The following views are those of Councillor Matt Brown and Bernie Hems, and not of Kiama Council or KCR.

We’ve been here before, and we’ve won. Now Kiama is once again in the running to be named NSW’s Top Tourism Town (over 5000 people category), and Councillor Matt Brown believes we’ve got what it takes for back-to-back glory.

Speaking with Bernie Hems on KCR, Cr Brown said Destination Kiama had lodged another strong submission, with secret judges already out and about. “They’ll be walking into shops and chatting to locals, and we won’t know who they are,” he said. “So smile, people.”

Winning three years in a row would land Kiama in the Hall of Fame.

Voting is now open via the Tourism NSW website.

Cr Brown also urged support for local entries in the other categories. Huskisson and Robertson are both finalists for Tiny Town and Small Town respectively.

Top of the agenda at last week’s Council meeting was a proposal from Woolworths to install a boomgate at its Kiama car park. The plan would allow two hours of free parking, with fees kicking in after that.

Cr Brown raised concerns about congestion and unintended consequences.

“It’s already a choke point. You’ve got three ways in, and it jams up even when it’s not peak time,” he told KCR. “Add a boom gate and it could become gridlock.”

“This isn’t just about Woolies. It’s about staff who work in the centre, shoppers who want to linger, and the spillover into residential streets. We need to look at the broader traffic flow and what this means for our town.”

Council voted to defer the decision and seek expert advice from the Traffic Committee.

“Before we make any decisions, we need proper data, not just assumptions,” Cr Brown said.

A separate proposal for a Kennards self-storage facility at the corner of Shoalhaven and Farmer Streets was refused, after residents raised concerns about shadowing, flooding, and scale.

Cr Brown supported the decision but said the issue reflects a deeper structural challenge.

“We’ve got industrial zoning sitting inside residential streets. It’s outdated and it’s creating conflict.”

He believes Council needs to be more proactive. “We should be rezoning these legacy industrial sites for housing, and finding proper locations for new employment lands. If we don’t do that, these tensions will keep flaring up.”

Council also endorsed its first-ever Cultural Plan, with an amendment to continue refining the document with community input. Cr Brown described it as an encouraging step, but one that must lead to action.

“We’ve got a new arts and culture officer, and for the first time, dedicated cultural grants. That’s a great foundation,” he said. “But we also need spaces, programming and clear support for live performance.”

He pointed to Fillmores, the popular local venue currently hampered by planning complications and strict noise limits. “Right now, if someone raises their voice too much on stage, it can breach our noise regulations. That’s not workable.”

Council’s bid for a state-supported entertainment precinct was unsuccessful last round, but a revised request has now been lodged, backed by a more comprehensive strategy.

“We need to give local talent places to perform, and give our young people reasons to stay and engage,” Cr Brown said. “It’s not a music venue if no one’s allowed to sing.”

Council also backed a motion from Cr Melinda Lawton to ensure stronger environmental assessment and public transparency around plans to relocate Council’s depot to a remediated site near the Minnamurra River.

“She’s passionate about protecting the river, and she’s right,” Cr Brown said.

“We’re talking about a site with a contaminated history, right beside wetlands and mangroves. We need to understand what the risks are, both environmentally and financially.”

While initial assessments are already a legal requirement, the motion calls for a higher level of public reporting and consultation.

“We’ve seen how recent storms have impacted that area. We can’t afford to wing this. These are decisions that affect future generations.”

As Bernie Hems put it, “From boomgates to big dreams, it’s never dull in Kiama.”

Listen to Bernie on KCR on Tuesdays 9am to 11am