Kiama Council’s recent decision to refuse the Fillmore’s development application - an initiative that would have allowed the venue to operate as a bar and restaurant and improve its viability through extended operating hours - has struck a nerve across the community. What makes the decision particularly contentious is not merely the outcome, but the apparent disregard for the overwhelming public support recorded during the public exhibition and submissions process. When hundreds of people line up in favour of an idea meant to revitalise the town’s cultural, economic and nighttime ecosystem, the question arises: whose interest, exactly, does “public interest” represent? The Fillmore’s proposal was no fringe experiment - indeed, Council’s refusal is the latest in a long line of tete-a-tetes between Fillmore’s and Council. After accepting they had breached Council’s noise controls, Fillmore’s embarked upon a development application to restore local live music to a post-pandemic landscape still straining for colour and connection. In a town built on the draw of its coastal charm and village vibrancy, supporters saw live performance not as noise, but as activation - both cultural and commercial. Community sentiment reflected an understanding of development, arts and the local economy as a living process, not simply bricks and decibels.Yet Council cited quite a list of community concerns ranging from noise, compliance, safety, waste management, signage, "concealment and ambush opportunities", and inconsistencies with the objective of the local zoning, and opted to refuse the application. There is, of course, a legitimate role for caution in planning and development decisions. These are decisions that when made, are almost impossible to reverse and regulation ensures growth remains consistent with local character. But when "public interest" is deployed as a veto rather than a balancing test, it risks becoming a shield against change rather than a tool for inclusive progress.Public interest is not a static concept. It evolves with the community that defines it. In this case, the submissions process - meant as a democratic mechanism for gauging sentiment - offered rare (almost) unanimity. The refusal, despite this consensus, suggests an institutional disconnect between procedural decision-making and lived community aspiration. Or perhaps is there something more sinister at play?Last August, Council applied for and received $200,000 of State Government (taxpayer) money to establish a “Special Entertainment Precinct”. At the time, Mayor Cameron McDonald said the grant was a "fantastic opportunity to support live music, strengthen our hospitality sector, and give visitors and locals more reasons to enjoy Kiama after dark". On the face of it, the refusal of the DA seems completely inconsistent with this grant.Otherwise, where else is this "special entertainment" supposed to occur, if not on Manning Street, in the centre of town? Council’s rejection may technically align with planning controls, but culturally, it appears to step against the rhythm of its own residents and its own NSW Government-sponsored aspirations. Social media is alight with dozens of people expressing their shock, disbelief and anger at this outcome where it’s been reported that 92% of public submissions were in support of the proposal. In our fair town, we’re used to the opposite, so it does make us think – who is the public, and has their interest been served?

At 62, Rose Leamon is still setting the pace.The long-time ocean swimmer stunned herself - and much of the field - by winning her age category at this year’s Coal Classic 5km ocean swim, also finishing ninth overall among all female competitors.“I honestly thought if I was lucky, I’d be battling for third or fourth,” Leamon said.Last year, she missed the podium by a fraction, finishing fourth by just one-hundredth of a second. This time, she stood on top of it.“I’m blown away,” she said. “It was unexpected, but I’m absolutely delighted.”The win marks her third of the year, just the previous weekend she won the 60 Plus race at the 2.2km Mollymook Ocean Swim, while on 8 February she led the pack home in the 60 Plus category of the North Bondi Classic 2km event.Leamon has been swimming most of her life. Raised on a farm in northern New South Wales, she joined swim squads at 11 and never really stopped - apart from a decade-long break after moving to Sydney for her first job.It was in her late 20s that she discovered ocean swimming, encouraged by former Olympian and coach Graham Brewer to take her pool fitness into the surf.“At that time, ocean swimming as a sport was still developing. There was no peak body, and only about 10 Sydney beaches hosted swims, mostly as surf club fundraisers,” she said.“I was 29 when I did my first event - the Palm Beach to Whale Beach swim, about 2.5 kilometres - and I’ve never stopped since. I fell in love with it straight away.”Unlike pool swimming, which centres on short, explosive races, the ocean offered rhythm and continuity - no tumble turns, no lane ropes, just open water and steady pace.“I like continuous swimming. Just getting into a rhythm and getting lost in the moment,” she said. “It feels nurturing - like being enveloped in a big hug.”Rose at the North Bondi Classic. Photo: Gerringong Surf ClubNow a member of the Werri Point Swimmers in Gerringong, Leamon has been so enthusiastic about the support she’s received from the group.“The group is wonderfully supportive. Most members swim for enjoyment, saltwater immersion and connection rather than competition, but they’re incredibly encouraging of those of us who race,” she said.The Coal Classic was one of her main goals of the season and in addition to winning her over-50 age category, Leamon’s ninth-place overall female finish was particularly meaningful given the event’s broad age divisions.“They only have two categories - under 50 and over 50 - and I’m 62,” she said. “So to come ninth overall was a real surprise.”While the podium finish was a thrill, it’s clear what keeps her returning to the water.“It’s the community, the rhythm, the ocean,” she said. “I just love it.”Next on Rose’s list is The Captain Christie at Werri Beach on 18 April.

There was music, laughter and even a little Elton John drifting through Gerringong Library and Museum this week as Marilyn Martin led a lively Joyous Movement session for Seniors Festival.Thirteen people – including one brave gentleman – turned up for what Martin describes as “a taster of all different aspects” of her work. That meant everything from singing bowls and meditation to qigong stretches, chair yoga, balance work and, of course, dancing.“I’ve got a fairly big toolkit,” Martin said. “I can draw on it to work with people at different levels.”Participants were encouraged to work to their own abilities, with options offered throughout. “You have to take people a little beyond their comfort zone,” she said. “That way you learn, you grow.”At one point, partners worked together to upbeat music, focusing on coordination and cooperation.“One woman said it was the first time she’d held hands like that since COVID,” Martin said. “It’s about supporting each other.”A veteran of the original Life. Be in it. campaign in the 1980s, Marilyn still lives by its catchcry: “Move it, don’t lose it.”She says dance in particular is powerful – good for cognitive ability, fitness and social connection all at once. “It’s not just about copying. You have to think. You have to use your brain.”The session finished the way all good mornings should – chairs pushed back for a dance to Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Marilyn runs regular “Sit, Stand - Be Fit!” on Wednesdays and Dancercise on Thursdays (except for the first week of the month) at the Berry Uniting Church Hall. More information can be found here: https://marilynmartin.com.au/ 

RSL NSW acting president, Brigadier Vince Williams, will visit Shoalhaven Heads as part of a statewide Listening Tour aimed at securing the future of local sub-branches and veteran support services.Membership has increased by more than 200 per cent since 2015 and the average age of members is falling, and services supporting veterans and their families have expanded significantly across the state. RSL NSW is also confronting serious challenges. Across NSW, many local sub-branches are under financial and operational pressure. Rising costs, ageing infrastructure, uneven access to resources and increasing compliance demands mean that without change, some communities risk losing local veteran support in the years ahead.Brigadier Williams and the RSL NSW leadership team will meet with representatives from sub-branches across Berry, Bowral, Braidwood, Bundanoon, Corrimal, Austinmer, Shoalhaven Heads, Bomaderry, Callala Beach, Crookwell, Coledale, Culburra Beach, Gerringong, Huskisson, Kiama-Jamberoo, Ulladulla, Moss Vale, Nowra, Sussex Inlet, Warilla, Albion Park, Goulburn, Wollongong and Bulli.The Bugle recently reported that Gerringong RSL is facing an uncertain future as membership in the town dwindles.The listening tour is designed to meet directly with the veteran volunteers who make up the grassroots membership of the state’s leading ex-service organisation. “Our network of more than 300 sub-Branches is on the frontline supporting veterans and their families in cities and towns right across NSW,” he said.“They are where veterans connect, where wellbeing support begins, and where service and sacrifice are honoured at a community level. "Protecting that local presence is one of the most important responsibilities of this organisation.”The Listening Tour sessions will give members a direct voice in shaping RSL NSW’s next Strategic Plan. Discussions focus on what is working well locally, what support is needed, and what must change to ensure long-term sustainability for veteran services across the state.“This is not about imposing solutions from Sydney,” Williams said.“It’s about listening carefully, understanding local realities, and making sure the decisions we take as a League strengthen sub-branches rather than weaken them.”Williams said the future of RSL NSW depends on honest conversations and a willingness to modernise, while remaining true to the organisation’s purpose.“The Returned & Services League has been part of Australian communities for generations,” he said.“If we want it to remain strong for the next generation of veterans, we need to adapt together. That starts with listening.”

Kiama Council has responded to widespread community backlash over last week’s refusal of the development application at Manning Street cafe Fillmore’s.The venue is seeking to expand its operations to trade as a bar and restaurant later into evenings.However, Council staff rejected the application, citing a range of issues behind the decision, including noise concerns and impact on existing developments.Council issued a statement on Thursday acknowledging there had been plenty of community support for the development proposal but “unfortunately the development application as it stands was unable to be approved after detailed assessment by staff”.The report compiled by Council officers identified valid land use planning issues relating to pedestrian and public safety, land encroachment, access, lack of laneway right of use, acoustic impacts and compliance with applicable planning and regulatory requirementsCouncil said it was committed to working through issues and maintaining open lines of communication with Fillmore’s.“Community submissions, for and against, were also considered and do form part of the assessment process, however, Council staff must consider a wide range of statutory and planning matters.“Unfortunately, the application did not adequately address these issues at the submission and assessment stages and was therefore unable to be approved.”The Council statement added that “staff undertake their roles in good faith and in accordance with delegations and statutory obligations.“Planning decisions are not personal, they are based on land use and statutory considerations. Council respects the right of community members to have views and reactions to decisions whether they support or disagree with the decision.”Fillmore’s owner Morgan Lewis has received plenty of support from local residents after posting on social media his disappointment at Council’s decision “despite a ‘record number of submissions’ from the community and 92% of those being in support of our application”.“This has come as a shock to all of us & we were inundated over the weekend with support & complete confusion from our community.“Fillmore's has become such an integral part of our town and plays such a big role much more broadly as a cultural hub & key component for touring musicians.“We worked tirelessly with the (Council) team for the past 14 months, attending 4 official meetings and 2 site meetings where we welcomed any issues raised and our consultants addressed them, adding necessary reports to support the application.“Every meeting there was a new list longer than the last and every list comes with a large bill as we continue to engage lawyers, acoustic engineers, traffic consultants, building code consultants, architects, town planners & surveyors."Have we got this wrong, Is this not what our community desires?”He added that Fillmore’s “truly want what’s best for our community and we will always fight for the arts, for live & all original music, for safe & inclusive spaces, for a community that is not mono demographic, for variety, for a space free of gambling, for fun, for nights that open our mind culturally and light a fire within us reminding us what we love & why we love it.”Lewis reiterated that Fillmore's remains open and they will “dust ourselves off & keep moving forward for the greater good”.

KIAMA SEVENS RUGBY UNION - THE KIAMA TEAM

Kiama & Shoalhaven Community College has confirmed it is not leaving Kiama, as negotiations continue with Council over its Railway Parade premises.Gia Frino, Communications Specialist for the College, said the organisation remains in discussions with Kiama Council about its future location within the township.“We’re still negotiating with Council about exactly where we will be within Kiama,” she said. “We will still have a campus in Kiama as well as Shoalhaven. We definitely don’t want to lose that presence.”The College currently leases its Railway Parade site from Council. Discussions are underway regarding the future use of the building, which also houses the library and Family History Centre, but no final decision has been made.“We’re definitely still there at the moment,” Frino said. “The CEO is still in negotiations and spoke again recently this week. We’re working through the process.”She stressed that even if the College does not remain in a Council-owned building, it will secure another location within Kiama.“Kiama is our bones – our origin story. Regardless of what happens with Council and their plans for the building, we will find somewhere within Kiama to maintain a presence.”The update comes as the College formally announces a major expansion at the University of Wollongong’s Shoalhaven campus.The College described the establishment of new premises in Building 306 at UOW Shoalhaven as “a significant milestone in its growth” and “a new chapter in the College’s mission to provide high-quality, accessible education to the region.”The expansion allows the College to access modern facilities and strengthen ties with the higher education sector, enhancing pathways for students.While expanding in Shoalhaven, the College says it is “carefully managing a transition” of its Kiama facilities and remains in proactive discussions with Council.“Our presence in Kiama is a priority for the board,” CEO Linda Livingstone said. “While the physical ‘footprint’ of our offices may change, our commitment to the Kiama community is unwavering."We are working closely with local stakeholders to ensure that our presence remains effective, efficient, and focused on our students.”Growth in Shoalhaven has been driven in part by increasing enrolments at Shoalhaven River College, the organisation’s independent high school, which caters to students seeking alternative learning pathways.Plans are underway to construct a dedicated high school building at the UOW Shoalhaven campus, with funding recently secured and pre-development discussions completed.Across the region, enrolment trends vary.Shoalhaven has seen strong demand from younger students transitioning from school into vocational pathways, while Kiama and the Illawarra continue to focus heavily on community partnerships and short courses delivered in collaboration with organisations including the Red Cross, CareSouth, Warrigal and the Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra.The Colleges operates in the Eurobodalla region in partnership with South Coast Community College and runs a specialist Hair and Beauty Academy and an Outdoor Academy across the Illawarra and South Coast.A newly updated strategic plan and an upcoming rebrand aim to unify the organisation’s various campuses and programs as it enters what Frino described as “a growth and revamp stage.”“These changes are part of a broader strategy to ensure the College remains sustainable and focused on its core vision: Building Positive Pathways in the community by educating, empowering, and connecting,” the statement said.

Kiama Downs Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) held the inaugural Kiama Lifeguards Shootout at Jones Beach on Saturday afternoon, bringing together lifeguards from this season and previous years for a fun end-of-season competition.The event saw participants riding rescue boards and being judged on their performance in the surf.“It was a bit of fun overall - that was the theme of the day - but it was also about the guys and girls showcasing their skills on the rescue boards,” said Kiama Downs SLSC lifeguard Joel Trist. Some of the action at Jones Beach last weekend. Photo: Joel Trist“It’s the sort of thing that can be utilised day-to-day when they’re out there on the job.”The competition featured guest judges, including Drew Cairncross, who previously competed in Ironman events, and a member from Wollongong Council.“They had a bit of fun judging throughout the day as the rounds went on,” he said.Blake Rogers and Tom Fennelly faced off in the final, with Fennelly ultimately taking the win.Conditions exceeded expectations, with organisers initially anticipating rain and large surf.“We were really lucky,” Trist said. “It ended up being a really nice sunny day with some really fun waves down at Jones Beach.”Beyond the competition, the event also served to strengthen team bonds.“A lot of us don’t get the chance to work with each other throughout the season because we’re on different shifts,” he said. “It’s good camaraderie - getting everyone together for a fun time - while also showcasing our skills. There was a bit of carnage as well, which is always a good laugh.”Although the patrol season officially wrapped up the previous weekend, the shootout acted as a celebratory finale.Reflecting on the season, Trist described it as a positive one overall.“We had a few rainy days here and there, but overall it was probably better than other seasons in terms of the number of rescues we had to do,” he said.A new recruit this year, Trist said he had found the experience rewarding, working alongside more seasoned lifeguards such as Brendan Wall, who has more than 20 years’ experience.“Overall, it was really enjoyable - it’s always good to be down at the beach helping out the community,” he said.

What started as a small business to help her son Harrison earn money for a mountain bike has grown into a thriving local enterprise. After years of juggling two jobs, Nicola Hallam has now dedicated herself entirely to Bin Concierge, expanding the service area and strengthening its presence across Kiama and surrounding suburbs.Launched in 2022, Bin Concierge helped Harrison achieve his goal of buying his dream bike and while he moved on to school, friends and a typical teenage life, the business itself continued thanks to Hallam’s dedication.For several years, she balanced running Bin Concierge alongside a physically demanding full-time delivery role. Days were long, and evenings were spent cleaning bins.“It was a very tough transition … I never really felt efficient because my full-time job took over me. I was already just so tired from delivering parcels for 12 hours a day,” Hallam said.Despite the challenges, she never lost faith in the business. “I just always had this vision that it could grow into something really solid for the community. I love being out in the community. I love that connection,” she said.Four weeks ago, Hallam took a “massive leap” – resigning from her full-time delivery role to put all her energy into Bin Concierge. The shift allows her to focus on sales, marketing and proactive growth, something she admits the business lacked while she was juggling both roles.“I was just responding before, and now I’m being proactive and really marketing the business as it should have been in the beginning,” she said.A new website is in development and marketing efforts are ramping up with calls, promotions, leaflet drops and canvassing. Hallam says the community response has been powerful.“People genuinely enjoy having their bins cleaned. It’s one of those services that makes a real difference to everyday life,” she said.The service area is growing rapidly. Originally focused on Kiama Downs and Minnamurra, Bin Concierge now reaches Calderwood, Tullimbar, Shell Cove, Shellharbour, Oak Flats and as far south as Gerringong.“My afternoons are pretty full. From about one o’clock onwards, I’m out cleaning bins,” Hallam said.Operating from her home – which previously housed her beauty therapy business before COVID lockdowns – the space is being transformed into her Bin Concierge office. While the work remains physical, focusing on one business has brought renewed energy and clarity.“It’s still a big day, but now all my effort is going into something I’m building for myself and my family,” Hallam said.“It’s definitely a leap of faith, but the demand is there, and now I can finally give the business 100 per cent,” she said.With marketing underway and interest growing in surrounding suburbs, Bin Concierge is poised for its next phase. “I’m eating, sleeping, dreaming and working Bin Concierge,” Hallam said. “I’m really excited about where it’s heading.”What started as a simple idea to help her son reach a goal has become a fully fledged local business built on persistence, community connection and the courage to take the next step.For more information email [email protected] or contact 0437 000 571.

A teenager has been charged with multiple offences, following a number of alleged break and enters in Kiama and Bombo.Lake Illawarra Police District Anti-theft Unit started investigations last month following an increase in break and enter offences in the two towns.Following investigations, officers attended a home in Warilla about 10am on Tuesday.A 16-year-old boy was arrested and taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station.He was charged with eight offences - goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, two counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, aggravated break and enter dwelling etc in company steal less than or equal to $60000, dispose property-theft=serious indictable offence greater than $5000, aggravated break and enter within intent- knowing person there, larceny and shoplifting.He was refused bail and appeared in a children’s court on Tuesday where he was formally refused bail to reappear in the same court next Tuesday.Police will allege in court the teenager was involved in a number of break and enters at homes between February and March where a number of items were stolen including e-bikes and e-bike charges.

Shellharbour Airport will launch its first free art exhibition on Wednesday, March at 6pm, with award-winning artist Anna Glynn transforming the terminal into a vibrant cultural space.Glynn, who was most recently selected as a finalist in the national biennial Alice Prize, will present a collection of early works created between the 1990s and 2010s.“Most of the work depicts various places on the South Coast, with myths and tales from history transposed onto the landscapes,” Glynn said.The exhibition features pieces from the Bundanon Series, in which theatrical characters of the local bush appear in vivid colour, alongside the playful Squid Juggling on Jervis Bay, a lively self-portrait filled with spray and sky.Fauna - both imagined and real - feature in works such as Sussex Inlet and Kangaroo Valley Myth.Further inside the terminal is one of the exhibition’s highlights: a nine-panel painting titled Shoalhaven Drowning.The nine-panel painting titled Shoalhaven Drowning. Photo: Anna Glynn“It is nine panels, and quite a monumental work which was last shown in Shanghai, where I was invited by DFAT to represent Australia as part of the Australian Pavilion at the Shanghai International Art Fair in 2007,” Glynn said.“Shellharbour Council and Airport have been so generous with their time and support, creating a space for art to be hung and enjoyed. It has been a great experience working with them.”She draws inspiration from the way places shift and change over time.“Whenever I’m in a place, I imagine its past. My mind is constantly picturing different images in the landscape, and that’s where I usually get my inspiration to create paint,” she said.Art curator Dr Natalie McDonagh has said of Anna Glynn’s works that “you may find yourself having an Alice-Through-the-Looking-Glass experience, entering a strange world. It may be unnerving at times, but you will be rewarded in ways impossible to predict.”Glynn said she was honoured to inaugurate the airport’s new cultural chapter.“It really is a beautiful space. You’ve got the gallery and the café, and then the view across the runway is to the mountains and the Illawarra Escarpment. It’s a unique setting, and it’s been wonderful to revisit my older works and be surprised by what I’ve created throughout my career, and let them breathe life into this new space” she said.The exhibition, titled Anna Glynn: South Coast Myths Tales - Early Works Gathered, Autobiographical & Imagined, 1990s–2010s, runs from Thursday, 5 March, to Tuesday, 21 April 2026, and is free to attend.

KIAMA SEVENS RUGBY UNION 5

In a rain-affected week for Kiama Cricket Club, only two lower-grade matches went ahead, with the fourth-graders keeping their finals hopes alive.After three straight losses, the Cavaliers travelled to Albion Park looking to revive their season.Kiama won the toss and elected to bat, with openers William and Glenn Coghlan putting on a 22-run partnership to give the visitors a steady start.Two strong middle-order stands of 71 and 55 runs lifted Kiama to 187 from 35 overs.“Adam McCrone once again exerted his dominance, blasting 50 not out from 34 balls while sharing a strong partnership with his son Reilly, who made 38 from 74,” said Kiama Cavaliers president Bernie Brown.“Ollie Wilson shone in the latter overs, posting 41 not out from 40.”Kiama struck early with the ball, with Giles Brown claiming a wicket in the opening over to leave Albion Park at 1-0.“Giles has been fantastic with the ball this season, taking regular wickets with accuracy,” Brown said.Brown removed the second opener in his next over, but Albion Park’s middle order responded to reach 4-128 and threaten the chase.However, Kiama’s bowlers regained control, restricting Albion Park to 7-163 from their 35 overs as the required run rate climbed out of reach.Giles Brown finished with three wickets, while McCrone, Wilson and Tyson Crawford claimed one apiece.“Fourth grade have their final round this week before heading into the finals on 14 March,” Brown said. “It’s been an excellent effort from a great development squad of fathers and sons.”Third grade also took the field in a reduced-overs match due to poor outfield conditions.“Batting first, the Cavs started slowly in the first 10 overs due to some tight swing bowling and heavy field conditions,” Brown said.Kiama found themselves in trouble at 2-31 before a 46-run partnership between Nathan Battishall (22) and opener Brendan Czulowski (46) steadied the innings, helping the Cavaliers post 7-139.In reply, Kiama started well with disciplined bowling from Rob Denny and Darcy Parker, who finished with 2-15.“Although several crucial chances were put down at key stages, allowing the Kookas to pass the total with two overs to spare,” Brown said.Third grade are out of finals contention but will play Lake Illawarra this Saturday in their final match of the season.This week, first grade face Bomaderry at Artie Smith Oval and will be looking to secure a win to cement their finals spot. Second grade host Lake Illawarra and remain an outside chance of playing finals with a victory.The Cavettes’ final game was abandoned, with the side finishing the season one place outside the top four.

Over the six-week Christmas holiday period, many families with young children took off on a "much looked forward to" camping trip, hoping weather and good fortune would be kind to them.We all know family relationships can be a delicate balancing act. Especially when planning an excursion.Everyone right down to the lowly four-year-old has an opinion on where they want to go and what they want to do, so the planning stage for the trip will inevitably be loud and raucous, with the outcome hopefully being democratic.Everyone gets their say. But then, making a decision for the family requires the utmost patience, diplomacy, and most of all, persuasive skills … and crossed fingers.So just imagine a family of strong personalities, differing tastes and varied ages, making plans for a summer camping weekend together, in a remote bush setting. No running water, no electricity, no pool or beach, lots of flies and scorchingly hot temperatures. Miraculously, everyone is In. The Fam camp is a goer.What could possibly go wrong?With planning, and refined planning, what ensues is a ton of equipment and food and bevies and then more equipment, for a two-day odyssey.There is no designated leader, as that would probably result in insubordination, and worse, insurrection. This is going to be a combined effort family weekend. Or that's what is planned.But sometimes, the best laid plans ...The family between them has varied means of transport and accommodation for the trip, ranging from two caravans, to a ute complete with awning, pullout kitchen and swags, to a double mattress in the back of a 4WD. Enough to comfortably accommodate the seven adults, two teens and 10-year-old.They hope.Weather is always going to have a huge impact on what transpires while camping. And so does the actual campsite, this one thankfully cleared, but crisp underfoot due to current severe drought conditions.The campsite also has a formidable slope, which makes setting up fractious. And tediously long.Just as in the Old West movies of Hollywood, when the wagons heading to California protected themselves from attack by forming a circle, so too the family sets up its camp. Wind direction, and where to access shade in these sultry conditions is critical.As is the necessity for making lots of room for games to take place. Because there is no internet here, no reception and therefore no devices. It's camping, which means bringing out the Finska, and Boules, and Archery and Golfsticks, and having good old fashioned fun.Nothing takes place. Not a game is played.The wind is so strong, and the heat so furnace-like from early in the morning that it's a case of just sitting around.Interminably. And continually checking tent pegs and ropes.This sitting around doesn't appeal. It's boring. Camping is supposed to be fun, right?No campfire can happen, it's a total fire ban.It's too early for a beer.The teens are already edgy and therefore irritating to the adults and, all in all, things are beginning to look a little grim.The family live on the coast, and they all love the water.They're not used to these harsh inland conditions.They need to get out of this heat.There's a dam 25 minutes away, by 4WD through the bush.The convoy sets off for relief from the heat which is way fiercer than what they're used to on the coast.The dam looks spectacular from the road, so inviting. A seriously hot blustery wind is forming whitecaps on the water surface as they get closer. Time to cool off.The water up close is pea green, with masses of weed and zero visibility. But it's wet and cool and soothing. Everyone in!Or almost everyone. One teen is suspicious of what may be in that water. She covers up in towels like a desert dweller and sits on a rock watching everyone else. Until, so hot, she braves the unknown and makes her way tentatively into the dam.There's a smell in the air, at first barely there, but then unmistakable.Ten-year-old takes off along the bank to investigate, excitedly returning to report a dead sheep and roo further along. Much consternation and comment.And by this point in the afternoon, for the adults, much thirst, which means back to camp, for beer.Out come the cheese and bikkies, the chips, all manner of unhealthy, delicious nibbles. And the beer. That first cold fizzy sip on a very hot day after a 4WD adventure and swim in an isolated dam, there simply are no words.Late afternoon waiting for the wind to drop and the heat to subside, there is much storytelling, lots of shenanigans involving a blow-up couch which becomes the target for unending divebombing hilarity, and much laughter.Simple fun.The grand finale: stargazing.Lamps and torches are turned off.The family look up from their camp chairs, and the now seriously deflated blow-up couch, and the awesomeness of all those twinkling stars, the revelation, the beauty, brings a silence. It is so quiet, so peaceful. The family will sleep well. Bacon and eggs for breakfast tomorrow, with very bad coffee.Then the big pack-up.Was all the planning and the effort worth it? Hell yeah.

After launching WHOW – Windows Helping Other Widows – last year, Marion Rattray says the group is still evolving, but its purpose is becoming clearer.“There’s quite a few widows in our church,” Rattray says. “And all of a sudden I was one of them.”Following the loss of her husband, she felt a calling to create a space where widows could find connection and mutual support.The group held its inaugural meeting late last year, welcoming an initial circle of 10 women.Early sessions centred on sharing stories, bringing photos of husbands and talking openly about grief. For Marion, the experience was still raw and very personable.As the months passed, she noticed something.Women who had been widowed for many years found revisiting grief wasn’t always helpful.“It took them back to grieving,” she says. “And they’d finished their grieving.”That realisation became a turning point. WHOW has gradually shifted towards a more relaxed, friendship-focused approach – still grounded in shared understanding, but lighter in tone.The new atmosphere is simple and welcoming: tea, coffee, biscuits and conversation, sometimes even games from the church cupboard. The emphasis is on companionship – women supporting one another face to face.“They say men talk shoulder to shoulder, but women talk face to face,” says. “If they have problems, they can ask around in the group and just be there for each other.”While WHOW is not a formal counselling service, Rattray is mindful that some women may need additional support. A qualified counsellor has previously spoken to the group, and Rattray can help connect members with local professional grief counselling services if needed.Her hope for the group is that widows, whether newly bereaved or many years on, feel welcome and accepted.“I just hope it’ll be there for widows – whether they’ve been widows a long time or a short time – and that they find some friendship there they might not find outside.”For anyone hesitant about attending: “Just come along. We’ve all been there. We don’t bite,” she said. WHOW meets at 2pm on the third Thursday of each month in the lecture hall at Kiama Uniting Church. New members are welcome.

Local music duo Shoal Vibes are thrilled to be joining the party for the Kiama Jazz and Blues weekend.It’ll be Sunday Sips with a difference at the Kiama Surf Life Saving Club from 3pm-7pm as they focus on Jazz and Blues classics for the occasion. Shoal Vibes singer Kathleen Lawson and guitarist John T bring a wealth of experience and talent to their newest musical venture, combining great skills with quality music. For this weekend, they’ve curated a whole new playlist, including their signature set ‘Ella swings gently with Willie’, showcasing the smooth jazz style of Ella Fitzgerald and the mellow blues tones of Willie Nelson.“It’s a really interesting combination”, Kathleen says. “We’ve been able to take songs that we’ve been playing one way, and re-work them with a bit of a twist, that has landed in a really cool spot. “It also gives John and I different opportunities to sing individually and combine our voices in new duets that add such a fun element to our music.”The Sounds of Jazz and Blues weekend is being staged by Kiama Council this year while the local club takes a pause before the annual festival returns for its 40th anniversary in 2027.“It’s getting harder to find places to play, although the public’s appetite for good quality live music remains very strong,” John said. “Our shows have been really well attended.” The duo has even written their own blues number lamenting the loss of venues and festivals, titled “Cancellation Blues”, which will premiere at the upcoming gig. Despite the challenges, Kathleen and John remain upbeat about the local music scene. “We’re really grateful to Kiama Council, who got behind the weekend, and all the local venues and businesses who are also on board, keeping the music alive,” she said.“We hope to see the Festival back in 2027, celebrating its 40th anniversary – that will be a huge celebration. “In the meantime though, we’re so happy to have the chance to play, and share live music with everyone.” Shoal Vibes plays irresistibly toe-tapping music for the soul, with a presence that welcomes participation.

The drenched green beauty of the Kiama hinterland is made even more evocative by its lone sentinels: cabbage tree palms.The tall, spindly palms – remnants of the temperate rainforest that once coated the area – can soar more than 50 metres in height. Their isolated forms, far from any smaller versions of themselves, breathe a certain solitude.For, like humans, they normally come in family groups.“They are lonely,” says Landcare spokeswoman Ailee Calderbank. “They are like us. They don’t do so well on their own. They need an ecosystem around them.”Ailee and a group of Landcare volunteers are setting out to solve this problem. This Thursday they are holding a public meeting in Jamberoo to encourage local landholders to get involved.Officially known as Future Proofing the Cabbage Tree Palm, the project was launched at the Gerringong Library in 2024. As a result of that meeting, six landholders from the Kiama and Gerringong area became involved.Now organisers are keen to extend the project inland to the dairy properties of Jamberoo, where the sentinel palms are one of the most striking features of the landscape.“People are always interested in them,” says Ailee. “They always wonder why the palms are out there on their own in the paddocks, and why the farmers have preserved them.”Ailee speaks of the palms as if they were human. The answer to the first question – why they are alone – is simple enough: they are not having children. Without the protection of a rainforest, they are prone to being trampled by dairy cows or smothered by weeds, most particularly kikuyu grass.Cabbage tree palms are very slow-growing. They can take up to 20 years just to start forming a trunk. The taller palms can be 200 years old.“They don’t like being lonely,” Ailee says. “I used to tell my own children, the palms we see and love, one day they are not going to be here. There are no babies coming up.“They are a relic of our previous rainforest and forest communities. They are a reminder of what has been lost. Plants, trees, weren’t meant to live alone. We don’t fare so well on our own either.”Ailee says the answer to the second question – why dairy farmers have preserved them to live alone in the paddocks – is steeped in mythology. There was a belief that they were protected, which they are not. Alexander Berry is said to have cleared all the trees around his English-style house near the Shoalhaven town named after him, but preserved the cabbage palms because tropical gardens were the height of fashion at the time.But Berry passed away in 1873 and if he really was the inspiration for the preservation of those palms, more than 150 years later their spindly trunks and forlorn crowns look more sad than exotic.The cheerful part of the story, however, is that with a little effort cabbage tree palms are easily protected.Landcare volunteers usually plant them in conjunction with other rainforest trees and plants; and as long as the kikuyu grass is kept from smothering them, and animals including cows and deer are kept from eating them while they are young, the area will once again see stands of cabbage tree palms.Not the melancholy beauty of the lonely sentinels we know today, but the lush rainforests of the past.“This is an investment for the future,” Ailee says. “Considering how long cabbage tree palms take just to form a trunk, you might not be around, but our kids will get to enjoy these magnificent palms.”

New postcode data shows the clean energy upgrade is being led by Australia’s rural and regional communities and outer suburbs rather than inner-city areas.Kiama is among the top locations on the South Coast embracing a renewable future as part of the 77 per cent of uptake of the Federal Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program in regional and outer-suburban areas.More than a quarter of a million households, small businesses and community organisations have installed a battery with around half of those installing new or upgraded solar systems at the same time.Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips said batteries help households store the cheaper, cleaner energy they generate during the day, for use at night. She said it translated to less reliance on peak prices, a more reliable grid and downward pressure on prices.Phillips said people want to cut their power bills, get more value from their solar, and take control of their energy use.“In Gilmore, 2414 families and local businesses are embracing energy upgrades that save them money and make their homes and businesses more energy efficient,” she said.“These results show our community is getting on with it, taking up batteries and backing a cleaner energy future that is made from Australia’s abundant renewable resources.“People here don’t want slogans. They want bills that are easier to pay, and a plan that delivers. "That is exactly what this program is doing.”Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen said the clean energy transformation “is practical, it is household-focused and it is being led by the suburbs and the regions”.“Cheaper Home Batteries are helping families cut power bills and get more value from their solar. The postcode data makes it clear, this is not an inner-city story, it is a national story.”Top suburbs in Gilmore by postcode2540 with 721 installations: Sanctuary Point, Worrigee, Sussex Inlet, Vincentia, St Georges Basin, Culburra Beach, Nowra Hill, Callala Bay, Basin View 2533 with 335: Kiama, Kiama Downs, Jamberoo, Kiama Heights, Minnamurra, Curramore, Bombo, Jerrara, Saddleback Mountain2541 with 288: Nowra, Bomaderry, North Nowra, South Nowra, West Nowra, Bangalee2539 with 281: Ulladulla, Mollymook Beach, Burrill Lake, Narrawallee, Mollymook, Bawley Point, Lake Conjola, Manyana, Lake Tabourie2536 with 257: Catalina, Malua Bay, Batehaven, Surf Beach (NSW), Long Beach, Batemans Bay, Surfside, Sunshine Bay, North Batemans Bay2535 with 159: Shoalhaven Heads, Berry, Jaspers Brush, Coolangatta (NSW), Far Meadow, Broughton Vale, Bellawongarah, Woodhill, Back Forest2534 with 105: Gerringong, Gerroa, Werri Beach, Foxground, Broughton Village, Toolijooa, Rose Valley, Willow Vale

It has been rather interesting to see and read the community discussion, following The Bugle’s article “Should Kiama keep iconic but imported Norfolk Pines?”Thank you, The Bugle for publishing this topic.In context, the resolution that was passed unanimously by Kiama councillors in the February council meeting not only sought to review the status of Norfolk Pines in Kiama’s development control plans, but as part of a wider strategy of Urban Greening.Such a strategy is also focused on roadside vegetation management, broader tree policies as well as adapting to the risks of climate change, local water and food security.But with Norfolk Pines, it’s important to note that this is the start of a conversation, not an end to one.Certainly to prevent misinformation, there is no intention to begin a program of en-masse removal of the Norfolk Pines or removing the heritage protection of certain trees in the Kiama township.In Kiama, some of the Norfolk Pines are 120-130 years old.An amazing history for these trees for our local area.Though, there remains questions about what happens when these trees reach end of life, which is not far away.Do we replace them with the same species?Or should we consider something else?We also need to consider the ongoing maintenance and risks of Norfolk Pines, whether they are appropriately located and ultimately, whether they are appropriately categorised within our local planning regulations.The Urban Greening Strategy will take a few years to work on at council, and the community will be able to have its say on it.Stuart LarkinsKiama CouncillorCouncillor Disclaimer: this content represents the views of Councillor Stuart Larkins, and does not necessarily represent the views of Kiama Municipal Council.