Lett draws on her lifelong connection with the sea to create vivid, layered works that shimmer with movement and emotion.

Her paintings blend acrylic and oil, collage and texture, to build abstract seascapes and playful glimpses of life both above and beneath the waves.

Each piece invites the viewer to look deeperto discover the stories, families and fleeting moments that emerge as colour and form shift across the canvas.

Lett describes her process as intuitive and

Landcare Illawarra is calling on local residents to connect with the natural world at Jerrara Wetlands and Rainforest Reserve.

Picnic for Nature will be held this Sunday from 8am to 1pm as part of the Nature Conservation Council’s statewide celebration.

Landcare Illawarra has partnered with Kiama Council to form a new volunteer group that will help manage the reserve, with plans to begin work later this year. Everyone is welcome to bring family, friends, and a picnic to enjoy a day surrounded by nature. An engaging line-up of guided walks and talks is planned for visitors.

The 54-hectare reserve is located on Mt Brandon Road, between Kiama and Jamberoo. The site was once home to the Jerrara Dam, part of an early water supply scheme that never worked as intended. The dam was recommissioned in the 1950s, and over time, the area transformed into a haven for native birds, becoming a popular birdwatching destination.

In 1996, Kiama Council prepared a management plan to preserve and enhance the reserve’s natural features.

Decades of regeneration along the creeks, supported by Council and volunteers, have turned Jerrara into one of the few freshwater wetland habitats on the South Coast. It now supports more than 179 bird species and offers visitors the chance to experience nature in a lowimpact, environmentally sustainable way.

“It’s an open community space where anyone can come and enjoy the environment,”

Jamberoo Valley Ratepayers and Residents Association secretary Ros Neilson said.

“This includes bird watchers, walkers, and people who just want some peace and quiet in the green open space.”

Activities begin at 8am with a bird identification walk led by the Illawarra Birders, exploring one of the South Coast’s most speciesrich sites.

At 10am, local plant expert Carl Glaister will guide visitors through the rainforest species and arboretum plantings that make Jerrara unique.

At 11am, botanist and ecologist Kevin Mills will lead a plant ID walk. The reserve contains stands of the endangered Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest, two threatened plant species, and several regionally rare ones.

At noon, a group information session will introduce the new Landcare site near the dam viewing platform, where visitors can learn how to get involved in caring for the reserve.

Experts will also share insights on Citizen Science projects supporting local biodiversity, including Alison Mellor from Invertebrates Australia, who will present Bug Hunt and Bugs in My Backyard.

Organised volunteer groups also use the reserve for training and conservation activities.

John Friedmann, JVRRA chair and Landcare volunteer, said the Rural Fire Service had used the area as a wilderness training site for several years.

“It’s good for us because it’s isolated,” Friedmann said. “We can make a fair bit of noise and not disturb any people, whereas we can’t do that around Jamberoo because people get a bit disturbed when they hear the noise of pumps and sirens.”

Over the years, various ideas have been floated for the site — from a fishing spot to a concert venue, and most recently, a “glamping” site. Neilson recalled a moment that spurred community action.

“There was one councillor who put up a question for notice at Kiama Council business papers: ‘Could you give reasons why the Jerrara Reserve should not be sold at auction?’ When the community saw this, we thought we need to make sure there are other voices heard,” Friedmann said.

In response, the ratepayers gathered representatives from RFS, Landcare, WIRES, bird observers, naturalists, bush regenerators, and botanists to discuss the reserve’s future.

“The overwhelming vote was to preserve and enhance the environmental qualities,” Neilson said. “There were no other wetlands in the Illawarra area, besides one small one in Spring Creek.”

The Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) has recently been given permission by Kiama Council to lease a small area of land near the gate for a new wombat joey enclosure.

Those attending only the picnic can register at: humanitix.com/jerrarawetlands-and-rainforestpicnic-for-nature-2025.

therapeutic, particularly as she has Multiple Sclerosis, finding grounding and joy through paint and mark making.

The result is an exhibition that captures not only the look of the ocean but its rhythm and spirit. Tides & Textures transforms Cin Cin’s walls into a celebration of colour, connection and storytelling - a reminder of how deeply the sea shapes life along our coast.

Tides & Textures is on now until the end of December as part of the Expressive Art Trail.

Garden vandals strike again at ‘hidden gem’ Peace Park

Dylan Penrose

The gardens at Peace Park have fallen victim to yet another theft.

Illawarra Rose Society’s Colin Hollis was heartbroken when he arrived at the site on Tuesday morning to discover multiple flowers had been carelessly uprooted in an act he calls “pure vandalism”.

Hollis, who is also the NSW Rose Society president, said the local volunteers were fed up with hoodlums engaging in this kind of antisocial behaviour.

Rose Society is torn on what to do to remedy future incidents, believing that the installation of fencing and surveillance cameras would detract from the park’s aesthetic appeal.

“What’s the point of having a rose garden if you’ve gotta climb over barbed wire to get to it?” Hollis said.

“We’re wondering if it’s worthwhile [having] us continue with this and putting effort into it if this is the result.”

The park suffered a similar string of incidents last year.

“It’s disappointing to see vandalism,” said Rose Society member Grahame Commins.

“It’s a pleasure for a lot of people, I reckon it’s the hidden gem of Kiama.”

If anyone has information about the latest incident, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Dr John Salmon • Kiama Dental Practice

Myah Garza

The

This time, the damage included three Pierre De Ronsard roses and the St Patrick display, which commemorates the historical link between Northern Ireland and Kiama.

Michelle Springett with Michael Bowden and Nicky Lette

Berry shows how concerts can thrive with Red Hot Summer Tour

When legendary Australian folk band

The Waifs rolled into town for the recent Red Hot Summer Tour they had planned a pre-show lunch stop at Berry Bakery.

The band - Western Australian sisters Donna Simpson and Vicki Thorne and Tuross Heads local Josh Cunningham - have been popping into the bakery for more than three decades on their way to Josh’s home town during east coast tours in their trusty van.

“We would fang the Toyota Hiace early in the morning in time to hit the Berry Bakery after a show at the Wollongong

Uni,” the Waifs recalled on their Facebook page after the beloved band’s recent gig at Berry Showground for the Red Hot Summer Tour.

“It’s now 2025 and the Berry Bakery had a line that was too long for us before the show.

Good for them! Keep baking away you mob cos we’ve loved your produce for years.”

Lines were “out the door” across the town for the recent Red Hot Summer Tour concert, with Berry's population swelling by thousands and bringing an economic boon to businesses.

Publicans at The Berry Hotel and Great Southern Hotel said bar staff were “run off their feet” and bistro bookings were at capacity. With Crowded

House headlining the festival and support acts including Vika and Linda Bull with Mark Seymour, Angus and Julia Stone and The Church along with The Waifs, the tour sold out within days of tickets being released.

The Red Hot Summer tour will return to Berry in February with master storyteller Paul Kelly, Missy Higgins, The Cruel Sea, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers, and Jess Hitchcock.

A 2024 Live Music Census found long toilet, food and bar lines and delays entering and exiting concerts and festivals were the biggest turn-offs for fans.

But Berry nailed it with the number of ladies loos almost double that of the men. Bars

were plentiful and lines nonexistent and while there were queues for food, the ability for people to bring their own snacks, from boxes of Cheezels to a cheese platter, meant no one left hungry.

One festival-goer labelled it “the most civilised gig ever”. Another noted it was “unprecedented” for the men’s loo queue to be longer than the ladies at a festival.

While there were lines to exit the festival, concert-goers were patient for the most part and traffic management strategies were in place to ensure exiting the town and hitting the freeway was relatively smooth-sailing.

The Red Hot Summer tours appear to be bucking

industry trends, with a report by Creative Australia in April finding a downturn in the number of Aussies tuning in to homegrown music. The report noted although there was “a slight increase in live music attendance, industry revenue was mostly driven by international tours presented at major venues”. “In recent years music festival organisers have been faced with unprecedented challenges due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, extreme weather events, regulatory changes and rising operational costs,” says Creative Australia.

Challenges Kiama knows all too well. Two major festivals - Changing Tides and Folk By The Sea - recently pulled

the pin on planned shows in a massive blow to the town’s event calendar.

Both cited poor ticket sales with Folk By The Sea - a Kiama institution for more than a decade - saying the decision was necessary “due to the key challenge of attracting patrons from outside the area”.

A cost-benefit analysis carried out by Australia's Live Music Office found that for every dollar spent on live music in Australia $3 worth of benefits are returned to the wider community and music festivals are experiencing “a period of significant adaptation, facing changing patterns of audience behaviour and later purchasing of tickets”.

Danielle Woolage

Mark Seymour, Crowded House and Neil Finn with Nick Seymour.

Gerringong RFS unveils new pumper truck

With Christmas less than six weeks away,

Gerringong Rural Fire Service unwrapped an early gift with a powerful Category 11 pumper ready for service across the region.

Gerringong RFS captain Adam Walmsley, who has served for over 17 years, told The Bugle it was a privilege to be the first brigade to have access to the Tatra truck and provide feedback on the model. “It’s a significant step up for us in terms of

functionality and capability,” he said. “It’s a Tatra, which is normally used in mining [in Western Australia] and often in the Czech Republic military - it’s a beast.”

Averaging around 140 callouts a year, the new truck provides not only more power to negate the undulating landscape of the Kiama region, but a quicker response time.

“It is much more powerful, it’s got adjustable ride height, inbuilt light mast, breathing apparatus in the back of the seats and the pump is a significant upgrade from

what we’ve previously had,” he said. “It [also] means we can be getting ready on the way to a call-out and have BA [breathing apparatus] gear on and get out of the truck ready.

“It’s saving two minutes on a call-out, but it does make a difference in a house fire situation.”

In 2023, Fire and Rescue published research which identified critical factors in fatal house fires in NSW and one of the findings states “response time is a critical factor in saving lives, preventing injuries and

mitigating fire extension”. “We also assist both Fire and Rescue and other RFS brigades, so we tend to work most closely with Foxground, Shoalhaven Heads and Jamberoo,” Walmsley said.

“But as a primary village brigade, we’ve got responsibility for the primary response for Gerringong and Gerroa, so it is just as busy.”

A feature of the new pumper truck is the adjustable height ride, which means work health and safety officers can breathe a sigh of relief. “When we all jump out in a hurry, it is not as big a fall,” Walmsley said.

'It's a beast'

With a tank that can store up to 3000 litres of water to five hoses, it can be a challenge for the pump operators.

“You’re balancing water in and out and making sure that it never runs out, but also that firefighters always have got water,” he said. “You might have everyone using their hoses, so the pressure drops –and then everyone stops using it and the pump operator has to control it quickly, otherwise you can blow up hoses.

“The pump is so powerful that if you’re not paying attention, it can all go berserk

quite quickly. Tatra trucks first entered the Australian market in the late 1990s through Larry Gill and his company Offroad Trucks Australia.

For those looking to take up their civic duties and volunteer, Captain Walmsley says there are positions for volunteers at Gerringong RFS. “We’re recruiting again, so if anyone’s interested, they can apply online through the RFS website,” he said.

For more information go to: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/ volunteer/join-the-nsw-rfs

Mitchell Beadman

Greg Ball (right) Captain Adam Walmsley (centre) Annette Wright (right)

Out and about Kiama High: Kiama High:

KHS Fest on again

KHS Fest will be held on 8 December to celebrate the positive school culture that students and staff build together every day and recognise the successful completion of another school year.

Coordinated by the Student Representative Council and held at school, it will include food trucks, activities, games, raffles, music and entertainment.

The school wants to hear from any parents or businesses who would like to hold a stall at KHS Fest.

Or if there are any local businesses, members of the school community or parents who are able to donate items, gift vouchers, etc for the raffles and prizes, that would be greatly appreciated by the school as well.

Keep a look out for further information on the Kiama High School social media pages.

Year 10 Science Excursion to IMARC

Kiama High School Year 10 students recently enjoyed a full and engaging day at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney along with students from nine other selected NSW schools.

The day began with talks from geologists that sparked curiosity and prompted thoughtful questions about the variety of careers available in mining and resources.

Students participated in a competitive exploration activity where they formed teams to simulate real-world mining decisions.

The Bugle is pleased to present a fortnightly feature with Kiama High School, bringing you the latest news and events from the school.

With support from industry volunteers, they analysed geological, environmental and social impact data before pitching their projects to ‘investors’ to secure funding or social licence credits to develop their mine sites.

The winning team struck gold, winning bars of chocolate as prizes.

Students explored over 500 exhibition booths, interacting with robots, drones, and large machinery.

One memorable experience was having the opportunity to hold a 20kg bar of gold and meet the Australian scientists teaming up with NASA to ground survey the moon in 2026.

Movember momentous

Kiama High School is proudly taking part in Movember, a global movement raising awareness and funds for men’s health.

From growing moustaches to moving for mental health, students and staff are stepping up to make a difference, helping to start important conversations about mental wellbeing, suicide prevention, prostate cancer and testicular cancer.

Kiama’s iconic lighthouse now sports a stylish Movember moustache on the school logo, reminding us all to shine a light on men’s health and look out for one another.

A celebration of texture, nature and play Material matters: Creativity and connection keeps Emma busy

Eleeya Kahale

Local artist and designer Emma Veiga-Malta has had a busy few weeksselling six pieces, welcoming more than 200 visitors and filling Kiama’s Old Fire Station with colour, energy and conversation.

Her exhibition, which wraps up on Wednesday, features three distinct collections - blue and white ceramic-inspired works, bold abstract florals and expressive nude life sketches - each reflecting the breadth of her 27-year creative career.

“Sales were looking a bit bleak at first,” she

laughed, “but the weekend changed everything.”

Veiga-Malta’s creative journey began early.

“My earliest memory is lying on the floor with my dad as he drew a bus with my name on it. One minute it was blank cardboard, and the next, magic - that’s when I fell in love with art.”

After years running her own design business, she decided to “create for herself again”, hosting her first solo show at Gerringong Library and Museum (GLaM) last year.

Now based in Gerringong, she’s deeply involved in the local art community - a member of several societies and vicepresident of the Shellharbour City Art Society.

She’s also the founder of the Creative Business Summit, a conference

she launched to help creatives learn how to turn their passions into sustainable careers.

“There’s so much creative talent, but not enough education on the business side,” she explained.

“So I decided to build something by creatives, for creatives.”

For Veiga-Malta, the heart of it all is community.

“Nothing beats in-person connection. People are craving it more than ever,” she said.

“That’s the best partmeeting people, sharing stories, and creating together.”

Art and play come together in Material Matters, an engaging new exhibition by South Coast artists Robyn Sharp and Perrie Croshaw.

The exhibition brings together nature-inspired art and handcrafted pieces in a celebration of textures, care, and connection, featuring knitted, crocheted and

found in everyday materials.

"We could say that art is one of the key attributes of being human, like language," says Eno in his new book What Art Does.

Sharp, a National Art School graduate with a degree in Art History, has exhibited in Sydney, California, Toronto and London.

She runs a private gallery

tapestry wearables, and toys, displayed alongside vibrant artworks that celebrate the natural beauty of our local area.

Exploring the creative process as both expression and connection, the two artists draw inspiration from musician and artist Brian Eno’s words, “play is how children learn. Art is how adults play.”

In that spirit, Material Matters invites audiences to rediscover the joy of making and the beauty that can be

in Foxground, where she continues to explore her love of landscape and form.

Her recent works delve into the ever-changing landscape around her through different media, including painting, drawing and sculpture. Croshaw, a former journalist and tourism entrepreneur, has returned to her creative roots in retirement, designing vibrant,

Getting your lawn

Aplayful textiles that merge artistry with craftsmanship, designing knits, tapestry and crochet works.

Sharp and Croshaw invite visitors to experience the art of simply playing through their works at the Gerringong Library and Museum (GLaM) Gallery from Friday 14 to Thursday 27 November. The exhibition is open from 10am-5pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays and the official opening will be held this

s we move towards summer, lawn becomes a bit of a premium in the garden.

Everyone loves a good patch of green, but sometimes lawns don’t quite do what we want them to.

Maybe you’ve got a lawn that’s looking a little distressed. It might be quite compacted - the soil’s hard, and if I were to try pushing my knife into it, it’d be tough going.

Underneath, it’s very dry, with not much moisture at all - and that’s often why lawns start to struggle.

Sometimes they’ve also been cut too low, and that doesn’t help. You might notice broadleaf weeds starting to creep in - bindis, cats’ ears, or even a bit of fleabane around the edges.

So what can we do about that?

A good place to start is with a weed and feed. The one I’ve got here is for buffalo lawns, but make sure you always use the right herbicide for your

lawn type if you’re trying to control broadleaf weeds.

With a dry, compacted lawn, I’d go for a bit of a renovation to relieve that compaction. You can do that with a garden fork, working your way along the lawn to open it up, or you can use a scarifier if you’ve got one.

Once that’s done, raise your mower height, give the lawn a good water, and apply your weed and feed. That’ll help control weeds while giving the grass some nutrition to grow back nice and strong.

Now, let’s take a look at what a good lawn should look like.

A healthy lawn has a nice sward length - about 35mm is ideal. That height keeps the lawn lush and green, and it’s the sort of lawn your neighbours will envy. There shouldn’t be any broadleaf weeds in there if it’s looked after well.

When mowing, just take the top leaf surface off - don’t scalp it. If you’re seeing white patches, you’re cutting too low. Keep the mower height

high, around that 35mm mark, and you’ll end up with a lovely, soft lawn that’s perfect to walk on or to sit back and enjoy on a lazy summer afternoon with a cold drink in hand.

Another important part of lawn care is top dressing. You don’t always need to do it, but if you’ve got areas that have sunk or slumped a little, now’s the perfect time.

Here we are in spring, and all you need to do is apply your top dressing - you can grab some engineered soil from your local nursery or garden centre.

Burnetts on Barney stock great material for this. Spread it evenly across your lawn and use the back of a rake to level it out and remove any bumps. The grass will push through the top dressing, and before long you’ll have a flat, even, vibrant lawn that’s easy to mow and great to enjoy all summer long.

Top dressing - now’s the time to do it!

Please note - this is paid content

What’s On?

Spirit of Giving exhibition

13-19 Nov

Old Fire Station

Shellharbour City Art

Society presents 20 amazing Artists, suggests Art Gifting this Christmas official opening 12pm, Nov 15th. Picnic for Nature at Jerrara Wetlands and Rainforest

Sunday 16 November 2025

8AM – 1PM

Jerrara Wetlands and Rainforest Reserve, Jerrara Register on humanitix.com

Tarmac Days

Fri 14 Nov - Sun 16 Nov, 9.30am - 3.30pm

HARS Aviation Museum

Tarmac Days are an opportunity to occasionally show action, such as engine runs, and sometimes flying activities. Members of the public will be able to board and sit in some of the aircraft.

MATERIAL MATTERS

Fri 14 Nov - Thu 27 Nov, 10am-5pm

Gerringong Library Gallery

Official opening Saturday 15 Nov 1pm-3pm

Born Jovi – A Bon

Jovi Tribute

Sat 15 Nov, 8pm-9:30pm

Kiama Leagues Club

Book now, tickets $20.

Botanical Christmas Wreaths Sat 15 Nov, 10am-12pm Joyce Wheatly Community Centre

Create your own stunning botanical Christmas wreath with natural Australian materials. $190 tickets each.

A Fundraiser for Orangutans

Sun Nov 16th

3pm-5pm Kiama Surf Club

The race to save the rainforest.

Thirsty Merc live at The Co-Op Sun 16 Nov, 4pm Gerringong Co-op $50 tickets

Acrylic Seascape Workshop

Fri 21 Nov, 9m-5pm

We will start at one of Kiama’s many stunning locations to sketch, photograph and compose a seascape. Then it’s back to the studio in Kiama to refine and paint.

Kiama Historical Society 50th Birthday Sat 22 Nov, 2pm

Kiama Library Auditorium

$3 members and $5 nonmembers includes afternoon tea/or a glass of wine Master Class- Two Day Texture Floral Sat 22 Nov - Sun 23 Nov, 10:30pm-2:30pm

Expressive Art Experience

Learn about Textures and building layers for great effects.

Screens, Stress and Social Media Seminar

Tue 25 Nov, 5:30pm - 7pm Online Seminar

The session, Screens, Stress and Social Media — How to Raise a Healthy Teen in 2025, is open to all parents and carers in the Shoalhaven area

ZONTA 16 Days of Activism

Launch Event against gender based violence

Nov 25 10-12.30 pm

Shellharbour city council 76 Cygnet Ave

Shellharbour City Council and Zonta Club invite you to the 16 Days of Activism launch to raise awareness and share support services.

Creative 4 exhibition Thu 27 Nov - Thu 4 Nov10am-5pm

Old Fire Station, Kiama Exhibition at the Old Fire Station in Kiama with artists Linda Simpson, Heidi Uhlig, Margie Higgins, Alan Blake. Kiama Craft Group show and tell 8th December 10-11:30am Kiama Uniting Church

Some of our favourite works from the year on display!

Zonta hosts event to support 16 Days of Activism

The Zonta Club of Shellharbour-Kiama is hosting a community event on Monday 25

November from 10am at Shellharbour City Council to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign.

President Rita Sullivan said the event aims to raise awareness of domestic and family violence and highlight the local services working to support those affected.

The morning will feature

a panel discussion, keynote address, first responders and stalls from community support agencies, with morning tea provided.

Zonta’s Director of Advocacy Jackie Edwards said the event is an opportunity for the community to stand together and learn how to take action.

“This campaign reminds us that everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women and children,” she said. All are welcome to attend.

participate

and

Blow Your Bugle

Kiama high-rise needs cabbage tree limit

What does a cabbage tree palm have to do with Kiama’s residential development debate?

A lot more than you might think!

A mature Cabbage Tree Palm (Livistona australis) grows to about 15 metres — roughly the height of a 4-storey building.

That’s why I'm proposing a “Cabbage Tree Palm Rule” for Kiama: no building should be taller than our iconic palms.

Here’s the thing: the NSW Government is framing this as an all-or-nothing choice — arguing that housing supply and affordability can only be solved by building a suite of 8-storey apartments in central Kiama.

That’s a false dichotomy.

Well-designed 4-storey apartments, a la the Cabbage Tree Palm Rule, would also deliver hundreds of new homes without overwhelming our town or losing the character we all value.

Places like Bali manage growth by keeping buildings in proportion to their iconic palms; why can't we? Applying the same thinking here strikes the right balance: we can grow, meet housing needs, and still keep Kiama looking and feeling like Kiama.

The Cabbage Tree Palm Rule is simple, measurable, and meaningful. It reminds us that smart growth doesn’t mean ignoring scale or sense of place — it’s about balance. Who’s with me!?

Mikayla Thompson-Jones

Over-development threatens our way of life

Wow! Let's hope that the planning approval process to allow 14 storeys above Terralong Street is a slow one.

It's taken six years since our promised new fleet of trains arrived, but sit lying idly at various nearby locations while the railway dept tries to work out a way to get things moving.

A 2pm train from Central still consists of four carriages.

By the time it reaches Kiama at 4.40pm with tradies and schoolchildren on board, many passengers are sitting on the stairs for half the journey.

This happens every weekday.

So with at least 100 trees that will be bulldozed to get 14 floors up out of the ground in Akuna Street, it seems that the quality and fabric of life in our coastal town will take a huge hit.

A good proportion of residents are here because of the life Kiama offers.

We left the city for a quieter life.

One wonders if Kiama Council continues to cancel major events like the New Year's Eve fireworks and give the nod to developmental greed, life in our award-winning gem of a town might soon resemble Mooloolaba or Terrigal.

Why can't long-term plans to get the Bombo Quarry redevelopment be considered for future high-rise living and more supermarkets?

Kiama's well-proportioned little town, as it is right now, will sadly just never be the same.

Greg Martin Vale, Kiama

The severe sentence handed down to our hard working and respected Member of Parliament has brought into question the following: are we fighting our political opponents with lawfare or at the ballot box?

There is an epidemic of court cases in western democracies today from undeclared payments to porn stars, collusion and conspiracy charges, even racketeering.

One of the greatest dangers to functioning democracies, let alone the sheer injustice of it all is bringing cases to court because the accused is a political enemy or political vengeance is being sought.

So many violent and humiliating rapes go unreported.

But this confronting injustice will not be resolved by ‘me too’ vendettas and/or political fault finding.

To send an innocent man to jail in order to punish the guilty is not acceptable.

It shows only the breakdown of the justice system.

I am happy to put my name down in Gareth’s defence.

I know he is in the prayers of many good people who have approached me in despair that a much-loved member of our community should be discredited and impugned so mightily.

We await the appeal as we await justice.

Gail Morgan, Kiama

Cafe visit chock full of unexpected memories

Carol Goddard

It was destination Sydney Town recently to celebrate

my child's birthday.

Off we trotted from Kiama to the Inner West, hitting frenetic suburbia and noting the many changes over the last umpteen years since we'd driven these particular roads.

Definitely more traffic, road additions and chaos, but as we're told, that's progress.

Venue for our brunch was an Italian eatery in Abbotsford, and from the very Federation-looking entrance, we entered a spacious hall, timber floored, with high, exposed ceiling trusses and richly hued lead-light panels serving as windows.

Long timber tables filled the vast indoor dining space, inviting shared dining and outside, a balcony overlooking a rambling inner-city garden was also buzzing with those enjoying a cappuccino, or a mimosa, along with their sourdough and assorted yummy breakfast choices. Ambient indeed.

The charm of this old but grand building led us to ask a waitress what its original purpose may have been. She said it was part of the old Nestle factory plant, at one time the largest chocolate factory in

the Southern Hemisphere. Built as a doctor's residence in 1878, Nestle purchased the property on Canada Bay in 1917, producing chocolate there until 1991, when most of the property was demolished.

Legend has it that in those years, the whole of the suburb of Abbotsford smelled of chocolate, which to my mind would not have been a bad thing.

Abbotsford House and its pavilion, both heritage listed, were spared from demolition.

While the house is again privately owned, the pavilion, originally renovated by Nestle as a staff recreation area, is now the cafe where we were enjoying our brunch.

I was floored.

My first job after leaving University was for Nestle at their offices in Foveaux St, Surry Hills, a stone's throw from Sydney's Central Station.

I began my career as a product manager, and for two years gained the knowledge and the experience that prepared me for my future as a small business owner.

In all that time, I had never been taken to the chocolate factory at Abbotsford, had never seen the machinery or indeed the workings of what finally became a Chokito, or a Yogi Bear, or a Milky Bar.

support local

My job was all about wrapper design, point of sale, and market share. Along with Gannt charts. Ah, the joys of marketing.

I had to bumble my way through the maze of figures and the terminology, after all I'd graduated with a degree in Drama and English, not

business, but boy did I have fun in those first two years of actually earning a living, and it wasn't all about the chocolate, Nescafé coffee and Maggi seasoning.

It was predominantly about stirring the living daylights out of my immediate boss, the very loud and very New

York native Hank F, who'd been brought to Australia by the company to expand the chocolate division and increase sales.

Twice my age, he and I nevertheless clicked. He had hired me, presumably because he admired the fact I'd walked the city streets trying to find employment, literally knocking on doors begging for a job.

A degree in Arts, even with Honours, didn't exactly open many doors.

Hank painstakingly taught me the day-to-days, sent me back to Uni part-time to learn more, and promoted me in a very short space of time to travel to branches Australia wide, stirring up the sales force to get those profits rolling in.

At last my dramatic skills were bearing fruit - I could put on a good powerpoint display, while acting through the whole presentation.

The best part of our boss/ employee relationship was that I taught him Aussie English.

It was hilarious.

For quite a significant part of the time, I couldn't understand much of what Hank said, his accent was so thick.

And I would come out with Aussie slang, which completely threw him.

"Don't come the raw prawn with me Hank," I'd say, and he'd screw up his face.

"Give me strength", I'd wail, "I feel flat as a maggot". He'd screw his face up even more and scratch his head.

"I've been running around like a chook with its head cut off, Hank! So I'm going to shoot through like a Bondi tram, because you're a long time looking at the lid.”

He loved it. Oh how he laughed when I got going with my exclamations! I was pretty precocious as a mere employee, but I think it brought him comic relief in what was at the time a very difficult, stultified office.

He certainly learned Strine from me, which he lovingly and gratefully took back to White Plains New York at the end of his Aussie tenure. Best souvenir ever!

Do you remember that fabulous quote from Rick in Casablanca: "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine?" I see similarities. Of all the cafes in Abbotsford … I hadn't thought of Nestle, or Hank, for years.

Mere, wonderful chance enabled these memories to flood back and turn into this story, and for that I am most grateful.

Kiama’s young golfing talent shines: 16-year-old wins WGI District Tournament

Lleyton Hughes

Sixteen-year-old Kiama Golf Club member Sage Laird claimed the 2025 Open and Closed Women’s Golf Illawarra (WGI) Championship, held from October 20–22 at Kiama Golf Club.

Across three days of competition and 36 holes, Laird finished at the top of the leaderboard with a gross score of 143. Club captain and board member Margaret Cooper praised Laird’s dedication and achievement.

“She’s only 16 years old, so it’s a fabulous achievement,” said Cooper. “She’s been playing golf for several years now, is a member of the Illawarra Sports Institute, and also receives private coaching. She’s incredibly dedicated and is doing very well at the moment.”

The WGI District Tournament is an annual event covering clubs throughout the Southern Illawarra, extending as far south as Mollymook. The competition is divided into three divisions, allowing players to compete at their own level. “We also have what’s called the Champion of Champions, where the best player from each club - the winner of their own club championship - plays off to determine the overall district champion,” Cooper explained.

Laird was also crowned Champion of Champions, topping off a hugely successful event not only for her but for Kiama Golf Club as a whole.

“Kiama is quite a tricky little course,” said Cooper. “Our women did very well! We had great results across all three divisions, with winners in Divisions 2 and 3, as well as the Stableford competition.”

Hawks fly back up NBL ladder

Illawarra are clawing their way up the NBL ladder after finally putting together back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

After slumping to a 2-6 record, the Hawks kickstarted their title defence last Wednesday in Wollongong

Among the other strong results, Kim Parsons from Kiama finished third in Division Two, Margaret Johnson finished second in Division Three, and Trish Laird won the Stableford competition.

The runner-up to Sage Laird was another Kiama member, Jane Wall.

“Jane is a former professional who’s now returned to amateur status. She’s still a very keen and talented golfer and finished runner-up in the event,” said Cooper.

“Having both first and second place go to Kiama members - and on our home course - was just fantastic for the club. It’s something we’re all really proud of.”

Cooper said she’s thrilled to see the rise in female golfers, particularly at Kiama.

“When I joined about 12

years ago, there were around 80 to 90 female members. Now we have about 150,” she said.

“Not all play in competitions - some just play socially - but the club has always been very encouraging and inclusive of women in all forms of the game.”

She credited the club’s golf professionals for supporting that growth.

“One of the key factors behind this increase is the support from our golf professionals,” she said.

“We’re now on our third since I joined, and all of them have actively promoted women’s clinics and group lessons. These sessions are fun, friendly, and a great way to build confidence and friendships.”

Just a week after the WGI District Tournament, Kiama Golf Club hosted the Kiama Women’s Open on November 2. Laird once again impressed, finishing equal first alongside sisters Mimi and Lara Thomsen, before Mimi took the title in a playoff.

with a 107-93 victory over the previously unbeaten Melbourne United. They backed that up on the road just 48 hours later with a 107-90 triumph over the Taipans in Cairns to skip up to eighth spot, just one win outside the playoff equation.

After a four-game blitz within eight days, they have a mini break before returning to the WIN Entertainment Centre

“When it started, we had about 30 players,” said Cooper. “This year we had 80, and last year we had close to 100. It’s becoming one of the more popular events in the region, and it really helps to promote Kiama and our women golfers.”

Cooper said the growing interest in women’s golf at Kiama has created a strong sense of community and excitement for the future.

“It’s wonderful to see so many women discovering what a fun and rewarding sport golf can be,” she said.

this Sunday for a showdown with their traditional rivals, the Sydney Kings.

Former NBA star JaVale McGee rose to the occasion as the Hawks upset Melbourne with 37 points and 14 rebounds.

The ex-US Olympic gold medallist hit 13 of his 21 shots and missed just once from 11 trips to the free-throw line.

Hawks guards Will Hickey

Rising star Alice surfs into the history books at Robbo’s Round

Lleyton Hughes

Over the weekend, young surfer Alice Hodgson made history as the first female to win the annual Jones Beach Boardriders (JBB) surfing competition in its 43-year history.

Held at Jones Beach on Saturday, the event - renamed Robbo’s Round last yearbegan bright and early at 7am, with 64 competitors going head-to-head.

“The competition was first introduced in 1983 when our club started, 42 years ago,” said JBB President Hayden Bombaci.

“It’s a specialty event. Instead of the usual four surfers per heat battling for waves and the win, this one is one-on-one - the winner progresses through the draw all the way to the final, knockout style.”

The conditions were on the smaller side, perfect for the younger groms but trickier for senior competitors.

“The smaller, trickier conditions often give an advantage to the younger, more agile groms,” laughed Bombaci. “Plenty of groans from the oldies could be heard!”

After a day full of upsets, the final came down to two young surfers - Hodgson and 13-year-old Lennox Lindsay.

“It culminated with two groms in the final - Lennox Lindsay and the ultimate winner, Alice Hodgson,” said Bombaci.

“Their tenacity to hustle from round one all the way through was awesome. Both competed with smiles on their faces, inspiring even younger competitors. Dreams start small and local.”

Bombaci said the reaction to Hodgson’s win was incredible.

“Everyone lost it,” he

(18 points) and Tyler Harvey (17, including four threes) provided perfect support for McGee’s masterclass.

McGee and Hickey again dominated as the Hawks carried their red-hot form north for their tussle with the Taipans. Hickey registered the first triple-double of the season with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.

Recently signed import QJ

said. “She took down some huge names and was on a rampage through the draw. I think this victory was a real coming-of-age moment - her introduction to stamping her dominance in the area and the sport. No one sees the hours of effort she puts inthey just see the result.

“She personifies the JBB spirit. As a club, we love her. All our girls are ripping and super supportive of each other. There’s a crew of girls who don’t even surf but come down every event to cheer them on. They ran down the beach and met her at the water’s edge, giving her the ultimate surfing honourbeing chaired up the beach.”

The event received strong community support, including professional judging from Surfing NSW, a $50 voucher from real estate agent Aimee Longbottom for the highest heat total, bread rolls donated by Breadrocks Shell Cove, and meat from Superior Meats in Shellharbour.

“A huge $2000 was donated by Daniel Mikosic from Multiquip, and a brandnew custom surfboard was donated by Matt Thompson from Indumech through Zink Kiama,” added Bombaci.

“You can see there’s plenty of community backing, which is incredible. Every cent we generate comes from members, sponsors, and grants.”

It wasn’t just about

Peterson drained four threepointers in his 22-point haul while McGee tormented the Taipans in the paint with 28 points, six rebounds and two assists while making 12 of 13 field goal attempts.

Hawks coach Justin Tatum said their performance was really strong, particularly considering they were backing up from their Wednesday clash with Melbourne.

donations - the event brought the whole community together.

“We had members and non-members hanging out. One of the neighbours we checked in on because of the noise had actually set up on the deck with friends, enjoying the music and hilarious commentary,” said Bombaci.

“The community are absolute legends and the reason we love our little spot. In this crazy world, it’s cool to provide a safe place for all walks of life to hang out. There’s a real sense of belonging.”

This year marked the second under the event’s new name, Robbo’s Round, renamed from Man on Man in honour of community member Pete Robinson. The idea came from JBB life member Grant Mason.

“Pete Robinson lived in the house next to where we hold the events most of the time at North Jones,” Bombaci explained. “He’d often come and say hello - we used his power and water, not to mention the hooter, for years.

“Pete’s wife Karen still lives there, and the family remains very supportive. Pete’s son Ben earned a wildcard invite this year. Unfortunately, Pete has since passed away, so we fondly call it Robbo’s Round in loving memory of himand all our members and community who we’ve lost.” Looking ahead, Bombaci said the future of JBB and the event is bright.

“We’ve got great surfers coming through and older members returning because it’s a place of belonging,” he said. “Robbo’s Round is a unique event and certainly my favourite. It’s always a great day - no second chances, no making it up next month. The best surfer on the day wins it all.”

“We didn't want to drop that intensity," he said.

"We understand that Cairns is short-manned and our mentality was to keep coming and putting pressure on them as much as we can.

“I loved the effort the guys came out and played with.

"They found ways to dominate and score in the paint and make it tough for Cairns."

Robbo's Round winner Alice Hodgson. Photo Jones Beach Boardriders

Sage Laird (Right) and Jane Wall (Left), the local winner and runnerup of the WGI District Tournament.

Photo Women's Golf Illawarra

Tricks all round: Seven wickets in seven balls

Mark Emery

One of the highest achievements you can attain in cricket is a hat-trick when a bowler gets three wickets in successive deliveries.

It is a rare event. It’s only been done 49 times in Test cricket history - Sachin Tendulkar alone scored more centuries (51) in his career than this infrequent feat.

It is just as tough to achieve at any level of cricket.

A double hat-trick is where you get four wickets in a row, and naturally this is even rarer.

One sunny afternoon in 1967, Gerringong’s secondgrade side was playing Lake Illawarra.

Gerringong batted first and compiled 6-206.

In reply, Lake were 2-30 and David Emery was bowling, with three deliveries to go in the over.

Next ball he got a wicket. Then another and then another. A hat-trick to finish his over.

Congratulations all round. A hat-trick usually means you get the ball mounted on a trophy to remember the event.

Alas, Brian Arberry came on to bowl. With his first delivery, he got a wicket. Then another and yet another.

Two hat-tricks in a row! Six balls, six wickets. Brian was not finished yet. With his fourth delivery he snared yet another wicket. A double hat-trick. Seven wickets in seven balls. So, Brian got the trophy with the ball mounted on it.

The score went from 2-30 to 9-30 in the blink of an eye. Funnily enough, it took a while to get the last wicket but Gerringong won comfortably.

Their amazing feats were even reported in a Sydney newspaper the next day.

Youngster clinches victory for Cavs in nail-biter

Lleyton Hughes

With poor weather around the grounds on Saturday, it was all smiles in fourth grade, where Kiama claimed a thrilling win in a reduced 30-over contest against Gerringong, securing victory with three balls to spare - DUE to youngster Milo Brown.

Gerringong reached 183 runs in their first innings with opener Harry Kenneally's 32 and Richard Warfield's 33 the best of the bunch.

The Cavs openers got to work with a 64-run stand before Adam McCrone fell for 29 to Gerringong’s Brad Speering, who tore through the next two batters, claiming 3-0 in the ninth over. Brett Nortje belted 51 off 36 balls before retiring, taking the Cavs to 4-100 before Gerringong took regular wickets, leaving the visitors at 7-160.

“Enter under-13s youngster Milo Brown, who finished 17 not out from 13 ballsshowing maturity and nerves

beyond his years - guiding the Cavs to an epic three-wicket victory on the third-last ball of the innings,” said Kiama president Bernie Brown.

“Partnered by club legend and all-round good bloke Dan Cooper, who finished not out on nine, Milo earned a standing ovation as they took the win, making it three on the trot and finding some great form.”

This Saturday, they play the Oak Flats Rats and will look to make it four in a row.

The men’s first and second grades took on Albion Park in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the clubs’ first encounter back in 1875.

“As were the comments from the write-up 150 years ago,” said Brown, “‘the weather was most disagreeable’ - a sentiment that rang true for the sesquicentenary.”

Afternoon storm cells played havoc with most matches, with first grade disappointingly washed out at Keith Grey Oval just as festivities were in full swing.

Before the match was abandoned, Kiama had Albion Park in trouble at 3-28 after 13 overs, with wickets going to Brad Ison (2-13) and Jon Hay (1-20). They’ll face competition leaders

Shellharbour next week.

Second grade, playing at home, managed to complete their match at Kiama Sporting Complex despite the weather - though they might have wished otherwise after going down by 68 runs.

“In a disrupted, reducedovers match, Albion Park got away from the home side in the latter overs to post 6-181 from 35 overs. The best of the bowlers was Jacob Lewis, picking up 2-27,” said Brown.

Kiama began well with the openers combining for 41 runs, but the dismissal of captain Josh Battishall for 24 triggered a collapse.

“Kiama unfortunately collapsed, losing 9-72 to be all out for 113, with only a handful of batters reaching double figures. They head into the bye this week and will

be back on the 22nd to take on competition heavyweights Gerringong,” said Brown. Third grade’s match against Lake Illawarra at Bonaira Oval was also abandoned.

In the South Coast women's competition, Kiama Cavettes fell just eight runs short of defeating competition leaders, the Oak Flats Ratatouilles. Coming into the match at Bonaira Oval on Friday night, the Cavettes had one win and one loss to their name, while the Ratatoullies were unbeaten.

Kiama did well to restrict the Ratatoullies to 121 - their lowest score of the season.

“The Cavettes set a strong game plan, restricting two of the competition’s leading run scorers and producing an excellent fielding display that resulted in two run-outs,” said Brown.

Emma Timbs was the standout with the ball, finishing with figures of 2-28 and contributing to a run out. But they fell eight runs short in their run-chase.

Ex Servos collapse as rain causes carnage

Rain played havoc with South Coast cricket on the weekend with two matches washed out and low scores on tricky pitches in the other three fixtures.

Ex Servos were rolled for a paltry 52 on a seaming wicket at Hayden Drexel Oval with North Nowra Cambewarra smashing their way to the target in just 33 deliveries. It could have been even worse for Ex Servos after they slumped to 7-21 before tailender Mitchell Janes dug in to score 22, the only batter to get any higher than six.

Justin Weller made the most of the conditions to take 6-20 with new-ball partner Cooper Bramley claiming 4-15.

North Nowra skipper Nathan Thomas blasted three

sixes and two fours in his unbeaten 27 from just 11 balls to seal the win.

Lake Illawarra cruised to a nine-wicket win over Bomaderry at Howard Fowles Oval with captain Kerrod White hammering 87 not out as they reached their target inside 14 overs.

Five Tigers batters failed to trouble the scorers but Jarrod Mitchell (69) and Matthew Shea (36) rescued the innings as they posted 134 with Jarryd White (4-11) and Ryan Smith (3-28) doing the damage for the home side’s attack.

After losing an early wicket, Kerrod White joined Max Henderson (33 not out) in an unbroken 122-run stand with the skipper reaching the boundary 18 times and clearing it once.

Shellharbour got the better of the Kookas in their local derby at Oakleigh Park.

Wickets fell at regular intervals for the hosts as they were bowled out for 150 and the Harbour never looked in trouble as opener Alex Brown tallied 72 to get them home with six wickets and 16 overs to spare.

Albion Park were 3-44 against Kiama at Keith Grey Oval when Saturday afternoon’s storm washed out play while the Rats were in a similar situation at 3-42 against Bay and Basin Dolphins at Geoff Shaw Oval before the rain intervened.

In junior representative cricket on Sunday, the South Coast sides struggled against high-quality opponents.

In the Under 17 Watson

Shield, Tom Wells top-scored with 58 as South Coast made 157 but Sutherland reached the total three down.

In the Under 12 Foster Shield, Harry Kenneally (21) and Will Coghlan (19) were the main scorers in the South Coast total of 82, which Bankstown reached with seven wickets to spare.

In the Under 14 Inter Association clash with Illawarra Red, Harry McCrone hit 15 as South Coast tallied 5-62. Illawarra were too strong with 1-167 in their innings.

Illawarra Blue posted 6-129 despite Bradley Constantinou (1-3) and Jaxson Smith (1-6) with South Coast making 6-96 as Harry McCrone again did well with the bat to make

UNDER14GIRLSOZTAG

UNDER16MIXEDOZTAG

KIAMASENIORHIGHSCHOOLBASKETBALL CAVETTES

Taiwan to watch: Lucy snares another major triumph

Lleyton Hughes

Fifteen-year-old Gerringong surfer Lucy Darragh has claimed her second major Qualifying Series victory of the year, taking out the 2025 Taiwan Open on Saturday.

Held at Jinzun Harbor from November 5-9, Darragh entered the competition on the back of a breakthrough win at the Nias Pro earlier in the year

and a 13th-place finish at the Siargao International Surfing Cup, placing her near the top of the Oceania rankings.

Darragh had a shaky start in the opening round, placing second in her heat with a combined score of 7.96.

From there, however, she dominated every heat, posting totals of 15.33, 12.06 and 11.36 on her way to the final.

In the title decider against New Zealand’s Saffi Vette,

Darragh struck early with a 5.17 on her first wave. Vette responded with a 5.43 on her second, but Darragh’s fourth wave - a 6.67 - sealed the victory as her rival was unable to improve.

Darragh finished with a combined total of 11.84, securing the win and catapulting herself to the top of the regional rankings heading into the final leg of the 2025/26 QS season.

“This is so crazy,” Darragh told the World Surf League.

“I’m just so stoked and grateful to be able to do these events and travel to amazing places like this and surf with my friends.

“It’s been such a good experience surfing against all of these amazing women in this series.

“I just can’t really believe it, to be honest. I barely have any words.

“I didn’t really know if I was going to do these comps this year, so to get two wins is incredible. I’m looking forward to celebrating with my friends.”

The 15-year-old recently qualified for the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, to be held in Peru from December 5–14, and is determined to carry her momentum into the event.

“My goal, results-wise, is

to make the final and win a medal for Australia,” she said.

“But personally, I just want to show my best surfing in my heats and represent Australia with pride and determination.”

Darragh now sits 2,500 points clear at the top of the Oceania Qualifying Series rankings, with her dream of reaching the World Surf League Championship Tour firmly within reach.