Beautiful but deadly
Keep an eye out for octopus in Kiama’s rockpools
Danielle Woolage
For years Scott Gutterson has been patiently waiting for his Moby Dick moment - an up-close sighting of the beautiful but deadly blue-lined octopus.
Gutterson was in Kiama Rockpool, camera gear at the ready, taking advantage of the crystal clear water.
“I was actually going in to capture a few photos of the gloomy octopus in the rockpool and this guy was cruising the bottom looking for food,” Gutterson said.
A member of the deadly blue-ringed octopus family, the shy mollusc is roughly the size of a 50-cent coin.
So when Gutterson spotted the blue-lined octopus less than 30cm from his foot he felt
Capturing footage of the amazing array of creatures that live below the surface is all part of his daily saltwater therapy.
no fear, just elation. “I reckon it’s pretty rare for anyone to step on an octopus, especially a blue-ringed or blue-lined octopus, they are so small and timid and move so fast,” he explained.
“So even if its arms come out and touch you, they actually have to use their beak to bite and release toxins. I think you have to be very unlucky if you’re bitten because they’re not going to bite unless they feel threatened.”
The encounter was “a real unicorn moment” for the keen underwater snapper.
Since moving to Gerringong from Toowoomba in 2017, he has made it his mission to swim in the ocean daily.
The former Navy helicopter pilot joined the Werri Point Swimmers when he retired from the military after almost three decades of service.
“I’m really kicking myself for not starting ocean swimming earlier,” he said.
“I’ve travelled all over with the Navy - the Middle East and the Red Sea, all these beautiful places where I’d love to have been swimming or free diving.
But at least I feel like I’m making up for lost time now.”
The ocean is his happy place - it’s where he found his sense of community and met some of his closest friends, both human and marine.
Last year he formed a special bond with a gloomy octopus he discovered in Kiama
rockpool. He named her Roxy and for almost 10 months he would visit her every day.
“Some days it was pouring down rain, freezing cold, but I’d go down there just to see how she was doing,” he recalled.
The gloomy octopus (octopus tetricus) is a species known for its intelligence and named for its sad-looking eyes. But Roxy was far from downcast. “She knew who I -Continued on Page 2
Photos: Scott Gutterson
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Lawton explains why she rejected Housing Strategy
Paul Suttor
Councillor Melinda Lawton said concerns about the area turning into “little boxes on a hillside” was part of her decision to vote against Kiama Council’s Housing Strategy.
Cr Lawton was the lone dissenting voice who voted against the Housing Strategy at last week’s Council meeting and she did so because she was concerned about urban sprawl dominating the local government area.
The Strategy confirms Kiama Council will add 900 more homes in the local government area by 2029, to meet NSW Government housing targets.
“I understood where the other Councillors were coming from - this document had been on the table for a long time and people felt it needed to move forward,” Cr Lawton told The Bugle, airing her views as a Councillor rather than on behalf of Council.
“However, I was really disappointed that we included areas that seemed excessive and the community thought they were excessive too.
“There’ll be parklands and green spaces to divide up the housing but the way it was put, to me it seemed like a blanket approach.
“The idea is that we don’t get all the little boxes on
a hillside - there’s nothing I would hate to see more than pure urban sprawl of housing and nothing else.
“I think it’s vitally important that we have mini shops, schools and employment areas.
“From my perspective I felt the document could have included some more information about the other critical aspects of what’s going to be required to enforce this Housing Strategy.”
Cr Lawton believes the name of the document should become Growth Strategy “so that we can see all areas that make up the whole.”
“I’m a big believer in creating a document that takes into account all the issues and then working through timelines, allowing it to be a constantly evolving document rather than a complete, submit and we look at it in five years,” she added.
“Potentially it’s something we need to look at every two years, depending on people moving in and out of the area, what employment becomes available, how the LGA changes over time.
“Yes, I was disappointed but now you’ve got to move on and work with it and I intend on being very instrumental in being part of the Strategy, working in as many benefits for community that are possible.
“I know everyone out
there is really desperate for housing - that’s a given - but ensuring we do it properly.
“It’s always that fine lineyou won’t please everybody.”
Many local residents have expressed fears that the area will end up resembling other locations already swamped by urban housing sprawl - vast estates with rows of houses with similar design outcomes.
Previous urban sprawl does appear to be a case of “here’s some land, let’s put as many houses on it as possible,” she added.
“And that comes from demand and developers wanting to maximise their return on investment, which I also understand.
“But I think the time for that kind of urban sprawl is coming to an end. Developers are having to think more innovatively, community expectations are very high. We are wanting more from our developments. We don’t want houses upon houses. We want walking tracks, cycling tracks, cornershops.”
Cr Lawton said a community member hit the nail on the head when they told her “we don’t need one of everything in Kiama”.
“We need to work regionally to see what other local councils are doing and see where we can share the load in providing services,” she said.
As someone who grew up in Jamberoo, she was
particularly concerned that the rural township could lose its unique character if there is too much development.
“Everyone wants to live there because it’s so beautiful, rural and peaceful, however we need to be careful that it’s not loved to death by overdevelopment.
“Our region is lucky that we have independent towns that bring people in.
“The beauty, our friendliness and offerings are different from other places, we need to make sure we don’t wipe them out.”
Cr Lawton is also worried the Strategy will not do enough to make housing more affordable and said it is not as simple as incorporating smaller houses or blocks into planning.
“I’m really concerned that housing will be provided but not at a percentage of affordable housing,” she said. “We’re in a housing crisis so we need to look at things differently.
“Social housing is a big issue. There’s such a small percentage in the Kiama LGA. This needs to be looked at in quickly. It should be one of our highest priorities. It can’t be an afterthought.
“Part of my ongoing commitment to community is collaborating with various community groups to ensure active engagement during the development of further housing and growth policies.”
From Page 1
was, she got to know me, she trusted me and we had this pretty cool relationship,” Gutterson said.
“I’d take my wife and kids down to see her and she’d hide in her hole. Then I’d go down there and she’d grab my hand and run her arms through my fingers, and I’d feel all her suckers. It was really beautiful.”
A gloomy octopus has a short lifespan, on average 11 months. Once a female lays her eggs she stops feeding and her focus is on protecting and caring for the eggs until they hatch. She dies a short time later.
Gutterson knew his time with Roxy was coming to an end. “It really broke my heart,” he said.
“Of all the interactions that I’ve had with marine creatures, she’s been the one that’s really touched my heart the most. You know, it’s been a year and I’m still getting over it.
“Roxy was a beautiful female octopus and I am so grateful to have formed that bond with her. Even now when I swim past the spot where I met her I get emotional.”
Gutterson, now a pilot for the Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter Service, has “seen some pretty horrendous stuff” in his job.
His daily ocean swims, interactions with creatures like Roxy, and spotting “incredibly rare” marine life like the blue-lined octopus are the perfect antidote to his high-stress job.
“I may never see another blue-lined octopus again in my life, but I’ve got some great memories and cool footage,” he says.
“Just like Roxy, they’re locked in the bank of good memories that the ocean gives me. The rockpool and ocean really are the gifts that keep giving.”
Scott in action:
Photo: Amy Cliff
Driver fails to appear in court to face high-speed pursuit charges
Aman accused of a series of incidents on the South Coast involving an axe attack, a stolen Mustang and a highspeed police pursuit failed to appear in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday due to medical reasons.
Caleb Flentjar, 25, was scheduled to face court on Tuesday morning, but the magistrate was told he had been in hospital and was not fit to appear via video link.
The first of four listed matters involving Flentjar was an apprehended violence order application. However, all mattersincluding multiple serious criminal charges - were adjourned to a later date pending further medical assessment.
It’s the second time he has failed to front court
since his arrest after reportedly refusing to meet with a legal representative or step outside his cell at Wollongong Police Station the previous Monday.
“He refuses to see me, and presumably anyone else,” his lawyer, Cassie Lee, reportedly told the court. “Apparently he won’t get out of bed.”
Flentjar was arrested on Saturday, July 12, following a series of incidents that
began just before 1pm in Worrigee. Police allege he approached a 66-yearold woman sitting in her Ford Mustang on Illawarra Circuit, striking her repeatedly with an axe before forcing her out of the car and running her over as he fled in the vehicle.Moments earlier, he had allegedly thrown the axe at a police vehicle after officers responded to reports of a man armed
with weapons. The woman suffered serious injuries to her legs and torso and was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
What followed was a wild, hour-long pursuit through Nowra, Bomaderry, Berry, Gerringong and Kiama, with police alleging the Mustang reached speeds of 180km/h and was driven on the wrong side of the
Princes Highway before crashing into a ute in Kiama Downs.
Bystanders restrained Flentjar at the scene before police arrived. He was later charged with multiple offences, including:
- Aggravated take/drive motor vehicle with person in/on it – armed with weapon
- Fail to stop and assist after impact causing grievous bodily harm
- Police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously
- Use offensive weapon to prevent lawful detention (two counts)
- Drive while disqualified
- Larceny
- Goods in custody suspected stolen
- Custody of a knife in a public place
Speeding >45km/h
He was also charged with three outstanding DVrelated offences.
Gareth Ward found guilty of sexual assault
The 12-member jury in Kiama Independent MP Gareth Ward’s trial has found him guilty of sexual intercourse without consent, common assault and three counts of indecent assault.
Ward was visibly taken aback when the verdict was read out at Darlinghurst Courthouse after a nine-week trial before Judge Kara Shead.
The 44-year-old had pleaded not guilty to five charges - the charge of common assault was considered not necessary by the NSW District Court once he was found guilty of the other offences.
He was charged after complaints against Ward from a man, aged 24 at the time, over an incident at Potts Point in Sydney’s east a decade ago.
Ward was also accused of indecently assaulting a recently turned 18-year-old at the politician’s Meroo Meadow home in 2013.
The jury began deliberations on Wednesday morning and after reaching a stalemate, they resumed discussions on Thursday before informing Judge Shead on Friday that they had arrived upon a verdict.
He will return to court at a later date for sentencing.
Crown Prosecutor Monika Knowles had told the Court in her closing address last Thursday that the similarities between the alleged incidents involving Ward were not a coincidence.
She told the jury that the two complainants had given “remarkably similar accounts of being assaulted.
Ward was accused of digitally penetrating a political staffer in the Potts Point incident and performing a sex act without the other man’s consent.
He was also accused of mounting the 18-yearold in the Shoalhaven incident as he lay face down on a bed to perform a massage and also of touching him on the genitals without consent earlier in the evening while the teenager was lying on the lawn. In his closing statements, Ward’s counsel, David Campbell SC, had told the Court that police had conducted a flawed investigation.
Whether
A
Campbell accused the police officers who investigated the alleged incidents of holding a bias against Ward.
He has been involved in politics for more than two decades after starting as a Councillor in the Shoalhaven before claiming the state seat of Kiama in 2011 and retaining it ever since, including as an independent, after he left the Liberal Party, at the most recent election in 2022.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Matty Taylor
Nowra Courthouse
The Mustang drives through traffic at the Kiama turn-off.
Developer review gets to the heart of issue with fees
Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald is confident Council will be able to maximise returns on developer applications under the new Housing Strategy after a review undertaken by the governance team into how they recoup fees and charges.
Councillor Erica Warren raised concerns at Council meeting in the May as part of commentary in the community about concerns over developer contributions.
Cr Warren requested an urgent engagement of specialist staff to update the now expired Section 7.11 fees and chares so the Mayor requested a thorough review, also including Section 7.12 contributions.
The review was tabled at last week’s Council meeting which delved into the history of the two sections, dating back to 2010.
According to the report, regular reviews had been undertaken by Council staff in recent years and there had been no wrongdoing by any staff or incorrect information given to Councillors.
“It was important to request a comprehensive report to address the history of the Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 contributions locally but also as a way then to start the conversation about what our local contributions plans might be moving into the future,” Cr McDonald said.
“We've just had the Housing Strategy adopted at the last Council meeting and and the director Ed Paterson has made it known that essentially we will be reconsidering those Section 7.11 and Section 7.12 policies because with greater development and greenfield development, potentially, one is much more favourable than the other.”
Cr McDonald said Paterson had been in conversation with the South Kiama development and “looking at signing off on a voluntary planning proposal, which
Kis essentially agreeing with developers on what the contributions might look like”.
“The developers out at Golden Valley at Jamberoo are interested in a voluntary planning proposal and as a local council, we won't enter into those unless it's beneficial for ratepayers to enter into those agreements.
“It was good from that point of view a historical report to tell us what the history of Council's treatment of those contribution plans has been and to provide some education and understanding about what they are so we can embark on a conversation Into the future. It's a comprehensive report that was attached to the business paper and I would hope it answers some of the questions that have been in the community with regards to developer contributions, including those queries around the Golden Valley development and the court case that ensued after Council rejected that development proposal.
“A report like this is a bit of a line in the sand that we've got the information now, we've got a document whereby we can address some of the questions.”
Cr McDonald added that Council was committed to ensuring they operated efficiently and transparently.
“We heard when we were campaigning that we want an open and transparent local government that consults with the community and is at one with the community.
“It is evident that assertions Council had missed out on funding from developer contributions were incorrect and that the CEO’s comments as reported in response to the Councillor’s Question on Notice were accurate. In fact the sheer volume of reporting on this issue captured in the review shows how often reports on the matter went to the last Council and this Council.”
‘Urgent repair needed’: Netballers raise alarm
iama Netball Association is calling for urgent repairs to the courts at Kiama Sports Complex, with cracks and surface damage posing safety risks for players.
The issue has become so serious, the Association now tries to avoid using two of the seven courts wherever possible.
President Michelle Gregory said it welcomed the draft masterplan for the Kiama Sports Complex as a step forward.
However, she said resurfacing work was needed immediately, not just as part of long-term redevelopment.
“We’re pleased to see movement on the master plan; it’s a step toward long overdue upgrades,” Gregory told The Bugle.
“However, our existing court surface needs urgent repair, so we are seeking Council support to resurface our courts in their current location, regardless of the masterplan.
“Our Association continues to see growth and community use of our courts.”
Under the draft masterplan, several upgrades for netball have been proposed across three options:
Option 1 includes the construction of eight new netball courts over the existing central carpark, along with a shared two-storey clubhouse.
Option 2 features those courts but also involves rock excavation to expand the netball area, relocates the proposed playground to the north of the grandstand, and introduces a dedicated netball clubhouse.
Option 3 mirrors Option 1’s netball components while also including the reconstruction of the Leisure Centre in its current location.
Gregory said those longer-term upgrades were encouraging for local netball.
“We will continue to support the working group through the process, and I thank Natalie Allan and Sandra Dodd for representing Kiama Netball through this process,” she said.
In response to the Association’s call for immediate action, Kiama Council said it was already working with the group on short-term funding solutions.
“Kiama Council’s draft masterplan for the Kiama Sports Complex, currently on exhibition, is designed to address the need for significant upgrades,” a spokesperson said.
“The masterplan will help attract the necessary government funding to carry out the work over the long term.
“In the interim, Kiama Council is working with the Kiama Netball Association to secure NSW Government funding to refurbish the courts at the Kiama Sports Complex.”
The Kiama Sporting Complex and South Werri Reserve draft masterplans are both on public exhibition until Tuesday, August 5.
Mayor Cameron McDonald is encouraging residents to engage with both plans and share their feedback.
“We’ve had plenty of feedback, but we always
welcome more,” Cr McDonald said.
“So if you can, have a look at those masterplans, which are available on Council’s website, and give us some feedback.”
The South Werri Reserve plan focuses on preserving the area’s native landscape and recognising Indigenous cultural significance, while the Kiama Sports Complex plan is centred on modernising outdated infrastructure to meet growing community demand.
“We know that the facilities up there are approaching end of life, and they’re not up to fitfor-purpose or best-purpose standards,” Cr McDonald said.
“This master plan is a way for our community to get involved … to tell us what’s good, what’s bad about the design work, what works, what doesn’t.” A community drop-in session will be held at the Kiama Sports Complex on Saturday (July 26) from 9am to 11am, where locals can learn more about the proposals. Feedback on both plans can be submitted via www. yoursay.kiama.nsw.gov.au.
Matty Taylor
Mayor Cameron McDonald. Photo Eleeya Kahale
Photo: Darren Parlett
Growth agenda set for decades to come
Well, they actually did it.
In a vote of 7-1, Kiama Councillors voted to finalise the Kiama Local Housing Strategy and ultimately set in place the growth and development trajectory for our communities, over the next 20 to 30 years.
The viewing public was treated to more than one hour and 40 minutes of discussion, multiple points of order, foreshadowed motions and amendments to finally get to a resolution.
Somewhat contradictory to the “strategic” nature of the plan and discussion, multiple other land parcels were floated for inclusion and exclusion into the Strategy, seemingly as a result of private discussions with Councillors.
The end result of the nearly two hours of discussion? Some minor tinkering of words and actions, and the inclusion of two plots of land to the west of the Springside Hill development. Depending on who you ask, this growth is a conversation that started when the “Kiama Local Strategic Planning Statement” was finalised in 2020.
Or it could have been in 2022, when the NSW Department of Planning and Environment finalised the controversial South Kiama rezoning on behalf of the then NSW Minister for Planning and Homes, Anthony Roberts.
Or maybe it was when Version 1 of the Draft Strategy formally kicked off discussions in March 2024, to get to where we are. Version 1 could be most appropriately described as a false start as Council itself instituted a review to understand what was right, and what was wrong. But perhaps this false start could be more appropriately attributed to what continues to be an inflexion point where the leadership and direction of our community took a completely different
turn: the September 2024 NSW local government elections.
When you really think about it, in the space of six short months, we have gone from a conceptual conversation to a fully fledged and mapped out plan for growth. Yes, a lot of the groundwork had been done in terms of the structure of the document.
But when it comes to the cut and thrust of hard conversations within Council, or engaging with the State Government, this group has managed to achieve in six months what the previous Council failed to do over a period of almost four years.
The growth conversation has undergone a complete 180-degree turn from “lock the gate” to let’s have a genuine and mature conversation.
Evidence of this is the inclusion of the two additional lots in Jerrara that are now earmarked for housing, as well as a reference to exploring “innovative methods to achieve infill development within our existing towns”.
Ed Patterson, director of strategies and communities, is on the record as saying our historically high land values render redevelopment of sites within town as not commercially viable (with current planning controls).
Presumably, this means the “innovative methods to achieve infill development” will make development more attractive. By our estimation, that can only mean one thing: height.
Now that Council has acknowledged that greenfield development will be a large part of the growth conversation, it seems like the next battleground might be towers in our town centres.
But all that is for another day. The Bugle’s View is that this Council has made another tough decision, and it ought to be congratulated.
Kiama Council is backing a report from Local Government NSW which is calling on the state and federal governments to commit to genuine reform on regulatory changes, proper budget support and fair funding.
An independent report commissioned by LG NSW has found that each ratepayer is being short-changed by around $500 a year due to cost shifting by the NSW and Australian Governments.
NSW local councils are absorbing $1.5 billion in costs that have been diverted from higher levels of government for responsibilities such as infrastructure, services and regulation without sufficient funding.
Chief executive officer
Jane Stroud, Mayor Cameron McDonald and his fellow Councillors Stuart Larkins, Melinda Lawton and Mike Cains represented Kiama at the National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra last month where the topic of cost
shifting was the talk of the conference.
“Councils are really struggling to do more with less money,” Cr Lawton said. “These days, it’s not like it used to be - there are more services, more choices, and naturally, communities expect more in return for their rates, especially when those rates have gone up significantly. And fair enough. But the reality is, those increases don’t actually stretch farthey mostly just keep pace with inflation, not the rising costs of delivering the services people rely on.”
She spoke to a member of another local council who said their plight was so dire that they couldn’t even afford to buy a new garbage truck.
Cr Lawton used the fact that Kiama Council now has to foot the bill for the upkeep of Jamberoo Mountain Road instead of the NSW Government as an example of local Councils having to do a lot more nowadays.
Council has been advocating since September 2022 to have Jamberoo Mountain Road reclassified
Cost-shifting report puts spotlight on added burden
from a regional to a state road.
“When things like this get pushed back onto local councils, we’re stuck. We don’t get the funding to redesign the road in a way that would actually reduce the risk of landslides - we just get enough to patch it up. So it ends up happening again, just a few metres down the track,”
Cr Lawton said.
“There’s just not enough money to go around.
“It takes away money reserves that we could allocate somewhere else.
“I see this as something that the community could take to and push back at the state election. Relay our current issues to the people who are running - what are you going to do about cost shifting, what are you going to do about these roads that we’ve been given that should not be ours and get some real answers.”
Cr Lawton floated the idea of being more transparent with rate notices to show what percentage stays with Council for their operations.
“If our rates notices can be more transparent about what monies go where, rather
than a general line item, then people might see that some of those monies that they’re paying to us, is by-passing local govt and goes straight up the line,” she said.
Complicating matters for Kiama is the NSW Government-imposed Performance Improvement Order that they are operating under in order to balance the books by midway through 2027.
“Everyone knew it was always going to be a challenge but to date we are looking really positive,” Cr Lawton said.
“Although there’s probably going to be some tough calls to get us to that point, I think the community can feel there’s a bit of security there just by the fact things are being righted by these processes and having the OLG looking over our shoulders.”
Cr McDonald has described the LG NSW report as a “significant wake-up call” for the higher levels of government.
Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips disputed Council’s claims, pointing to the significant Australian Government funding that is flowing into the Kiama local government area to assist Council with roads and community infrastructure projects.
“The injection of federal funding reduces the burden on Kiama Council to fund the upgrade of local roads and facilities that are important to our community,” she said.
“Without federal funding many of the local projects in Kiama wouldn’t even get off the ground. Kiama Council can access funding to help maintain and upgrade local road networks, especially with the severe weather events that have so heavily impacted road infrastructure in recent years,” she said.
Paul Suttor
Armstrong will be a special guest at the Orry-Kelly Dressing Hollywood Gala on 26 July.
Ten years on, Armstrong reflects on Women He’s Undressed - and the shame that sparked it
Lleyton Hughes
It’s been ten years since acclaimed Australian director Gillian Armstrong released Women He’s Undressed, the documentary about Kiama-born, threetime Oscar-winning costume designer Orry-Kelly. And she still admits it was shame that motivated her to make it.
“I’ll admit it - I made the film out of shame,” Gillian said.
“I’d never heard of Orry-Kelly. And when I Googled him and saw the films he’d worked on - Casablanca, Some Like It Hot, An American in Paris - I was stunned. Here was a man who won three Academy Awards, and we didn’t even know he was one of ours. We know the names of all our great cricketers, but not one of the most influential costume designers in film history? That felt wrong. So yes, I made the film because I was ashamed
we’d let someone like OrryKelly be forgotten.”
The idea for the film came from producer Damien Parer, son of Australia’s first Oscar winner, also named Damien Parer. While researching other Australian Academy Award recipients, Orry-Kelly’s name surfaced - along with the fact that he held the record for the most Oscars won by an Australian at the time.
“Damien had never heard of him either,” Gillian recalled.
“So he started digging, and soon thought, ‘This would make a great documentary.’
He approached me because I’d just made a film about Florence Broadhurst, the wallpaper designer, and thought I might be interested.”
Since the film’s release, OrryKelly’s profile has risen sharply. On Saturday, Kiama Icons and Artists will host the Orry-Kelly: Dressing Hollywood Gala, including an exhibition of his
work. Earlier in the day, the NSW Government will unveil a Blue Plaque in his honourmilestones the documentary helped make possible.
“After the film came out, ACMI in Melbourne staged a major exhibition of his costumes - original pieces sourced from collectors around the world,” she says.
“And the memoir we kept hearing about but couldn’t find? It finally got published.”
In fact, the discovery of OrryKelly’s long-lost memoir is one of the most remarkable stories behind the film.“I happened to be at a small indie film event in Newcastle and agreed to do a quick interview on local radio,” Gillian explains.
“The next day, my agent got a call from a woman who said she’d heard me mention Orry, and that her friend - Orry’s great-niece - had his memoir.”
“It had been sitting in a laundry cupboard, in a bag.
“Her mother had given it to her with the words, ‘Whatever you do, don’t lose this.’ She had no idea how significant it was.”
The memoir, Women I’ve Undressed, became the basis for much of the film - offering Orry’s own voice in a story where few people who knew him personally were still alive. It also confirmed something else for Gillian: only an Australian could tell this story properly. “He had this wicked sense of humour - and I don’t think Americans always got it,” she said. “People said he was difficult or dramatic, but half the time, I think, they just just weren’t in on the joke.” She also related to his creative battles with studio executives - something she experienced first hand. “He’d design a beautiful costume that an actor like Bette Davis loved, and then Jack Warner would say, ‘No, no, we want something plainer,’” she says.
“I laughed because I’ve had those same arguments. I once got a note from a studio exec about Diane Keaton’s earrings. Just the earrings! And I thought, yep - I know exactly how Orry felt.”
Despite often being remembered for glamour and glitz, Gillian insists that Orry-Kelly was a characterfirst designer. “He wasn’t designing for vanity. He was designing for the character. He had an amazing understanding of how clothes tell a story,” she says. “Think about Casablanca. That trench coat on Humphrey Bogart - it became iconic. At the time, it was just a raincoat. Orry saw what it could be, and people are still wearing them today.
“He also had a real understanding of the human body. He knew how to make actors look taller, slimmer, more powerful - whatever the role demanded.”
Women He’s Undressed blends traditional documentary with stylised drama to bring Orry’s life to screen in an unforgettable way. Gillian believes it resonated because it felt personal - both to audiences and to herself.
“I didn’t make the film to win awards,” she says.
“I made it because it felt wrong that he’d been forgotten - especially by his own country. And I really believe we don’t celebrate our own enough in Australia. We’re humble by nature, but we need to be proud, too.”
If you’d like to learn more about Orry-Kelly, the exhibition opens on Saturday at 11am at the Sebel Assembly Room, showcasing original costumes and designs.
The Gala later in the night is sold out - but the legacy of Australia’s greatest costume designer is now impossible to miss.
Gillian
Photo: Tim Baure
A still of Darren Gilshenan who plays Orry-Kelly in Women He's Undressed. Photo: Damien Parer Productions
A promotional poster for Women He's Undressed. Photo: Damien Parer
Luxury living redefined above Easts Beach
interest since last week’s launch had been “next level”.
Perched above Easts Beach with views that sweep from the ocean to the rolling green escarpment, 76B Tingira Crescent in Kiama is a new home that stops you in your tracks.
Not just for its jawdropping outlook, but for the remarkable vision behind its creation. This brand-new residence is architecturally crafted to embrace its coastal setting, with a sophisticated fusion of design excellence, enduring construction and luxury finishes.
Belle Property Kiama’s Marnie Beauchamp, who is leading the sale, said buyer
“Saturday’s first open day was incredible,” she said. “We had 28 groups through, and over 60 people in just a short window. The feedback was astounding.
“People were blown away by the quality of the build and the uniqueness of the design.”
Constructed from full brick and block with concrete slabs on every level, the home has been built to the highest standards of structural integrity, designed to last for generations.
“It’s not just a home. It’s a legacy,” Beauchamp said.
Spanning three levels, the residence offers four spacious
bedrooms, three designer bathrooms (two with ensuites), a guest powder room and multiple living areas.
Smart home technology enhances everyday living with automated lighting, irrigation and security systems.
The layout is purpose-built for lifestyle and entertaining.
A private lift connects all levels, from the oversized basement garage, which comfortably fits four vehicles, to the upper floor, where expansive glass sliders frame panoramic views.
A private plunge pool offers the perfect vantage point to soak in the scenery, while a built-in outdoor servery and alfresco dining area
make entertaining a breeze.
“This main living zone is just amazing,” Marnie said during a guided tour of the property.
“It flows straight out to the alfresco area with a plunge pool, outdoor servery and a lawn and garden area that’s beautifully landscaped.”
Sandstone pathways lead through the garden, while curved forms, timber batons, and warm stone textures add a sense of organic charm to the home’s striking contemporary architecture. Inside, the kitchen is a centrepiece, featuring an Empire stone benchtop paired with elegant oak-toned cabinetry. The adjoining butler’s kitchen offers added space and
functionality, ideal for hosting guests in style.
On the upper floor, the main bedroom suite commands stunning views. “I’ve been here when the sun sets over the mountains, and the colours are amazing,” Beauchamp said. “It’s truly one of the most beautiful spots I’ve had the pleasure to represent.”
A second living area upstairs offers a quiet retreat, with its own scenic outlook and connection to the internal lift.
Natural light floods the home through multiple skylights, and clever design ensures every angle maximises light, space, and those unforgettable views.
Perhaps most remarkably,
the location also offers beach access directly across the road, a rare lifestyle bonus.
“We’re seeing strong early interest,” Beauchamp said.
“There’s a Sydney family who came through on the weekend and are seriously considering it. Because it’s so unique, there’s nothing to compare it to. The price guide is in the high $4 million range, but based on feedback, it could exceed that.”
With its commanding views and standout architectural form, 76B Tingira Crescent redefines what coastal luxury looks like in Kiama. “This is a home where every moment is framed by natural beauty,” Beauchamp said.
Matty Taylor
‘Very unexpected’: Kate thrilled to win top leader award
Shelby Gilbert
Kate Dezarnaulds was genuinely surprised when her name was called out at the inaugural Kiama Business Awards on Thursday 3 July.
The WorkLife founder took home the Outstanding Business Leader award, a recognition she describes as “absolutely delightful”.
“It was very unexpected from my point of view,” Dezarnaulds said.
“The camaraderie of other business owners is a real joy, and the respect and acknowledgement that's implicit in the award is so gratifying.”
The Kiama Business Network established the awards this year as a way to recognise outstanding business achievements in the area. WorkLife was also nominated in the Excellence in Small Business category, dual recognition that shows the company’s impact in the region despite not currently
having a physical space in Kiama.
Dezarnaulds admits that she used to be cynical about business awards but made the decision to enter multiple awards the past few years.
The recognition has been valuable to the business considering the financial challenges many small businesses face.
“Small business is really full on and risky, and the last few years has not been very profitable,” she said.
“To take a moment to take stock on what you have achieved when you feel like the usual measure of success is dollars in the bank… it's been great to be able to actually say, no, it's OK, we've done some really great things.”
The journey to this success began when Dezarnaulds founded WorkLife in 2017 after getting tired of her Berry to Sydney commute for work that she’d made at least 882 times. She tried working remotely from home and
a local cafe, both of which weren’t working for her, so then she opened WorkLife’s first coworking space in Berry.
After WorkLife’s success in Berry, they expanded to Kiama and Coledale, though they lost their Kiama location during COVID, they bounced back by opening a space in Picton in 2023.
“We've got a lot of Kiama based businesses that are working out of our location in the area at the moment,” Dezarnaulds said
“I think part of my surprise was the acknowledgement of the role that we play in the wider region here.”
Looking ahead, Dezarnaulds wants the small business community to build better connectivity with young people in the region.
“I would love for the small business community to build better connectivity with our young people in the region so that we can keep their energies and their intellects close to home,” she said.
Photo: Peter Izzard
Photography
Poetry, paintings and the joy of life proves uplifting for Brett
Eleeya Kahale
Long-time Kiama local
Brett Lemass has teamed up with his sister Juanita Harris to release “Palatable Paintings and Poems” - a heartfelt collection celebrating optimism, nature and community.
The title “Palatable” was chosen intentionally. “So much poetry today is sad and gloomy,” he said. “I wanted something uplifting - that feels good, like a poem that's good to the taste.”
The book blends his rhyming poems with
his sister’s vivid artwork, reflecting their shared love for beauty, both in the natural world and in the people around them.
“Her paintings bring my poems to life,” Lemass said.
Having lived in Kiama for over 60 years, he draws inspiration from his surroundings. A surfer and daily walker in “the prettiest town in the world,” filled with natural wonders and “colourful characters” that give the town its flavour.
His poetry explores themes of friendship, family and gratitude. On the
book’s opening page, he writes: “This poem reflects my appreciation of life, nature, family and great mates.”
It’s a sentiment rooted in a life he calls fortune - free from war, full of health and blessed with loving parents.
Juanita, who is active in Jamberoo community organisations, has been a source of joy and pride in his life. “She’s dearly loved,” he said. He is already at work on two new poems, Gratefulness and Country Charms. His reason for writing is simple: “If you can bring a bit of joy into other people’s lives, that’s a
Take a journey back in time on Kiama Picnic Train
Fancy your scones served on fine bone china, while chugging along the Illawarra and South Coast rail line with a view fit for royalty?
That’s how travellers roll on the historic Kiama Picnic Train. Known as a living museum on rails, the Picnic Train allows passengers to step back in time and experience what rail travel was like in its golden era. Kiama photographer Darren Parlett captured a stunning shot of the 5917 steam engine as it headed past Bombo’s coastline on its return journey to Sydney just as the sun was going down.
The 5917 steam engine is one of 20 locomotives bought by the NSW Government in 1952 to haul freight. It is one of only five that are still operational.
The steam engine, complete with 1930s carriages, now regularly delights passengers lucky enough to snag tickets and jump aboard as the locomotive weaves its way along the scenic South Coast rail line from Sydney to Kiama.
The train leaves the city just in time for high tea in the dining cars, with passengers stopping at Kiama for several hours to enjoy all the town has to offer, including the Kiama Blowhole and the seaside markets.
The high tea experience is available as part of the First Class option, which also includes travel in the dining car. Groups of four can also book a seat in an airconditioned lounge car.
The Kiama Picnic Train service is run by passionate volunteers who serve morning and afternoon teaa cheese and fruit platter on the way back to Sydney - to give passengers a taste of train travel in its hey-day when it was considered a special day out rather than a means to an end.
The Picnic Train’s milliondollar views combined with the charm of a steampowered engine makes the outing as much about the journey as the destination.
The next scheduled Kiama Picnic Train is on August 23 and 24, but book early to avoid disappointment. The July journey sold out.
Photo: Darren Parlett
Phillips hopeful about offshore wind zone despite BlueFloat exit
Mitchell Beadman
With the recent announcement of BlueFloat Energy’s withdrawal from the Illawarra Offshore Wind Zone, it seems divine intervention may be needed to get the turbines spinning and remain afloat.
The Illawarra has long been promoted as one of the pilot regions for Australia’s renewable energy transition, with communities along the coastline divided in their support for offshore wind.
While funding issues were cited as the reason for BlueFloat’s withdrawal, hope remains among the region’s federal representatives.
Despite the BlueFloat setback, Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips remained optimistic that the project could still eventually happen.
“Offshore wind developers around the world are facing challenges with high costs and supply chain uncertainty - but there still remains a high level of investment interest in Australia’s emerging offshore wind industry,” Phillips said.
A recurring theme during the federal election campaign in May was that the outcome would act as a mandate for renewables. Good for the Gong co-founder Sean Moran said the Illawarra’s election results have shown there is support for offshore wind as a renewable energy source.
“Good for the Gong has had thousands of conversations with Illawarra locals about offshore wind, and we’ve found that most people are either supportive or don’t give it much thought,” Moran said.
“Local support for offshore wind has been demonstrated again and again
Their story, our crisis:
Shining a light on homelessness among older women
Mitchell Beadman
Afree event at Kiama Leagues Club titled Her Story, Our Crisis: Homelessness
Among Older Women aims to raise awareness of the plight of older women at risk of homelessness, and to foster conversation about this largely invisible issue in the area.
The internationally acclaimed short film FRANCES will be screened at the event on Thursday, 7 August.
A spokesperson for NSW
in representative surveys, and in both local and federal elections. If there was significant opposition, it would have shown up in the polls and it simply hasn’t.”
A vocal opponent is Responsible Future Illawarra president Alex O’Brien, who made headlines after disrupting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s media conference on the shores of Lake Illawarra earlier this year.
Responsible Future released a five-page statement after the recent BlueFloat announcement titled “A Respectful Message to Government”.
“To our local Labor MPs and the Minister - we want to be part of the energy transition. But we’ve long said offshore wind is the wrong technology for the Illawarra,” the statement read.
“It is not economically viable, not technically suitable, and it puts our region at risk.
“Let’s reset the conversation - and build something better.”
For Illawarra residents still
the seventh and final known investor may feel like two steps forward, one step back for offshore wind and perhaps for the broader renewable transition in the region.
Good for the Gong echoed this sentiment in a statement.
“The group acknowledges that global financial uncertainty may affect energy projects, but says the Illawarra continues to stand out as an attractive place to invest - thanks to its industrial strengths, skilled workforce, and strong community support for climate action and renewable energy.”
NSW Shadow Minister for Energy James Griffin placed the blame squarely on the state government for being out of touch with voters.
“Offshore wind or not, two years into this NSW Labor Government and energy prices haven’t dropped. The state is on track to miss its own legislated net-zero targets, and the only people they should blame is themselves,” Griffin said.
A spokesperson for Minister for the Illawarra and South Coast Ryan Park said: “Offshore Wind is primarily a Commonwealth responsibility.”
Kiama and Jamberoo
Uniting Church minister
Reverend Kath Merrifield is an active member of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change and told The Bugle that she is encouraging a collective approach.
“The way we understand the challenge before our whole community is that we have to be part of these conversations and move in that direction,” Reverend Merrifield said.
“I want to encourage the university and the industrial businesses and leaders in the region who I know are already engaged, to actively seek solutions and possibilities.
“Just like there’s no one fossil fuel we’ve relied on for centuries, there’s no one renewable solution we’ll rely on into the future. It takes all of them.”
Illawarra filmmaker Sharon Lewis created FRANCES is to raise awareness about a problem which is becoming increasingly prevalent in society with the many living pressures attributed to displaced persons.
“The film shot in the Illawarra is a fictional story, but is based on the very real circumstances about an older woman who has had a divorce and is finding it difficult to secure rental accommodation she is living in her car,” South Illawarra Older Women’s Network (SIOWN) foundation committee member Julie McDonald said.
“The character has a lot of pride and dignity but the film shows her declining health, both physically and emotionally, as well as safety, as she tries to keep herself going, and living in a precarious existence.”
The event will also hold a Q&A with Lewis, the producer and director, and a panel discussion highlighting the increase in older women experiencing homelessness, cost of living pressures, and the changes to create and maintain safer, more secure futures for older women.
“The panel includes Yumi Lee the CEO from the Older Women’s Network of NSW, Penny Dordoy the CEO of Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI) and Kim Bailey, who is an older woman with lived experience,” McDonald said.
With a recently published snapshot analysis by Homelessness Australia, there was an alarming 20% increase in women and girls who were homeless across the last three years.
Speaking passionately to The Bugle regarding the issue of homelessness specifically for older women, McDonald explained that the closest refuges for women in the Kiama LGA are in the Shoalhaven and Wollongong.
With no crisis or transitional short-term accommodation in Kiama, this highlights that the existing accommodation
JulieMcDonald
does not specifically consider nor meet the needs of older women.
“You just can’t have older women going to just an ordinary [service], like homelessness services that predominantly serve men,” McDonald said.
“They have got to be gender specific in that sense. Particularly because a lot of them [the cases] are about women escaping.”
Through the advocacy work by a small group of local women who identified the need to have information available on Kiama Council website on crisis services, this information is now available.
According to the Australian Homelessness Monitor 2024, a survey of councils across Australia found 88 per cent established partnerships with specialist homelessness services (including referral pathways).
While important, these initiatives do not address the needs of older women at risk of homelessness who McDonald explains are rarely as visible as rough sleepers.
“A lot of older women aren’t rough sleepers; they tend to be quite invisible. They may be living in their car, couch surfing, or living in their car or living in a caravan,” McDonald said.
This event is the initiative of the Older Women’s Network (South Illawarra), Kiama Community Radio and SAHSSI and is held during Homelessness Week which this year runs from August 4-10.
Everyone is welcome and free tickets can be booked in advance via Humantix https://events.humanitix. com/homelesswomen. RSVP by next Sunday (4 August).
Donations are appreciated to help offset event costs and any funds will go to SAHSSI.
If you or someone you know needs support with homelessness in the Kiama region, head to https://www. kiama.nsw.gov.au/Services/ People-and-community/ Homelessness for relevant information.
If you or someone you know needs support, reach out to Lifeline on 13 11 14 or BeyondBlue 1300 224 636.
Strong start for new Barstool Brothers brunch
Mitchell Beadman
In a successful launch for the inaugural Barstool Brothers Sunday brunch at the Kiama Leagues Club, with warm hands and full hearts, there were unconfirmed reports of sauce and yolk in moustaches and beards.
“It certainly was a successful launch. It’s one of those events that generally takes time to build and to see that turnout so quickly, it really speaks to the need for that community connection and feeling,” Barstool Brothers general manager Daniel Chin said.
For the staff at the Leagues Club, there was much anticipation on numbers for the event and Kiama did not disappoint.“It was a great turnout. There were members as well, and then people that
some of us have not seen before, which was nice. So, a nice mix,” catering manager Sarah Rebbeck said.
Rebbeck who not long ago traded the stove for the desk in her role as catering manager, donned the apron for the event and was serving up bacon and egg rolls, with vegan options provided to those who requested.
“We had one member [who is] vegan and Sarah made him a special vegan roll and he was like ‘that was so nice, I felt so included’,” Leagues Club marketing manager Maddie Battagello said.
Chin said the support from Kiama Leagues Club was a testament to the team and gave a vision for the future of the monthly brunch.
“It also shows you how seriously Kiama Leagues
Club takes this and the kinds of improvements they want to see in the community and how they can help as well,” he said.
“To build that [the monthly brunch] up quickly [and] to get that kind of response for the first one was incredible.
“Ultimately, we would love to see this brunch continue to grow and continue to build a community presence of healthy men down there to support each other, and it is something that our charity is really focussed on in the Illawarra.”
Rebbeck and Battagello were full of praise for the staff, with some even coming in without being rostered on.
“It was really great to see staff members coming in to help, like people who weren’t rostered on,” Battagello said.
Dementia boost for locals with forum full of meaning
Shelby Gilbert
The 14th annual Illawarra Shoalhaven Dementia public forum is being held this September and organisers are hoping it will be their biggest event yet.
The forum will take place at the Fraternity Club in Fairy Meadow on Wednesday 17 September running from 9:30am to 3pm, with lunch and refreshments available.
The forum has recently expanded to include the Shoalhaven area, with a free bus running from Nowra and stopping at Gerringong railway station.
With changes happening to dementia and aged care legislation from 1 November, organiser Val Fell is urging people to attend to learn more about the changes and impacts it will have.
The forum began on a ‘whim’ as Val would describe, with a spur of the moment request at a Labor Party conference in Sydney. Val approached Sue PietersHawke, who was touring the country sharing her experiences caring for her mother who had dementia.
“I just got up and went across to her and I asked
her to come to Wollongong, and she said yes,” Val said. “I started to arrange it, and then decided it was going to cost me a lot of money. So I went to Dementia Australia and said, 'will you help me put this on?'
And they said yes.”
What started as a single event with about 150 attendees, has grown into an annual forum that now brings in over 350 people. The forum is organised by volunteers and funded through donations and contributions from organisations such as Dementia Australia, Dementia Support Australia, Dementia Training Australia, and the federal government.
This year's forum will include speakers Professor Tanya Buchanan the CEO of Dementia Australia, Robert Day from the Department of Health, and Joanne Kershaw from Childhood Dementia Initiatives. The speakers will be addressing the rise in dementia, community initiatives, details about the new aged care act, and information about childhood dementia.
Based on last year’s success, the forum will include an art and craft exhibition in the Fraternity Club’s foyer,
displaying works created by people in the early stages of dementia. “Just to show that people can still have meaningful lives,” said Val.
In the lead-up to the forum, Dementia Australia is offering support sessions in Kiama and Nowra between 28 to 31 July.
Dementia Australia states that there are an estimated 141,800 people living with dementia in New South Wales which is projected to rise to more than 252,800 people by 2054 if there are no medical breakthroughs.
These free sessions will provide an opportunity for people living with dementia, their carers, family, and friends to better understand dementia, and to learn about support services.
The program includes sessions on carer wellness, understanding dementia, EDIE for family carers, mild cognitive impairment, consumer engagement information, understanding changes in behaviour, communication and dementia, exploring respite, driving and dementia, and grief and loss.
These sessions cover both Kiama and Nowra locations.
Celebrating 55 Years of Kiama Meals on Wheels
Shelby Gilbert
When 25 women from the Kiama Hospital and Hospital Board gathered in 1970, they decided they needed to help older residents in the community who needed support with meals.
Fifty-five years later, Kiama Meals on Wheels has become an essential part of the community, supporting 187 clients in the Kiama and Shellharbour Municipality.
Kiama Meals on Wheels
manager Joanne North says the organisation will mark its 55 year anniversary on 1 September, with celebrations happening on National Meals on Wheels Day, 27 August.
“We'll be hosting a thank you morning tea at The Sebel to celebrate Meals on Wheels and to thank our volunteers for their continued support because we can't do it without them,” she said.
This anniversary is particularly special as two members from the original inaugural meeting remain involved today, Marion Witheridge and Ann Dawes, who are both life members, with Ann also being patron of the organisation.
“Fifty-five years on, two people are still committing their time and their energy to supporting the organisation, which I think is a milestone in itself to be able to make that commitment,” Joanne said.
The organisation has grown significantly since its beginnings, now with 60 volunteers delivering
over 500 meals weekly, and also offering a specialist nutrition and wellness service.
Joanne emphasises that the service is ‘more than just a meal’, they provide social and community connection as well as performing welfare checks on clients.
“We are a community meal service with volunteers looking at helping people live full and independent lives but empowering them to be able to stay at home in their own home where they want to be,” she said.
Meals on Wheels has also partnered with The Bugle, delivering the newspaper fortnightly to clients as a way to maintain community connections and keep them up to date on what’s happening in Kiama.
“The local news is in the local paper, so if you know what's going on locally, you feel more a part of the community and more connected,” said Joanne.
Joanne credits local volunteers for keeping the service strong for 55 years, which clearly highlights their organisations priorities and commitment to community.
“You can't do it without the volunteers…They are local people supporting a locally established organisation that's not for profit. Everything they give goes back to that client,” she said.
Kiama Meals on Wheels 55 year morning tea celebrations will be held on Wednesday 27 August at The Sebel, bringing together clients, supporters and volunteers.
Kiama Meals on Wheels members and volunteers. Back left to right Marion Witheridge, Lyn Mitchell, Anne Hassett. Front left to right Jan Weaver, Ann Dawes, Wendy Toomey. Photo: Joanne North.
No rain on Kiama’s parade:
bistro manager Kim Smith who really sold the dish to customers.
Leagues Club wins Best Dessert
Clubs NSW’s Perfect Plates have been served and won for 2025, with Kiama Leagues Club’s Sails Bistro taking out the Best Dessert category with their fresh and innovative take on a panna cotta named Panna Colada. With ingredients transporting diners to a tropical oasis with hints of pineapple, coco-
nut, and malibu, the addition of the biscotti was added from another dessert that was tested and designed by recently departed chef Gavin Robinson, catering manager Sarah Rebbeck explained.
“He’s [Robinson] a bit of a dessert person and he actually came up with three different dishes,” Rebbeck said.
“We sat at lunch one day and he brought them all out and we tried them.
“In the end, the panna cotta was the one that was the most consistent, but we love biscotti, and we love the panna cotta, [so] we put them together.”
While the dessert proved popular amongst patrons, Rebbeck and marketing manager Maddie Battagello did not expect for the club to receive top honours.
“We had some great feedback for it, but I did think about whether or not we
could win it,” Rebbeck said.
“I didn’t go into that thinking we were definitely a shooin for that (Best Dessert), because I had seen pictures of other [desserts] clubs posted, [like] the complicated ones,” Battagello said.
Rebbeck was quick to acknowledge and make mention that the award was made possible by everyone on the team at Kiama Leagues Club, and made special mention to
“Kim, our manager, she would see someone umming and ahhing and be like
‘you’ve got to get this,’ she was very passionate about it,” Rebbeck said.
“It’s one thing to create a dish, but then you have got to get everyone to keep making it and it be consistent, you’ve got to have the people that are selling it and telling people about it.”
Previously named Chef’s Table, Clubs NSW ran the competition where chefs from clubs would cook from a mystery-box for judges, where the Perfect Plate categories allow the clubs to showcase too the consumers and travel around to sample the competition.
“Clubs are community based, so this brings in your members being part of it and they are voting for their club,” Rebbeck said.
“I think bringing it to this [competition] really involves
How to grow potatoes at home
Homewares
your members and your community and it is also great because you can go travel around and try everyone else’s perfect dishes, which is really fun.”
“Kiama really gets behind these competitions, I think the second I posted we won, it was instantly shared on the Kiama community page on Facebook,” Battagello said.
Kiama Leagues Club was also entered in the state medium club and Illawarra and Shoalhaven categories with the Middle Eastern Lamb Rack with the dish finishing third in both which both Battagello and Rebbeck are “still very stoked about.”
Clubs NSW’s Perfect Plate 2025 was sponsored by NRMA, and the awards night was held at the Western Sydney Convention Centre in Penrith where competition ambassadors and celebrity chefs Matt Moran and Courtney Roulston and NRL legend Nathan Hindmarsh were in attendance.
Towards the end of the night, the Kiama Leagues crew were already looking to next year for their next perfect plate and a dessert to retain the title with unconfirmed reports of recipes being scribbled onto napkins.
Whether you like them baked, mashed or fried, potatoes are a winter staple.
The good news is they’re super easy to grow at home, even if you’re short on space.
I’m a big fan of using potato grow bags. They’ve got a handy flap near the bottom so you can keep tabs on your crop and even harvest a few early spuds –what us gardeners like to call “bandicooting”.
To get started, place a base layer of sugarcane mulch at the bottom of the bag, then add a generous serve of compost. I love using cow manure, though chicken manure or any decent organic matter will also do the trick. After that, put down a shallow layer of goodquality potting mix. This becomes the seed bed for your potatoes.
Make sure you're using certified seed potatoes. Don’t go rummaging through the pantry for sprouting spuds; supermarket varieties often carry viruses.
Place five or six seed
potatoes across the surface, spacing them out a bit. Don’t worry if it’s a little tight, you can always thin them later.
I like to roll the sides of the bag down at this stage to let in more sunlight. Then cover the spuds with about 2-4cm of potting mix.
As the shoots grow, keep topping up the potting mix around the stems, always leaving a bit of foliage exposed. This helps build a bigger yield.
Once the bag is full and your potato plants start to flower, you’re nearly there.
When the flowers die off, it’s harvest time. Either dig them out or lift the flap on the side and go bandicooting for fresh, homegrown potatoes.
No grow bag? No worries. A hessian sack works just as well. Just make sure your spuds get good drainage, rich organic soil, and a decent dose of sunshine.
Give them a go this winter. They’re easy, fun and delicious.
Clivias under attack?
Blame the caterpillars
Clivias are usually hardy,
low-maintenance plants, but lately I’ve seen more and more gardeners dealing with lily caterpillar outbreaks.
These sneaky little pests hide deep in the folds of clivia leaves and can chew right back into the crown before you even know they’re there.
If your clivias are looking shredded, it’s likely the caterpillars have moved in.
My go-to treatment is a spray called Success Ultra Insect Control, which contains the active ingredient spinetoram.
It’s fast-acting and once sprayed, the caterpillars stop feeding immediately.
You can also try an organic option like Bacillus thuringiensis, but be warned: it can take up to four days to kick in, and by then, your clivias could be toast.
Act fast and keep checking for more caterpillars hiding in the foliage.
The quicker you catch them, the better your plants will bounce back.
To watch the full gardening segment, head to The Bugle News Kiama’s YouTube channel.
Mitchell Beadman
What’s On?
Art Vision exhibition
Thu 31 July to Wed 6 Aug,
10am-4pm
Old Fire Station Art Gallery
The Alchemy Choir
South Coast
Sun 3 Aug, 1:30pm-2:30pm Gerringong Town Hall
A choir for people impacted by dementia, has their first Solo Concert. This is a free eventdonations welcome.
Quakers meeting
Sun 3 Aug, 2pm-3pm
12/2 Brereton Street, Nowra
Meeting on the first Sunday of every month
Land, Ocean & Home exhibition
Thu 7 Aug to Wed 13 Aug,
10am-4pm
Old Fire Station Art Gallery
James Burton at Crooked River Estate
Sat 9 Aug, 2pm-5pm
Crooked River Estate, Free outdoor event
The Creative Business Summit 2025 Thurs 14 Aug, 9am-5pm
The Pavilion
No1 creative business conference on the NSW South Coast. Tickets can be purchased online.
Leonie Simmons exhibition
Thurs 14 Aug to Wed 20 Aug, 10am-4pm
Old Fire Station Art Gallery
Leonie creates abstract relief collages that challenge normal painting traditions.
South Coast
Ceramics Market
Sun 17 Aug
The Co-Op Gerringong Inquisitive Imaginings exhibition
Thurs 21 Aug to Wed 27 Aug, 10am-4pm
Old Fire Station Art Gallery
This exhibition, created by two local women.
Revamp for Kiama Rotary
Kiama Rotary recently held a unique annual changeover to start the 2025/26 year.
It was unique for two reasons: Firstly, the club was delighted to welcome three former Rotary District Governors all being current or past members of the Kiama club, a rare occurrence.
Current President Phil Whyte was District Governor in 2011/12, former member David Brawn held the role in 2010/11, and current member Tonia Barnes ended her term at the end of last month.
Secondly, the event was a continuation rather than a changeover, as president Phil Whyte will stay on as the head of the club for the next year.
This is to assist in the ongoing restructure that all the Australian Rotary clubs are undertaking to modernise Rotary nationwide.
The club welcomed Kiama Mayor, Councillor Cameron McDonald, as its special guest for the dinner and he expressed the community’s thanks for the club’s 73rd year
of committed support.
In his report on club activities in 2024/25, Phil pointed to the club meeting all the targets it had set.
These included the finalisation of an international program organised by the Kiama club (with assistance from the Rotary Club of Dili in Timor Leste) and with additional funding from Rotary International.
This was a pilot program to help in the early diagnosis of Rheumatic Heart Disease which affects many people in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory and in Timor Leste.
A total of more than $150,000 has been applied to this ground-breaking initiative.
If the pilot is successful, it may help lead to the eradication of this lifethreatening disease.
The club has worked on this program with Dr Josh Francis of the Menzies Institute, based in the Northern Territory.
In recognition of Dr Francis and his team’s work to eliminate this disease, Phil had pleasure in making him an honorary member of Kiama Rotary.
The club also continued its support for the international program “End Polio Now”.
Rotary clubs around the world have contributed more than $US1 billion to help the World Health Organisation almost completely eradicate the scourge of polio in the world.
BBQ bonanza
At home, the Kiama club has continued its strong support for our youth, providing funds to send students to Rotary youth leadership workshops, annual science seminars and mental health programs, all funded (along with many other projects) through the regular BBQ stalls run by members at the Black Beach markets each month.
The club organised the annual Festival of Choirs last October and the Christmas
The Gerringong Music Club is thrilled to announce its upcoming interactive kids concert featuring SONIDO, a dynamic musical group blending Latin American heritage with the sounds of modern multicultural Australia.
SONIDO, featured in Musica Viva’s acclaimed show El Camino, will invite young audiences on a musical journey through Latin America using instruments like the charango, quena, zampoña, bombo, and guitar. Their vibrant show blends storytelling, song and movement, offering a unique opportunity for kids to sing, dance, and learn about musical traditions from another part of the world.
This will be the second kids concert hosted by the Gerringong Music Club in recent times.
Last year’s family event was a great success, with more than 200 children and parents in attendance, showing a strong appetite for high-quality, accessible music programming for younger audiences in the region.
“We’re excited to welcome SONIDO to Gerringong,” said Imogen Stewart, Musical Director of the Gerringong Music Club.
“Following the huge success of last year’s kids concert, we’re delighted to offer another opportunity for local families to enjoy live music together.
“This year we wanted
in July Trivia Night, both of which are to run again this year.
President Phil was pleased to introduce two new members (Oscar Lewis and Alison Spice) to Kiama Rotary, adding to the growing club membership.
He was delighted to present Paul Harris Fellowships to Sue Clarke, Marilyn Jarrett and Alan Waterworth for their work for the club.
Paul Harris was the founder of Rotary and the fellowship is one of the Kiama club’s highest honours.
The club members also vote each year to nominate the “Club Member of the Year “and the 2024/25 Robert East Memorial award was made to John Kenny. Well done, John! In introducing his board of directors for 2025/26, the president thanked the members for their efforts to support the community over the past year.
"It has been a great effort in 2024/25," president Phil said, "and I look forward to an even better year ahead".
SONIDO
brings South America vibrant sounds to Gerringong for interactive kids concert
to give Gerringong a taste of something completely different.
"An amplified educational show that will take you on a journey through South America.
"Music has an extraordinary impact on children’s developmentit helps build confidence, supports learning and memory, and fosters creativity and connection.
"Experiences like these stay with children for life, and we’re proud to help make that happen here in Gerringong.”
Thanks to the generous support of Kiama Municipal Council’s Cultural Grants program, the event has expanded to two sessions tailored to different ages.
The core musical material is the same and families are welcome to attend either concert, however each session is crafted slightly differently to engage the developmental stage and curiosity of kids aged five and up.
Event details
When: Sunday 17 August 2025, sessions at 2pm for children aged 5–9 years and 3pm for kids aged 9 and up.
Where: Gerringong Town Hall, 106 Fern St, Gerringong NSW How: Online bookings essential at www. gerringongmusicclub. com.au Cost: Members, children and students are free. Visitors $30.
Fundraiser to support life-saving medical work in Madagascar
The Kiama community is invited to a fundraiser at Kiama Anglican Church on Saturday (26 July), with a firm 10am start time, and running till 4pm with 100% of funds raised to support vital medical care in one of the poorest regions of Madagascar.
The event will feature a BIG quality book fair, lots of beautiful bric-a-brac treasures, a $5 cuppa with baked treats, and a sausage sizzle - raising funds for a newly established medical clinic in Toliara, Madagascar.
The clinic was recently opened by Dr Avril Friend, an Australian GP who has committed to working for 15 years in the region, where healthcare is extremely limited.
Avril initially stocked the clinic with basic supplies
brought from Australia, but more equipment is urgently needed.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will help purchase items from Avril’s medical wish list, including a portable ultrasound device that fits in the palm of your hand and connects to a phone, a compact ECG machine, a portable defibrillator, and essential medications and supplies.
Kiama resident Barb Friend is organising the fundraiser and is also Avril’s mother-inlaw.
“We’re deeply thankful for everyone’s generosity and hope for a strong turnout on 26 July,” she said. Barb is hoping to raise $10,000, which will go a long way toward equipping the clinic and supporting the local community in Toliara.
Lleyton Hughes
Jeff Apter is best known for his biographies on music royalty - Angus Young, The Cure, John Farnham, Jeff Buckley. But the subject of his latest book is someone he kept hearing about in the margins of those iconic stories: a man who lived in the background. Always there, but barely visible. In the shadows. And a man Apter had been wanting to write about for more than a decade. “It all started when I was writing a book about Johnny O'Keefe, a legendary Aussie rocker from the ’60ssort of Australia’s Elvis - and throughout my research, this name, Lee Gordon, kept coming up,” Apter said.
“He was Johnny’s mentor, someone who really helped
Jeff brings Lee Gordon to life
The man who changed Australian entertainment
guide O'Keefe’s career. And the more I looked into his life, the more I realised - though O'Keefe was called 'The Wild One' - Lee Gordon was actually wilder. And in some ways, an even more interesting character.”
The result is Lee Gordon Presents: How One Man Changed Australian Life Forever - a new biography chronicling the wild, chaotic, and pioneering life of promoter Lee Gordon.
The book, released a few weeks ago, has already received strong praise.
“The reviews have been really good - it was the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age non-fiction pick of the week when it came out, and the
reader response has been fantastic,” said Apter.
“I’ve had a steady stream of emails from people saying things like, ‘I’m so glad someone finally wrote a book about this guy,’ or, ‘I was at one of his shows - it was the wildest night of my life, and I’m 75 now.’ One lady told me about smoking dope with Johnny.”
Still, Apter says the book wasn’t an easy sell.
“Because Gordon wasn’t a public figure - or at least not as well known as most of the people I’ve written about - it was quite hard to get a publisher interested,” he said.
pitch. I started putting him in context: people know about Chugg, Harry M. Miller, and all the big-name promoters who came after. But what they don’t realise is that Lee Gordon created the industry here. Once I framed it like that, it was a much easier sell.”
Part of the appeal of the book is the unpredictability of Gordon’s life. One chapter he’s introducing Frank Sinatra to Australian audiences. The next, he opens a roller derby. Lee Gordon Presents: How One Man Changed Australian Life Forever is out now. Jeff will launch the book at Kiama Library on 9 August. Tickets are free and available at: https://www.trybooking.com/ events/landing/1413354
Travel is enriching but things don't always go to plan
By Carol Goddard
There is no doubt about it. Travel enriches. It broadens the mind, introduces you to other cultures, presents you with experiences, places, foods, lifestyles and fashions that you may never have encountered before.
The sheer excitement and stimulation of overseas travel can however also have an irritating downside.
Sometimes things do not go to plan.More often than not in my travelling life, things just about never go to plan. As long as it isn't a life threatening change, or a dangerous one, that's totally fine with me.
It will most definitely appeal to my adventurous spirit. Almost always.
But then there are those travel glitches, those little annoyances which make me momentarily contemplate why I travel at all.Such as the accommodation which isn't quite what I expected, or paid for.
Hubby, two young children and I arrive in Kingston Jamaica. We are shown to our rooms, the kids are irascible, it's definitely time for a rest before we hit the streets. The 10-year-old complains of noises in his room and the 12-year-old agrees.
I employ selective deafness, escape to my room and lie down on the bed. Then I hear noises too. Coming from above my head. Squeaking, mewling noises. Hubby goes to investigate.
We'd noticed on our arrival a few cats slinking around the reception area.
They were permanent residents of the hotel, entering via a small roof hole and living comfortably in the ceiling of our twin rooms.
Now these days, it's possible to prebook places that you know are going to be crazily busy. A Skip The Queue prepaid ticket is a wonderful thing.
But back in the day, let's just say I spent a fair bit of my travel life waiting, waiting, waiting.
And generally when I finally arrived, whether it be the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, or the Mona Lisa in the Louvre, I'd be jostling for a view, given I'm also vertically challenged.
And now, and I've saved the worst for last, my pet grievance, the transfer who doesn't turn up.
Imagine, once again travelling with young children, arriving late at night into a foreign airport after a very long and tiring journey.
You can't speak the local language, you don't as yet have a working phone, and you are without local currency.
There's no need for concern because you have already paid for a representative of your travel company to meet you and transfer you to your accommodation. Couldn't be easier. Except the transfer doesn't turn up.
This has happened so many times to me over the years, that I now come to expect it. But back in my early travelling days, being stranded in an airport for a time was intimidating to say the least.
We were backpacking with two of our young children and Cuba was the destination. Fabulous Cuba, stamping ground pf Hemingway, the place of music and dance and Cuban cigars and black beans and rice, and Mojito and Cuba Libre.And old vintage American cars.
As a treat, we had prebooked an old limousine to take us to our hotel from the airport. And of course it didn't arrive. Leaving us stranded.
The kids bunked down on their backpacks on the airport floor and promptly fell asleep while hubby searched for help. I just stood guard over the kids while inhaling the blue air, as cigar smoke curled its way all around us.
Hubby managed to find help and finally we were on a local bus to our hotel, at 1am. I rue to this day that I didn't learn Spanish.
Years later,and in another part of the world, it happened again. No limousine was booked this time, just someone waiting for us in the pickup area at the airport with a little piece of paper with our name on it. Please be there.
Just as riots were erupting in Athens, we arrived at the airport, child free, to start our dream trip to Greece. Our hotel was in the Old Town, the Plaka, walking distance from Syntagma Square, which also happened to be the centre of the unrest.
All of this we were unaware of, until we were forced to hail a taxi.
Yes, our transfer hadn't arrived.
He was possibly a rioter, or at least caught in traffic.
As were we, in our taxi.
After many detours, during which we were stopped more than once by riot police pursuing rioters, we arrive at our hotel. Our driver, speaking no English, nevertheless gets across to us that he only accepts cash, a detail overlooked by him at pickup.We have no cash.What ensued was scary then, funny now.
In no uncertain terms, I was encouraged to stay put in his taxi, with meter running, while hubby hurriedly found an ATM in a nearby hotel lobby.
Thankfully it worked. Paid in cash, the taxi driver sped off, having set me free. We could now start our Greek experience. After all these hiccups, and they have happened constantly over the years, I still have the travel bug. The glitches that weren't meant to happen, as long as no one is harmed, have made the best and most memorable stories.
Kiama return to Victory Lane by smashing Shamrocks
Lleyton Hughes
Kiama Rugby’s firstgrade side returned to their winning ways over the weekend with a dominant performance against the Woonona Shamrocks, running in eleven tries on their way to a commanding 67-12 victory.
After suffering just their second loss of the season last week to Campbelltown, Kiama were determined to bounce back - and with a scoreline like that, their statement was loud and clear.
“Coming into this game, there was a lot of tension and a bit of a ‘get back’ feeling,” said forward Dante Patrick.
“It took a while for us to get into our systems in the first half, but in the second half we really found it - and that’s when we started putting the points on.”
Once they got going, they got going. Kiama were clinical in their execution, with tries coming from Cade-Michael Patrick, Atu Taufa, Nico Cowley, Jeromy Cairns, Jack Hobbs, Junior Amone, Mick Taylor, and Donte Efaraimo and more.
Patrick said much of the week’s preparation focused on discipline and cutting out small errors after their second
loss of the season. “We hadn’t lost a game since Round 1, so it was easy to get complacent. Campbelltown were just too good on the day,” he admitted.
“Our ill-discipline let us down - making poor defensive decisions. We thought we could slip straight back into our patterns without giving them the respect they deserved. That’s what we needed to fix this week and we did a great job.”
The match took place at Kiama Showground as part of the Celtic Rugby Festival, which featured performances from the Kiama Pipe Marching Band, dancing by the Blackbird Academy of Irish Dance, and traditional Celtic food.
“It was a big turnout. The bagpipes were going, they had the Irish dancing - it was the kind of thing you see on TV,” said Patrick.
“To have something like that in our own backyard, and to be walked out and played out like that - it was unreal. We were really humbled and honoured.”
This season has also been a milestone one for several Kiama players. Simiki Lufe, Raynold Taufa and Cade Patrick both played their 50th games, while Patrick notched his 100th - a testament to the
strength and loyalty within the club.
“It was a huge honour for me, especially for this club,” Patrick said.
“To come back to where my old man started, and reach that milestone here, was really special. I was very humbled.
“There’s a lot of loyalty in our club.
“Seeing those guys get their flowers is importantyou’ve got to celebrate those achievements because, at the end of the day, they aren’t really small. That’s what keeps the morale high.
“Some of the younger boys will see those milestones and say, ‘I want to do that’.”
Next week, Kiama will face a major test in a 2024 grand final rematch against Shoalhaven.
When the two teams met earlier in the season, Kiama ended Shoalhaven’s 43-game winning streak, and the reigning premiers will no doubt be hunting revenge.
The match will be played at Shoalhaven Rugby Park as part of Digger’s Day, which will feature military displays, a Last Post ceremony, and an aftermatch function.
The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Keith Payne VC Veterans Benefit Group, supporting veterans.
Ava shines for NSW Country at Matildas Championships
Lleyton Hughes
Kiama Junior Football Club (KJFC) talent Ava Sloan represented the NSW Country U16s team at the Emerging Matildas Championships held in Sydney last week.
The six-day tournament showcases the next generation of football talent, with teams from all nine of Football Australia’s Member Federations competing, along with international guests from Malaysia.
Ava, who played for Kiama between the U6 and U9 age groups, was selected to represent NSW Country.
While the team had a mixed tournament - winning two games and losing three - Ava says the experience was worth far more than the results.
“I found the week so much fun, and the experience was definitely worth it,” said Ava.
“At first I didn’t know many people, so it was a bit harder, but I quickly got to know everyone - and they were all so nice.”
After a few close losses, NSW Country ended on a high note. “Sadly, the results didn’t quite go our way, especially in matches we were definitely capable of winning. But we worked hard together and came out with a win against Victoria and WA in our last match - and we got to sing the Country team song!” she said.
“Before the tournament, I was really focused on results and being the best. That still matters, of course, but I’ve come to realise the experience itself is what’s most important.”
Ava admitted to feeling nervous before the big games, but said those nerves faded once she stepped onto the pitch.“Before the games I’d get really nervous - especially when we were up against a great team, or if I was playing in a position I wasn’t very comfortable with,” she said.
“But as soon as each game started, all the nerves went away. Maybe it was because I had to focus on the game - or maybe it was just having my teammates there with me.”
Reflecting on her individual performance, Ava is both honest and humble.
“Overall, I feel like I had a pretty good tournament. I definitely had a mix of games - some where I made heaps of mistakes, and others where I was really happy with myself,” she said.
“But honestly, I don’t think I could’ve tried any harder - and that’s what really matters.”
Ava began playing football
at the age of five, joining Kiama FC when there were no all-girls teams available - so she played alongside her twin brother.
“I honestly had so much fun during those early years at Kiama,” she said. “I think my love for the game started there, and it’s the reason I’m still playing today. I just had too much fun!”
Now playing U16s for the Illawarra Stingrays, Ava trains up to six times a week. Her mum, Jackie, says Ava’s passion and energy have always been part of who she is.
“She’s like the Energiser Bunny,” said Jackie. “She’s always had boundless energy and a strong internal drive to give everything her all.
“It’s not unusual for her to squeeze in a surf between school and training - and she still stays on top of her schoolwork despite all the hours spent training and travelling. Team sports really suit her. She’s a social person who thrives on the connections she builds with teammates and coaches.”
Despite her age, Ava shows a remarkable sense of perspective. When asked who her favourite player is, her answer reflects not only admiration but also inspiration.
“Of course I look up to the Aussie Matildas - especially Caitlin Foord and Ellie Carpenter - but one player I admire a lot is Pelé, the retired Brazilian star,” she said.
“He shows that no matter where you come from, selfdetermination and hard work can take you anywhere. All you need is belief.”
Photos: Kiama Rugby Club
Celebration overshadows gloomy scoreline on Power’s Ladies Day
KLleyton Hughes
iama Power held their annual Ladies Day at Bonaira Oval over the weekend, celebrating the many women who contribute to and support the club. Unfortunately, the on-field results didn’t match the spirit of the occasion.
The Premier Division side was unable to continue its winning streak, falling to the
third-placed Wollongong Lions 75-24.
Committee member
Anthony Grady said the final score didn’t reflect the team’s true potential.
“We didn’t think the result on the day reflected what we’re actually capable of,” said Grady. “Unfortunately, we just didn’t fire any shots and never really got into the game to compete.”
The loss drops Kiama Power out of the coveted top four, making the path to finals qualification more challenging.
“It makes it a little harder for us to qualify as we head into the back end of the season. We play Northern Districts, the second-placed team, next week, so that will be a huge test,” Grady said. “But if we can get that win, we have the bye the following week, and we’ll be in a great position leading into the finals.”
The Women’s Premier Division team also suffered a disappointing loss, but Grady
noted they were missing several key players.
“They’ve played the Lions a few times this season, and this was the biggest margin,” he said. “It was just a combination of unavailability and being outplayed on the day.”
That loss also drops the women’s team out of the top four, but they’ll be looking to bounce back this week against a lower-placed Northern Districts side.
Despite the tough results, Grady said the overall atmosphere of the day remained positive, with the focus firmly on celebrating the women behind the club.
“It was a really fun afternoon. There are so many women who are part of and support the club in so many ways - they were all down at the clubhouse having a great time,” he said.
“The clean-up took a little while afterwards, which is always a good sign that everyone enjoyed themselves.”
All grades will take on Northern Districts at Hollymount Park in Woonona on Saturday.
IRB team goes back to back at Nationals
Lleyton Hughes
The Kiama Downs
Inflatable Row Boat (IRB) Team went backto-back over the weekend, securing their second overall Australian Masters Championship in as many years.
The team has now claimed the national title six times in the past eight years, regaining the crown in 2024 after a narrow miss in 2023.
The 15-member squad came from behind at South West Rocks, surging to the lead midway through the finals and holding off a strong challenge from Broadbeach and Caves Beach.
The highlight of the day for the club was a gold medal in the Masters Male Mass Rescue, earned by a team made up of Nathan Foster, Troy Kirkby, Maria Flor Santana De Castro, and Georgina Thomas.
Vice-captain Steve Strong said it was a massive achievement for a club of
“It's always special as a small club to take on the race against clubs with 50 or 60 competitors and enormous budgets,” said Strong.
“To be able to do it on a fairly tight budget, with not a lot of gear - it means a lot. It’s really special. Satisfying is probably the best way I could put it.”
In the end, Kiama Downs scraped through for the win, finishing on a total of 31 points. Close behind were Broadbeach on 29, and Caves Beach with 28.
“It was very tight,” Strong said. “It was neck and neck until the final event against those two big clubs. Caves
Beach probably had about 50 competitors, and I’m not sure about Broadbeach - but they seemed to be everywhere on the day, so I’m assuming a lot.”
Strong said the team’s success highlights not just competitive skill, but also the club’s rescue readiness.
“The rescue concept is what the competition's based on. So knowing that we’ve got very efficient crews on the beach at Kiama Downs doing their thing through the summer months is very comforting,” he said.
With celebrations wrapping up, the crew will now begin preparations for the start of the patrol season in early September.
The Bugle helping South Coast Cricket to get their reps up
Lleyton Hughes
South Coast’s junior representative cricket teams have trailed slightly behind regional benchmarks in recent years, with Illawarra sides often dominating competitions.
But South Coast Cricket’s Junior Development Officer (JDO), Trent Glover, is determined to change that.
Glover has been involved with the South Coast District Cricket Association in a coaching capacity for five years and stepped into the JDO role last year. He says there's plenty of potential to build on.
“Since I’ve been involved,
we’ve generally been a bit behind the benchmark for rep cricket,” Glover said.
“That’s something myself and the other coaches are working hard to change. Our results haven’t been terrible, but there's definitely room for improvement.”
In 2024, South Coast’s Under 18s boys won their interassociation competition, the Under 16s reached the final, the Under 14s struggled, and the Under 12s were winless.
But Glover says recent signs are promising.
“Just this past January, our Under 12s team won three out of five carnival games, so we’re seeing improvement. There’s
momentum building, but we know we can do better.”
To help raise the level of performance, Glover introduced a new head coach, Jack McDonald, a South Coast junior who also plays second grade for St George in the Sydney Premier Cricket competition - and rugby league for the Kiama Knights.
“Jack’s young, enthusiastic, and the kids really relate to him,” said Glover.
“He’s leading our winter development program.
“We’ve selected 20-player squads for the Under 12s, 14s, and 16s, and he’s already run two sessions. We’ve got three more to go before the season
starts in mid-September.”
“The goal is to expose more kids to the standards of rep cricket. We’ve got mixed ability levels - some are firsttimers, some have been playing for years - but the idea is that everyone takes something away to improve their game and help lift the standard of both rep and club cricket.”
The representative season begins in October, following the school holidays. The Under 12s, 14s, and 16s will compete against the five major cricketing associations across October and November, with the season concluding in January.
Glover believes building more competitive rep teams will help retain young players in the sport.
“I’ve seen participation numbers drop over the years - not just here, but across the country,” he said. “Exposure to rep cricket can help maintain kids' interest and excitement.”
“If they have some success, it fuels their passion. They bring that energy back to their clubs, and that helps strengthen local competitions too.
“Cricket’s a tough sport - you fail more than you succeed - so if we can give them the tools and opportunities to grow, they’re more likely to stick with it.”
In a significant development for 2025, South Coast has also entered Under 12 and Under 17 teams into the Sydney Youth Championships for the first time.
Those competitions will run during October and November, offering another high-level platform for junior talent to test themselves.
The Bugle has jumped on board as a sponsor and general manager Belle Wood is thrilled to be able to help South Coast’s junior program.
“Our region is a great place for junior sport and we here at The Bugle are pleased to be able to assist young cricketers reach their potential,” she said.
NSW Services Sebel Hotel Blue Haven Bonaira
Burnetts On Barney Kiama Smash Repairs Kiama Library IGA Gerringong Bowlo Gerroa Fishermans Club Newsagent
Kiama Downs’ size.
Kiama Downs’ trophies. Photo: Kiama Downs SLSC
The winning Kiama IRB Masters team.
Photo: Kiama Downs SLSC
KIAMA JFC
UNDER 12 GIRLS
U13 MIXED - DIVISION 3 KIAMA
UNDER 14 DIVISION 3 KIAMA JFC ALL AGE MALE - DIVISION 3
KIAMA JFC
KIAMA JFC
UNDER 15 MIXED DIVISION 3
UNDER 15 DIVISION 1 VS BULLI
Kiama Knights and Gerringong Lions claimed victories over the weekend in Round 13 of the Group 7 South Coast Rugby League, with both sides now sitting comfortably inside the top five.
Coming off a one-point win against the Shellharbour Sharks, the Lions went one better against the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs, clinching the match by just two points.
Played in Milton, it was the home side that struck first, scoring a try in the second minute. They followed it up with a spectacular effort in the ninth minute, as Jake
Walsh plucked a Jayden Millard kick out of the air for a try. It looked as though the score would remain 12-0 at halftime, but seconds before the siren, Lions five-eighth Jake Taylor turned Noah Parker inside to score next to the posts.
Gerringong needed to hit back after the break, and in the 55th minute, Toby Gumley-Quine broke through the Milton defence, running 40 metres to score a brilliant solo try and level the scores at 12-12 Ten minutes later, a clever short-side play allowed James Kunkler to cross in the corner. However, an unsuccessful conversion from Taylor kept the score at 16-12. With 10 minutes to go, Milton
were attacking Gerringong’s line when halfback Jayden Millard put up a bomb, chased it and capitalised on a fumble by the Gerringong fullback to reclaim the lead at 18-16.
The game appeared to be over, but in a dramatic finish, Kunkler grubber-kicked near the sideline.
The ball ricocheted off a Milton player’s leg, and Kunkler kicked it again - twice - before Tyrell Taione grounded the ball millimetres from the dead-ball line, sealing a stunning game-winner for Gerringong.
“It’s always a tough road trip down to Milton. We started slow, but I was impressed with how we changed the momen-
Knights dominate, Lions snatch late win
tum with our kick chase and defence,” said Lions captain Nathan Ford.
“It was great to get a late win.
“We’re starting to win some of those close ones, which will put us in a good position for the games coming up at the end of the season.”
Lions coach Scott Stewart reflected on the tight finals race: “The competition is so close at the moment.
“It’s crucial that you turn up every week because everyone’s been beating everyone. So it’s really important.”
In a sign of just how unpredictable the competition is, league leaders Shellharbour Sharks suffered an unexpect-
ed loss to Albion Park-Oak Flats.
Meanwhile, the Knights hosted Berry and even though the Magpies were coming off a strong win against Nowra-Bomaderry, they were no match for an in-form Kiama side.
The Knights dominated early, scoring three unanswered tries in the first half through Kye Andrews, Callan Thistlethwaite, and Tom Atkins.
Leading 16-0 at halftime, Kiama halfback Cameron Vazzoler sliced through the defence to score right after the break. Ashton Thurgate added another try in the 54th minute to extend the lead to 26-0.
Berry did manage a wellworked consolation try off a
long cut-out pass, but Kiama had the final say with Atkins crossing again in the 63rd minute - his second of the day.
Injured fullback Brad Kilmore praised the team’s defensive effort.
“The boys played very well. It was a great defensive effort - only letting in one try - and so good to get back in the winning circle.It’ll hopefully get us some momentum for the back end of the year.”
Looking ahead, Kiama will host Milton-Ulladulla this Sunday, while Gerringong will take on Albion Park-Oak Flats on Saturday at Michael Cronin Field. Jamberoo, who had the bye this week, will face Berry at home on Saturday.
Lleyton Hughes
Kiama dominated Berry. Photo @SticksPix_
Kye Andrews scores.
Photo @SticksPix_