Rhian Thomas is an architecture post-graduate from the UK who recently moved to Kiama. This is her third article on her thoughts on planning issues in the local area.

Gerringong’s high street is compact, yet characterful, lined with independent shops, heritage facades and charming eateries.

Unlike many coastal towns, the main street sits up on the hill, unfolding along the valley and overlooking the coastline.

Werri Beach can almost feel like an extension of the street and a backdrop to the town.

One of the most prominent buildings punctuating this view is the Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club, a recent council development exhibiting a balcony, bar and coffee kiosk.

The long strip along Werri leading to the club invites a steady rhythm of walkers, runners and dog owners creating a gentle flow of traffic along a single track bordering the beach itself.

Additionally, the daily ritual of the Werri Point swimmers meeting, swimming and enjoying an early coffee at the surf club kiosk is simple but telling - members may change, but the routine endures.

Gerringong SLSC. Photo: Ella Gunning

These investments into the daily life of the community provide not just revenue but a social life and routine for locals.

Back up the hill, community life is equally visible.

The historic Gerringong RSL Club and the Anglican Church bookend the street with reminders of shared history.

Both, along with the Gerringong Library and Museum (GLaM), embrace and memorialise many aspects of the town's heritage, holding monthly meetings and celebrations, all with an undertone of social activity.

Outside a local café, a noticeboard advertises horticultural society gatherings, tutoring services and exercise classes.

The paper flyers contrast sharply with the polished marketing of new ventures, yet it arguably says more about the town’s values than any brochure could.

At the newly famous Tasman Drive, popularised by TikTok, many tourists visit the “prettiest street in Australia” to take photos and videos of the view.

Werri Beach. Photo: Ella Gunning

While these visitors arrive for a fleeting image, everyday life continues quietly elsewhere.

The popularity of one scenic road is a reminder that what captures attention can be fleeting and unpredictable, whereas what truly sustains a town is the deep-rooted community spaces.

This is not to argue against development - thoughtful upgrades are essential to support local industry and accommodate growth.

Gerringong’s strongest investments have long been those serving the existing community, most notably sporting facilities, gathering spaces and adaptive re-use of buildings.

The Anglican Church hosts children’s dance groups and sip and stitch sessions, as well as partnering with The Cottage for second-hand clothing sales.

This exemplifies how new activity can flourish without new construction.

What seems to stand out most in Gerringong is the ease with which its historic and culturally significant buildings continue to serve the present.

The multiple churches, the RSL club and Museum are not preserved simply to admire, but they are active - hosting markets, classes and community gatherings as part of everyday life.

They simply demonstrate that progress does not always require something new.

Reworking and reusing the structures already embedded in the town proves growth can be achieved by building upon what exists.

Furthermore, the most successful developments are enhancing and improving what the community already values, not inorganically creating something new.