Kiama was recently featured in an episode of the SBS series Who Do You Think You Are?, which explored the ancestry of Alone Australia winner Gina Chick.

The episode revealed that Chick is the granddaughter of renowned Kiama-born literary icon Charmian Clift, and the great-granddaughter of Clift’s father, who worked at Bombo Quarry as an engineer.

The episode shows Chick, known for her deep connection with First Nations culture, finding the discovery confronting. 

“That was one of the most devastating moments for me in the whole journey,” Chick told SBS during the episode, reflecting on her visit to Bombo Quarry. 

“The moment where I saw the quarry where my great-grandfather had been working as an engineer, designing the systems that would take stone away from Wadi Wadi land.

“There were people living there, and my great-grandfather was directly responsible, along with hundreds of others, for the removal of that stone.

"When I got to that quarry, it was like a sledgehammer hit me - when I saw and viscerally understood that there were people living here,” she said.

Kiama Historical Society President Sue Eggins was consulted regarding the episode. She said she enjoyed it, though she noted that several filmed scenes didn’t make the final cut.

“Not that much of Kiama was shown, except Bombo Quarry,” Eggins explained. “There was filming at the Pilot’s Cottage Museum, but it didn’t make it into the episode. 

“Nadia Wheatley, who is Charmian Clift’s official biographer, was filmed there and also at Bellevue Guest House.”

Eggins hopes the episode, now available to stream on SBS On Demand, inspires viewers to explore their own roots and visit Kiama’s local heritage sites.

“I hope the show encourages people to take an interest in local history and visit the Pilot’s Cottage, which currently features an exhibition on Charmian Clift,” she said.

“The Kiama Family History Centre, located beneath the library, is an excellent place to begin researching your family history. We’re incredibly fortunate to have this facility - it’s the only one of its kind outside of Sydney, established by the State Government.”

The Pilot’s Cottage is a community-run museum managed by the Kiama Historical Society. Eggins emphasised the importance of community involvement in preserving and sharing local stories.

“I think community involvement is essential in telling our history through stories. The Pilot’s Cottage has been run by volunteers since 1988.”

The Pilot’s Cottage is open Saturdays from 11am to 3pm. Visitors are encouraged to stop in and explore the current Charmian Clift exhibition.