The Bugle News 21 August 2026

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21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST 2026 Kiama Minnamurra Kiama Downs Jamberoo Gerringong Gerroa

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fter a week of searching for missing hiker Lily Hooper, news broke on the afternoon of 20 August that a body had been found, believed to be that of the 18-year-old. Ms Hooper went missing on

“Heartbreaking” end to search p3 for Lily August 12 after embarking on a hike in Nattai National Park in NSW’s Southern Highlands, just over an hour north of Kiama. The teenager from Oakdale, in Sydney’s southwest, did not return that evening and could

not be contacted on her mobile phone, triggering a large-scale search by emergency services. Authorities found the body, which had not yet been formally identified when The Bugle went to print but is believed to be Ms Hooper, in

bushland about 11.30am on Thursday, NSW Police said in a statement. Ms Hooper had not been seen since her car was discovered at the Bonnum Pic trailhead on Wednesday night.

Berry turns up the volume

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When news of the discovery broke, it came after a mistaken moment of hope. Only hours earlier, it was reported that Ms Hooper had been found alive – misinformation that came via NSW Premier Chris Minns.

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“I’ve got some terrible news,” the NSW Premier, Chris Minns, told a parliamentary hearing on Thursday. Just minutes earlier, Minns had said Lily had been “found alive”. Continued on P3

Candidate cheat sheet

Read it & vote

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Welcome to The Bugle As this issue of The Bugle goes to print, by-election voting day is fast approaching on 22 August – and many people in the community still seem torn between two strong candidates. Before you head to the polling stations, read our cheat sheet on page 2 – and follow The Bugle app for our interview next week with the victor. We also talk to the founders of Kiama’s much-loved KISS festival about how Council’s decision to cut grant funding will impact local go-to events. And, as the paper went to print, the news broke that a body had been found in the search for missing hiker Lily Hooper - a heartbreaking outcome for her family. In lighter news, we cover the little sports stars tearing up local soccer pitches and netball courts, as winter sports season comes to a close. As always, thanks for being part of our stories. Amy

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The Bugle acknowledges the Dharawal people, Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and tell stories, and pays respect to Elders past and present.

Michael Bowden Financial responsibility and accountability

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Stanley Jarrett Community spirit and representation

A candidate cheat sheet For Michael Bowden, the big issue is the bottom line — and making sure ratepayers know exactly where their money is going. With Kiama Municipal Council currently operating under a Performance Improvement Order, Bowden says financial responsibility and transparency need to be front and centre. “Kiama Municipal Council is currently operating under a Performance Improvement Order. That's not a footnote – it's the single biggest issue facing our council right now, and it should be front and centre in this by-election,” he said. “I'd ask hard questions about spending priorities and insist that responding to the Performance Improvement Order is treated as a genuine opportunity to fix systemic issues, not just a box-ticking exercise. “We've got to stop selling off our assets, you know? We can't keep selling our assets until they're all gone.” Background and experience Bowden is a local small business owner and is no stranger to Council, having already worked with it through committees, advisory groups and local projects. “Having already worked closely with Council through committees and advisory groups, I understand how Council operates and the challenges it faces,” he said. His involvement has included working with local businesses and Council

on the proposed Special Entertainment Precinct and changes to commercial waste services. He also sees his business experience as a useful addition to the Council chamber. “As a local small business owner in Kiama, I manage budgets, cash flow, and accountability to staff and customers every single day.” Community vision It’s not all dollars and cents. Bowden says community sits at the heart of his approach. “Community is at heart with everything I do,” he said. He believes Council, local businesses and organisations such as KBN all have a part to play in shaping the town they want to see. Young people are also on his radar. Bowden supports youth and community centres in Gerringong and Jamberoo and has advocated for a youthled café model. Values and approach For Bowden, financial accountability isn’t about political sides. “I'm standing as an independent because I believe financial accountability shouldn't be a partisan issue – it's simply good governance.” If elected, he wants residents to have a clearer picture of Council’s finances — without needing an accounting degree to decipher them. “As a councillor, I would push for clear, plain-English reporting on council's finances so residents can actually understand where money is going – not just compliance documents written for auditors.”

For Stanley Jarrett, it starts with listening. His campaign puts community voice, consultation and thinking about the next generation at the forefront. “The important thing for me, working in those roles, was making sure that the community knew what was going on … people needed to know that their voices were heard,” he said. Jarrett is also looking well beyond the next Council term, asking what today’s decisions will mean decades down the track. “We need to ask ourselves what sort of place we want to live in in the next 10, 20 or 30 years,” he said. “And what do we want to leave for our kids? And that's what's important to me.” Background and experience Jarrett brings a long CV to the race. A Gumbayngirr, Punthamarra, Dunghutti, Jerrinja and Gurrang Gurrang man with strong bloodline connections to the South Coast, he is a Gerringong resident and ratepayer who has lived and worked across Gerringong, Kiama, the Shoalhaven and Illawarra for 43 years. He spent 37 years in the NSW public service, working across the Aboriginal Legal Service, Juvenile Justice, NSW Local Courts, Corrective Services and Community Corrections. Jarrett also spent seven years as NSW State Manager for Indigenous Client Services, where he says he grew the liaison program

from four officers to 44 staff. Community vision If there’s a common thread through Jarrett’s pitch, it’s community involvement — and making sure people have a genuine say in what happens next. “My specialty is listening to and realising community aspirations. I am a driver of change.” He already works with Council through the Aboriginal Advisory Group and Reconciliation Action Group, along with coastal, river and shoreline restoration projects. He is also involved in planning work around South Werri and the new Cole Street development. Youth services are another priority. Jarrett has raised concerns about moves to cut youth services funding, while also saying spending on facilities needs to reflect what the community actually wants. Values and approach Listening, integrity and co-design sit at the centre of Jarrett’s approach. “As a consultant, I also value 360-degree feedback to ensure community aspirations are achieved through genuine codesign,” he said. When it comes to Council’s current challenges, Jarrett says change is needed. He wants councillors to understand how Council arrived at its current position, learn from past mistakes and make better use of the assets and resources already on hand. “I have the highest integrity, I am honest, and I tell it like it is,” he said.

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Council renews calls for Jamberoo road reclassification

Search for Lily ends in heart break Continued from p1 “I apologise … it seems as if the earlier advice was wrong,” he said. “Lily’s body has been found … This is obviously devastating, and I’m profoundly sad for her family and for all those concerned. I apologise.” NSW Police said in a statement: “The body of a woman has been located in bushland following the search for a missing bushwalker in the Southern Highlands.” More than 100 ADF personnel had joined the search operation in the previous 24 hours. The army personnel joined PolAir, NSW Police Rescue, SES, RFS, Fire and Rescue NSW, and National Parks and Wildlife Service personnel. In the early days of the search, Ms Hooper’s family said they were “devastated” by her disappearance.

“Our family is absolutely devastated that our beloved daughter Lily is missing,” they said in a statement. “We desperately want to bring Lily home safe and we ask as the search continues, to keep our family and Lily in your thoughts. “We would like to thank all the emergency services and volunteers for their support and continued commitment to the search, not only during the day but throughout the night. “We appreciate people who have made offers for the search but due to the terrain and conditions we ask just professional search teams continue.” NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called Hooper’s death “heartbreaking” and expressed her sympathies to her family and friends as they confront an “unimaginable loss”. “The news of Lily Hooper’s

death is heartbreaking, and our deepest sympathies are with her family, friends and loved ones at a time of unimaginable loss,” she said. “So many people had been hoping for Lily’s safe return and today’s news will be difficult and deeply felt. “Our thanks go to NSW Police, SES volunteers, the Australian Defence Force and everyone who worked tirelessly over the last eight days.” While the cause of Ms Hooper’s death is not currently known, hiking in national parks carries risks, even for experienced hikers. The number of people visiting national parks each year is increasing, which, on the surface, is a good thing. However, search and rescue operations in national parks are also rising globally and across Australia. A report will be prepared for the coroner.

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iama Municipal Council has renewed calls for Jamberoo Mountain Road to be reclassified from a local road under its management to a Regional Road so it can be maintained and enhanced by Transport for NSW following the truck crash tragedy on Wednesday night. Council has been lobbying the NSW Government in recent years for this to occur and has lodged a joint application with Wingecarribee Shire Council for the road to be reclassified. “Our local state MP Katelin McInerney and our federal representative Fiona Phillips have said that they support this reclassification so we need to make it happen as soon as possible so no more lives are lost,” Mayor McDonald added. “I am urging the State Government to please take a serious look at fragile and dangerous roads like this one. Fund them, fix them and take over their management. “We need commonsense to prevail and for the State Government to step up.” Mayor McDonald, on behalf of Council, extends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the man who died in Wednesday's crash at Jamberoo Mountain Road. He added that Council’s thoughts are also with the two other men in the vehicle

who were injured in the incident. Council would also like to pay tribute to the paramedics who attended the crash site as well as the Fire and Rescue, police and SES volunteers for their quick response and typically selfless efforts. Drivers are reminded that, at all times, heavy vehicles over 12 tonnes and 10 metres in length are not permitted to travel on Jamberoo Mountain Road as it is unsafe for larger vehicles such as buses, trucks and caravans. Signage is visible at both ends of this east-west link, warning the drivers of heavy vehicles. “There has been a string of accidents on Jamberoo Mountain Road over the years and we’ve seen this sort of thing happen too many times” Mayor McDonald said. “There are clear signs in place before you enter Jamberoo Mountain Road that it is not to be used by heavy vehicles but unfortunately too many people risk their lives on this fragile and winding local road. I’m urging anyone out there who is thinking about driving on this road in a heavy vehicle to consider the possible consequences. There are alternative options which may take a little longer to get you where you need to be but please obey the signs and stay safe.”

There was another serious crash at Jamberoo Mountain Road less than a month ago when a removalist truck went down an embankment and hit a tree. The driver survived but was seriously injured. Mayor McDonald added that Council was in the final stages of completing roadworks at Jamberoo Mountain Road, funded by a Betterment Grant, supported by the Australian and NSW governments. The works include new concrete drains, kerb and guttering for runoff control, the repair of an embankment due to a landslide, major repairs to asphalt, new guard rails at two hairpins, major pipe and embankment widening, and line marking and new delineators for approximately 6km. “It’s a vital east-west link between the South Coast and the Southern Highlands that helps keep our communities moving each way,” he said. “But with Council budgets and resources we can only bring the road back up to its previous standard when there are accidents or land slips. “We keep doing patch-up jobs but it's far from the ideal scenario. We don’t have the ability to make it a modern thoroughfare, to improve the safety to a level that’s expected of our community.”

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Kiki confused Photo : Justin Huntsdale

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A KISS goodbye?

Festival fights to stay alive after funding scrapped Maria Lewis

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t could be a kiss goodbye to one of Kiama’s favourite festivals after recent funding cuts have left the future of Kiama International Sea Side (KISS) Arts Festival in question. While concerns had been quietly growing amongst the community over the past few months, worst fears were confirmed on Tuesday night at council’s Ordinary Meeting with grant funding significantly sliced. Councillor Melinda Lawton was the first of three councillors to speak in regards to the motion – followed by Councillor Imogen Draisma and Councillor Matt Brown – who all expressed regret about having to reduce the grants program. “I have to be honest, where our finances sit, we all know about the PIO – I won’t repeat what has been said

ad nauseum - but the fact is the advice hasn’t changed since three years ago where we were told that we needed to start to cut spending and unfortunately grants were going to be one of those areas,” Cr Lawton said. “It’s not that this contribution doesn’t matter, but it’s that we have to get back on sustainable footing. “I hope that when our financial circumstances improve, that this is exactly the kind of investment we can look at restoring because a financially healthy Kiama is dependent on the arts and these events and (they) should be funded again generously where possible.” Cr Brown added that although “this particular motion does not sit well with me” given how important these events are to the community, Kiama Council “don’t have any other option at the moment”.

“Everywhere has to cut,” he said. Several community arts organisations and events are partially funded through the council’s grant program, with the annual KISS Arts Festival one of those relying heavily on the funding. “It makes me want to cry,” organiser Dave Evans told The Bugle, having also pled his case at the Community Forum on Monday night. “We fully understand the situation council are in with needing to rectify their deficit. “We’re just disappointed that they choose to eek away that loss by chopping things like community funding. “It’s such an underrepresented and underfunded thing to begin with, then to scrape even more off it feels like insult to injury to be honest with you.” Evans said that KISS received $8000 in funding from Kiama Council to run

the event this year, with an additional $2000 - $3000 of “in kind contributions” such as hire of The Pavilion for a cabaret performance and refuse collection. With “the most we’ve ever received in a single year being $15,000 from council”, Evans is doubtful there will be little left in the grants pool now. “The recommendation is to reduce the total allocation for all council competitive grant programs to $86,000,” he said. “So that’s $47,000 for Destination Kiama events and $39,000 for community grants.” Having run for the past 14 years, KISS is a free event featuring performers from all over the world and has seen attendance grow from just a few hundred attendees the debut year to more than 20,000. “It’s a bit of a unicorn in terms of festivals,” Evans said. “We do have this

international element - people at the top of their game doing world tours who come and visit Kiama - but then we have national and local performers all together as well, performing alongside each other. “We have community arts projects - like the raft race and the lantern parade - which is very diverse and unique. “I don’t know of any other festival that has all those things in it and it’s free. “Our mission statement is to provide every Australian with exposure to the arts and this is a gateway, meaning that someone with no money can have the exact same experience as anyone else who came along.” While the future of KISS is looking uncertain, Evans said “where there’s a need, there’s a way” and hopes that community advocates and generous donors may be able to save the event much in the same way the New Year’s Eve

fireworks at Kiama Harbour have been fundraising to get the $100,000 needed after their budget was also cut. “It’s a huge undertaking, it’s three months of your life where we don’t get paid and we run ourselves ragged, but getting to share KISS with the community is what makes it worthwhile,” he said. “So if there are donors out there interested in supporting the arts in this country and in Kiama, we’d love to hear from you. “We’re not completely dead in the water … there’s still a possibility.” There’s currently an active GoFundMe online where people can donate, including a video from Evans and fellow organiser Tamara Campbell detailing what additional support means and why it’s so vital. It can be found at: https:// www.gofundme.com/f/kissarts-fest-funraiser

Sky Show sponsorship tracker Goal: $100k Raised to date: $93,500 Kiama’s New Year’s Eve fireworks campaign has reached $93,500 – fast approaching the $100k needed to bring the muchloved event back this December. Businesses and organisations interested in supporting the event can email Council’s Tourism and Economic Development team via events@kiama.nsw.gov.au.

Planning for a growing Kiama By Michael Bowden, Independent Candidate for Kiama Municipal Council

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iama is growing, and that's a good thing – it means more people want to call this place home. But growth works best when we plan for it properly, and three issues residents raise with me again and again are parking, waste services and development. Parking in town is already tight, and as our LGA continues to grow, it's only going to become more important to get ahead of it. I'd like to see Council take a genuinely forward-looking approach – making smarter

use of the space we already have, planning early for the areas that will feel the pressure first, and working closely with local business owners and residents who navigate this every day. There's real opportunity here to get this right before it becomes a bigger problem. Waste services matter too. I want to work with Council to find genuine solutions that reverse recent cuts and bring back a more regular collection schedule – because when changes are made, residents deserve clear, straightforward communication about why, and confidence that council is chasing the best outcome for the community, not just the easiest one. I want to see

a council that explains its decisions and brings people along with it. And when it comes to development, I believe it should be sensible, sustainable and balanced – growth that enhances our town and strengthens our services, rather than just adding pressure to them. That means thinking ahead, planning well, and making decisions with the whole community in mind. I'll bring the same practical, positive approach to these everyday issues as I will to Council's finances – because a well-run council gets the basics right, and builds a better Kiama in the process. This is paid content

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Growth and green seats:

Inside Kiama Council’s Ordinary Meeting

Back to back votes for the future

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iama is heading into a consequential period, with two elections over the next four weeks set to shape both the composition and direction of our community. This week’s by-election to fill the vacancy created by Cr Mike Cains’ resignation will be followed by an internal Council vote at the September Council meeting determine the mayor. Together, these contests offer more than a routine reshuffle. They are a test of whether the council can turn (yet another) transition into clearer leadership and renewed public confidence. The by-election matters because one new councillor can alter more than the arithmetic around the chamber table. A new representative brings different priorities, relationships and expectations from the community – particularly given the very different focuses and experiences of Uncle Stanley Jarrett and Michael Bowden. Irrespective of who is voted in, they will both bring a fresh approach to questions Kiama has wrestled with for years: housing growth, infrastructure, financial sustainability, environmental protection, village character and the quality of council services. For voters, it is an opportunity to elect someone who understands that Kiama’s future cannot be managed through

slogans or nostalgia alone. The community needs practical representation. Someone prepared to listen, scrutinise decisions, work constructively with colleagues and explain difficult choices openly. A councillor is not simply a voice for one constituency; they are a steward of the municipality’s long-term interests. The internal mayoral election is equally significant. As we know, we do not vote directly for the mayor, but we are significantly impacted by whichever Councillor is chosen. Mayor Cameron McDonald is the incumbent, and his colleagues must decide whether continuity in his leadership is the best way to guide the council through its next phase. But before the vote, one of them needs to have that wherewithal to put their hand up to challenge Mayor McDonald. McDonald has led during a challenging period, including a financial recovery agenda and the council’s continuing obligations under NSW Government Performance Improvement Order. The case for re-electing McDonald is that stability has value. A mayor who already understands the council’s financial pressures, governance obligations and strategic priorities can provide continuity at a time when disruption carries real costs. Elected under

the ‘community first, business minded’ slogan, this approach seems to have resonated with the community and his colleagues. His colleagues may reasonably conclude that consistent leadership will help keep attention on delivery rather than internal manoeuvring which was a painful constant in previous Councils. But re-election should never be automatic. The mayoralty vote is also an opportunity for councillors to assess whether the present leadership has built trust, encouraged genuine debate and kept the organisation focused on outcomes. The mayor sets the civic tone: disagreement should lead to decisions, accountability and progress – not paralysis or political theatre. These elections come as New South Wales moves toward a state election in March 2027. Kiama will need a council that can advocate credibly to Macquarie Street on planning, transport, health services, emergency preparedness and housing. Change is not automatically progress. But whether councillors choose continuity under McDonald or a new mayor, and whichever candidate wins the by-election, Kiama deserves leadership defined by competence, transparency and a clear plan for its future.

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"Are we becoming urban sprawl?" — Rezoning on the agenda Kiama's growing pains were on full display at Tuesday's meeting, as councillors signed off on a string of decisions that will reshape parts of the municipality in the years ahead. Closest to home, Council approved a dual occupancy development and strata subdivision at 17 Glenbrook Drive, granting a variation to the usual minimum site area rules so the project could proceed. The bigger story is unfolding in South Kiama, where Council has given the green light to a housekeeping planning proposal covering the Urban Release Area — a tidy-up of planning controls that now heads to the state government for a "Gateway determination," the formal checkpoint that decides whether a rezoning proposal can move to public exhibition. Council has asked to run the process itself, rather than hand it to the state, positioning itself as the area's "Local Plan Making Authority." Matching changes to the local Development Control Plan will go on public exhibition at the same time.

Missing people: Green Seat Project

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A splash of green could soon appear on park benches around the municipality, after Councillor Erica Warren brought the Green Seat Project to Council's attention this week. The Green Seat Project is a grassroots memorial movement: volunteers paint ordinary park benches a distinctive green, transforming them into quiet tributes to missing persons and a visible reminder that they haven't been forgotten. The benches double as places of reflection for families and communities affected by a disappearance. Warren tabled photographs from a recent unveiling of one such seat at Yamba, on the NSW North Coast. Warren moved to bring the initiative home, asking Council to grant permission for two existing park benches — one in Kiama, one in Gerringong — to be repainted green, entirely at the Green Seat Project's own cost. The idea won support around the table, but not an immediate green light. After discussion, councillors opted to hit pause: rather than approve the benches outright, they voted to defer the matter and directed the

CEO to write to the Green Seat Project, pointing the group toward Council's formal Plaques and Memorials Policy — the standard process any commemorative request must go through before a final decision is made. Cost of living hits "The Pav" Belt-tightening was the order of the day as Council grappled with a budget under pressure — and some of the municipality's best-loved facilities are feeling the pinch. Councillors voted to slash the Competitive Grant Program to $85,000 for the year, as part of a wider round of quarterly budget adjustments. The reduced pool will be split between $46,000 for Destination Event Funding and $39,000 for Community Grants — smaller amounts that drew criticism from resident David Evans, who spoke against the cuts during the public forum. The financial strain has also reopened debate over the future of some of Kiama's key community assets. Councillor Lawton successfully pushed for a fresh report revisiting the findings of earlier Service Reviews into the Kiama Leisure Centre, The Pavilion, and Tourism and Events services.

Iconic Blowhole needs a revamp

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e are extremely proud of our reputation as one of the premier tourist destinations in Australia and as the winner of the NSW Top Tourism Town award three years in a row. I’ll be travelling to Canberra in a few weeks as we compete on a national stage against towns and cities twice our size and with so many more resources to support their efforts. Around half of every dollar spent locally is from a visitor to our local government area so it’s vitally important we dedicate plenty of time, effort and resources to living up to the high expectations we’ve set. It is also hard to balance tourist needs against local needs when the ratepayers provide funding for these activities. There is no denying however that tourists, and tourism is part of our community - people flock

here to see our natural beauty, to watch whales and more often than not to visit our iconic Blowhole. It never ceases to amaze me what a magnificent site this is. Whether it’s a rough day with the Blowhole sending spray far into the sky or when the seas are calmer and spectators are not getting drenched, it’s always a joy to behold. Tourists flock to this area and it’s one of the main reasons why people not just come to Kiama but the South Coast, whether they’re a day-tripper from Sydney or Canberra, or an overseas visitor. And I see many locals out each morning walking the path and enjoying the ever-changing view. But, let’s be honest - the Blowhole Point Precinct is looking tired and in need of more than a little TLC. For many of us who grew up here, it hasn’t changed much since we were kids. We think it’s high time the whole precinct got some muchneeded planning, design and a revamp that can help keep it as the jewel in the crown for generations to come. That’s why our Kiama Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which was adopted by Council on Tuesday night, calls out the need for a precinct masterplan and funding to implement it. As always – we can’t do this alone and we’re ready and

willing to partner with the state or federal governments to help start envisioning what this precinct could be to keep our tourists coming back, and to keep our community so proud of this amazing location. With more than 1.2 million visitors coming to Kiama annually, the Strategy is a crucial component of Council’s long-term vision. With the Western Sydney airport soon to open, we want our Blowhole to be a go-to part of the itineraries for international visitors. The Strategy is focused on smart infrastructure investment to benefit residents and tourists. We want to improve access to facilities, ease pressure in peak periods, and enhance accommodation and visitor experiences. Not just in our town centres but all the wonderful attractions we have from Minnamurra River to Seven Mile Beach, and inland to the Illawarra Fly and Jamberoo Action Park. We want visitors to discover other local gems like Saddleback Mountain, Bombo Headland and Fitzroy Falls. Stay overnight, stay two or three, and enjoy all there is to see and do in our communities. This is paid content.

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Australians stick to their guns Myah Garza & Veronica Bardsley

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ew South Wales is set to begin Australia’s biggest gun buyback in 30 years, with the scheme expected to see hundreds of thousands of firearms surrendered following last year’s Bondi terrorist attack. The NSW and Commonwealth governments will jointly fund the buyback 50:50, which will begin on November 2, with NSW Police administering the scheme. The program follows new firearm laws introduced in NSW after the attack, including a general limit of four firearms per individual. Exemptions allow some licence holders, including primary producers, sporting and target shooters and those with certain occupational requirements, to hold up to 10 firearms. Certain firearms have also been reclassified under the new laws. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the reforms were necessary to strengthen public safety. “After Bondi, we promised the people of New South Wales we would introduce the toughest gun laws in the country, and that’s exactly what we did,” Mr Minns said. NSW Police Minister Yasmin

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the reforms were necessary to strengthen public safety.

Catley said the buyback would be a significant logistical operation. “We ask affected firearms licence holders to be patient. Everyone affected by the new laws in NSW will have the opportunity to participate in the Buyback Scheme,” she said. Under Phase One, owners will receive fixed compensation ranging from $450 for air rifles to $1,000 for some firearms. Revolvers will attract $1,000, while semi-automatic handguns will receive $850. Double-barrel shotguns will attract $850 and singlebarrel shotguns $650, while compensation for rifles will range from $650 to $1,000 depending on the firearm. The NSW Government estimates up to 274,000 registered firearms could be affected — around 24 per cent of all registered firearms in the state, with about 50,000 licence holders impacted. Phase Two is expected to begin in early 2027 and will provide a pathway to compensation for eligible higher-value firearms. Those with an indicative market value above $3,000 will be eligible for reimbursement capped at

$10,000 per firearm. The scale of the scheme has reignited debate over whether tighter firearm laws can prevent future mass casualty events. Google Trends data shows searches for “Gun Buyback Scheme” have recorded a breakout increase of more than 5,000 per cent over the past week. Searches for “Port Arthur Massacre” rose by 300 per cent, while “Gun registry” searches increased by 90 per cent over the same period. Google Trends measures relative search interest rather than the number of people searching, and a spike does not establish why people are searching or indicate a change in public opinion. Google describes Trends as a measure of search interest, not scientific polling, meaning the figures provide a snapshot of search behaviour rather than evidence Australians support or oppose the buyback. Australia’s previous major national gun buyback followed the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in which 35 people were killed

Source: Google Trends

Port Arthur massacre and 18 wounded. The reforms that followed restricted civilian access to semi-automatic and pumpaction rifles and shotguns, introduced tighter licensing and registration requirements and saw more than 600,000 firearms compulsorily surrendered and destroyed, with tens of thousands more voluntarily handed in. Research published in Injury Prevention in 2006 found Australia experienced 13 mass shootings in the 18 years before the reforms and none in the following 10.5 years. The study also found firearm death rates were already declining before 1996, but that the rate of decline accelerated following the reforms. However, the researchers cautioned that the findings showed an association rather than proving the reforms alone caused the decline. The 1996 response involved a broader package of measures, meaning the impact cannot be attributed

Firearms registry solely to the buyback. The new scheme has also drawn criticism from farmers, sporting shooters and firearms businesses. NSW Farmers president Rebecca Reardon said the farming community supported informed discussion about firearm reform but believed farmers had not been adequately consulted. “Firearm reform is an incredibly important and complex subject that deserves respectful, informed discussion and debate,” she said. “However, for farmers, this has clearly not been the case.” Ms Reardon argued farmers should not be subject to what she described as “arbitrary ownership caps”, saying firearms were used for different purposes across large farming properties. A NSW firearms shop owner, who asked not to be named, also questioned whether the new limits would work for competitive shooters and

farmers. “For competitive shooters, or target shooters as they call us, they are only allowed 10 under the new laws,” the owner said. “For us to be competitive, we need a firearm for every match.” They also questioned whether 10 firearms would be sufficient for some farmers dealing with different types of pests and livestock across large properties. NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has backed stronger gun laws but said the government needed to address concerns about the buyback before it begins, including compensation and the overall cost of the scheme. The scheme will also include an industry support package from November 2, with eligible firearms businesses and dealers able to apply for grants of up to $25,000, as well as oneoff licence fee relief worth $500 over two years. This content is part of a paid partnership with Google to promote Google Trends.

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Coast & Country Community Services will expand its regional transport services after being selected for a NSW Government trial aimed at helping people access education, training and employment. Coast & Country Community Services (CCCS) is one of 16 community transport providers selected by Transport for NSW to participate in the new initiative. The trial will extend CCCS’s existing services to people who have limited or no access to private or public transport and need to travel to faceto-face study at TAFE NSW or a Registered Training Organisation, or to work as an apprentice or trainee. Currently, its wide range of services is designed to support people of all ages and abilities – whether it’s getting to a medical appointment, sharing a meal, enjoying a social outing or simply staying connected to the community. From transport and NDIS support to Meals on Wheels, volunteering opportunities and social programs, CCCS provides practical help across the Illawarra, Shoalhaven, Bega Valley, Weddin Shire, Hilltops and beyond. This new funding will allow CCCS to go the extra mile. CCCS chief executive officer James Gould said transport remained one of the biggest

barriers facing people in regional communities. “This trial gives us the opportunity to extend our services in a way that creates real pathways to education and employment,” Mr Gould said. “We’ll be drawing on our experience delivering community transport across the region to make sure it works well for the people it’s designed to support.” CCCS chair Dianne Hallett said the initiative aligned with the organisation’s aim of helping people participate fully in community life. “Expanding our reach to support younger people on the path to employment and training is a natural extension of the work we do every day,” Ms Hallett said. The Transport for NSW community transport trial will run until June 30, 2027, with start dates varying between regions. Participants must have limited or no access to private or public transport, must not already receive government-funded transport, and must require travel for eligible face-to-face training, apprenticeships or traineeships. The initiative is expected to create about 16 new jobs within CCCS, providing an economic boost while increasing the organisation’s capacity to deliver transport services across regional NSW.

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Qantas F100 joins HARS historic fleet Maria Lewis

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fter more than seven thousand flights, a QantasLink Fokker F100 jet made its final voyage on Tuesday, touching down at Shellharbour Airport right on sunset. Cruising across the tarmac to its new home at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), it was greeted by an enthusiastic group of pilots, past and present Qantas staffers, Shellharbour Mayor Chris Homer, media and aeronautical diehards. “It’s an exciting addition to the history we have here that we’re trying to save from being scrapped,” HARS President and Chief Pilot Bob De La Hunty OAM told The Bugle. “One day, people will say ‘what’s an F100?’ and we’ll be able to take them here and show them, just like we can with all the other aircraft we house that have an important historical significance.” Having flown 7,543 flights for QantasLink, the F100 aircraft connected communities across Western Australia, including Kalgoorlie, Newman and Paraburdoo – which is in part how it earned its name, Meekatharra. It joins a range of other Qantas aircraft already

housed at HARS, including Qantas’ first Boeing 747400, VH-OJA that was donated in 2015 and is still one of the first thing visitors see when they approach the Albion Park site – either by road or by air. Although considerably smaller, the F100 is still a “very special addition” to HARS said De La Hunty, with plans to maintain the aircraft and keep it operational. “It’s more than just an educational tool, showcasing these planes inspires young people to take up aviation and it brings tourism to the area,” he said. “We’re all passionate aviation enthusiasts, so we figure if we don’t do it – who will? “After World War II, we had so many interesting aircrafts in Australia that were nearly destroyed that we were able to save, restore, and bring here. “The general public quite often don’t know much about airplanes, but it’s after they’ve been here they get more inspired. “With this particular Fokker, it’s more modern than some of the other ones we’ve got, and we power them up still so people can see the cockpits, understand how they operate.” With more than 850 members, including celebrity pilots like John

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Travolta, HARS has been running since the late seventies – largely thanks to the contributions of donors like Qantas and the hard work of hundreds of volunteers. No stranger to celebrity guests, it has been a popular filming location with Top Gun: Maverick star Glenn Powell signing a massive standee for the museum that sits in the lobby while he was there filming scenes for romcom Anyone But You. Chris Hemsworth was also a regular at the HARS café, grabbing a coffee each morning while filming Netflix blockbuster Extraction 3 next door last week. “We have people come from all over,” said pilot and engineer, Steve Howson, who’s also on the HARS Executive Management Committee. “We had a lady come from Hong Kong, never had any aeronautics background, just wanted to look at everything we had on offer here. “And we’ve had a family fly all the way from the Netherlands to see the Super Constellation, which is one of the last in the world that can still fly. “We ended taking them up for a flight in it once we heard that they had travelled all that way. It was incredibly special.”

Joining the QantasLink fleet in 2016, previously the Meekatharra had flown for both American Airlines and Austrian Airlines before finding a home in Australia. It’s inclusion at HARS represents the “strength” of their ongoing relationship with Qantas, said Howson, with over 300 of their 850+ members being former Qantas pilots, staff, engineers, ground crew and flight crew. “They’ve helped us for years and years and it’s a very special relationship with them,” he said. “This is the first operational aircraft that we’ve been given that will be maintained operational. “We haven’t got any plans to fly it yet, but it will be fully operational, which is fantastic considering the company could have scrapped it and made money out of the parts. “It coming here gives the museum an asset that we don’t have an equivalent of, a regional jet, as we try to have a representation of all Australian aviation.” Whether that’s Lawrence Hargrave’s kite upstairs or both the Qantas Boeing 747 and Qantas Boeing 707, it’s that breadth of history amongst the modern advancements that keeps thousands of visitors returning to HARS each year.

THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

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Local design at the heart of Kiama Corner Store’s new identity Emily Crisp

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n a town where small businesses are competing not only for passing trade but for the loyalty of locals, standing out can matter. After more than four years trading as Stocked, owner Hannah Foreman has given the Kiama coffee, food and retail store a new name and identity, rebranding it as Kiama Corner Store. The change is more than just a new name and logo, with Foreman saying the four-year milestone felt like the right time for a refresh. “I guess I’ve changed, the business has changed a lot and it felt like the right move to kind of freshen up, rebrand, kind of come back to the community roots,” she said. The original Stocked concept was developed before Foreman lived in Kiama, but four years of running the business have brought new influences from staff, customers and the brands on its shelves. Despite the new look, the business at its core will remain the same, with its coffee, food and retail offering continuing. Foreman is also planning

some new additions over the coming months, including ideas centred around summer and the store’s outdoor space. To create the new identity, Foreman turned to fellow Kiama local Brenna Kleinig, owner of Summerlands Studio, who has also worked on branding for other local businesses, including Parfait Patisserie and Kiama Business Network. The pair have known each other since Foreman opened, with Kleinig becoming both a customer and friend. Foreman said choosing Summerlands Studio for the rebrand was a “no-brainer”. “She just got it,” Foreman said. Both women have moved from the city to Kiama in the past five years, and Foreman said that shared perspective, combined with Kleinig’s understanding of the business and its customers, helped when it came to developing the new identity. For Kleinig, the aim was to retain the “heart and soul” of Stocked while giving Foreman greater freedom to grow the business and bring more of her own tastes and influences into it. Just as importantly, she

wanted regulars to continue feeling the familiarity that had been built over four years, from staff knowing customers by name to people feeling part of a community when they walked through the door. Kleinig said professional branding is particularly important for small businesses, where customers can make quick judgements based on everything from signage to the overall visual identity. “If you can communicate the passion that drives your business, the feeling that people are going to get when they come and experience your products or your services, that is just huge in small businesses,” she said. While Kleinig acknowledged those tools can be useful, particularly when starting out, she said there were limits to what they could achieve. Working with a designer involves asking deeper questions about what drives a business, who its customers are and how it wants to be seen. Without that process, she said, businesses risk ending up with branding that looks similar to what is already out

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there rather than something that properly represents who they are. For a town such as Kiama, where independent businesses rely heavily on the community supporting them, Kleinig said understanding the people on the other side of the counter was a significant part of the process. “When you’re in small towns, it takes a greater community to keep the doors open,” she said. For Kiama Corner Store, the challenge was therefore to create a point of difference and give the business room to evolve without losing the familiarity and sense of community Hannah and her team had built over four years. The new name has caused some initial confusion, with Foreman saying customers have come in wondering whether Stocked had been sold. “It’s still us,” she said. While the rebrand marks a new chapter for her own business, Foreman said the bigger message extended to Kiama’s wider small business community. “Shop small, shop local. Support your people,” she said.

Body Fit Shellharbour brings community together

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odyfit Shellharbour welcomed locals through its doors for a three-day Community Open Weekend from August 7 to 9, bringing together families, local businesses, sporting clubs and health and wellness providers. The free event featured fitness demonstrations and group classes, community stalls, giveaways and family activities

including a jumping castle, face painting, a sausage sizzle and even an appearance from SpiderMan. “It ended up just being a really nice day to get everyone together in the community,” Shellharbour club manager Olivia Grimwood said. The weekend also gave visitors the chance to meet the Bodyfit team, explore its facilities and learn more about its approach

to fitness and wellbeing. Olivia said the event was about showing people that Bodyfit was more than a traditional gym. “We’re a bit more than a gym and more than just your average fitness centre,” she said. “It’s somewhere where people can come together, connect and have that holistic view with fitness, health and

wellness.” The event also resulted in new members joining the gym after getting a taste of the Bodyfit community. “It was nice to have a bit of a social setting, rather than just your normal kind of gym visit,” she said. “It ended up being a really, really fun day.”

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Gerringong Plaza celebrates 25th anniversary with snags and stories

Maria Lewis

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t’s hard to imagine the town of Gerringong without the Plaza that sits at the heart of it. Yet 25 years ago, what’s now considered a vital piece of the “social fabric” of the town was a newly opened structure with a supermarket, bottle shop, dentist, restaurant and a whole lot of potential. “There was some controversy at the time, it was a smaller population in Gerringong then and a lot of people thought it was too big of a development,” said Sandra McCarthy OAM, who served as Kiama Mayor when Gerringong Plaza was first opened in 2001. “But now, when you look at it, John and Karen Trevenar who were behind that development had tremendous vision. “They could see things that other people couldn’t.” Gerringong Plaza officially commemorated its 25th anniversary on Friday, August 14 with a day of rolling celebrations out the front of

Khan’s IGA. Gerringong Lions Club put on a free sausage sizzle, while the supermarket organised an array of giveaways across the weekend, and everyone from local community members to those who had worked on the site construction stopping by to grab a slice of cake. McCarthy served as Deputy Mayor when the development proposal was first submitted in the late nineties, with construction beginning in 1998 before the grand opening in 2001. “It was really significant,” she told The Bugle. “The advantage was there was no supermarket in Gerringong, everyone used to travel to Kiama for their big shop and even then there was only one supermarket. “I was a young mother, I had three children and was working on the council parttime and the last thing I wanted to do was drive all the way to Kiama for the weekly shop, so it was something that I was quite passionate about. “Now in the grand scheme of things, there has been far more development in the

area. “But this was something that really contributed to the social fabric of the town, just the amount of school leavers who have jobs there and local women who have worked at Khans for 25 years.” John and Karen Trevenar were both in attendance at the Friday celebrations, wearing matching shirts that commemorated the 25th anniversary and sharing stories about how the site used to be an old service station and then an old wood mill before that. “We poured 2260 cubic metres of concrete to build it, so we used to joke that was how many beers we had when it was first opened,” John laughed, with his original concreter sitting beside him at the celebrations. “No one was hurt during construction, which took a few years, and we had a lot of great memories from building this place. “The town really got behind it.” For Rosalie Cronin, who owns Cronins Liquor in Gerringong Plaza, she said

Myster

The hidden paperwork of listing property

the community around the building has “grown a lot” from those early days. “It’s a meeting place,” she said. “You can’t just dash in and grab something without seeing someone you know, which is what makes it special I guess.” With the Trevenars organising celebrations for the Plaza every five years, the next big one will come in 2031 to commemorate the 30th anniversary with the town of Gerringong no doubt having grown even more by then. “It has really added not just economic value to the town, but tremendous social capital,” McCarthy said, having lived locally since the seventies. “I shop there regularly and that’s where you catch up on the local gossip, everything that’s happening with the kids and the grandkids, it’s the place where you can learn what’s happening in the town. “It’s always great to see the same faces and find out what community groups are being supported.”

Selling a home involves more than photos and online listings. The Bugle’s property expert Sam Scobie breaks it down. People often assume the costs of selling a home start with the marketing campaign: photography, signage, online listings. In reality, there's a layer of work underneath all of that, and it isn't optional, however quiet or public a sale ends up being. Before a single buyer sees a property, a Contract for Sale has to be prepared, usually by a solicitor or conveyancer, covering title, zoning, any easements/covenants, and the other disclosures a purchaser is legally entitled to see. That takes time and costs money, and it has to happen regardless of how the property is being sold. Then there's identity verification. As of July this year every agent has Anti-money-laundering obligations meaning we have to formally verify who the seller actually is before acting for them (including speaking to a purchaser), not just take their word for it. It's compulsory, it takes

Trip y Day

Sculpt

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paperwork, and again, it doesn't matter whether the sale is going to full market or under the radar. Add to that the agency agreement itself and a set of additional disclosures, price evidence, comparable sales, conflict of interest declarations, and you've got a genuine body of work that happens before anyone's decided on a price, a photographer, or even whether the sign goes up on the lawn at all. This is often where the "off-market" conversation gets misunderstood. Selling quietly, without a public campaign, skips the most of the advertising spend. It doesn't skip any of this. The compliance work is the same either way, it's just invisible when there's no listing to point to. I think it's worth people knowing this exists, not because it should change anyone's mind about how they sell, but because it explains why there's always a bit of runway before a campaign actually starts. It isn't the agent dragging their feet, it's the groundwork that has to be right before anything else can happen. This is paid content.

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Wellness & Recovery Haus opens its doors to celebrate first year

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year after taking ownership of Wellness & Recovery Haus, Luke and Jordan are throwing open the doors – and inviting the community to celebrate with them. The Kiama business will hold its Open Haus on Wednesday, 26 August, marking the couple's first anniversary with giveaways, special offers and an opportunity for people to explore the studio and its growing range of wellness and recovery services. For Luke and Jordan, reaching the milestone is particularly significant after a year spent reshaping the former Coastal Float business and building their own relationship with the community. “The milestone is really big for us,” Luke said. The Open Haus is designed for existing clients and curious newcomers alike. Visitors will be able to walk through the studio, meet Luke and Jordan, look at the different services and equipment and, importantly, ask questions before deciding whether something is right for them. There will also be giveaways and a 50 per cent off sale as part of the anniversary celebrations. The Haus now offers a broad mix of services including magnesium float therapy, infrared sauna, cold plunge, massage, compression therapy, oxygen and hydrogen therapy, light therapies and contrast therapy. Luke said one of the biggest lessons of their first year had been understanding just how much people value flexibility. “We've had to modify a number of things and we've adjusted really well,” he said. “I think that's probably the most pivotal part for us. When we came into ownership, we became flexible and that was received very well within the community.” That thinking has also influenced a major new

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Local list

Your local guide to bookstores Tiffany Springett

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here’s nothing like a good book on a cold winter's day. These local bookstores have plenty to tempt every kind of reader, from bestsellers to hidden gems. This is the perfect time to discover the places where you can browse, get lost among the shelves and find your next winter read. The Bookshop Kiama https://thebookshopbowral.com.au/

The Bookshop Kiama has been a part of the Kiama community for around 20 years, offering a welcoming space for book lovers of all ages and interests. Also located in Bowral, The Bookshop stocks a carefully selected range of new releases, classics, children’s books and more, with knowledgeable staff on hand to help you find your next great read.

offering being launched around the anniversary – a limited number of unlimited weekly memberships. Luke said there would be just 10 places available in each membership category. The Unlimited Recovery Membership, at $49 per week, provides unlimited access to sauna, cold plunge and Normatec (limited spaces), while the Unlimited Wellness Membership, at $99 per week, provides unlimited access across the modalities, excluding massage. The business's website is currently inviting registrations of interest for the $99 unlimited weekly membership and confirms that only 10 places will be offered at that price. People interested in the memberships can enquire at the Open Haus or online. While the anniversary is an opportunity to look back, Luke and Jordan are already thinking about year two. Growing their membership community and continuing to support people on their individual wellness and recovery journeys are priorities, along with exploring additional services.

They are also developing their own range of wellness products. The Haus already has its own salts and magnesium oils, and the couple would like to expand the range to include products such as teas. They are even considering taking Wellness & Recovery Haus beyond the studio walls by attending local markets. For Luke and Jordan, however, the Open Haus is first and foremost a chance to celebrate the community that has supported them through their first year – and to make the studio a little less mysterious for people who have wondered what's behind the doors. It's an opportunity to come in, meet the owners, see the services for yourself and ask all those questions you've never quite got around to asking. Wellness & Recovery Haus Open Haus Wednesday, 26 August Shop 8/65 Manning Street, Kiama More information and bookings are available through Wellness & Recovery Haus.

Jennie’s Book Nook https://jenniesbooknook.com.au/ Tucked away in Centrepoint Arcade just off Kiama’s Terralong Street, Jennie’s Book Nook is a much-loved local treasure for book lovers. Opened in 2003 by Jennie, Rob and their daughter Merryn, the quirky little shop offers a selection of quality pre-loved and new books at affordable prices.

Global Contact https://globalcontact.com.au/ Located in the heart of Berry, Global Contact Bookstore has been a local favourite for more than 30 years, offering a thoughtfully curated range of books focused on spirituality, selfhelp, philosophy, health and wellbeing. Alongside its books, the store stocks journals, tarot and oracle cards, crystals, jewellery and other inspirational gifts.

Harry Hartog https://www.harryhartog.com.au/ Harry Hartog has recently opened a new store at Stockland Shellharbour, bringing six generations of the Berkelouw family’s bookselling history to the local community. Proudly independent, each store offers a carefully curated selection of books chosen by passionate booksellers, with a particularly strong focus on children’s books and young readers. Alongside novels, non-fiction and new releases, you’ll find an eclectic range of stationery and gifts. QBD Books https://www.qbd.com.au/ Located in Stockland Shellharbour, QBD Books is Australia’s largest book and puzzle retailer, with more than 90 stores nationwide. With a huge range of novels, children’s books, puzzles and more, there’s something for every kind of reader. Dymocks https://www.dymocks.com.au/ Further South you can find Dymocks in Nowra, a franchise offering a wide range of books across fiction, non-fiction, children’s titles and more. With a long-standing commitment to literacy and education, Dymocks also supports young Australians through Dymocks Children’s Charities, which provides books and literacy programs to disadvantaged children and priority schools.

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THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

Kiama remembers Vietnam Veterans

Residents of the Kiama LGA gathered at Memorial Arch in Hindmarsh Park Tuesday, 18 August, to commemorate Vietnam Veteran’s Day. Commencing at 3.00pm, the service time is significant as it marks the exact local time in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam when the historic Battle of Long Tan began on 18 August, 1966. The service began with a prayer. Wreaths were laid and medals were worn. All attendees were invited to the Kiama Leagues Club afterwards to celebrate those who fought.

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Tuned in: KCR Kiama by-election:

Hear from the candidates before you vote We’re all required to head to the polls this weekend. Have you decided who you’ll vote for? At KCR, we hope we can help you make an informed decision. KCR (Kiama Community Radio) has released two long-form interview podcasts with the candidates contesting the upcoming Kiama Council by-election, giving residents across the LGA an opportunity to hear directly from each contender before voting day. The interviews were conducted by Bernie Hems and produced by Madeleine Scarfe, who together have created an accessible, community-focused resource for voters seeking clear information in the lead-up to the poll. Our aim was simple: help residents make decisions by hearing candidates speak directly — without commentary or editorial framing. Stanley Walter Jarrett: community voice & local representation Jarrett’s interview centres on the responsibilities of councillors and the importance of representing all villages across the Kiama LGA. He discusses community consultation, transparency in decisionmaking, and the need for councillors to remain closely connected to residents. He reflects on issues such as infrastructure pressures, village identity, and the value of open communication between Council and the community. Michael Bowden: Practical priorities & Council governance Bowden’s conversation focuses on the operational realities of Council, including financial

pressures, service delivery, and long-term planning. He speaks about balancing growth with sustainability, maintaining village character, and ensuring Council decisions are grounded in practical outcomes. Bowden also outlines the priorities he believes should guide councillors as they navigate Kiama’s future challenges. Where to Listen All KCR election interviews are available on the KCR Website, kcr.org. au, your favourite podcast platform and linked on the Kiama Community Radio Facebook page Blues Fundraiser: Save the date We’re putting on a special Blues Fundraiser at the Kiama Leagues Club on Saturday 7 November. Our headline act is Frank Sultana and his band. Frank is one of Australia’s most powerful and authentic blues performers, and he’ll be joining us fresh from his Canadian tour. It’s a real treat to have him back in Kiama, and we’re proud to feature him and the band in our fundraiser. Tickets will be released soon. Please follow us on Facebook for updates. We’re hoping to include several bands in the lineup, but this will depend on securing sponsorship for the event. Any sponsors who come on board will be acknowledged across all posters, social media and marketing materials, as well as on the night itself. This is our main fundraiser for the year, alongside a raffle. Any donations for raffle prizes are also gratefully received. For sponsorship enquiries or raffle prize donations, please contact: berniehems@gmail.com

THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

COMMUNITY www.thebuglenews.com.au Cumberland, 1917. Credit South Coast Historical Society

The coast that claimed over 200 ships

Veronica Bardsley

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he Kiama Historical Society might have to start putting “BYOS” (bring your own seat) on its flyers! The line for Saturday’s talk on shipwrecks stretched around the block, with locals packing into the library to hear Peter Lacey, president of the South Coast History Society, speak about the shipwrecks that have shaped the region’s maritime history. Thankfully, Kiama locals are always willing to give up their seats to those who need them. And despite sitting like sardines, the packed crowd didn’t seem to mind as Peter began his talk on shipwrecks along the South Coast. The South Coast History Society has worked hard to collate and categorise 200 shipwrecks between Kiama and the Victorian border,

dating from 1800. The society believes the true number could be as high as 250. A bit of historical context is needed before we start. For the first 150 years of European settlement in Australia, the conveniences we take for granted today were nonexistent. Communication, trade and travel were largely dependent on ships. There were no modern railways or trucks to keep Australia moving as there are today. Communities were heavily dependent on shipping services to and from the South Coast. What makes the South Coast shoreline a hub of wrecks? The South Coast has always been a challenging stretch of coastline for shipping. Fierce storms, rough seas, heavy fog and sudden changes in wind could quickly put vessels in danger, while strong currents,

including the East Australian Current, often pushed ships towards shore. Many of the vessels were small, lightly powered or sailing ships, making it difficult for crews to react quickly to changing conditions. The shortage of safe harbours and dangerous river bars added to the risks. Navigation was another challenge, particularly in the early days when charts were limited and there were few aids to navigation. The skill and judgement of crews also varied, with some shipwrecks attributed to poor seamanship or captains failing to exercise sufficient caution. Even the introduction of lighthouses could not eliminate the danger, as the loss of the Lyee-Moon in 1886, which struck rocks at the base of Green Cape Lighthouse, demonstrated. Unfortunately, we don’t

have the space to tell you all 200 shipwreck stories, but here’s a taste of three. The Nancy (1805) When the 40-ton sloop Nancy – the largest vessel built on the Hawkesbury River at the time – was wrecked south of Jervis Bay in April 1805, her five-man crew and two passengers faced a terrifying battle for survival. Nancy was caught in a violent storm that tore away her sails and drove her towards a sheer, cliff-lined coast. The crew managed to steer her onto a small sandy beach, now known as Steamers Beach near Wreck Bay, but the vessel broke apart and one man drowned. With little food, no usable firearm and their cargo lost, the survivors made their way to Jervis Bay with the help of a local man before beginning the arduous journey back to

Sydney on foot. After 11 days of walking through flooded country, they finally reached Sydney on 1 May, exhausted and at the point of starvation. The Juniper (1850) The 340-ton wooden barque Juniper was carrying a full cargo of Portuguese wine to Sydney when, in September 1850, it encountered heavy squalls and winds off the NSW South Coast. Sailing too close to shore, the vessel became trapped in Wreck Bay, where there was little room to manoeuvre and strong winds drove ships towards the coast. At about 10.15pm, breakers were spotted and, despite attempts to turn the ship, the Juniper struck rocks and was run ashore. By dawn, the vessel had settled into the sand, but the bravery of sailor James Hamilton helped establish a line to the beach, allowing everyone on board, and eventually most of the cargo, to be rescued. The wreck later attracted several attempts to salvage the valuable wine, although one schooner carrying recovered cargo reportedly foundered off Black Head, south of Kiama, sending the salvaged cargo to the seabed. The Cumberland (1917) The sinking of the Cumberland off Gabo Island in July 1917 was the only enemy action to take place on Australian soil during World

War I. It became as much a story about government propaganda as it was about a shipwreck. The cargo ship struck a mine laid by the German raider Wolf, but the government initially banned the press from reporting the true cause and instead claimed the explosion had been caused by “traitors” working on Australian wharves. “The Sydney Sun offered a reward of £1,000 for the ‘conviction and punishment of the chief criminals’. This was followed by offers of rewards of £1,000 from the NSW Government, £2,000 by the Australian Government, £1,000 by the British Board of Trade and £1,000 by the Queensland Government.” The story fuelled antiGerman and anti-radical sentiment, prompting calls for arrests and internment, despite the evidence pointing to a mine. The Cumberland was eventually towed towards safety after temporary repairs, only to sink 15 miles off Eden in August. The Wolf, meanwhile, had laid 30 mines along the NSW South Coast, several of which later washed ashore and exploded, alarming local communities. If you’d like to explore the stories for yourself, or if you have information about a shipwreck that could help fill in some of the gaps, head over to the South Coast History website, southcoasthistory. org.au.

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THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

COMMUNITY www.thebuglenews.com.au

Gerringong gets quizzical for Jeans for Genes

T

he function room at Gerroa Boat Fisherman’s Club was buzzing for the 2026 CMRI Gerringong Trivia Night, the highlight of this year’s Jeans for Genes campaign. Trivia teams enjoyed the fast pace set by compere Glenn Isemonger, with a wide range of questions provided by Kathy Cronin, Cathie Bax, Wendy Isemonger and Wendy Quinn keeping the competition lively throughout the night.

Sue Reid tallied the scores as each round was completed and judged, while the music questions kept everyone happily guessing. Congratulations went to the winning team, which finished with 145 points, ahead of second place on 140 and third place on 136. Another highlight was the Denim Quilt, designed, made and donated by members of the Kiama Quilters’ Guild. Long-term supporter Alan Middleton of Gerringong

held the winning ticket, which he had purchased from CMRI members at IGA Gerringong. The committee thanked everyone who bought raffle tickets, purchased a badge or made a donation, as well as the many local businesses, service clubs, schools and community groups that supported the campaign. This year marked the 32nd Jeans for Genes campaign, with the CMRI Gerringong Committee

proudly participating every year. The committee also thanked Rhonda Bailey for organising orders, sales and the collection of funds throughout that time. The multi-draw raffle was another popular part of the evening, with a wide variety of prizes donated by generous local businesses and supporters. CMRI Gerringong thanked Gerroa Boat Fisherman’s Club, Kiama Quilters’ Guild, Ray White Real Estate,

Results that speak for themselves. $12.79M

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Record Sale in the Gainsborough Estate (34 Hollings Drive, Kiama Downs)

Planning to sell this spring? Now is the time to prepare. From understanding your home’s value to creating the right selling strategy, getting organised early can put you ahead of the competition. Call me today for a friendly, no-obligation, just a friendly conversation. “Selling the lifestyle I grew up in.” Proudly sponsoring Jones Beach Boardriders

Aimee Longbottom 0414 615 400 Property Partner

aimeelongbottom@theagency.com.au

The Agency Kiama/Gerringong - 19/106 Terralong Street, Kiama

Gerringong Bakery, Cronin’s Liquor, The Hill Bar & Kitchen, Natural Necessity Surf Shop, Gerringong Takeaway at The Hill, Curries & Spirits Indian Restaurant, Crooked River Estate & Winery, Smith St Foods, Yoga Classes with Nick Tabley, Peter Matthes for an IGA voucher, and Shane Cochrane for a private golf lesson at Gerringong Golf Club. Funds raised through Jeans for Genes and throughout

the year support research at Children’s Medical Research Institute, helping scientists understand the genes important for health and development and the underlying causes of disease. That research can lead to new treatments for childhood diseases and, in some cases, disease prevention. One in 20 children worldwide is born with a congenital abnormality or genetic disease.

THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

TRAVEL www.thebuglenews.com.au

Doctors could prescribe you a trip to the art gallery

Amy Molloy

Y

our next prescription could be a visit to an art gallery, joining a sports club or volunteering in your local community, as NSW explores ways to improve wellbeing beyond the doctor’s office. Health and community leaders are meeting at NSW Parliament House today to examine the potential of “social prescribing” — an approach that connects people with non-clinical activities and support in their communities. Rather than replacing medical treatment, social prescribing can sit alongside clinical care and link people with activities such as arts and culture, sport, volunteering and community groups. The Connecting for Wellbeing: The Future of Social Prescribing in NSW event comes as the Mental Health Commission of NSW

develops the evidence base for the state’s next Mental Health and Wellbeing Reform Strategy. Acting Mental Health Commissioner Julie Dixon said the approach recognised that staying healthy involved more than clinical care. “Clinical care is critically important, but so too are having purpose, participating in our communities and feeling connected to other people,” Ms Dixon said. “At its heart, it shifts the conversation from asking only ‘what’s wrong with you?’ to also asking ‘what matters to you?’.” The Commission has heard from more than 5,500 people and 400 organisations over the past year about what NSW communities need to live well. More than half of the individuals consulted had lived or living experience. International arts and health expert Dr Jill Sonke, from the University of Florida, will address the

event on evidence showing how participation in arts, culture and community life can support health and wellbeing. Programs from the Black Dog Institute and Art Gallery of NSW will also be showcased. Australian Social Prescribing Institute of Research and Education chair Professor JR Baker said many of the foundations of good health existed outside hospitals and medical practices. “Much of our mental health, resilience and quality of life is built in the places where we live our lives: through relationships, belonging, purpose, culture, creativity, physical activity and connection to community,” Professor Baker said. The event will consider how existing social prescribing programs could be expanded so more people across NSW can benefit.

14

Travel Focus’ shortest journey yet Myah Garza

T

he travel group helping Aussies holiday around the globe have made a recent move themselves… just across the street. Travel Focus Gerringong has switched locations, to a larger and more visible space with room to welcome clients, host travel presentations and bring their worldly expertise a little closer to the South Coast. Now at 2/131 Fern St, Gerringong, the agency opened the doors to its new office earlier this month, after almost 20 years in its previous location just 50 metres away. Director Peta Godfrey said the move was prompted in part by a small problem – many locals did not realise there was a travel agency in town. “We were hearing that a lot of the locals, or a lot of the town, didn't even know there was a travel agency in Gerringong,” she laughed. With businesses and services having moved away from the other end of Fern Street, Godfrey said the area had become quieter, while new residents who arrived during and after COVID may never have known the agency was there. And the difference has already been quite noticeable. One client who visited the new office told Godfrey that, previously, she would park outside the old office, complete her business and leave again. “Today, we've parked out the front, we've had lunch, I've bought something at The Collective, we've done a couple of laps,” the client told her.

“She goes, ‘I've never actually seen Gerringong before’.” Godfrey said the move was therefore not just good for Travel Focus, but could help bring more people into the wider town centre. The new space will also allow the agency to expand on one of the less visible parts of its work – helping customers understand destinations and travel products before they book. Travel Focus plans to hold regular supplier evenings, with travel companies, cruise lines and tour operators invited to give presentations. An Africa-focused event is being considered for October. For Godfrey and her team, first-hand experience is a crucial part of that advice. The agency has seven people in total, including employees and contractors, and staff regularly travel with suppliers to experience destinations and products themselves. One staff member is currently on a European river cruise after a supplier chartered an entire boat for about 100 travel agents all over the world. Another team member, Lauren, recently travelled to

Uganda after being selected as one of a small number of Australian travel agents invited to experience the country. Their firsthand experiences can then be passed directly on to clients with ensured credibility. It’s a long way from simply booking flights and hotels. Godfrey has worked in travel for 25 years and said she still discovers destinations she has never heard of. Her own passion lies in the less-travelled corners of the world, having visited places including Russia, Mongolia, Central and South America, Mexico, Honduras and Belize. Africa is her favourite destination to sell, while Scandinavia and the UK are among her favourite places to visit. She said the value of having an experienced travel agent was often in the details that an online booking system could miss. “We're selling people's dreams, people's investments, so you don't want a novice selling your dreams,” she said. Travel Focus Gerringong is now open at 2/131 Fern St, Gerringong.

I am proud that the Minns Labor Government is delivering the new Shellharbour Hospital that will give our community access to new and expanded healthcare services closer to home. The new hospital with a rooftop helipad will open in 2027, providing faster access to emergency and critical care.

KATELIN MCINERNEY MP

LEARN MORE HERE

MEMBER FOR KIAMA

102 Terralong St, Kiama NSW 2533 kiama@parliament.nsw.gov.au (02) 4232 1082

Authorised by Katelin McInerney MP, funded using parliamentary entitlements.

15

THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

TRAVEL www.thebuglenews.com.au

The perfect South Coast escape

Winter days spent in Corryong he Man from Snowy River is a story etched into our Aussie psyche, written by one of Australia's greatest poets and storytellers, Banjo Patterson, evoking the true spirit of the Aussie pioneers, the bushmen, the horsemen of yesteryear. Who was this man? Rumour has it, strong rumour, that Banjo modelled his iconic character on an acquaintance of his, Jack Riley, who lived a solitary, hard life working as a bushman around the Snowy Mountains and northern Victorian Alpine region, back in the late 1800s. Corryong, situated in the far northeast corner of Victoria, bears witness to Jack's legacy. Not only is his well-tended grave in the

raised, newspapers of the day heralded the epic feat, quoting Middleton saying he'd finish it if it was the last thing he'd do. He was proclaimed a fair dinkum hero. You could spend hours in this museum, both inside and out, where a replica town has been built, recalling life yesteryear. Corryong is a place of historical significance, and it's the volunteers who ensure you leave having gained great insight into their town. For some exceptional natural vistas, take a drive up Mt Mittamatite, a winding 1 hr 30 for sixteen scenic kilometres. The ever-present morning fog which seems to last half a day suddenly drifts away into brilliant sunshine, and oh the spectacular views you're rewarded with

town cemetery, but there is an exceptional museum down the main road, Hanson St, telling Jack's story. And not only Jack's story, but many other colourful characters of the era. Wild Wright is one, a compatriot of the notorious Ned Kelly; bushman, horseman, and more significantly, renowned horse thief. Jim Simpson, a local Corryong man who became an RAAF flight officer in WW2, and after being shot down, spent 18 months in a German POW camp. Told his woollen jumper would be confiscated, Jim unravelled it into balls of wool,defying his German captors. He then started reknitting the wool to provide socks for his fellow prisoners, and also created a superb rug with Australia as its centrepiece. All from memory. This rug is proudly displayed by the museum; it is quite remarkable. Then there was local Corryong Rotarian 58-yearold Graham Middleton, semiretired bus driver, who in 1991 swam the entire length of the Murray River, 2366 kms over 138 consecutive days, to raise funds for childhood cancer research. Never before attempted, and an ultimate $200,000

from Embery’s Lookout. Snowcapped peaks, lush green hills, rocky outcrops, the township far below, all stunning, and accessible if you love an adventure. In the town itself, there are delightful cafes and eateries, a well-hidden chainsaw museum, an old curiosity shop, a secondhand bookstore reminiscent of the Neverending Story crammed to the ceiling with books almost spilling out into the arcade, a well-stocked and ambiently scented craft shop, of course, an eclectic opshop, and my favourite, a providore co-op once again run by volunteers, growing and then selling their own produce. I grabbed some sourdough, Brussels sprouts, garlic, and the freshest eggplant, all at a bargain price, and not a plastic bag to be seen. Corryong proved to be an historically interesting, quite delightful place to spend a few days. It is a hub not only for skiers, but mountain bikers and hang gliders. At this wintery time of the year, there are less visitors, which makes exploring by road a lot more comfortable. Top tip: make sure you bring your warmest clothes. You will definitely need them.

Carol Goddard

T

Emily Crisp

W

hen people start planning a weekend away, it's easy to look hours up or down the coast, book flights or dream about overseas escapes. The funny thing is some of the best weekends can happen barely an hour from home. A recent getaway to Milton and Ulladulla was a timely reminder that the South Coast has everything you need for a memorable escape: spectacular coastal views, challenging hikes, incredible food and accommodation that's worth staying in just for the scenery. Our base for the weekend was Chante Mer, a beautifully restored mid-century beachfront home overlooking Racecourse Beach in Ulladulla. Every detail had been thoughtfully considered, but the real highlight was waking up to uninterrupted ocean views and the sound of waves rolling in. Stepping straight onto the beach from the property's private track made it tempting not to leave at all, but we had

bigger plans. The weekend's main challenge was tackling Pigeon House Mountain (Didthul), a hike that had been sitting on the bucket list for years. The drive there almost became more memorable than the walk itself after a rock lodged itself in the car's brakes, producing a screeching noise that convinced us something catastrophic had happened. With no phone reception, we briefly considered walking to find help before a convoy of four-wheel-drive enthusiasts appeared like our own roadside rescue team. Within minutes they had removed the rock, reassured four slightly panicked hikers that everything was fine, escorted us to the walking track car park and sent us on our way. A huge thank you to Gareth and his mates for saving the day. The walk itself certainly lived up to its reputation. The climb is steep and by the time the famous ladders came into view there were more than a few nervous laughs. Once we conquered the heights, the reward was

spectacular. Standing on the summit with uninterrupted 360-degree views across the Budawang Wilderness, surrounding mountains and coastline made every step worthwhile. It's one of those views that photos simply can't do justice. Fuel was desperately needed afterwards, and Lagom Bakers in Milton delivered exactly what hungry hikers dream about. Fresh toasted sandwiches, excellent coffee and pastries disappearing almost as quickly as they hit the table made for the perfect recovery stop. The afternoon was spent back at Chante Mer soaking up the ocean views before wandering down to the beach to watch the sunset. Dinner that evening was at Nomah, and it's difficult to imagine a better way to finish the day. Every dish arriving at the table was exceptional, with the Halloumi Saganaki and fried potatoes proving particular standouts. The food was beautifully presented without feeling pretentious,

the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and the prices were surprisingly reasonable for the quality. After a slow final morning, we made one last stop at Milk HAUS, just outside Milton. The converted dairy farm has become something of a South Coast institution, serving seasonal brunches surrounded by gardens, orchards and free-ranging chickens. It was the perfect place to linger over coffee before reluctantly heading home. Whether you're chasing a challenging hike, a long lunch, a beachfront stay or simply a reason to spend a couple of days exploring somewhere close to home, this pocket of the South Coast has plenty to offer. Even if you only have time for a day trip, a leisurely brunch, a beach walk and a wander through Milton's charming streets make for the perfect escape. Sometimes the best holidays aren't the ones that require months of planning, they're the ones sitting just over an hour down the road.

THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

WHATS ON www.thebuglenews.com.au

16

what’s on? Share your news

Do you have an update from a community group or coverage of a local event? Send 150 words and an image to news@thebuglenews.com.au. (Deadline: EOD Tuesday for the Friday print edition.)

Pictured: (L-R) The Lady Beans, Groove Sister, Krisp and Liven Roots

Berry turns up the volume on live music Myah Garza

B

erry is doubling down on live music, with a new round of funding in place to bring three more music weekends to the town this spring. Berry NSW has secured NSW Government funding through Round 4 of the Uptown Grant Program to continue its trial of a collaborative model bringing local venues, musicians and businesses together. The next event, Reggae & Roots, begins this weekend, kicking off with a ticketed show at the Berry School of Arts on Saturday, August 22, followed by a free music trail through the village on Sunday. The latest funding comes after some encouraging early results from the first series of events. Independent data showed hospitality spending increased during every themed activation, including an 86.3 per cent jump during the most recent Funk & Soul

weekend. Across the series, hospitality spending was up 34 per cent overall, while accommodation spending increased 37 per cent compared with the same periods last year. Search interest in Berry also rose eight per cent, while visitor sentiment increased 10 per cent. The events form part of Berry's Extend the Weekend campaign, which aims to give visitors more reasons to stay overnight while supporting local venues and businesses. Precinct Coordinator Kate Dezarnaulds said the results showed there was potential in getting the town's live music industry working together. "Live music is under pressure across Australia, and this funding gives us the opportunity to keep testing a collaborative model that brings venues together, creates more opportunities for musicians, supports local businesses and encourages visitors to extend their stay in Berry," she said.

"Even a Hall of Fame Top Tourism Town like Berry isn't immune to the pressures facing live music and hospitality." Saturday night's Reggae & Roots lineup, curated by Holy Pavlova, features internationally acclaimed reggae act The Strides, South Coast favourites Mac Tango and DJ Groove Sister. The ticketed event will also activate the historic Berry School of Arts, while testing how paid events can help fund and support free live music across the town. On Sunday, the music moves into Berry's venues, with Newcastle groove outfit KRISP headlining a free village-wide trail from 1pm to 8pm. Joining them will be Fijiborn island reggae duo Liven Roots, Sydney all-female reggae collective The Lady Beans, and local acts Kane Calcite, Ren Steele and The Beatmeisters. Holy Pavlova programmer Harrison Hall said the changing economics of live

music meant new approaches were needed. "Costs continue to rise, traditional revenue streams have softened and everyone in the industry is having to rethink how we create sustainable opportunities for artists while keeping live music accessible for audiences," he said. Great Southern Hotel coowner Steve Redman said the venue was keen to be part of the weekend. "Live music has always been central to the Great Southern, and we're proud to continue that tradition under new ownership," he said. The program continues with Folk on Sunday, September 20, followed by Around the World from Saturday, October 30 to Sunday, November 1. Visitors are encouraged to book accommodation early and make a weekend of the events. Full program details and tickets are available at extendtheweekend.berry.org. au

The Kiama Fringe Until Wed 16 Sep, 6pm Black Beach, Kiama Comedy, circus, live music, family-friendly fun Kiama Spring Garden Competition Until Fri 18 Sep Burnett’s on Barney Competition entries now open, judging on 5-9 Oct. The Secret Life of Psychoactive Plants Sat 22 Aug, 1pm Bundanon Art Museum Explore the world of psychoactive plants and fungi with Dr Liam Engel Mother and Daughter Art Experience Sat 22 Aug, 2pm-4:30pm WellComm Home, Kiama Downs Work together to make an artwork ‘Collectively Creative’ Exhibition Fri 28 Aug-Wed 2 Sep Old Fire Station, Kiama Art exhibition presented by The Collective Beat Local Creative Connections Fri 28 Aug, 11am-1pm Gerringong Library BYO lapwork or help make our next charity blanket Paint a Horse for the Daisy Spring Festival Sat 29 Aug, 1pm-4pm WellComm Home, Kiama Downs Paint a horse with Expressive Art Experience Second Hand Car Boot Sale Sat 29 Aug, 8am Black Beach, Kiama Sell, trade, swap, or give away their unwanted, preloved items

Once Upon a Trivia Night Sat 29 Aug, 6:30pm-11pm Shellharbour surf life saving club Trivia, games, dress up, for charity South Coast Ceramics Market Sun 30 Aug, 10am Gerringong Co-op 50 local potters, sculptors and makers Home Battery Storage Webinars Tue 1 Sep, 10:30am Online Learn about batteries with The Energy Experts Round Exhibition Fri 4 Sep-Wed 9 Sep, 10am4pm Old Fire Station Kiama Artwork by Machteld Hali Craft and Cream Teas Sat 5 Sep, 10am Gerringong Anglican Church Learn Japanese stitching and enjoy morning tea The Talking Heads Experience Sat 5 Sep, 5pm The Co-Op Gerringong Full nine-piece house band and guest vocalists Galah Gala Sat 5 Sep, 6pm Bundanon Art Museum Dress up as a bird and dance Stay Weekend: Fashion Sat 5 Sep-Sun 6 Sep Bundanon Art Museum Weekend dedicated to fashion Dementia Inclusive Gathering Mon 7 Sep, 10am Barroul House cafe, Kiama For those living with/ alongside dementia, monthly meeting

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THE BUGLE NEWSPAPER 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

Kiama Lions Honour Dr Jon Phipps

T

he Kiama Lions Dinner Meeting held on 13 August at Kiama Leagues Club brought a strong medical focus to the evening, reflecting the deep ties between local health professionals and community service in the Kiama region. Vice President Dr David Grant presided over the meeting, guiding members through an agenda centred on health, community wellbeing, and Lions service. The guest speaker for the evening was Elizabeth Micovska, Clinical Nurse Consultant for the Community Specialist Palliative Care Service within the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District. Elizabeth provided an insightful and compassionate overview of palliative care in the region, highlighting the vital role of community partnerships in supporting patients and families. The club also welcomed representatives from local pharmacies, including Todd Marion of Kiama Pharmacy and Wayne McQuillian

of Blooms Pharmacy, further strengthening the connection between Lions and frontline health providers. A highlight was the presentation of a Melvin Jones Fellowship to Lion Dr Jon Phipps, recognising more than five decades of outstanding service. Dr Phipps, a charter member who helped establish Kiama Lions in March 1970, has contributed tirelessly to the Kiama LGA both as a medical practitioner and as a Lion – spanning 56 years. Jon remains an active member today and has played a significant role in the recent success of the Lions Stamp Program, helping it grow into a reliable and community-supported fundraising initiative.

17

Jamberoo’s community association reflects on a constructive year

J

amberoo Valley Ratepayers and Residents Association (JVRRA) held its AGM on 4 August, re-electing its hard-working committee of John Friedmann, Tristram Miall, Ros Neilson, Maria Luff and Neil McLaren. Chairman John Friedmann thanked JVRRA members for their input and ideas at monthly meetings, and in particular the JVRRA sub-committees who have contributed so much to JVRRA’s advocacy for the community during the year. The AGM gave JVRRA the opportunity to reflect on a very constructive year. The Association ran a successful Jamberoo Volunteer Expo in May 2026. The assistance of a grant from Kiama Council enabled the Expo to support local businesses while providing information to the public about local volunteering opportunities. JVRRA has been pressing

for the completion of key infrastructure and flood mitigation works in several areas of Jamberoo, including Curramore Road, Owen Street and its drainage area. The Association has advocated for the extension of the shared pathway/ cycleway between Browns Lane and Jamberoo Village and participated in the Golden Valley Stage 2 working party, advocating for community open spaces and shared facilities in the proposed new subdivision. JVRRA meets on the first Tuesday evening of each month, at 7.00 pm in the Gala Room at Club Jamberoo. Membership for 2026-2027 is $25 per household. New members are welcome. Membership gives you a voice and allows you to be informed, via JVRRA minutes and agendas, of important issues affecting the community. Contact jvrrasecretary@ gmail.com

out & about

Coffee and books with Kiama Community Radio

C

aptured at a KCR bookspace planning meeting at Westend Coffee on Terralong Street. Join Cam, Diane, Karen, Jane and Neil as they talk about

things they’ve been reading and why they like them, as well as local news about books and authors. Tune in - Fridays 10.30-11.30am

Kiama Show Society Trivia Night 2026

GALAH F

Carol Goddard

SAT 5 SEPT

6-10PM

ART

ART DANCE

DANCE Y

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HOSTED BY

AUNTY JONNY AND THE FALCONERS OF FASHION SPECIAL GUESTS

JENNY KEE & LINDA JACKSON

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riday night, 14 August, saw the Kiama Show Society's largest single fundraiser of the year, its Trivia Night, take place at The Pavilion, Kiama. Much anticipated and months in the planning, it was a sold-out affair, with more than 180 Show supporters, guests, sponsors and local politicians in attendance – and the Show Committee could not have been happier. An unseasonably warm August day transformed into a balmy evening, creating just

the right atmosphere for the fun and games ahead. After an introduction by Show Committee member and Trivia Night organiser David Young, and a Welcome to Country by President Matt Downes, the games began. Well-known local resident and Trivia Master Raelene Holz sparkled in both her attire and professionalism. A talented raconteur, she ran the game with aplomb, letting participants know she would not allow any cheating – so phones away, please – while cheekily encouraging teams to double their winning chances by paying

a fee. All for a great cause, so dig deep! Local member and good sport Katelin McInerney, asked to judge the prestigious competition, donned hi-vis and a helmet. The prizes were donated by local businesses, for which the show committee is very thankful The 179th annual Kiama Show will take place on Friday, 22 and Saturday, 23 January 2027 and, like all those that have gone before, it promises to be a testament to our community, its hardworking volunteers and local businesses.

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THE BUGLE NEWSPAPER 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

PUZZLES www.thebuglenewspaper.com.au

PUZZLES

9-LETTER

No. 347

Using the nine letters in the grid, how many words of four letters or more can you list? The centre letter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in ‘s’.

U

S

B

A

Today’s Aim: 14 words: Good

T

21 words: Very good

E

29 words: Excellent

CODEWORD

SOLUTION

G J U No. 337

Each number corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. Two have been filled in for you, can you work out the rest? 9

24

26

9

12

Q

18

23

22

8

1

9

8 23

1

4

6

6 15

8

4

5

6

1

16

22

12

4

8

23

1

8 9

5

1

12

6

16

12

19 19

12

20

4

21

8

22

19

9

5

9

11

1

1

3

14

8

2

15

1

4

3

16

18

4

17

4

5

18

9

6

19

9

21

7

20

8

21

9

22

6

4

10

23

16

11

24

1

12

25 W

W 13

26 Q

22

25

W

9

1

12 22

6 20

21

15

17

1

17

10

1

9

1

9

22

6

14

1

4

19 12

1

7 21

12

22

2

6

18

8

9

1

22

18

3

18

17

4

21

10

11

21

18 8

4 8

20

22

13

19 4

4

25 9

10

SUDOKU

3. 4. 5. 6.

2108 | PUZZLES AND PAGINATION ©

No. 346

EASY

7 5 6 1 1 8 6 9 4 7 5 1 2 6 3 1 9 8 6 1 5 8 1 1 7 3 2 2 3 9 8

MEDIUM

4

6

5

7

9

1 8 2 2 3 8 8 7 3

3 2 7 4 6 5 3 4 3 1

WORD SEARCH 7. Which political activist

coined the term ‘satyagraha’ real name of which British to describe a practice of pop singer? non-violent civil resistance? Which of the world’s railway 8. The television series stations is the largest by Slow Horses, starring Gary number of platforms? Oldman (pictured) is based What is the motto of both the on the Slough House series Australian Girl Guides and of novels by which author? Boy Scouts? 9. Held in England, for how True or false: the Great many days does the Sphinx has a moustache? Glastonbury Festival run? Who directed the 2025 film 10. In Olympic volleyball, how One Battle After Another? many points are required What is the only part of the to win a set? human body with no direct blood supply? ANSWERS: 1. Charli xcx 2. Grand Central Terminal, NYC (44 platforms) 3. Be prepared 4. False 5. Paul Thomas Anderson 6. The cornea 7. Mahatma Gandhi 8. Mick Herron 9. Five 10. 25 points

2.

7 LETTERS BOOSTER DIARIES GEYSERS ORATORS ORIFICE TOUSLED

To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in: each of the nine vertical columns, each of the nine horizontal rows and each of the nine 3 x 3 boxes. Remember, no number can occur more than once in any row, column or box.

QUICK QUIZ 1. Charlotte Aitchison is the

4 LETTERS DISC EMIT EYED KEPT SALT SHOD TEES TORN TYPE WRAP

10 LETTERS DISINHERIT DISMISSALS

8 LETTERS ALLERGIC AROMATIC MASSAGES MOURNERS

6 LETTERS DEADLY RECESS SHINED SYMBOL TRADER WIDEST

SASSY SHOAL SLABS SNARL SNUBS SPECK STARE TERSE THOSE WADED WASTE WISPY

4

7

SOLUTIONS SOLUTION EASY

MEDIUM

No. 257

C O P P E R B E R Y L L I U M O A F O P A L L A D I U M E F B C W T C H E S O D I U M M L A A C A T S I L V E R I A P U L R A S I I C A L L E L G H O T B L S T L E E M E N D N O R N O C I A I K T S O A F E S I R N I U N C H O E E M T S P N H E U M I O Y N L N S C I H E I E M N U N D N O T I F U O I I A C P M E R R A D O N M R R R R Z C H L O R I N E I G O O O G I D I B G X E N O N O U T N O N C T M E R C U R Y L S I A N C U R A N I U M B L D E N

Can you find all the words listed? The leftover letters will spell out a secret message.

ARGON BERYLLIUM BORON CALCIUM CARBON CHLORINE COBALT COPPER FLUORINE GOLD HYDROGEN IRON LEAD MAGNESIUM MERCURY

NEON NICKEL PALLADIUM PHOSPHOROUS POTASSIUM RADON SILICON SILVER SODIUM TIN TITANIUM URANIUM XENON ZINC

SECRET MESSAGE: A few chemical elements from the scientific periodic table

10 11

13 15 16 18 21

Relating to the study of religion (11) Robbery (5) Given the right (8) Plant scientist (8) Sham (5) Retail worker (11)

CODEWORD: 1 = O, 2 = Z, 3 = K, 4 = S, 5 = C, 6 = T, 7 = V, 8 = I, 9 = E, 10 = Y, 11 = M, 12 = R, 13 = J, 14 = F, 15 = B, 16 = H, 17 = L, 18 = U, 19 = G, 20 = A, 21 = D, 22 = N, 23 = P, 24 = X, 25 = W, 26 = Q

12

Yellowish (5) Gad about (9) Living on both land and water (9) Breed of dog (5) Type of fish (3)

1 4 9

abet, abets, abuse, abut, abuts, base, bast, baste, bate, bates, bats, beast, beat, beats, beau, begs, best, beta, bets, bugs, bust, jabs, stab, stub, SUBJUGATE, tabs, tabu, tuba, tube

ACROSS

I R O N Y

SOLUTION

Citrus fruit (6) Breathes rapidly (15) Dispossess by law (5) Light aircraft designed to fly without an engine (6) 5 Ingredient extracted from wool (7) 6 With a concealed identity (9) 7 Farmer (15) 8 Dallied (7) 14 Sedimentary rock (9) 16 Scampered (7) 17 Rainbows (7) 19 Get away (6) 20 Temporary resident (6) 22 A landlocked country in southern Asia (5)

1 2 3 4

5 LETTERS ABORT ACIDS ALIBI ARCED ARSON ATLAS AVOWS CONES DRAMA DREAD EDITS ENTER ENTRY ERASE ESSAY FAINT HERON INANE IRONY ITEMS KNEES LOWER MATTE MINDS MIRES NURSE OILED OTTER PEERS PRESS RACER RADII RAINS RARES REIGN ROUTE

SOLUTION

DOWN

3 LETTERS ADO AID ASK BOA COD COW DON EBB ERA ERR HAT IOU MET NEE ODE PEN SEE SIN TEE THE TNT VAN

No. 256

2 6 8 7 5 3 4 1 9 4 7 3 9 1 8 2 5 6 9 5 1 4 6 2 7 3 8 1 9 4 5 3 6 8 7 2 5 8 7 2 9 4 1 6 3 6 3 2 1 8 7 5 9 4 7 4 9 6 2 5 3 8 1 8 1 5 3 4 9 6 2 7 3 2 6 8 7 1 9 4 5

23 Kerfuffle (3) 24 Game of chance (5) 25 Hiking (9) 26 Dire (9) 27 Subsequently (5)

WORDFIT

7 5 3 8 9 4 2 6 1 1 8 6 2 3 5 9 4 7 9 2 4 1 7 6 5 8 3 5 1 2 6 4 3 8 7 9 6 9 8 5 1 7 3 2 4 3 4 7 9 2 8 6 1 5 4 7 9 3 8 2 1 5 6 8 6 1 4 5 9 7 3 2 2 3 5 7 6 1 4 9 8

No. 347

D R E A D M A T T E S P E C K I R O N Y H E R O N R A D I I R O U T E I N A N E A C I D S I T E M S D O N S E E M E T S A L T R E C E S S A R S O N T H E T E E A D O W A S T E W I D E S T WR A P S H O D E R R A L L E R G I C O R I F I C E D I A R I E S T Y P E M A S S A G E S E B B S Y M B O L M I N D S D I S C O D E I O U S I N T R A D E R T O R N S T A R E A S K S N U B S V A N H A T E N T E R A B O R T O I L E D P E E R S L OW E R S N A R L T E R S E S A S S Y E S S A Y

CROSSWORD

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THE BUGLE NEWS 21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

Trade spotlight T

Kiama Smash Repairs

TRADE www.thebuglenews.com.au

wenty years after opening the doors with just one mechanic, Kiama Smash Repairs has become a familiar name for local motorists. Owner Jonathan Britten has spent more than 30 years in the trade, building a family business around smash repairs, mechanical servicing and old-fashioned personal service. As the business prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary, we caught up with Jonathan about how it all began. History of the business: After retiring from rugby league, I worked as a panel beater and managed a smash repair business in Wollongong. When the opportunity arose to lease a shed in Barney Street, I decided to have a go at running my own business. Kiama Smash & Mechanical Repairs opened on 20 September 2006 with

just myself and one mechanic. My goals were small and simple: pay the wages and rent, and hopefully make some money along the way. Within 12 months, I had employed three mechanics. It took two years to secure Council approval for the smash repair side of the business – and that was when things really took off. Over the years, the business has employed as many as 11 staff. At our busiest, we handled about 12 mechanical jobs a day and between 10 and 15 smash repairs each week. What services do you provide? We specialise in smash repairs, which is my background and main area of expertise. We also provide mechanical servicing for our customers. How long have you worked in the Kiama area? I have operated the business in Kiama since 2006 and have

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lived in the area for most of my life. My family has grown up here, so we have strong ties to the local community. What do you enjoy most about your trade? It is rewarding to see the finished result – the transformation of a damaged vehicle into one that has been properly repaired and restored. What sets your business apart? We are a small, honest family business offering personal, one-on-one service. I still work in the business, so customers can speak directly with me throughout the repair process. What is the most common reason customers contact you? Most customers come to us after their vehicle has been involved in an accident and needs smash repairs. While we also undertake mechanical servicing, collision repairs

remain our main focus. What is the best advice you have received? Work hard – the harder you work, the luckier you become. Why do you advertise with The Bugle? I have always supported local newspapers, from The Kiama Independent through to The Bugle. Regular advertising keeps our business visible. People may not need us every day, but if they have an accident, they remember our name and know where to find us. The Bugle is also an important source of news for the local community. What is the best way to contact you? Phone (02) 4232 2757. Congratulations to Kiama Smash Repairs, which is celebrating 20 years in business with an open day on 19 September 2026. See What’s On for more information.

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Jervis Bay surfer rides back to world stage

Lleyton Hughes

J

ervis Bay local Grace Kennedy will once again represent Australia on the international stage after being selected in the Australian para surfing team for the World Para Surfing Championships in California. It is an extraordinary rise for Kennedy, who only took up surfing four years ago after discovering a local adaptive surf school. At the time, she had no ambitions of competing, let alone representing her country. “I started surfing as there was a new local adaptive surf school in my area and never did I think I would be competing,” Kennedy said. “I was just looking at it as a fun new hobby. I never even thought it was a possibility

to represent Australia in para surfing.” Kennedy's first taste of competition came in Byron Bay, where she was introduced to the wider adaptive surfing community. That experience changed her relationship with the sport, and she soon committed to surfing every week, including through winter. She represented Australia for the first time last year, returning home with a bronze medal, and now has the opportunity to do it all again. “Being selected again this year made me feel very excited,” she said. “Because I did this last year, I just feel so lucky to be given the opportunity to do it all over again.” Kennedy lives with spina bifida, a condition that affects the development of the spine

and spinal cord before birth. The condition can affect people in different ways, and for Kennedy it means that getting to and from the water and organising her training requires additional support. She does not drive and relies on support workers, family and her Good Surf coaches to help her access the beach. “I have to really plan and organise all my training and surf sessions,” she said. “I don’t drive so I rely on Support Workers and family to get me from A to B. The access to the beach is also another challenge.” But surfing has also given Kennedy something that goes well beyond competition. Growing up in Jervis Bay, she had often found it difficult to share the beach experience with her family and friends. Adaptive surfing has helped

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change that. “Surfing has given me friends in a community that is much bigger and diverse than I ever expected,” Kennedy said. “I get to have those experiences and enjoy the beautiful beaches where I live alongside my friends and family in the water, not just on the beach.” This year's championships will take Kennedy somewhere very different, with the event being held at a new wave pool in Palm Springs, California. She is particularly excited by the opportunities wave pools can provide for para surfers, offering consistent waves and an environment that can be more accessible. “I’m so excited to surf here,” she said. “As pools can offer a consistent playing field for

para surfers in a safe and accessible environment, which I hope can showcase what we have to offer.” Kennedy also hopes the event can help raise the profile of para surfing as the sport continues its push towards inclusion at the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics. “We really want to promote this sport to get it into the 2032 Brisbane Paralympics,” she said. After just four years in the sport, Kennedy's journey from trying adaptive surfing for the first time to becoming a twotime Australian representative is already an impressive one. Her advice to anyone with a disability considering giving surfing a go is simple. “I would just say you really don’t know until you try. When there’s a will there’s a way. Don’t be afraid to reach

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out and ask for help.” Kennedy will not be the only local connection in the Australian team, with Gerringong's Steve Fox also selected for the championships. Fox, who has retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive condition that causes degeneration of the retina and can lead to significant vision loss, has previously represented Australia with distinction. He finished runner-up in both the Australian titles and World Championships at last year's Bright Sky Australian Pro Adaptive Surf Championships in Byron Bay. With two competitors from the region now set to represent Australia, the South Coast will have plenty of reason to follow the para surfing championships in California.

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A Gerringong Rugby League legend

Roy Stewart Mark Emery

I Reg Bartlett calls time on Jamberoo Superoos Lleyton Hughes

A

fter 19 years of coaching, committee work and countless hours behind the scenes, Reg Bartlett has called time on his involvement as a coach with the Jamberoo Superoos. Bartlett coached his final game for the club over the weekend, bringing an end to a remarkable chapter that began when he first brought his two sons down to play as young boys. “I’m Reg Bartlett. I’ve been involved with Jamberoo Juniors for 19 years,” he said. “I first started down there when I bought my two sons down there to play when they were nine and six. Then I got into water running and helping out with the teams and then I got into coaching and then I sort of got on the committee and stayed on the committee after my kids finished playing football when they were 16.” It is difficult to find a part of the Superoos that Bartlett has not been involved in over the past two decades. He spent five years as secretary, served on the committee, coached numerous teams and, this year, remained involved in an advisory capacity. But his involvement was never about holding a title. For Bartlett, it was about looking after a club he cared deeply about and maintaining the culture passed down by those who came before him. When long-time club figures Connie and Trevor Dallas stepped away after more

than 20 years of involvement, Bartlett felt a responsibility to continue what they had built. “I feel that they chose me when they stepped away with the right intentions and knew that I’d have the right intentions for the club moving forward,” he said. “I always felt like it was my duty to look after the club financially and also just try and keep it going in the right spirit. I always just felt like it was my duty to keep it going in the same vein that Connie and Trevor had it.” There have been plenty of highlights during those 19 years, but one of the most memorable came when Bartlett was assistant coach of his younger son Daniel’s Under 11 team as they won a premiership - the last junior Jamberoo side to win a competition. “Also to see Daniel come through and play 174 junior games for the club, which was the third most by a junior player, I was very proud of that,” Bartlett said. In more recent years, Bartlett took on a different challenge when he began coaching girls’ football. Having only ever coached boys, he took over the Under 14 girls three years ago with the intention of seeing the same group through to Under 16s. “I took it on because I’d only ever coached boys. I saw it as a challenge,” he said. “I didn’t expect how emotional young girls were. They were 14 at the time. How emotional it was and how tough a job it was.” The challenge, however,

became one of the most rewarding parts of his time at the club. “I’ve never been a coach that was interested in winning at all costs,” he said. “I’ve always been wanting to develop players’ skills and have them play with the right attitude and get some friends along the way.” “It’s been a journey through these three years, having girls improve each year. That’s been very rewarding for me.” That commitment to the group is ultimately what kept Bartlett coaching for one more season. He was made a life member last year and could have stepped away then, but had made a promise to himself to see the girls through to Under 16s. “When I took over the 14s three years ago, I wanted to see that core group of girls that were 14 go through to 16,” he said. “Once they got to 16, I felt that that was my time.” Having now fulfilled that commitment, Bartlett believes the timing is right to step away. His decision has also been made easier by his confidence in the current committee and the direction of the club. “I knew we had the right people involved with the club at heart,” he said. “I’m very comfortable with the way the club’s moving forward. That also helps my decision to step away.” The Superoos paid tribute to Bartlett before his final game, describing his 19 years of dedication as having helped shape generations of players and create memories for countless families.

n Australian sport, First Nations people have long punched above their weight. Cathy Freeman and Evonne Goolagong Cawley are two champions who immediately come to mind. In rugby league, that contribution is even more pronounced. First Nations players have been an essential part of many premiership-winning teams. Two examples are Alex Johnston, who holds the NRL record for most tries, and the breathtaking champion Greg Inglis. Without their contributions, South Sydney may not have won the 2014 premiership. Of course, Aboriginal Australia is made up of many distinct nations, each with its own history and culture. The Kiama LGA is part of Dharawal Country, with the Wodi Wodi people having strong connections to this area. The region has produced its share of sporting champions. Arguably one of the best was Eric Simms, the brilliant South Sydney goalkicker of the late 1960s and 1970s, who had family connections to the Wodi Wodi people of Gerringong. There are many great names associated with the local Wodi Wodi community. The Bloxome and Dixon families are two examples. Joe Dixon was a wonderful cricketer with Gerringong more than 100 years ago. But another important name belongs on that list.

The Stewart family takes pride of place among them, and when talking about great local sportsmen, it is impossible to go past one of Gerringong Rugby League's greatest sons: Roy Stewart. He had a long and distinguished career with the Gerringong Rugby League Club and represented many other teams. It would be impossible to include every one of Stewart’s achievements in the space available, so what follows is only a summary. Stewart played 16 seasons with Gerringong, amassing 1012 points and scoring 248 tries across all grades. But it was not simply the number of tries he scored; it was the way he scored them. Brilliant Indigenous wingers such as Alex Johnston and Nathan Merritt are the sort of players who make a crowd rise to its feet whenever they get the ball, anticipating an electrifying moment. Stewart was that sort of player too. He played in four grand final-winning teams with Gerringong and was often mentioned as the player who made the difference. Stewart was born in Batemans Bay but moved to Gerringong, where he attended Gerringong Public School and played rugby league. Unfortunately, his father was injured at work and the family had to move to Sydney. As a junior, Stewart joined the La Perouse Rugby League Club in the South Sydney junior competition. In 1963, he was part of the club's

South Sydney A Grade premiership-winning team. He later returned to Gerringong for work. An amusing part of the story is that, for a short time, Roy played for both La Perouse and Gerringong on different days of the same weekend. Ah, what you could get away with before computers! In 1964, Stewart’s career really took off. As well as playing for Gerringong, he earned selection in a number of representative teams. He played for Group 7, Southern Division and eventually City Seconds. He was also a member of the Southern Division team that defeated France 11-0. In fact, Roy represented the teams mentioned above every year from 1964 to 1977, apart from 1966, when he injured his leg in a trial game. Over the years, Stewart produced many memorable moments. He scored six tries in one game in 1975 and five tries on two other occasions. He played more than 100 first-grade games for Gerringong and captainedcoached the third-grade side to a premiership in 1973. He remains the only player to have received a testimonial from the Gerringong Rugby League Club. The saddest postscript to Stewart’s story is that he died at the relatively young age of 57 in 1997. On the day of his funeral, there was a problem at the church: there simply wasn't enough room for all the people who had come to pay their respects.

Kiama Lion Takes on 42km Challenge: Wendy Smith Completes Her First Marathon

K

iama Lions Club is proud to celebrate one of our outstanding members, Wendy Smith, who has added a remarkable personal achievement to her long list of community contributions — completing her first full marathon, a gruelling 42.2km event on the Sunshine Coast. Wendy is well known across Kiama for her tireless service: helping run our Bunnings BBQs, supporting the Kiama Lions Environmental Program (KLEP), assisting with the

Carers Cottage, and lending a hand wherever the community needs one. This month, she proved that her dedication and resilience extend far beyond volunteer work. Travelling with eight members of the Kiama Running Club (KRC), Wendy joined what the group affectionately called a “runcation” in early August. Three members tackled the full marathon, three took on the half marathon, and two completed the 10km event, supported by partners who

formed a lively cheer squad. The marathon began in pouring rain, but the weather did nothing to dampen Wendy’s determination. She powered through the early kilometres with excitement, only to face the classic marathon challenge around the 34km mark — fatigue, heavy legs, and the mental battle to keep moving. As she later joked, it became a matter of telling her legs, “Just one more step… one more step…” Despite the tough conditions, Wendy crossed

the finish line in an impressive 4 hours, 1 minute, and 5 seconds. While she narrowly missed her sub four hour goal, she finished injury free, proud, and relieved — a huge achievement for a first time marathon runner. Recovery brought its own humour, with Wendy admitting that stairs were “the enemy” for the first few days. But true to form, she was back running within a week. And the big question everyone asks marathoners — Will you do another one? Wendy’s

answer is a confident yes. Pride, determination, and unfinished business with that four hour mark have already set her sights on the Gold Coast Marathon next July, known for its flatter and faster course. Wendy embodies the spirit of Kiama Lions: service, resilience, community connection, and a willingness to take on big challenges. We congratulate her on this extraordinary milestone — both on the course and in our community.

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21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

KIAMA POWER MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION

21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

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KIAMA KNIGHTS UNDER 12 BLACK BT

WHAT’S ON WEEKLY www.kiamabowling.com.au

Monday

Tuesday

MAHJONG 1pm-4pm

Eureka Euchre 2pm

Happy Hour 4pm-5pm

Happy Hour 4pm-5pm Bowls Coaching 4pm

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Meat raffle 6:45pm Happy Hour 4pm-5pm

Sunday FREE Pool 1pm-6pm

Seafood raffle 6:30pm Tez’s Trivia 7pm

Karaoke 7pm

Live Music

Meat raffle 5:30pm

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Girls on the green: Maria Lewis

I

n their thirties, Bronwyn Jones and her friends made history as Kiama’s first female touch footy team. Now, decades later, they’re carving a whole new path at Kiama Bowling Club as they take to the less rough, slightly more peaceful sport of bowls. “This is a sporty town,” Jones told The Bugle, who has been a long-term player at what is affectionately known to locals as the ‘bowlo’. “Sport brings people together and because of that, I’ve been able to show a few people the ropes down here who might have never played bowls before.” For Jones, bowls is in her blood - quite literally, with one of the greens at the Kiama Bowling Club named in honour of her father, Trevor Jones, who became a member in 1966. “He taught me how to bowl nearly forty years ago now,” she said. “I’ve been bowling ever since.” After a knee injury, Jones

21 AUGUST - 27 AUGUST

THE BUGLE • thebuglenews.com.au

has made the transition from player to coach in recent years: something she never predicted for herself, but was asked to consider by club management. Unexpectedly, she has found a whole new passion. “I love it,” she said. “I really feel like I’m making a difference.” “There have been people that I’ve shown the basics to, who I’ve watched go on to play solo games and now rock up every Wednesday and are regular players.” Coaching on Tuesday afternoons and Friday mornings, two of her first recruits were teammates from the original touch footy team: Linda, who has been playing bowls for three years, and Cindi, who has been playing for three weeks. “She told me to get my ass down here and I got my ass down here,” Cindi laughs. “She said if I came down, she’ll give me a bit of training, and I said no problems. “Everyone in our friendship group has played a lot of

r o f t s e t a l e h t t s u j Bowls sporting savant local sport all through life, but we’re getting to the stage now where bowls is really appealing.” Having played on touch footy and softball teams together, Linda said she wasn’t surprised Jones tried to get them into bowls too. “When they first started playing female rugby league, she tried to get us to do that and I was like ‘have you got rocks in your head?’” she joked. “Bowls is casual, there’s no pressure, and it’s really simple: if you do a good bowl, you do a good bowl, and if you don’t, you don’t.” A player since 1990, Jones has found particular joy in getting to introduce people to bowls who have never played any sport before whatsoever. “There’s one particular bloke who comes up to me every time I’m here and always thanks me for introducing him to this sport,” she said. “He said it has changed his life, it has given him a bit of

an outlet, and we’re a very friendly club. “For me, coaching hasn’t been that different to playing: once people get to know the basics, they get the hang of it but it’s about teaching them patience. “It’s a slower type of game, you need to be patient and considered. “It’s really rewarding.” One of the other big pros of the sport, is the equality. Male, female, old or young, Jones said there’s something that can appeal to everyone about bowls and encouraged newcomers to head down to Kiama Bowling Club and find out for themselves. “The green is a great leveller,” she said. “Someone who is about 10, who is practising a lot and playing a lot, they’re competitive with someone in their forties. “Male, female, it doesn’t matter: I’ve always said to people that’s the great thing about bowls, that level playing field.”

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GERRINGONG BREAKERS UNDER 12 - DIVISION 1

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KIAMA JUNIOR RUGBY UNION -UNDER 10

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JUNIOR B - CENTRAL 14

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KIAMA KNIGHTS UNDER 14 GT

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KIAMA NETBALL -UNDER 10 -GERRINGONG 10

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KIAMA KNIGHTS UNDER 16 GT

SHOTS OF THE WEEK KIAMA JUNIOR RUGBY UNION - UNDER 18