One upside of COVID is the creativity some people have shown in trying to connect with others in their community.

Spoonville, a wooden spoon garden in the Fern Street corner of Gerringong’s Old School Park near the playground, welcomes new 'residents', outlines a few neighbourly rules and those rules to do with 'visiting'.

The goal of the spoon garden is to “Have fun being creative! We hope these put smiles on the face of children and the whole community.”

Spoonville is one of many such installations around Kiama. Painted rocks, yellow hearts and ribbons are used to remind us of the painful mental health conditions that many of us grapple with day to day and especially during lockdowns and pandemics.

We are so lucky to have such wonderfully, sensitive, joyous, resilient and creative people in our midst. We celebrate them.