By Jacqueline ForstThe new Aged Care Act was set to take effect next month but the Federal Government has wisely decided to delay implementation until 1 November as providers are not ready.We have seen little in the mainstream media about the changes coming our way. For decades, we've expected significant government support in our later years and that’s about to change.The Aged Care Royal Commission’s 2021 report exposed harrowing conditions and called for sweeping reforms.Improvements have been made, but they have come at a cost. Rising expenses are pushing the sector’s financial sustainability to the brink.For Kiama residents, given our demographics, access to aged care remains a pressing concern.Although the Act has been passed, key regulations are still being drafted and may not be released until just before implementation, which creates uncertainty for providers and residents.Two significant changes will impact older residents in Kiama: a substantial increase in user fees (with existing arrangements “grandfathered”) and the removal of planning controls and bed licenses.This shift allows providers to open or close facilities at will, leaving access to care in the hands of market forces, not community need.Wealthier areas will likely attract investment, while lower-income regions are left behind. The Kiama region is attractive to aged care investors, particularly as lifetime accommodation fee caps are lifted for those without a pension.Some of the new charges being asked are staggering.Profits lie in luxury retirement apartments, not in aged care beds. Yet, as our population ages, the demand for beds will rise.The government claims that fewer will be needed, assuming most prefer to age at home. But residential care is often a necessity, not a choice.Many people can’t afford a luxury aged care apartment; more vulnerable people with high needs will be pushed to remain at home, relying on increasingly expensive in-home care.Both major parties support these reforms, but many Baby Boomers won’t be able to afford the needed support.The new “Support at Home” program replaces existing Home Care Packages.It promises more funding tiers (from 4 to 8) but less flexibility and higher costs.As a carer of an elderly person, I know it’s a privilege but it comes with sacrifices.For at-home care to be effective, more families will need to bear the load. The new model must not deepen intergenerational inequity.In Kiama, our updated Housing Strategy must expand lower-income housing options for the elderly and support innovative intergenerational living arrangements.The answer is not simply down-sizing as pensioners on fixed incomes cannot afford high strata fees in luxury Kiama apartments on top of increased co-payment fees for assistance with showering or dressing.We cannot become a town of holiday homes and luxury retirement apartments while the elderly who built Kiama, the workers, and the families we rely on are priced out.Jacqueline Forst brings extensive experience as a consumer and carer advocate with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Carers NSW. With postgraduate qualifications in Commerce and Social Work and a background in human services design, she is deeply committed to social equity and community-led innovation.

A lot has changed in teaching since Kiama resident Belinda Mackinnon first started more than 40 years ago but she has adapted to the changes to become a role model for students and fellow educators.Belinda was rewarded with a Public Service Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours List when they were announced on Monday.After recently being informed that she was receiving the honour, Belinda had to keep it a secret, not even telling her husband Rod until it was officially announced on Monday morning.“No one knew until it was announced. I had to keep it strictly confidential so I didn’t even tell my husband,” she told The Bugle.“I showed him on my phone and that set everything in motion. First of all he said ‘what is it’, just bleary-eyed, waking up. Then it was ‘oh my goodness’. He was very proud of me.”Belinda was recognised for “outstanding public service to TAFE NSW in the delivery of education and organisational leadership”.The executive director of Business Enablement at TAFE NSW, she started as a fill-in when a staff member was off sick after spending the first five years of her career as a primary school teacher.One of her main responsibilities has been to teach literary and numeracy skills to guide vulnerable learners with complex needs.“My background is language, literacy and numeracy so certainly for the first 20 or so years, I’ve been dealing with people with low literacy and numeracy skills and being able to provide them the opportunities to learn, and to achieve the things they want to achieve,” she explained.“Some of the people that I remember didn’t know how to read a bus timetable so they’d wait at the bus stop until one came along.“People are very good at being able to disguise it.“I’d work with them with the skills they already have because people have some amazing ways of coping and surviving.“Being able to make a difference is really critical to me."For people of all ages - from very young students who have found school hard and different, and they didn’t fit in, to older adults who might have left the workforce who want to contribute more to their local community.“You get the whole gamut of different people.”Belinda often runs into former students in the community and it fills her heart with pride when she hears how they have improved their lives, emphasising that it was not unique to her and that a lot of TAFE teachers have similar tales to tell.To illustrate examples of mathematics in educating students, Belinda would use a pool table to explain geometry or a darts board to help people learn addition and subtraction.In the second half of her career at TAFE NSW, she played a vital role in bringing the Illawarra and Riverina institutes together as a cohesive entity after the organisation’s structure was changed.Over the past few years, Belinda has led the Education Technology Ecosystem implemented by TAFE.Although she is not an IT whiz herself, she has driven technological, system, and process improvements to deliver a more seamless and enriching educational experience for TAFE NSW’s 400,000 learners and 10,000 teachers.As someone who used Gestetner machines when she first started teaching, the computer age has been an eye-opening experience but Belinda has adapted to the online education revolution to continue doing what she loves.“While ever I can make a difference and I enjoy what I do and I’m in tune with the same values of the organisation, I’ll be around.”

There was standing room only when Yuin Elder Uncle Gerry Moore held a talk with the Berry and District Historical Society at the Uniting Church Hall on the weekend.Uncle Gerry sees it as a form of “truth telling” and spoke about the history of Indigenous people on the South Coast.“The idea was to talk about how we came to live in the Shoalhaven Heads area, as well as Nowra, and how the early settlement and colonisation of our part of the country impacted Aboriginal people,” Uncle Gerry said. Extensively published academic research highlights the impact of early European settlers on Aboriginal people with the clearing of their traditional lands ultimately leading to them being dispossessed.“We lived in harmony on the land, and how eventually we had to coexist with early settlers and the impact that had on our people as far as clearing the land and pushing Aboriginal people off their traditional lands onto reserves or missions,” he said“We wouldn’t be settled in the beautiful areas that we are if it weren’t for our warriors Broughton and Broger who assisted Dr Charles Throsby and later, Alexander Berry,” Uncle Gerry said.Due to the constructs of colonisation, the sharing and the passing on of knowledge was lost until recently.“We had the richest of cultures and ceremonies here on the coast before colonisation,” Uncle Gerry said.“There’s a lot that our non-Aboriginal brothers and sisters don’t know about the way we lived and the different mobs, languages, customs, ceremonies and all these sorts of things that happened in our backyard,” he said.However, it was not just a deficit perspective that Uncle Gerry shared, with much of the talk highlighting the strengths reforming within Aboriginal culture today.  “And things are slowly changing now with Aboriginal studies being taught in some schools, Aboriginal languages Dhurga and Dharawal language being taught in some schools,” he said.Dhurga language is spoken by the Yuin people and Dharawal language by the Tharawal people. The Shoalhaven region borders Tharawal and Yuin countries. “It is actually rekindling the strength of our own Aboriginal kids in the school about their culture and wanting to identify strongly.Within Australia today, there are more than 250 Indigenous languages, with 800 different dialects.Uncle Gerry is a prominent figure within the Shoalhaven region and has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia for his Indigenous advocacy.

Kiama locals, if you missed last week’s powerful episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, you can now watch it on SBS On Demand. And you absolutely should.This is Kiama as you have never seen it before. Wild, beautiful, and steeped in the raw emotion of family history. The episode follows Alone Australia winner Gina Chick as she uncovers her tangled ancestry. Along the way, she discovers her great-grandfather Sid worked at Bombo Quarry, and that her biological grandmother was Australian literary icon Charmian Clift.Filmed on Dharawal Country, the episode features two standout Kiama locals, historian Dr Tony Gilmour and award-winning author Nadia Wheatley. Together, they help Gina navigate the deep truths of her family story.Dr Gilmour joins Gina at Bombo Quarry and Hartwell House, sharing the history of Sid’s work and character. Nadia Wheatley meets her at the Pilots Cottage Museum to talk about the life and legacy of Charmian Clift.These conversations are raw and powerful. “This stopped being a theory and became something I felt in my bones,” Gina says, as she faces the emotional weight of colonial impact and personal inheritance.The Pilot’s Cottage Museum display on Charmian Clift is open every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Entry is by donation, and after watching this episode, you will want to visit.So, who do you think we are? We are a community rich in story, landscape, and spirit. Watch the episode on SBS On Demand and see Kiama in a new light.

Ashley Sullivan started volunteering with the SES as a teenager and 28 years later he is still going strong.Sullivan was recognised with an Emergency Services Medal in the King’s Birthday Honours List on Monday along with several local community members.Former Berry RSL president Raymond Strong and Unions Shoalhaven advocate Joan Craig have been awarded Order of Australia Medals, while Kiama educator Belinda Mackinnon (Public Service Medal) and Gerringong Rural Fire Service captain Andrew Sweeney (Australian Fire Service Medal) were also honoured.For Sullivan, there has never been a dull moment in his time as a volunteer and, since 2010, an employee with the SES.When a series of tornadoes hit Kiama in 2013, he was quickly on the scene with the local SES Unit to help people affected by the damaging winds and then get started on the recovery effort. He described the carnage the confronted SES staff and volunteers as looking like a war zone.“I'll never forget that night,” he told The Bugle.“It was very memorable, just the level of destruction that it did. The one that went right through Kiama itself and then all the smaller ones - one went all the way over the back into Jamboroo and a bit further south towards the Shoalhaven.“I remember flying over it and you could so clearly see the path that it took because it just absolutely destroyed everything in its direction. Amazing. “Tornadoes just weren't a regular thing that we had to manage so to see that scale of that destruction was pretty memorable.”Ashley has been called into action for several flood relief efforts in the Illawarra and South Coast as well as many other natural diasters across NSW as well as interstate, pulling people out of cars when they have been trapped in rising waters.He was instrumental in enhancing flood rescues across NSW following the devastating floods of 2022-23 and has used his corporate and operational background to coordinate the response of the NSW SES following the NSW Government’s Flood Inquiry.Ashley got started when a family friend told him that he should give it a try and he quickly build up his skill set with tasks like driving boats, repairing storm damage and how to correctly use a chainsaw.That led him into full-time work as an arborist before he came full circle to return to the SES in 2010. He now serves as the senior manager of the SES Fleet Service and is also a volunteer member of the Kiama Unit in the South Eastern Zone for the past decade and the Kogarah Unit in the Metro Zone. “SES has been a huge part of my life and and shaped the career I've been given an opportunity to pursue and here I am today 28 years later.“I’ve really enjoyed it. I did operations for many many years particularly when I moved down to Wollongong and for the last eight years, I've been in the corporate side of SES, so I get to build and design the agency's vehicles, vessels and trailers.“And then I still do operations when it happens, like the big floods the big storms. I get to go back out and and and help out where I can.“Kiama’s got some some great people with great skill sets. I’ve made some really good friends out of being in the unit there.”Ashley said the best part of the SES is the huge number of everyday Australians who give up their time to help the community in times of need.“The great thing about the SES is the commitment of the volunteers because these people the drop of a hat, sometimes in the middle of the night, have to go to somewhere that's been affected by a significant weather event,” he said.“They may be tired but they turn up again and again. We've had some pretty crazy wild weather in NSW in the last five years and our membership is growing.“Our volunteers turn up and they keep training and exercising and supporting our communities and it's quite amazing.”He has played an integral role in modifying and enhancing the unimog vehicles that the SES uses in floods which provide deep wading capability to drive through floodwaters.“We call it a high clearance vehicle - it can wade through 1.2 metres of floodwaters, which is phenomenal,” he said.“We've seen them rescue plenty of people and resupply lots of communities where we either couldn't get to them or had to use helicopters in the past which is high risk and very costly.”

Kiama Council has released the draft masterplans for both the Kiama Sports Complex and South Werri Beach Reserve.The draft masterplans will help the future layout and design of these two community facilities and are important part in attracting the necessary government funding to carry out the work.The masterplan for the Kiama Sports Complex (including the Kiama Leisure Centre) is designed to address the need for significant upgrades to the playing surface, lighting, buildings and amenities, which are nearing the end of their lifespan.It provides options for an integrated design with high-quality infrastructure and amenities, that enhance sport participation.The masterplan for the South Werri Reserve reflects the community’s desire to preserve as much native habitat as possible while creating more opportunities for recreation.This includes an improved playground, picnic area, skate park and pumptrack, new basketball court, renewed tennis courts, seating, pathways, shade trees and vegetation.The drafts were developed with extensive public and targeted consultation to learn what the community would like at each site.They also help realise our vision for a healthy, sustainable and caring community.The draft masterplans are now on public exhibition until Tuesday, 5 August 2025.

They did not perform their outstanding community service for the accolades but Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters was thrilled to honour seven of Kiama’s Hidden Treasures this week.The awards ceremony at Kiama Council on Tuesday honoured and celebrated the outstanding volunteer contributions of seven exceptional women from the Kiama LGA.They were each nominated for the NSW Hidden Treasures Honour Roll for their dedication to community service, leadership, and generosity of spirit.Hidden Treasures is a NSW Government initiative that celebrates the invaluable contributions of women and girls who volunteer in regional, rural and remote communities across the state.Established in 2010, the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll offers a public tribute to recognise those who give their time and energy to support others.“We had a really lovely morning tea,” Cr Matters said.“The common thread from those women was that they said this is what my parents did - they gave back to the community so that’s just what I do. I stepped up and followed what they did.“That’s what I really loved about those women.”One of the recipients, Antoinette Raynal, and the other members of the Katandra Women’s A Cappella Choir performed for the gathering of family, friends and well-wishers with a stirring rendition of Paul Simon’s Love Me Like a Rock and California Dreaming by the Mamas & the Papas.“It was just beautiful,” Cr Matters added.Kay Brennan with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters. The magnificent seven are: Kay Brennan: A lifelong volunteer, Kay has quietly supported the Jamberoo and Kiama communities for more than five decades. Inspired by her father’s legacy, she has nurtured young riders through the Kiama Pony Club, stewarded at the Kiama and Sydney Royal Easter Shows, supported school programs, church activities and local hockey clubs, and served in the Jamberoo Bush Fire Brigade.Jenny Judd with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters. Jenny Judd: Her community service spans early childhood, education, the arts, and social justice. She has taught scripture for 33 years at Jamberoo Public School, co-founded the Jamberoo Playgroup, and helped establish the town’s Youth Hall.As CWA President, she created Opera in the Valley, a celebrated local fundraiser. She also supports Meals on Wheels and donates essential items to SAHSSI, assisting women and children escaping domestic violence.Joelie Robson: At 20 years old, Joelie exemplifies courage and commitment. A Type 1 Diabetic and a trailblazer for young women in emergency response, she volunteers 20 to 30 hours per week across the RFS, St John Ambulance, Disaster Relief Australia and the Volunteer Rescue Association.Joelie Robson with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters. She was recognised in the Youth category at the 2024 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards.Judi Sandilands Cincotta: After a 50-year career in nursing, Judi chose to give back by raising guide dog puppies and supporting therapy programs in local schools.Her dogs bring comfort and calm to children facing adversity, helping them feel safe and seen.Judi Sandilands-Cincotta helps raise guide dog pups.Sue Eggins: A historian, researcher and advocate, Sue has spent over 30 years preserving Kiama’s heritage and honouring the lives of notable Australians like Orry-Kelly and Charmian Clift.As president and secretary of the Kiama and District Historical Society, she has led preservation projects, curated exhibitions and secured landmark recognition.Sue Eggins with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters. Antoinette Raynal: The founder of Katandra Women’s A Cappella Choir, a musical community rooted in inclusion, empowerment and joy.What began as a single vocal workshop has blossomed into a choir that supports charities, mentors young singers and creates a sense of belonging.Antoinette Raynal with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters. Boni Maywald: Since retiring, Boni has used craft, creativity and compassion to bring comfort to people in need.As coordinator of Wrap With Love in Kiama and founder of the PeaceKnits initiative, she creates and donates handmade blankets to those facing hardship.Boni Maywald with Mayor Cameron McDonald and Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters.

The third week of Kiama MP Gareth Ward’s trial at the Downing Centre District Court in Sydney has concluded with a colleague of the complainant at the centre of an alleged incident in 2015 recounting a conversation with the man.A political staffer, who was 24 at the time, told police that Ward sexually assaulted him at the Kiama MP’s Potts Points apartment a decade ago. Ward’s defence barrister, David Campbell SC, earlier in the week suggested to the complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, that the incident never happened. He rejected that suggestion under cross-examination.The man said he went to Ward’s apartment and that after he went to sleep in a spare bedroom, the politician sexually assaulted him.Ward is facing five charges and has pleaded not guilty to each of them: sexual intercourse without consent, common assault and three counts of indecent assault.On Friday, a colleague of the complainant told the Court of a conversation years after the alleged incident in which he said Ward had “done somthing to him”.The witness recalled telling the complainant during the conversation that he was exaggerating and it was “just Gareth being Gareth”.They also said the complainant told them that they felt uncomfortable around Ward in the parliamentary office environment.Another man, who had just turned 18 at the time of an alleged incident in 2013, has also accused Ward of an indecent assault at the Kiama MP’s Meroo Meadow property in the Shoalhaven.Also during Friday’s trial proceedings, a former president of the local Young Liberals branch told the court how Ward would host the division of the party’s meetings at his home.Crown Prosecutor Monika Knowles asked him about the nature of the meetings and he told the Court that a social gathering such as a barbeque, where alcohol was served, was held.He told the Court that the meetings were held at Ward’s house to save costs, rather than at a local club or pub.The trial before Judge Shead continues next week.1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028

Jamberoo Mountain Road has been reopened with Kiama Council wrapping up the repair work on Friday afternoon.Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald thanked the contractor, Ground Stabilisation Systems, as well as Council’s own engineers and work crews for getting the repairs done on time and under budget.“Capital works of this scale are always notoriously tricky to deliver without delays or additional costs,” Cr McDonald said.“That’s a credit to everyone involved.“I also want to thank the people who rely on Jamberoo Mountain Road, especially local residents and businesses, for your continuing patience with the disruptions of recent years.”The five-week repair program addressed the damage caused by a landslip to about 50 metres of the road just above The Abbey.Council contractors installed 24 soil nails to underpin the road, with a concrete capping beam, and 40 square meters of shotcrete to the face of the supporting wall.They were also able to repair two extra minor slips above and below the main work site.The works crews have also been busy with maintenance and betterment works, cleaning out more than 1000m of stormwater drains, 8km of vegetation maintenance to improve line of sight for motorists, tree trimming to remove hazardous branches, replacing damaged road signs, guard rails and guide posts.Cr McDonald also thanked the Australian and NSW Governments for funding the repairs under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, NSW Betterment Program, and the Transport for NSW Block Grant Assistance Program.Kiama Council continues to advocate for Jamberoo Mountain Road to be reclassified from a local (council-managed) road to one managed by the NSW Government.Changing the classification would reduce the burden on Council’s financial position and Council continues to lobby for this change of management to the relevant Minister in meetings, correspondence and through our advocacy priorities.Night works from 8pm to 4am are still being conducted on Macquarie Pass until 18 July.

This week's edition of The Bugle brings you the full story on three local legends who have been recognised as part of the King's Birthday Honours List. Kiama’s Belinda Mackinnon has been honoured with the Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service to TAFE NSW in the delivery of education and organisational leadership.Click here to view our latest editionGerringong’s Andrew Sweeney has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for distinguished service as a member of an Australian fire service.Kiama SES volunteer Ashley Sullivan has received an Emergency Services Medal (ESM). He has been a volunteer and staff member with the the NSW State Emergency Service since 1997 and has been an NSW SES staff member since June 2010.You can also read all about the developments in Council's plan to get 380 houses built at South Kiama, as well as the seven local Hidden Treasures who were rewarded for their sterling community service.There is also plenty of great community stories including the latest from the three local festivals which kept everyone rocking over the long weekend, a local naturopath who is making waves and a boost to Kiama's GP numbers. Our intrepid photographer Brian Scott has taken lots of pictures of our local sporting community, there is a full list of What's On in our region and our puzzles page filled with brain teasers.

Sing Australia is throwing a party to celebrate 15 years of bringing music and enjoyment to the local community, with a special birthday night set for 25 June.The occasion marks years of performances across some of Kiama’s biggest events, from the Kiama Folk Festival, and Jazz & Blues Festival, to Anzac dawn services and Christmas carols.Leader and Conductor of the group, Maree Shepherd, welcomes the celebrations for the group which currently has over 40 members, with the purpose of the party being to honour those who have helped build and grow Sing Australia Kiama."We're doing this to honour people that have made such a big contribution to the success of Sing Australia Kiama, that may no longer be with us, but really were instrumental in helping establish it in the area,” Maree said.The celebration is particularly meaningful as the group missed celebrating their 10th birthday“We missed our 10th because it was in the middle of COVID, and whilst I did Zoom sessions with everybody throughout COVID, we couldn't actually get together,” Maree said.“So, we thought, look, we're going to set this up to have a little more fun for the 15th."Past and present members have been invited to join in on the night of celebrations.“We've invited back past leaders of SingAustralia who are going to be coming along to attend, plus some of the older members that are no longer with us, but for various reasons, going to come along to help us celebrate,” said Maree.Since forming in 2010, Sing Australia Kiama has performed at major local events including Citizenship Ceremonies, the Lion’s Convention, Festival of Choirs, Jamberoo Jam Festival, South Coast Sings, and Shellharbour Senior’s Expo.They’ve also brought music to aged care homes and performed at notable venues like Floriade, Old Parliament House, and St Mary’s Cathedral as part of the national Sing Australia network.The birthday celebration will be a night to remember with special performances as well as karaoke-style singalongs, and party food.“Some of the members will be doing various acts. We'll do some sing-alongs. We've got a bit of karaoke that I know people will sing along to and dance,” Maree said.While the birthday party is focused on honouring past and present members, Maree is always keen to welcome newcomers to their weekly Wednesday meetings.However, Maree finds the biggest problem with finding new members is that people are worried to join because they think they can’t sing.“Sing Australia isn't about judging people's singing voices. It's about connecting people through singing,” Maree said.“I think what attracts most people is not so much the singing, it's the friendships and it's the fun time you just have being together on the night having a go”.The group is a part of a network of over 70 singing groups across Australia, with a song list of about 500 songs, meaning members can join any group across the country without rehearsal.“I often invite members from the Wollongong, Vincentia and other groups from other Sing Australias to join us without rehearsal, because we sing from the same song books and as such, we can join together,” Maree said.For those wanting to try Sing Australia Kiama, the regular Wednesday night meetings from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Uniting Church are the perfect opportunity.“I'm always welcoming people to come and give it a go, they can come for three weeks without any commitment or payment or anything just to see the group,” Maree said.Maree is particularly keen to attract younger people to keep the group thriving for another 15 years of using music as a form of self-expression, free of expectations and judgement.For more information visit Sing Australia's website or contact Maree Shepherd at [email protected]

By Stephanie Kemp Helping those in needGerringong Rotary Club continues to support the work undertaken worldwide by ShelterBox, who work with disaster-affected communities to provide the emergency shelter, essential items and training needed to support families in the long process of rebuilding their lives. This year marks ShelterBox’s 25th year since being founded. Since inception, with the assistance of Rotary, ShelterBox have supported over 3 million people recovering from disaster or conflict. Rotary's partnership with ShelterBox continues to make a significant impact across the globe including supporting families in Lebanon and Gaza (through collaboration with Rotary in Jordan), those who lost their homes after Hurricane Beryl swept through the Caribbean, and those families displaced through drought in Ethiopia. Later in the year we are planning a big travel raffle – watch this space!We have also been able to help those affected by the recent Queensland floods.The April Markets, held on Easter Saturday, were a great success. We had the best BBQ results for a while and were able to make a donation to the flood relief efforts.Volunteers neededIn order to keep making a difference by helping charities like these as well as running local initiatives like the monthly Gerringong Markets and helping to found Active Aging NSW, which is bringing new dementia programs to the South Coast, we need new volunteers. While our focus is on our charity work, we are a social bunch – Wednesday morning meetings in Gerringong Town Hall have a visiting speaker, once a month we all go out to dinner and we have sporadic social activities, such as our visit to the Jervis Bay Botanical Garden and our morning tea at Tilda and Cacao chocolate makers in Gerringong. Later in this year a group from the club is planning a few days away.A Focus on travelPeta Godfrey, owner of Travel Focus in Gerringong spoke at one of our recent meetings about her journey as a travel agent through the COVID period and what has changed between before and after the pandemic.Peta grew up locally and joined Guidepost Travel, the predecessor to Travel Focus. She bought the business in 2017 and in 2020 she was suddenly facing closing borders and clients stuck overseas, with no idea how long the situation was going to last. Thanks to JobKeeper, she could retain some of her staff, but the business was making no money so she had to close the office and surrender her lease, while working from home to get clients back to Australia and cancelling and rebooking holidays, rebooking and rescheduling up to three times to prevent the client losing their money altogether. By the time borders reopened in 2023, staff had got other jobs, as had Peta herself! Airline staff were untrained, pilots had left the industry and there was a shortage of planes as it took six months to get them back in the air again after being parked in the desert. Flight prices had gone up threefold and Peta was wondering whether to reopen the business at all in the face of these challenges as she was enjoying her new low stress life.What made the decision for her was locals stopping her in the street and asking when she was going to reopen so they could book a trip. Peta talks to the Club. The people reignited her passion for the industry, and she has found that business now is even better than it was before the pandemic. Travel has become more complicated with new visa requirements everywhere and clients now appreciate the service they receive from a specialist travel agent and how much time they save compared to doing all the bookings themselves. The service has become much more consultative and for the agent, the satisfaction comes from hearing clients’ stories about what a great trip they had.The joy of learning to appreciate fine chocolateA wet Wednesday morning saw 16 or so Rotarians assembling at Tilda and Cacao in Gerringong for a talk on the origin of the business and how chocolate is made and how artisan chocolate differs from the mass produced (think fine wine as compared to the cask!).Tilda and Cacao buy from small sustainable producers and, like wine, the terroir influences the flavour of the chocolate. They also process the cacao without roasting so that all the natural flavours are revealed. The big factories buy their cacao from numerous producers and roast it and add flavourings like vanilla to ensure they always produce a standard product, but the artisan chocolatier relishes the regional differences in flavour. Sarah from Tilda & Cacao.They have also focused on local ingredients, such as Davidson plum, to flavour their chocolate and create something unique.As well as learning about the grinding and tempering processes, we were able to try the product (delicious!) and enjoyed a chocolate inspired morning tea.New members and friends always welcome - see www.gerringongrotary.com.au or contact [email protected] from Tilda & Cacao.

Have you ever wondered what inspires someone to make travel not just a passion, but a profession?For Peta Godfrey, owner of Travel Focus Group in Gerringong, it all started with a spontaneous snowboarding trip to Austria at age 16, a decision that would shape her entire future.Q: What was the main reason you became a travel agent?A: It all started in 1997 when my best friend asked me to go snowboarding in Austria. I had just started Year 11, but a trip to Europe seemed far more important. My parents were incredibly supportive, and I took six weeks off school. Being in Europe at 16 was incredible, especially discovering there was no legal drinking age in Austria!When I returned, I walked straight into an English exam. Knowing I had no chance of passing, I made a bold decision: I left school, enrolled in a travel course, and have never looked back.Q: What are the main changes you’ve noticed in the industry?A: I caught the tail end of paper tickets, with my trusty red pen in hand. The shift to e-tickets was exciting, but the biggest changes have come in the last three years, thanks to COVID-19, Travel 2.0!What kept me going was our community. Loyal clients would stop me in the street to ask when we’d reopen, or if I could book their next trip. That support reminded me why I started in this industry.Q: Do you think travel agents are more important now than ever?A: Absolutely! Clients find the internet overwhelming. There is too much information and too many scams. Travel agents are the solution, and we’re busier than ever.At Travel Focus Group, we’ve seen a huge rise in demand. To keep up, we’ve expanded our team and brought on some fantastic new staff. They’re already working closely with clients to plan, refine, and book travel that’s seamless and personal.Q: Is travel still a great career to pursue?A: For anyone with a true passion for travel, it’s absolutely worth it. The perks are fantastic, and the camaraderie is like nothing else. Helping people bring their travel dreams to life is so rewarding. We love it when clients come in after a trip and relive their journey with us!Q: What’s left on the bucket list?A: As many African countries as possible … plus, a sneaky trip to Antarctica!Want to see what expert travel planning feels like? Chat to one of the experienced Travel Focus advisors.This article is paid content courtesy of Travel Focus in Gerringong

Five dedicated members of our local community have been recognised for their service as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List.Shoalhaven residents Raymond Strong and Nowra’s Joan Crabb have been awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to their local community.Strong was the president of the Berry Sub-Branch, Returned and Services League of Australia from 2013-21 and he is also a life member of the Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Rugby League club, the Group Seven Rugby League.He has also been an active member of Berry’s Apex Club and Bowling Club, Shoalhaven and Kiama District Auto Club, Berry Showground Parks Trust and a member of the Australian Army from 1954-56.Crabb is a former president and treasurer of the Nowra branch of Shoalhaven Seniors, a volunteer and fundraiser with Shoalhaven Lantern Club and is a member of Unions Shoalhaven.Kiama’s Belinda Mackinnon has been honoured with the Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service to TAFE NSW in the delivery of education and organisational leadership.The executive director of Business Enablement at TAFE NSW, she has spent more than 40 years at TAFE NSW while demonstrating an unwavering dedication to learners, teachers, and the communities she has served.As an educator, she has had a profound impact on guiding vulnerable learners with complex needs to build their confidence and develop their skills for the workforce.As a leader, she has driven some of TAFE NSW’s most complex and transformational programs resulting in improved efficiencies as well asenhanced staff culture.As the regional general manager of TAFE NSW’s South Region, she played a pivotal role in bringing the Illawarra and Riverina institutes together as a cohesive entity.Most recently, Mackinnon has led the Education Technology Ecosystem implemented by TAFE. Through this program, she has driven technological, system, and process improvements to deliver a more seamlessand enriching educational experience for TAFE NSW’s 400,000 learners and 10,000 teachers.Her expertise enabled the program’s scope to be expanded to encompass all major student management, enrolments, academic management, learning management, and asset management systems.Gerringong’s Andrew Sweeney has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM) for distinguished service as a member of an Australian fire service.He was first elected as a group captain in 2014. He was the captain of Gerringong Brigade for six years before becoming the group captain of Illawarra Brigade.He is a member of the Illawarra/Sutherland leadership team, the Illawarra senior management team, and the Bush Fire Risk Management Committee.He is also the coordinator of the district crew leader course, and coordinator and a member of the remote area firefighting team. As an area command and leadership team member, he provides a vital and effective link between the staff and volunteers.Sweeney demonstrates dedicated, advanced and proactive leadership, resulting in outstanding cooperation, understanding and performance.He is an authorised wildfire and structural fire investigator and conducted numerous investigations during the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires, including the Green Wattle Creek fire.Ashley Sullivan has received an Emergency Services Medal (ESM). He has been a volunteer and staff member with the the NSW State Emergency Service since 1997 and has been an NSW SES staff member since June 2010.Sullivan is the senior manager of Fleet Service and is also a volunteer member of the Kiama Unit in the South Eastern Zone and the Kogarah Unit in the Metro Zone.He was instrumental in enhancing flood rescues across NSW following the devastating floods of 2022-23 and has used both his corporate and operational background to coordinate the response of the NSW SES following the NSW Government’s Flood Inquiry.Sullivan has assisted in numerous flood rescue events across the state and led the agency’s response to the 2011 flash flooding event in the Illawarra and South Coast regions, in addition to the 2016 Shoalhaven region flood event.This year, a grand total of 830 Australians have been recognised, including awards in the Order of Australia (General and Military Divisions), meritorious awards and recognition for distinguished and conspicuous service.This represents an increase of awardees of almost 30% since the Australia Day 2025 List.Recipients will attend investiture ceremonies at the Government House in their respective state or territory in coming months to receive the insignia of their award.Governor-General Sam Mostyn AC said she was delighted by the contributions of those recognised in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours List.“These honours recognise the selfless service, integrity, achievement, creativity, and care that flourish across our country,” she said.“As your Governor-General, I see the values of care, kindness and respect in the many Australians who are honoured today, and in those who have been recognised throughout the 50-year history of our Australian honours system.“Every day, and all across the country, Australians are doing extraordinary things with passion, generosity, energy, and resolve.“To all who are being recognised in The King’s Birthday 2025 Honours List, I want to offer my congratulations and gratitude for all that you have given to Australia – and I look forward to meeting many of you at the investiture of your awards.”

Recent upgrades are powering up Coronation Park but there is more to come.Kiama Council recently installed three-phase power to the popular park at Surf Beach.“It’s ideal for the Farmers Market, which has lots of food stalls, mobile kitchens and coffee carts,” a Council spokesperson said.Council also recently upgraded the play equipment in the park as it tends to attract rust being so close to the beach.However, it hasn’t been all good news for Coronation Park lately, with the park to undergo remediation works on the grass following the overflow from the surf during recent wet weather.“Coronation Park is well used by visitors on a weekend, but also by locals during the week for exercise groups, for schools, so we’ve really got to consider their usage, so that during any upgrade their needs are considered with regards to how that upgrade is managed,” Kiama Mayor Cameron McDonald said.“What we’re are looking at is the damage from the ocean, essentially wrecking the park. And there’s works involved to try and upgrade the level of the park and the grass covering.”The works are expected to begin next month and will likely to take several months.“We know this will be an inconvenience, but the work is necessary. "Council will keep you informed and updated, as we move through the process. "We’re looking forward to having one of our most popular parks back to where it should be,” Cr McDonald said.Funding for the remediation works will come from the Crown Lands reserve.

The plates are heating up again at the Kiama Leagues Club’s Sails Family Bistro with head chef Sarah Rebbeck out for another top gong in this year’s ClubsNSW Your Local Club Perfect Plate awards. Rebbeck and Kiama Leagues Club are aiming for another perfect plate, after securing bragging rights in 2023 with two entries, their Middle Eastern Lamb Rack and Panna Colada. Acknowledging that Australians love lamb, Rebbeck and staff narrowed it down to this dish, with the sauce proving to be the real hero on the plate. “The lamb is beautiful, it is just melting in your mouth, but it is really about the sauce and flavours,” Rebbeck said. The sauce recipe itself is a blend of secret herbs and spices, with the chefs sticking to the methodology consistently so it is of the highest standard for diners every time. “The taste is important, but it needs to be produced over and over. We have 10 different chefs altogether,” she explained. “The recipe is massive, with many different components, but yes, its lots of spices, very Middle Eastern flavours. It is quite the blend.” So far, the feedback has been positive with one diner saying to Rebbeck that the dish would not be out of place at a Michelin Star restaurant. Over the years, menus at pubs and clubs have evolved from the classics.“It has become a place where they focus a lot on their food and beverage, and Perfect Plate is part of that,” Rebbeck added. “This is trying to show people that clubs are more than what the collective perception is, because people might not have stepped into a club for years.” Rebbeck leant on her chef Gav to procure the dessert dish for the competion, Panna Colada, which is the combination of two dishes. “Gav loves his pastries and desserts. Oh, and biscotti!” she said. The competition has provided a platform for clubs to showcase not only their talented chefs, but their camaraderie, by visiting and supporting other clubs and their chefs. “It’s a bit of rivalry and a good prize, but really, it all comes down to bragging rights and being the ones that win,” Rebbeck said. Former Parramatta Eels NRL star Nathan Hindmarsh joins expert chefs Matt Moran and Courtney Roulston as ambassadors for the Perfect Plate Awards. Be quick and head to support your local club before the competion ends on 15 June and you can vote for Kiama Leagues Club at the Perfect Plate website.

Maintenance work will result in parts of Kiama Leisure Centre will be closed next month as Kiama Council undertakes necessary works.The aquatic areas (pools, spa, sauna and poolside change rooms) will be closed for three weeks and the Group Fitness room will be closed for a fortnight.The Gym, Sports Hall and Creche will continue to operate as usual.Council has scheduled the works in the Centre's low season to minimise impact on customers.The work will include LED lighting upgrades, repairs and maintenance and essential safety upgrades that will improve the customer experience.In the aquatic areas, the repair and maintenance work will encompass the main pool, toddlers' pool, spa, sauna and poolside bathrooms.These areas will be closed from Sunday 6 July to Sunday 27 July.The Group Fitness room will be closed from Monday 7 July to Friday 18 July and there will be a new fitness program timetable for participants.The Leisure Centre's gym will continue to fully operate during this time, the creche will remain open as per its regular opening hours and the Sports Hall will remain open and existing groups will not be impacted.Various group fitness classes will be held at the Hall.Membership fees will be adjusted - All Aquatic and Aquatic Plus memberships that have been fully paid will be extended for a duration of three weeks. Members on a monthly direct debit plan will receive a credit equivalent to the three weeks.Fitness and Fitness and Aquatic memberships that have been fully paid will be extended for one week, and those on a monthly direct debit will receive a credit for one week, as Gym and Group fitness sessions will continue to be accessible.

WHOW - Women Helping Other Widows - an informal group meets weekly on Thursdays at 2pm, beginning 12 June in the Lecture Hall at Kiama Uniting Church.The group chats about their experiences that may help other widows while having afternoon tea.To contact the convenor, phone Marion Rattray on 4233 2490.

Almost 70 per cent of road deaths occur in regional NSW, sparking a statewide inquiry to investigate ways to lower the staggering toll.Gilmore Federal MP Fiona Phillips has backed the initiative - launched by the state government’s Committee on Road Safety - to reduce regional road trauma caused by speeding, fatigue, drink and drug drivingMs Phillips, a former chair of the NSW Black Spot Consultative Panel, says road deaths and accidents have a significant health and economic impact on regional communities like Kiama and the Shoalhaven.She says the Albanese government is “progressively doubling” local council Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to $1 billion a year to ensure “more potholes are being fixed, more roads are being resealed, and more drainage work is being done”.“Road safety is always a priority and that is why the Albanese Labor Government has been increasing funding for local roads since 2022,” she says.Funding has also increased under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program, says Ms Phillips, along with Black Spot Program funding increasing to $150 million a year “so more projects are eligible, including here on the South Coast”.She says “critical infrastructure projects” like the Far North Collector Rd, Jervis Bay Flyover and Nowra and Milton-Ulladulla bypasses “will improve road safety, connectivity and liveability for decades to come.”Road Safety Committee chair Greg Warren says regional communities continue to have a disproportionately high number of road fatalities."Our inquiry is looking at whether current strategies and programs are effective in reducing driving risk factors, such as fatigue, speeding and drink driving, that increase the likelihood of road crashes," says the Campbelltown MP. The committee is calling on community members and stakeholders from regional and rural communities, road safety experts, community organisations, local councils, first responders and healthcare workers to provide submissions to the inquiry before July 25.More information, including the inquiry's terms of reference and how to make a submission, is available on the committee's website.