Gerringong’s 11-year-old ballet prodigy, Angel Divine, was just one of 12 dancers in her category recently selected to perform in front of hundreds at the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Joan & Monica Halliday Awards at the Seymour Centre in Sydney.Angel, who trains at Gerringong Ballet & Dance, competed in the finals of the prestigious competition on April 6.Melissa Prestedge, principal of Gerringong Ballet & Dance and a Registered RAD Teacher for 30 years, says it’s a remarkable achievement.“As far as I know, no one from Gerringong has0 ever gotten that far in the competition. I’ve had the school for 10 years, and I’ve never seen it happen - so it’s a huge honour for our studio,” says Prestedge.Angel’s journey to the finals was no small feat. After receiving a High Distinction in her Grade 5 RAD Examination, she was invited to enter the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards.She attended a preliminary class and was selected to move on to the semi-final. From there, adjudicator Midori Lotz - from the Australian Ballet School and Houston Ballet - chose Angel as one of only 12 finalists.Michelle Prestedge, Principal of Gerringong Ballet & Dance. Source: Winkipop Media“It was such an amazing experience for her,” says Prestedge. “We were just honoured she got that far. Most of the students who enter come from Sydney, the North Shore, or Newcastle, so it was really special to see a child from Gerringong recognised at that level.”In the finals, Angel performed a contemporary piece choreographed by Rikki Mason of Bangarra Dance Theatre, as well as her RAD Grade 5 solo, Bird Dance.The event was attended by RAD-registered teachers from across NSW, along with Angel’s own teachers from Gerringong Ballet & Dance - and her biggest fans, her Nan and Aunty.“Angel has a natural ability, stage presence, artistry, and musicality,” says Prestedge. “She’s the kind of dancer you’re drawn to watch - and that’s a rare quality. Of course, you also need technical skill, and this was a great opportunity for her to perform alongside Sydney students who likely train many more hours than she does.”Angel performing at Seymour Centre. Source: Winkiepop MediaWhile ballet is a centuries-old art form, Prestedge believes it remains as relevant as ever.“We also teach jazz, contemporary, tumbling, and performance groups - but ballet provides the foundation. "It gives you strength, core control, discipline, and technique to support all the other styles,” she says.Looking ahead, Angel is committed to continuing her RAD examinations and hopes to complete up to Advanced 1.She also has her sights set on the RAD Isobel Anderson Awards in 2026.“I can’t wait to see what she does next,” says Prestedge. “With her strong ballet technique, long limbs, and beautiful lines, she’s an exquisite dancer.”

New President. It’s been a busy month for the Gerringong Lions Club.The elections for the new board, to take over in July, have taken place and Ron Brett is the new President-elect. Ron has served in numerous positions on the board, most notably as Treasurer for 10 years. He has an intimate knowledge of how The Lions organisation operates and he is sure to lead with distinction.Members cleaning up at the Boat Harbour.Return and Earn. The Lions are out and about every Monday morning, in all sorts weather, collecting bottles and cans from a wide range of sources. Since the end of April last year, they have collected and recycled over 650,000 items, well on the way to their second millionth bottle/can. Anyone who would like to donate bottles or cans in the Gerringong/Gerroa area can contact Gerringong Lions by emailing [email protected] to arrange for a crate or bin that will be picked up each Monday.Upcoming Fundraisers. Starting on Easter Saturday, the Lions will be selling tickets in Fern St, in their annual Mothers Day Raffle. Prizes include a $1200 accommodation voucher from Easts Beach Caravan Park, a gift voucher from The Hill, a Woolworths voucher valued at $100, a handmade quilt and an Endota Spa voucher for $150. Ron Brett. They have also been busy at the Oak Flats Bunnings BBQ. In May through the courtesy of The Gerringong Bowlo they will be conducting the Community Raffle for three Sundays from 11 May. Money that The Lions raise is distributed to a variety of worthy causes. Last year each of the junior sporting clubs in the town were given $1000. New AED. Through the generosity of The Bendigo Bank and Wave FM, The Lions have received another defibrillator that will be installed on the amenities block at Boat Harbour, with 24/7 access. They have already, in collaboration with The Gerringong Breakers FC and other local sporting organisations, placed one at the amenities block at the north end of Werri Beach.Boat Harbour remains a project close to Gerringong Lions. They maintain the grounds but they had their work cut out for them last month when the huge seas washed hundreds of rocks from the foreshore well up onto the grass. The mowing team for the month headed by captain Bob Stewart were straight onto it and had it sorted in a couple of hours. The club continues to grow and welcomed a new member Dr Abhishek Seth, last week. New member Dr Abhishek Seth in between Lions Secretary Peter Jeffries (L) and President Steve Pottie (R).

Locals are feeling the squeeze as new development outpaces essential services like transport, health and childcare in Kiama.At last Friday's Housing Strategy forum, the audience listened attentively as a panel of experts responded to pre-submitted questions on the future of housing in Kiama.While the format limited spontaneous debate, the issues raised were anything but passive.Frustration was evident over the pace of development outstripping local infrastructure.Local architect Madeleine Scarfe warned that building homes without corresponding upgrades to transport, schools and healthcare risks eroding the liveability that draws people to Kiama in the first place.She also advocated for more walkable neighbourhoods, local employment opportunities and coordinated planning that puts people first.“There’s little point building more homes if people can’t get to work, school, or medical appointments,” one pre-submitted question pointed out.Council staff acknowledged the shortfall and confirmed they are lobbying state agencies for better coordination and funding.But many in the room questioned whether that would be enough without stronger planning controls at the local level.With Kiama’s median house price now around $1.55 million and the average new home loan in NSW sitting at $800,000, the affordability gap is widening.This financial strain, combined with short-term rental pressures and lagging infrastructure, has prompted renewed calls for housing strategies that prioritise community needs.Listen to • KMC Director of Planning present Draft Housing Strategy V2 at Housing Strategy Business Panel Discussion on 11 April here • Business Panel Discussion here• Housing Expert Dr Tony Gilmour discuss the Draft Housing Strategy V2 with Bernie Hems on KCR here • KMC Director of Plan Ed Paterson discuss the Draft Housing Strategy V2 with Bernie Hems on KCR here Have your sayKiama Council’s draft housing strategy is on public exhibition until April 27.You can read it and share your views here. The forum was rich with insight, lived experience and bold ideas. The Bugle will be sharing more highlights and panel discussions on the The Bugle app over the next two weeks.

Community Independent candidate for Gilmore, Kate Dezarnaulds is concerned the two major parties have ignored the full scale of Australia’s housing crisis and how it affects renters, young people and essential workers.While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have focused on boosting home ownership through tax cuts, superannuation access, and deposit guarantees, Dezarnaulds believes a more inclusive and regionally responsive approach is required.“I’m thrilled housing is finally on the national agenda. This is what we’ve been calling for since the start of the campaign,” Dezarnaulds said. “But the only thing that will drastically increase supply is backing low-cost, easy-to-deliver housing. "Where in these policies is the support for modular homes? For tiny homes? For the people already building smart, community-driven solutions right here on the South Coast?“We’re in the middle of the worst housing affordability crisis in a generation. Yet both major parties continue to pour fuel on the fire with demand-side policies that will inflate prices further, while leaving renters and regional communities behind.”Dezarnaulds said in a region like the Gilmore electorate where there is a shortage of nurses, teachers, police and paramedics, "frontline workers simply cannot afford to live in the communities they serve".“This is not just a housing crisis. It’s a workforce crisis. It’s an economic productivity crisis. And it’s a social cohesion crisis.”South Coast tiny house manufacturer, Rick Smith, believes regional communities are often overlooked by state and federal governments.“People are running out of options,” said the founder of Havenwood Tiny Homes. “We’re building high-quality, climate-smart homes for young people, essential workers, and older women with nowhere else to go, like a local woman we built for after her husband passed away. "If politicians were serious about affordable housing, they’d be talking to people like us. What we’re doing is faster, more affordable, and better for the environment but red tape and outdated thinking keep getting in the way.”Dezarnaulds wants the government to remove disincentives for downsizers. "We’ve never had bigger houses with fewer people in them. Let’s make it easier to right-size," she said.Kate with Rick and Shani Smith from Havenwood Homes. Photo: Supplied“When two thirds of Australians are relying on rising property values for their retirement, real reform becomes politically risky but that’s no excuse for inaction.“We need housing models that increase supply without threatening the financial security of current homeowners. "If we don’t get this right, we’re locking an entire generation out of secure housing and failing the ones that come after them too."

Easter is a special time of year and if you would like to attend a church ceremony in the Kiama local government area, here are your options this long weekend.Anglican Church Gerringong Good Friday 8am Morning Prayer, 10am Communion Easter Day 8am Communion, 10am Family Service, 6pm Lords Supper ServiceAnglican Church Jamberoo Good Friday 9am Communion Easter Day 9am & 4pm servicesAnglican Church Kiama Good Friday 9am Combined Communion ServiceEaster Saturday Easter Family Fun Day 1-4pmEaster Day 6.15am Service at the Blowhole (combined Kiama Churches), 8am Communion Kiama, 8.30am Communion, St Pauls Minnamurra, 10am All age serviceBaptist Church Kiama Good Friday 9am Easter Day 9amUniting Church GerringongEaster Day 9am & 5.30pmUniting Church Kiama Good Friday 9.30amEaster Day 6.15am Combined Churches Service at the Blowhole; 9.30am All-age Celebration

From a bra fitting to a lifelong bond, Rita Sullivan’s boutique has done far more than clothe women.It has comforted, connected and empowered them.When she rang her friend Kerry Nash one afternoon and asked, “Would you like to come and play with me on a Saturday?” it was more than a casual invitation.It became the beginning of five years of shared purpose, kindness and deep friendship at Knickerboxers in Kiama, where women found care, comfort and something they didn’t always expect from a lingerie shop, genuine connection.After decades of supporting women through every stage of life, Rita has sold her beloved business.But her story is sewn with far more than stitches. It is a story of listening, helping and lifting others up.Her retail journey began in Berry, where she and her daughter Catheryn opened The Fairy Shop, a small business that brought a touch of magic and imagination to their customers.With a background in nursing and a heart for helping others, Rita brought empathy into every aspect of her work.When she sold The Fairy Shop and moved into more specialised retail with Knickerboxers, she brought Kerry on board too, who also came from a nursing background.Together, they created a space of care and dignity for every woman who walked through the door.In Kiama, Knickerboxers became a sanctuary for women who needed understanding as much as they needed a proper fitting.“It’s not easy to buy a bra,” Rita said. “But we make people feel comfortable. We help them feel like themselves again.”Many of the women who came through the door had undergone surgery, including mastectomies or lumpectomies.Others just needed time and kindness.With every fitting came a story, and often a few tears. “Sometimes all it takes is a gentle hand on the arm and an ‘Are you okay?’” Kerry said.“Then they turn to the mirror and see themselves as whole again.”Word of mouth carried Knickerboxers far beyond Kiama. Customers came from Bathurst, Orange and the Sutherland Shire.Some became long-term clients through mail order. But for Rita, it was never about sales. It was about creating a space where women felt safe, seen and supported.That same spirit continues in her volunteer work.Rita helped found the Kiama chapter of Zonta, a service organisation focused on empowering women and girls through education, advocacy and local projects. Rita’s strength has always been in building connections. She believes local businesses thrive when they support one another.Whether introducing new shop owners to the community, or creating pathways for women to lead and belong, she brings people together with grace and good humour.Although she has stepped away from daily shop life, Rita will continue mentoring Pia De la Vega, the new owner of Knickerboxers.She will stay involved in Zonta and other local efforts, while her husband John carries on with his car hire and wine tour business.In Kiama, a town built on community spirit, Rita’s story reminds us what business can be when it is grounded in empathy and purpose.Her farewell is not an ending. It is a passing of the torch, from one woman to another, from one act of care to the next.

Deputy Mayor Melissa Matters took the chair for the first time at Kiama Council’s 15 April meeting and did so with poise, patience and good humour in what proved to be one of the most packed and passionate meetings of the year.From funding calls to facility fees and fiery exchanges over car parks and coastal impact, there was no shortage of material to test her mettle.But Cr Matters remained calm and composed, steering a marathon agenda with the support of councillors and staff, and making space for a range of views across the chamber.The night began with a debate over Council’s unsuccessful bid for the state’s Entertainment Precinct Kickstart grant.Cr Stuart Larkins pushed for a revised approach, arguing Kiama met the eligibility criteria under point (c), which allows for councils that have passed a resolution to develop a night-time economy strategy and have supporting plans.“This motion should be about advocating for our application, not attacking the rules,” he said.Cr Matt Brown, Cr Imogen Draisma and others backed the move, with Cr Michael Cains urging a stronger stance in lobbying the state. “Our community keeps getting the rug pulled out. Aged care, roads, tourism funding.”The amendment passed five to three, and Council will now ask the state to reconsider Kiama’s application based on its existing commitments.Council also deferred Round 2 of the Community Grants Program to review policy compliance, but not before approving $2000 in funding to ensure the Jones Beach Boardriders' May event could go ahead.A proposal from Woolworths to introduce time limits and boomgates in its Kiama car park raised major red flags for councillors.The move could displace staff parking into residential streets and affect older patrons and long-stay diners.Council voted to defer the decision, seek feedback from the Traffic Committee, and to consider the impact on vehicle flow and pedestrian safety.Meanwhile, a development application for a Kennards self-storage facility on Shoalhaven Street was formally refused. Despite late efforts to find a compromise, councillors said the bulk and scale of the proposal were not appropriate for a residential zone.Cr Brown noted it exposed a deeper issue. “We’ve got serious employment land located in the wrong places. This is a legacy planning problem we have to fix.”The mood sharpened over a last-minute amendment proposing venue hire fees for the upstairs space at the newly built Gerringong Surf Life Saving Club.Cr Melissa Lawton and Cr Erica Warren argued it was time to monetise the space and reduce Council’s maintenance burden.The building was built with grant funding and sits on community land, making the question of access and revenue particularly sensitive.Others, including Cr Brown and Cr Larkins, criticised the process as rushed and lacking consultation with the surf club.“This was dropped on us at one minute to midnight,” said Cr Brown. “It’s not how we build trust.”Council opted to progress core planning documents to public exhibition and consider hire fees separately, allowing time for community input and clarity. Cr Matters ended her first meeting in the chair with good grace and a steady hand. It was not an easy gig, but she made it look that way.

The Kiama LGA will join the rest of Australia and New Zealand in commemorating 110 years since the Gallipoli campaign - honouring all Australians and New Zealanders who have served during times of peace and war.Starting on Saturday in Jamberoo, there will be events in the local area and Chris Mosley, honorary secretary of the Kiama-Jamberoo RSL Sub-Branch, says the enduring importance of Anzac Day lies in both remembrance and education."I think it really underlines that we care about the sacrifices that have been made," says Mosley.“We're talking about 103,000 Australians who gave their lives for the country - that’s something that must be recognised. ANZAC Day also provides an important opportunity to educate younger generations about our history.”Mosley says it’s not just about remembering the past, but also acknowledging the present."It recognises everyone who serves the country - men and women - even in peacekeeping operations. “They all put their lives on the line to protect their country, and they deserve our respect."He also reflects on the personal connections many in the community still have to this day.“I’ve known people who served in the Second World War, and others who can trace their family history back to those who served in the First World War,” he says.“We also have Australians currently deployed in operations around the world, some in extremely tough conditions - and it’s important to honour them too.”Kiama ANZAC memorial service in 2024.ANZAC Services in the Kiama LGAJamberoo – Saturday 19 AprilThe ANZAC March will begin at 10:15am from the RSL Hall, proceeding along Allowrie Street to the memorial at the Jamberoo School of Arts. Allowrie Street will be closed during the event, with detours in place.Kiama – Sunday 20 AprilA church service will be held at 8:00am at Kiama Anglican Church.Kiama – Friday 25 April (ANZAC Day)Dawn Service: Blowhole Point at 5:30amBreakfast: Kiama Leagues Club following the dawn service, until 8:30amANZAC March: Begins at 10:00am from the Old Council Chambers (Manning Street), proceeding to Terralong Street and concluding at the Memorial Arch for the official service. Road closures will apply.Gerringong – Friday 25 AprilDawn Service: Eastern end of Belinda Street at 6:00amBowling Club Service: Gerringong Bowling Club at 11:00amGerroa – Friday 25 AprilANZAC Day Service: Gerroa Boat Fishermen’s Club at 7:30am

With only three more weeks until the Federal election on May 3, both major parties have come out with signature policies which they think will directly address one of the biggest election issues that is facing the nation – housing. Labor’s policy centres around a $10 billion build to 100,000 homes specifically for first-home buyers. Simultaneously they will allow first home buyers access to 5 per cent deposits (purchasing a home normally requires a 10–20 per cent deposit) through a loan guarantee from the Federal Government.  The Liberal-National Coalition has announced it will allocate $5b to fund essential infrastructure like water, power and sewerage to unlock up to 500,000 new homes. In addition, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced that interest payments on mortgages taken out by first-home buyers on newly built homes would be tax deductible for five years.  There is a clear focus on first home buyers and ensuring "the Australian Dream" still exists for the younger generation, some of whom will be voting for the first time at this year’s election. Both parties have also committed to a two-year ban on foreign investors purchasing existing homes. While on paper, the policies are well meaning and well intended, they have been lambasted by economic and housing experts. Chris Richardson, a former Australian Treasury official and economic commentator labelled both parties’ platforms "a dumpster fire of dumb stuff", and Saul Eslake who has worked for ANZ and the Bank of America Merrill Lynch called the Coalition’s tax deduction on mortgage payments the "candidate for dumbest policy decision of the 21st century".  Ouch.  Ultimately, it comes down the laws of supply and demand. Tax offsets, subsidies and making it "easier" to purchase a home will inherently drive up demand. If this demand is chasing the same number of homes, prices will go up.  The national discourse on housing has collided with Kiama Municipal Council's draft Housing Strategy v2 that our community is currently reviewing in the context of our own housing predicament. As the most expensive place to buy a home in regional NSW and in the running (again!) for the Top Tourism Town in Australia award – this is an issue we must grapple with. Kiama Council has shown incredible foresight by reaching out to the community and running the Housing Strategy Forum at The Sebel, which laid bare the state of our situation and the needs for action.  We think community housing expert Natallie Allan put it best when she referenced historical news articles from the Kiama Independent. The articles covered "controversial" decisions that were decried at the time, but ultimately "all the things that we now look at and say this is the character of Kiama, were the things what we were arguing against when they came in". Another panellist, real estate expert Simon Kersten, noted it is almost impossible for a young person in Kiama to achieve buying their own home and Ms Allan noted that there were probably three people under the age of 30 in attendance at the Forum.  The Bugle’s View is that we need to change our ways, our thinking and our views. Our views can be our views, but we need to also understand that adopting self-righteous approach from some sections of our community might compromise the future and next generation of that very same community.

Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips and Labor Senator Jenny McAllister have announced that $840,000 will be delivered for the Gerringong District All Sports Clubhouse at Gerry Emery Oval if Anthony Albanese retains government at the May 3 federal election.The clubhouse is home to the Gerringong Breakers Football Club, the Gerringong Jets Cricket Club and the Gerringong Touch Association, who will all benefit from this upgrade.The local community has already helped raise money for the project, which has contributed to the installation of dressing rooms for female athletes. This election commitment will help complete the upgrade of the clubhouse.“I’m proud to be supporting the club house at Gerry Emery Oval in Gerringong,” Phillips said. “I know how well used it is by local sports clubs and how strongly the community has been calling for this renovation.“The community fundraised to help build female changerooms, which shows just how popular this facility is, and I am happy to be supporting this project further with this election commitment to help modernise the whole clubhouse.”Liberal candidate Andrew Constance recently pledged the same amount for the clubhouse if Opposition Leader Peter Dutton were to be elected.

The Kiama Quarriers Football Club women’s teams have made a flying start to the season, with both sides undefeated after their first two games. The Division 1 team, in particular, is shaping up as a serious title contender.After falling just one game short of the grand final last year - eliminated by eventual premiers Fairy Meadow - the team wasted no time exacting revenge. In their season opener, wearing the new Kiama Quarriers kit, they defeated Fairy Meadow 3–0.KQFC Secretary Nerissa Peterson says much of the team’s early-season success can be attributed to coach Wayne Paton’s leadership.“They’ve got quite a few new players, and many are playing really well. Wayne has a very structured training schedule, and I think a few players came over specifically to play under him after our strong season last year,” she says.Kiama Quarriers women's over 30's team. Source: Nerissa PetersonThe club’s Over 30s Division 1 women’s team is also off to a perfect start, winning both of their opening matches. They, too, are hoping to go one better this year after making the semi-finals in 2024.“They beat last year's league champions, Oak Flats Kraken, which was a fantastic win and a great sign of what’s to come,” says Peterson.Things have been more mixed on the men’s side of the club. KQFC fields two All Age men’s teams - one in Division 3 and another in Division 4. The Division 3 team is off to a strong start, with two wins from two, while the Division 4 side is still searching for their first victory.“The Division 3 team is looking strong, with a lot of talent. We're expecting them to do well this season,” Peterson says. Action shot from the Kiama Quarriers vs Jamberoo Ravens game last year. Photo: Brian Scott“Several players have returned from the District League to play in the Community League for Kiama, which is a great sign.”The Division 4 team, on the other hand, is in a development phase.“They’ve got quite a few new players, including about half a dozen who have come up from juniors and are only 17 or 18 years old. It’s all new for them - they’re just finding their feet.”In the Masters divisions, the Over 35s men’s team, who moved down a division this year, have recorded one win and one loss. The Over 45s team, who moved up a division, have had a tougher start, losing both their opening games.All teams will take a break over the Easter weekend before returning to the field on the weekend of April 26–27. The club’s major fundraiser, a trivia night, will be held on May 10 at Kiama Leagues Club - a great chance to support local sport.

It seems like 2025 is both rushing at us and rushing by. Everything seems to be accelerating, the 24/7 news cycle on permanent fast-forward, social media algorithms magnifying a sense of crisis around every corner.Overseas, at breakneck speed President Trump is upending international alliances that have underpinned the fragile geopolitical stability much of the world has enjoyed since 1945. In Ukraine, a miserable war grinds on, while in its rubble-strewn streets, Gaza remains in the grip of a humanitarian crisis.Here at home, the cost-of-living crisis continues to squeeze family budgets to breaking point, all while we continue to come to grips with a housing catastrophe decades in the making and which, truth be told, will take decades to fix. While the rich get richer, many of us are seemingly powerless in an economy that we feel has left us out and left us behind. With a federal election soon upon us, we are being bombarded daily with promises many of us don’t believe.More than a century ago, Vladmir Lenin said that ‘There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.’ Given the pace of change washing over us, and the various crises mushrooming around us, it seems 2025 is a year where, to borrow Lenin’s phrase, decades are happening.In these uncertain and anxious times, many of us are feeling overwhelmed. Through 2024 Lifeline recorded 8 of its 10 largest daily call volumes as ordinary Aussies from every demographic and nearly every postcode sought help. Whether we recognize it or not, many of us are grieving – a dream that’s fading, certainties that are disappearing or hope that’s receding.Jesus, the central figure not only of the Easter story but of human history, was described by a prophet as a ‘man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.’ On the night he would be betrayed, arrested and imprisoned, knowing the unimaginable suffering that lay head for him, Jesus told his friends that his soul was ‘overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.’In that moment in the Garden, Jesus had a choice. He could have let the cup of suffering he was to drink pass him by. Compelled by perfect and pure love, Jesus willingly walked the loneliest roads of suffering, pain and death. Decades after his death, one of his friends recalled Jesus’ own words, ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but will have everlasting life.’Whosoever is you and me – all of us, everywhere and across every time – without exception. God’s love for us is without limit.It was love that compelled Jesus to walk the way of suffering, love that stretched out his hands on the cross and love that forgave his enemies with his dying breath.It was love that saw him lay down his life so that we might enjoy friendship with God. There is no greater love than this.It was love that rolled the away the stone of Jesus’ tomb, revealing not only his empty graveclothes, but that in the end, that love has the first and final word – that when all is said and done, love wins.The story of Easter is the story of God’s love overcoming our failures, our sins, our shame, our guilt, and the power of death itself. God’s perfect love is the power than can overwhelm all our fears.In a world changing at overwhelming speed, when we can feel overwhelmed by uncertainty, anxiety and fear – the Easter truth that love overcomes, that love wins – echoes down two millennia of history and stretches out into eternity, and reaches out for you and for me, embracing us with the assurance that God will never leave us, that there is always hope.This truth invites us into a personal and utterly transformative relationship with God. Freely God is offering you his love, and freely you can receive and be forever changed by it.

Two stunning quilted wall hangings honouring Vietnam veterans will be unveiled this Easter Saturday in Jamberoo, just before the town’s heartfelt Anzac Day commemoration.The panels were first discovered in Broken Hill by Barbara Adams, who immediately saw their power.She brought them home with the hope they would find the right hands, and they did.Lesley East showed the panels at a U3A Textiles in Art session in Kiama, where Theresa MacPherson one of the members offered to ask her local quilting group in Kiama if they might be interested.Two generous women Annette Hoskins and Robyn Thomson from the Kiama Quilters stepped forward, each taking on one of the panels and transforming them into artworks stitched with care, memory and immense skill.Lesley East from Jamberoo Red Cross hanging the quilt artworks created by Annette Hoskins and Robyn Thomson from Kiama Quilters The result is a breathtaking tribute to those who served, just in time for Anzac Day.The quilts feature stirring imagery of silhouetted soldiers, blazing skies, blooming poppies and references to the Vietnam War.Lesley East with a job well done - ask a busy woman With help from the community the quilts will be permanently displayed in Jamberoo RSL Hall.Everyone is welcome to attend Saturday’s service, which includes a short march down the street before a reflective gathering at the hall.Afterwards, community members are invited back for tea, Anzac biscuits and a chance to admire the new memorial quilts.

As Kiama Municipal Council invites public feedback on the Draft Local Housing Strategy, residents have a unique chance to shape the future of our region. Amid the maps, forecasts and planning jargon, one vital word deserves more attention: liveability.Dr Alan Woodward, a long-time Kiama local and respected national leader in mental health and social policy, believes the people who live here are the real experts in what makes a place liveable. In a recent interview with Bernie Hems on Kiama Community Radio, he reflected on how community knowledge can be the difference between a good plan and a great one.“We know our community best,” he said. “We know what works and what doesn’t. That local expertise matters, and now we’ve got a platform to use it.”That platform is the Draft Housing Strategy, and submissions are open until 27 April.Dr Woodward, who helped establish the new incorporated group Kiama Matters, urged residents to move beyond cynicism and speak up.“Participation is one of the ways that the community can have a say and influence what occurs for them,” he said. “Individually, it’s easy to feel powerless. But groups, especially ones that work collaboratively and share good information, can really influence outcomes.”It’s a timely reminder. The Housing Strategy lays out where, what and how we’ll build over the coming decades. Housing is not just about rooftops and lot sizes. It’s about how we move, connect, raise families and grow older. It’s about sustainability, infrastructure and design, but also the quieter things: feeling safe, being seen and knowing your neighbours.His message is simple. “There are no better experts than the people who live here,” he said. “The liveability questions associated with population growth are things that people in the local community have expertise in.”Whether it’s access to green space, traffic impacts, housing diversity, affordability or the character of your street, now is the moment to reflect on what liveability means to you, and tell Council.Submissions can be short or long.A single story, a list of priorities or even a question is enough to make a difference.💬 Have your say hereAnd if you need a little inspiration, put on Imagine, Alan’s song choice to close the interview, and think about the Kiama you want to leave behind for the next generation.Tune into Bernie Hems' show at 9am on Tuesdays on KCR.

Community Independent candidate for Gilmore, Kate Dezarnaulds, is calling for urgent action to fix persistent mobile blackspots, which are disrupting daily life for residents and leaving the region ill-equipped to handle peak holiday periods.As school holidays bring a surge of visitors to the South Coast, locals say they’re being left high and dry when it comes to basic mobile coverage, which hurts hurting businesses, frustrates tradespeople and puts emergency services at risk.“We live in one of the most beautiful parts of Australia—but when the crowds arrive, our mobile networks crash,” she said. “Local businesses lose sales, tradies can’t get job details, and when someone needs an ambulance, you can’t even get a signal. That’s not just inconvenient, it’s dangerous.”From Berry to Kangaroo Valley and all along the Princes Highway down to Turros Head, patchy reception and dropped calls are a regular occurrence. Locals report outages worsened by the 3G shutdown, and promised improvements have not materialised. Business owners say the issue is especially damaging during school holidays, when trade should be booming.“We regularly have customers in tears because they can’t transfer money or use their mobile banking apps,” said Alison Hayes-Chessell, who runs The Garden Berry café and restaurant. “It’s not a good look for a town that relies on tourism.“We use a digital waitlist to manage busy periods, but when the internet crashes, the system’s useless. "People think it’s our fault when they can’t access the link, but it’s the coverage. It’s frustrating and it’s costing every business in town. Visitors constantly ask, ‘Is this normal?’ And unfortunately, we have to say yes. It’s embarrassing, and it’s affecting the reputation of Berry as a place to visit or move to.”Joshua Carrol, a new Gilmore resident, says it is affecting his ability to run his digital business. “It’s 2025, and I still can’t get consistent internet here. It’s beyond frustrating trying to run a digital business under these conditions. I moved to the region thinking it’d be the perfect work-life balance — turns out, I spend more time battling Wi-Fi than building my business.”The federal government previously announced $6.5 million to fix blackspots in Gilmore, but residents say they’ve seen no real improvements, according to Dezarnaulds. With the May 3 federal election looming, many in the community say they’re fed up with empty promises and political point-scoring.“As an Independent, I’m not tied to party lines, I’ll stand up for what this community actually needs,” Dezarnaulds said.She points to Independent MP Helen Haines as proof of what’s possible.“Helen helped secure $20 million for mobile blackspots in regional Victoria. That’s the kind of result we need here on the South Coast. We’ve been promised better service before, but nothing’s changed. It’s time to hold decision-makers to account.”

When the harbour’s in trouble, call a six-year-old with a phone If you spotted the photo of the submerged yacht in Kiama Harbour in The Bugle last week, chances are you’ve already admired the work of one of our newest contributors. His name is Darcy O’Brien. He’s six. And he has no time to waste.  “I saw the boat sinking,” he said, matter-of-factly. “I told Mum to stop the car.” The car stopped, the phone came out, and before you could say “citizen journalist,” Darcy was framing the shot that would end up in the news.  The phone, for the record, is his mother’s basic Samsung device. Darcy's instincts, however, are anything but basic. He might only be in Year One at primary school, but Darcy already knows how to follow a breaking story.  He looked out the window and saw something strange. His photo was gripping. His theories were, frankly, irresistible. “I think it hit the rocks,” he explained. “Or maybe a shark. And then they got into a little boat and paddled to shore.” Mum, Jennifer, confirmed she was planning to keep driving.  “He begged me to stop. I said, ‘We’ll be late’. But we stopped anyway.” The Bugle was on the scene, with a reporter speaking to early-rising locals, including a pint-sized snapper with big ideas. It turns out this wasn’t Darcy's first shot. He’s been snapping since he was five.Mentors include Mum, Nonnie and Skippy, known as Granddad. His real passion, though, might be farm life. The O’Briens often head out to Neville, a speck of a place near Blayney, where Darcy rides motorbikes, swims in the dam, and helps round up the cattle.He’s learning about Black Baldies, Angus and Speckle Parks. He knows a Belted Galloway when he sees one. He’s already plotting his future.“I want to build dams,” he says. “And take pictures.” So here’s the deal. We’ve offered Darcy the unofficial title of Junior Reporter. His next assignment? “Darcy’s Farm Journeys” - a series of farm photos for a feature for The Bugle. He's agreed. With gusto. We can’t wait to publish the next chapter. And neither, we suspect, can his class at show-and-tell. Watch this space. There’s a new reporter in town.

Mike Hammond, zone commander south with Marine Rescue NSW, has just returned from the trip of a lifetime researching what the increasing popularity of electric-powered boats will mean for marine rescuers.Hammond, who supports around 1000 volunteer marine rescue responders from Port Kembla to Eden and inland to Moama on the Murray River, was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to travel to nations including Sweden and Germany, two world-leaders in e-boat building and technology.It was a dream come true for the lifelong recreational boater, commercial skipper and Superintendent responsible for the safety of Marine Rescue NSW volunteer crews on the South Coast. Part of his role includes ensuring volunteers have all the safety training and assets needed to carry out what are often perilous maritime rescue missions. Hammond is no stranger to danger. During a stint with the State Emergency Service he helped land-based rescuers respond safely to incidents involving the growing number of electric vehicles on our roads. “We needed to give our road crash rescue teams the tools to be safe when they turn up to a road accident and the car that's upside down or in a ditch is an electric vehicle,” he explained. “The risks are different, big lithium batteries can overheat, catch fire or explode in these kinds of situations. We needed to prepare those responders for that kind of emergency.”Mike travelled to Tokyo and met with officers from the Japan Coast Guard. Photo: Marine Rescue NSWWith a rise in electric boat technology - the Teslas of the sea - Mr Hammond realised he could use this experience and apply it to marine rescue. “We’ve seen the impact e-battery fires can have on land so we need to be prepared for marine rescue responders to know what they need to do if there is a battery fire on a boat, not only to help the people onboard but also how to keep themselves safe in the process.“I'm convinced that electric boat technology is very safe and it's not like we don't have fires on petrol boats either but I want our responders to be prepared for any safety risks posed by batteries.”Hammond began researching how to do this and came across the Churchill Fellowship. After a rigorous application and interview process he was one of more than 100 successful candidates and the first ever from Marine Rescue NSW.The fellowship allowed him to visit one of the world’s largest boat shows, Boot Düsseldorf and also see first-hand how marine rescue organisations in the UK, Sweden, the US and Japan manage electric boat technology.For six weeks, Hammond travelled around the globe exploring the growing electric boat market, which he says is several years behind EV cars but will become more popular over the next decade as the technology becomes less cost prohibitive. Mike was all smiles after riding the amazing Candela P12 foiling electric passenger ferry in Stockholm. Photo: Supplied“At the moment an electric boat can be triple the cost of a petrol boat but in Sweden they are already using a 12-metre, electric, carbon fibre, foiling ferry to carry passengers around Stockholm harbour,” he says. “It’s the way of the future but at the moment it’s very expensive. “Riding several foiling electric boats on the trip was a great experience, they look amazing and get a lot of attention. I’ve seen little dinghies and tenders with electric outboards here in Australia for years, but this was next level.”As to whether or not organisations like marine rescue would adopt the technology, Hammond is circumspect.“I think commercial operators will adopt the technology sooner because they are using their boats every day and so they will recoup the additional expense in a realistic timeframe. “At the moment it’s cost prohibitive for recreational boaters who might take it out once a week if they’re lucky. But I think the cost will come down.“In terms of using them for rescue, I think that's quite a way off because we never know how far we're going to have to travel during a search but there are hybrid electric boats that can potentially have the same distance and range as a traditional boat.“It also means you've got the benefit that you can operate on purely electric power at low speed for that’s helpful in a search situation when you're looking for a fisherman who has gone off the rocks. That sort of technology will allow you to hear someone calling out much more easily than a boat with two diesel engines humming all the time. And of course it’s much better for the environment.”For an organisation like Marine Rescue NSW which is largely funded by charitable donations, it will be a stretch to commit to that kind of cost, he added.“But we may be able to start exploring this technology on a small scale, and while we maintain our primary offshore rescue boats we could trial a smaller electric boat for harbour, river or bay rescue. “But I have no doubt we will start to see more electric boats on the water in the coming years and my priority is to make sure that our people are ready and safe to assist boaters who take up the technology.”

The Greens can often be pigeonholed into being known as a political party that only cares about the environment but their candidate for Gilmore believes perceptions are starting to catch up with reality.Debbie Killian is putting forward policies on a wide range of issues in the lead-up to the May 3 election and housing is a topic which is not just a nationwide issue but one that is hotly debated on the South Coast.“Housing is a complex dilemma for us. It is a massive issue in this electorate,” Killian told The Bugle.“Up and down our great long stretch of coast that Gilmore covers and in the inland areas, we've got a bit of a wicked combination - we've got working-class communities who don't necessarily have high income although we have pockets of high-income communities. “We have people who are battlers, large amounts of tourism industry but that has a big impact on availability of accommodation for people.“We have that kind of uncomfortable mixture that so much of Australia has where developers want to develop on land that is beautiful, fragile bushland by the beach in the places with the views.“And that's the place they want to develop and we need to protect that so we have to always have the balance between yes we need more housing stock but we need to protect those environments.“Not only our untouched bushland but also our farming land. We're farming communities and we need to hang onto that and we need to not lose the space that grows our food and keep our farmers going.”Killian said the capacity and the taste for high density housing is pretty limited with only the central parts of Kiama, Nowra and Batemans Bay capable of coping with that kind of development.“Our focus is on increasing density in places in urban environments rather than spreading out,” she added. “We definitely strongly oppose any kind of rampant development onto our natural sites, our bushland, particularly by the coast where it's so fragile and also limiting the spread on farmland.”The Greens’ policy is for the introduction of a government-owned developer who would construct more than 600,000 homes across the country in a decade with 30% to be sold below market value at just above construction cost.The remainder would be rented at 25% of household income or 70% of market value whichever is lower.Killian said another major housing-related issue was the amount of accommodation which is being lost to Airbnb-style short-term rentals.She believes it would be beneficial if that could be restricted so that tourists would be pushed back into traditional forms of accommodation with housing stock released for locals to rent, which would be particularly beneficial to people at the lower end of the market.

Kiama has again been nominated as a finalist for the Top Tourism Town Awards in 2025.After taking the top spot last year, KIama is in the running once more and Destination Kiama is calling on local residents to help make it back-to-back victories.If you love Kiama, its charm, coastline, community and character, now’s your chance to show it with public votes counting toward the final result.Destination Kiama would love it everyone in the LGA can support in spreading the word far and wide.Kiama has been nominated in the category for towns with a population over 5000.The other finalists on the shortlist at Ballina, Newcastle, Terrigal, Yamba, Coffs Harbour, Kingscliff, Wagga Wagga and Kiama's nearest neighbours to the north, Shellharbour.Here's how you can help:✅ Cast your vote for Kiama✅ Share the voting link with your followers, friends and mailing lists✅ Use our social tiles and posters in your business and on social mediaLocal councillors and tourism officials gathered at Cin Cin's Wine Bar for the "Tourism After Dark" event last week.Cr Matt Brown proudly held up the 2024 Top Tourism Town trophy and urged locals to vote again.Imelda Laidler, Sally Bursell, Julie-anne Ratz at Cin Cin. Photo: The BugleA second win would lift Kiama into the Hall of Fame, keeping the spotlight on local success.Together, the local community can show the rest of NSW that Kiama isn’t just a beautiful destination, it’s a beloved community worth celebrating.You can cast your vote at the NSW Tourism website.