Footy's back! - THE ILLAWARRA - Helensburgh Tigers and Thirroul Butchers set for big season - The Illawarra Flame

THE ILLAWARRA

 May 2022 Keeping community news alive

 Footy’s back!
Helensburgh Tigers and Thirroul Butchers set for big season

 F r e e t o 1 1 , 0 0 0 l e t t e r b oxe s / www.thei llawarraflame.com.au

Meet Our Contributors
 Brian Kelly first stepped into the
 Small Business
 Illawarra Mercury office as the new
 kid from Thirroul nearly 40 years ago ACCOUNTANTS
 and is still managing (just) to hold on
 tight to a career he is grateful has All Tax and BAS Returns
dragged him to the UK (10 years), then Perth and Current and Overdue
Melbourne before a return to the district in 2008.
He deems it a pleasure to get back into the Companies
grassroots stories of the northern suburbs. Partnerships
 Iris Huizinga migrated to Australia Sole Traders
 from The Netherlands, where she was Trusts
 a screenwriter. She graduated from
 the Victorian College of the Arts in Individuals
 Melbourne. Since 2009 she has Investment Properties
volunteered locally, at the surf club and with the Capital Gains
fire brigade. Iris is making a series of ‘Community
Champions’ short films for the Illawarra Flame. SMSF Tax Returns and Audits
 Amanda De George is a naturalist,
 writer and photographer based in the Office: 02 4294 4462
 Northern Illawarra. Her passion lies
 in discovering interesting critters in
 John: 0418 162 999
 urban environments and sharing Kerri 0415 117 804
them with the followers of her social media pages
and website. Oh, and adventures and naps and Email: bizacct@bigpond.net.au
wine; she’s passionate about those things too! 9 Walker Street, Helensburgh
 John Corker is a lawyer, author,
 photographer, and environmentalist
 based In Thirroul who is helping NEXT
 families of residents in McCauley T H E I L L AWA R R A DEADLINE
 Lodge to try to keep it open, and to May 18
ensure that this community doesn’t lose its heritage for June
residential aged-care facility. edition
 Dr Julie Blaze graduated from EDITORS Gen Swart, Marcus Craft
 Newcastle University in 1986 and CONTACT editor@theillawarraflame.com.au;
 worked as a General Practitioner in 0432 612 168; PO Box 248, Helensburgh, 2508.
 Sydney until she took over Bulli TheIllawarraFlame
 Medical Practice from the late Dr ADVERTISING www.theillawarraflame.com.au
William Feneley in 1999. She has a special interest 0432 612 168 | T&Cs apply
in Chronic Disease Management, Travel Medicine, NEXT DEADLINE 18 May 2022
Women’s Health, Weight Management and Aged
Care. In her spare time Julie enjoys family life, COVER Rugby league season begins!
cooking, yoga, reading, exercising and travelling. Photos: Anthony Warry

 Ben Wollen is the director of THE ILLAWARRA FLAME is published by a family
 business, The Word Bureau, ABN 31 692 723 477
 Wollen Architecture, a studio with a
 focus on sustainable design. “Only DISCLAIMER: All content and images remain
 build what you need to” is one of his the property of The Illawarra Flame unless
 driving mantras. When he’s not otherwise supplied. No part of this magazine
 may be reproduced without written
working, Ben’s enjoying the natural wonders of the permission. Views expressed do not reflect
Illawarra escarpment with his wife and kids. those of the publishers.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The publishers acknowledge
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their cultural
and spiritual connection to this land. Their stories are written
in the land and hold great significance to Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander peoples, from the mountains to the sea.

2 May

KANE DOWNIE

Photo: Adara Enthaler

 Celebrate literary talent
 June 3-5 will be a big weekend of author talks, writing workshops and book launches,
 writes Sarah Nicholson, director of the South Coast Writers Centre
We all know that the past few years have been Ludlam and Jonica Newby discuss finding hope
tough for the arts, but we’re thrilled to announce against the reality of climate change with the ABC’s
that the Illawarra’s writers festival is set to return! Robin Williams. The leaders of the Ngana
 From Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th June you can join Barangarai project discuss 10 years of publishing
us at the South Coast Writers Festival for readings, their anthology Dreaming Inside, and a panel of
conversations, panels, workshops and book writers will weigh up the pros and cons of
launches in venues across the Wollongong Town decentralising identity in literature.
Hall, Library, and Art Gallery, and discover new Andy Muir from BAD: All About Crime will
Australian writing by talented authors in our interview debut crime writers Hayley Scrivenor
region and beyond. and Dinuka McKenzie, and Western Sydney’s West
 Presented by the South Coast Writers Centre, Words Academy presents a curated panel
the South Coast Writers Festival will bring together introducing three of their exceptional emerging
some of the best South Coast writers for writers: authors Zaheda Ghani and Vivian Pham,
a three-day festival that celebrates and elevates the and playwright James Elazzi.
literary talent of the area. Award-winning local For young readers and writers there are free
authors, such as Helena Fox, Kirli Saunders, Claire author talks and readings at Wollongong Library.
Zorn and Dinuka McKenzie will be appearing, The festival closes with Poetry with Bubbles
alongside bestselling Sydney authors, including featuring live poetry readings by SCWC members.
Larissa Behrendt and Gary Lonesborough. Enjoy three days of events with award-winning
 The festival includes writers across many genres authors and fun for readers and writers of all ages
including crime fiction, YA, non-fiction, middle- at the South Coast Writers Festival, and celebrate
grade fiction, poetry and playwriting. Opening the literary talent of the South Coast.
night will feature conversations with stellar women
writers Christine Sykes and Jane Caro, and Kathryn Full Festival Program at
Heyman and Caroline Baum. www.southcoastwriters.org/festival
 On the Saturday ex-Greens Senator Scott
4 arts & culture

Happy 30th to Seaside Fest!
 By Kim Morris, on behalf of Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival
After a two-year break due to Covid, the Thirroul Beach Reserve on Sunday, 5 June. From 10am
Seaside and Arts Festival is back again in the first there’ll be extensive food and market stalls, as well
weekend in June. as live music and performances on the Horizon
 This family-friendly, community event is a Bank stage.
project run by the Austinmer Thirroul Lions Club. Carnival rides will also be available for the kids
It aims to promote the arts in the northern suburbs to enjoy. Art and photography exhibitions will be
and to fundraise for local community projects. available for viewing in the Surf Club.
 The festival kicks off on Friday, 3 June with the The festival has been organised and made
Art Exhibition opening from 7pm at the Thirroul possible by a dedicated group of community
Community Centre. A range of works will be on volunteers, as well as major sponsors including
display and available for purchase, showcasing Horizon Bank, Beaches Hotel, IGA, Wollongong
different mediums by well-known and emerging City Council, WIN TV and i98FM.
local artists. Tickets are $20 each on Friday The Austinmer Thirroul Lions Club appreciates
evening. A gold coin donation will gain entry to the community’s support over the weekend. Come
the Art Show over the entire weekend. along and experience a great community initiative
 The Festival continues on Saturday, 4 June with that the whole family will enjoy.
the Art Show and forecourt arts market stalls.
 The major community event will be at Thirroul Visit www.thirroulfestival.com

 Talent preview
 Thirroul Seaside and Arts Festival always attracts a plethora of local talent.
 Meet two of the many great artists to look out for in 2022

Tess McMaugh was mainly self-taught in Graham Sinclair is a Thirroul-based
 the art of stained glass and has been artist, and member of the Barracks Art
involved in this area for 36 years. She has Studios. He has been a finalist and
 diversified recently to include sculpture prize-winner in many art shows, most
 and mosaic, which she sees as a natural recently 2nd prize in the 2022 Royal
 progression. In all her works she tries to Easter Show Abstract Sculpture Prize.
 reduce her footprint on this earth by He has received commissions and
 reusing, recycling and reducing. exhibited throughout Australia and
 Tess recently won the People’s Choice overseas. Graham has a passion for
 Award in the 2021 Chan Art Sculpture reconstructing the landscape and still
 Competition for her Mosaic Tiger. She is life through painting or sculpture. He
 an enthusiastic volunteer in the 2022 seeks inspiration from the typical, such
 Thirroul Arts Seaside Festival after a as the sea, as well as the nuances of the
 two-year break. natural and built environments.

6 arts & culture

Artists of the Illawarra
 Stanwell Park painter Edith McNally introduces collage artist Angie Cass

Angie Cass is an analogue and digital collage understand its value for wellbeing. It has an
artist. Part of her process is to gather odd easy starting place, requires few skills, and is
cut-outs together and to scan for fantastic for creativity, fun and hanging out
relationships of colour, pattern, tone and with friends.”
theme. Sometimes things jump out – Email Angie at angiecassart@gmail.com,
dramatic negative spaces, curious see samples of her work at Angiecass.com or
juxtapositions and new concepts from worn Instagram @angie cass_collage.
themes – but, regardless, the end products are
dramatic, artistically stunning and the ultimate form Write to Edith at mcnallyedith@gmail.com
of recycling: environmentally friendly art.
 Birmingham-born Angie arrived in Australia in
2007, and came to the Illawarra in 2011. Moving
from a city to the sea created a shift away from
graphic illustration to showing landscapes and
working in mixed media. Angie’s Illawarra
landscapes have the veneer of weathered calm,
concealing the process of layering, paring back,
painting, sanding, and finally excavating hidden
gems of bright colour. Like a geologist, she is
interested in what lies beneath. She has exhibited at
Black Gold and Egg and Dart, Thirroul, and the
Terrarium Gallery, Wollongong.
 In her collage workshops, Angie uses ‘flow’
techniques to guide people to experience
breakthroughs in creativity. Her passion is helping
people living with dementia and their carers to
connect through materials that elicit nostalgia and
reminiscing. She holds classes in her home studio
and in regional art galleries and is influenced by
Dada, John Stezaker and Eileen Agar.
 Angie is also an art historian, having studied at
Manchester Metropolitan University, and has
lectured on illustration and collage in the UK.
 Of collage, she says: “People are starting to

 Starting in 2016, the Local History Prize gives
 armchair experts, history buffs and amateur
 researchers a chance to stretch their investigative
 muscles for a chance to win $5000.
 From now until Friday 29 July 2022, anyone over
 the age of 18 can enter an original piece of research
 that explores an aspect of our local history of their
 choosing, in 5000 to 10,000 words.
 “The Wollongong City Libraries’ Local History
 Prize is a great way to encourage a love of learning
 outside the confines of the classroom or university

Make history! lecture hall,” Wollongong City Lord Mayor
 Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said.
 All entries will be added to the Wollongong City
Wollongong City Libraries’ Local History Prize is Libraries’ Local Studies collection. The cut-off for
back and the call is out for new and original entries is 29 July. Enter via wollongong.nsw.gov.au/
research that explores a part of Wollongong’s past. library/explore-our-past/local-history-prize

8 arts & culture

May 9

New Film Club at Coledale
 By South Coast Writers Centre director Sarah Nicholson

From June, the South Coast Writer’s Centre
(SCWC) will present a monthly Film Club and a
Screenwriting group, and we are thrilled that
Austinmer resident Graham Thorburn will host
both of these at Coledale Community Hall.
 Graham has had a very long and distinguished
career in film and television as an actor, producer,
writer and academic, but principally as a director.
 He was President of the Australian Screen
Directors Association (now, the Australian
Directors Guild) and has taught screen acting,
writing and directing, including as head of
directing and then head of teaching at AFTRS
(Australian Film Television and Radio School).
 The Film Club, open to anyone interested in
seeing, thinking and having fun talking about
films, will run at 7pm on the first Saturday of each
month at Coledale Community Hall from 2 July.
 Each Film Club session will start with some Austinmer local Graham
background details about the film and perhaps Thorburn will lead a monthly
even a bit of gossip. After the film screening, there Film Club. Photo supplied
will be a chance to discuss the film.
 Films will mostly be feature length, include
English language and foreign language films, and
fiction and documentary. Graham will initially
select and introduce the films, but the plan is that Term 2 Program for
the Film Club will evolve into a group-led event,
with participants presenting films.
 Stanwell Park U3A
 We are looking for volunteers now to make Thanks to Doug White
Film Club a success. The group meets on Mondays at Hillcrest
 Our Screenwriting group, which will focus on House. First session starts at 9.30am, second
the craft of screenwriting for drama, is a fortnightly session, Music Appreciation, starts at 11am
workshop for eight to 10 experienced writers after Morning Tea. Everyone is welcome.
interested in exploring screenwriting through a For further information, phone Jenny on
shared problem-solving practical approach. 0406 350 025.
 Led by Graham, the group will work through the
many elements of constructing this reimagined U3A Term 2 Program
script. Each participant will be challenged to come Monday May 2 Soil Management (Bring
up with their own solution to each step in this samples of your soil) – Roy Lawrie
process, and then share them with the group. Over Mon May 9 Stalin, Churchill & Roosevelt: The
the course of the sessions, we will rewrite an Partition – Patrick Heaven
existing contemporary film to shift its point of view Mon May 16 Reconciliation: ‘The Uluru
– both its political and philosophical point of view, Statement from the Heart’, (The state of the
and its literal point of view. heart and problems confronting remote
 These workshops will be held on Thursday communities) – Stuart Traynor
nights, starting mid-June. They are free and open Mon May 23 Greenland – Anne Brown
to SCWC members by application. Mon May 30 Testament: ‘Chronicles and
 Our first Film Club night on 2 July will feature Kings’ – Video by John Romer
the Oscar-winning short films Kleingeld and Wasp. Mon June 6 An Ecological History of Stanwell
We look forward to seeing you there! Park Reserve – Kieran Tapsell
 Mon June 13 Queens’s Birthday HOLIDAY
To volunteer, join the screenwriting group or Mon June 20 Friendship in Rome – Patricia
get tickets go to: www.southcoastwriters.org/ Henderson
film-screenwriting-programs

10 arts & culture

See Side ptical
This is who we are,
 where we work
 and what we do

 Anita’s Theatre Shop 10, King St Thirroul
 Call for an appointment today on 42683933

 May 11

Time to
make mosaics
 Janice Creenaune meets Susie
 Tindall-McDonald who has found fresh
 inspiration in Thirroul after a long career as
 a designer and art director at magazines

 Susie Tindall-
 McDonald loves
 working with tiles.
 Photo supplied

Susie Tindall-McDonald and her studio are nestled
in the lush rainforest in the foothills of the
escarpment. A wide expanse of glass opens to a
view providing light and inspiration for her
mosaics. It is as welcoming a space as Susie herself.
 Susie moved to Thirroul in 1992.
 “I loved the ocean, loved swimming, I loved being
so close to the coast as well as the escarpment and ceramic colours, but mixing glass pieces together
found the bush brimming with life. I have a creates illusions of colours, just like Seurat or
complete fascination for ornithology so Thirroul Pointillism.”
worked exceedingly well for me.” Susie’s inspirations include the Australian
 She studied ceramics and wood-firing environment “in particular the desert lines of the
techniques in Willoughby, Sydney, for over a Flinders Ranges in South Australia, the pebbles,
decade. “It was always more than a hobby, it really larger rocks, the slate and the huge rock formations
was an obsession. I love working tiles in particular, which are stunning to view, but also to experience.
but I experiment continually with different glazes, “I do hope to travel to Albert Namatjira country,
usually making my own and the skills and the MacDonnell Ranges. I want to walk the land,
techniques have all morphed into mosaics. I just just look and listen, find the colours and the spirit
developed my own style from there, and later of the place. I am planning a whole series.”
taught mosaics, initially at Hazelhurst for 16 years, Susie’s projects can take months – sourcing,
where I was fortunate to make many friends and designing, cutting, and grinding – but she is
contacts. To lessen the commute later on I taught at exceptionally organised and works on many
WEA Illawarra in ceramics and garden sculpture.” projects at once. Her passion for the environment
 Susie was always passionate about clay, will be evident in her next exhibition with fellow
particularly hand modelling. The sculptural aspect Thirroulians, Helen McCosker and Nikki Mann.
brings it alive for her. Only after the creation come “Hopefully the exhibition will be local but it is
the mosaics. exciting just to plan the future. My husband, Ian, is
 “It is the entire creation that I enjoy, pushing the my greatest supporter always and I feel very
mosaics as an art-form and not a craft. fortunate.”
 “There is the traditional way of laying mosaics
such as in Roman or Byzantine floors, creating the Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for PKD (Polycystic
structure first and then putting it all together. Some Kidney Disease) Foundation Australia. Email
may believe there is a limited palette in glass and janicecreenaune@gmail.com or ph 4267 4880.

12 arts & culture

Earth Connections
 with
 William Barton

 Also featuring works by Max Richter,
 Peter Sculthorpe, Paul Stanhope,
 Stuart Greenbaum and Brenda Gifford

 Saturday 21 May Wollongong Town Hall 7.30pm

 Sunday 15 May Burrawang School of Arts 2pm

 Sunday 22 May Berry School of Arts 2pm

 BooKinGS ESSEntial via www.SteelCityStrings.com.au
 www.Merrigong.com.au

Barton SCS B5 Ad.indd 1 22/04/2022 6:30 PM

 collins BOOKSELLERS thirroul Political picks
 By the team at Collins Booksellers Thirroul

 With the Federal Election pending, if you’d
 like to have a deeper understanding of the
 books, games and gifts for all ages

 issues that matter, we have a large range of
 books covering politics, current affairs and
 the environment. Here are five of the latest
 releases on some of the issues that matter:
 1. The Idea of Australia,
 by Julianne Schultz
 2. Keeping Them Honest,
 by Stephen Charles &
 Catherine Williams
 3. The Avoidable War,
 by Kevin Rudd
 4. Waiting for Gonski, by Tom
 Greenwell & Chris Bonnor
 5. Who Needs the ABC?
 by Matthew Ricketson & Patrick Mullins

 Shop 5/264 Lawrence Hargrave Drive
 Our May Events: ‘The Big Switch’: Saul Griffith,
 11 May from 7pm, Thirroul Community Centre.
 www.collinsbooksthirroul.com.au ‘The Power of Podcasting’: Siobhan McHugh
 @collinsbooksellersthirroul in conversation with Caroline Baum, 25 May
 from 7pm, Ryan’s Hotel Thirroul

 May 13

Beetling About
 With Helensburgh entomologist Dr Chris Reid

This month I was going to write about leeches, Furthermore, unlike most of the larger
because it’s so wet, but I couldn’t find any moths, geometrids have their ears on the
(OK, I didn’t look very hard). Later. abdomen. What are the ears of a geometrid
 Instead, a couple of photos of moths moth? They are two cavities at the base of
rescued from the feet of commuters at the the abdomen concealed by the long silky
Helensburgh Railway Station, where they scales. Moths fly around at night and their
were sitting after flying in at night. main predators are bats and bats use sonar to locate
 The first is pretty plain, but even though it stands moths, so moths have evolved ears to detect sonar
out like a sore thumb on the platform surface, it and then use other organs to either jam the sonar
still manages to look fairly convincingly like a dead or send an ‘I’m toxic’ signal in return (see Youtube
leaf. It is a geometrid – a large family of moths link below).
(>1500 Australian species), distinguished by The looper caterpillar of geometrids walks like a
having looper caterpillars and adult moths that leech, because it is missing the middle false legs
often hold their wings like butterflies. found on other caterpillars (all abdominal legs on a
 caterpillar are false legs as they are just swellings of
 the skin, not properly jointed hard legs like the
 adults). Losing its middle legs may help the
 caterpillar to pretend to be a twig but I wonder if in
 Australia it might also have helped to pretend to be
 an inedible leech. By the way I haven’t named this
 moth to species because I don’t know what it is. It’s
 not in my copy of Moths of Australia by Ian
 Common. There are no identification guides, but
 Coffs Harbour Butterfly House runs a useful
 website (lepidoptera.butterflyhouse.com.au/
 geometridae/geometridae.html).
 The other moth I found on the station is much
 larger but also cryptic, pretending to be a rolled-up
 Above: Set specimen of a leaf. However, this one is modestly covering up –
 fruit-piercing moth and (below) underneath the hind wings are deep yellow. While a
 one at Helensburgh. beautiful moth, the occurrence of this species locally
 Bottom: Unknown leaf-mimicking might send alarm bells to our local orchards.
 geometrid moth. This is a fruit-piercing moth (species Eudocima
 Photos: Chris Reid & phalonia), a major orchard pest, particularly of
 WikiCommons citrus. The adults fly to ripening fruit at night,
 pierce the skin with their modified mouthparts
 (a sharp stabbing syringe rather than a rolled-up
 tongue) and drink the juice. When doing this they
 introduce bacteria into the fruit and from this tiny
 hole the whole fruit becomes rotten.
 Commonly the fruit fall off the tree just before
 harvest. Spraying the tree doesn’t help at all, as the
 caterpillar of this moth doesn’t feed on the fruit
 tree – it feeds on vines in nearby wetter forest.
 So this is a difficult moth to control and is a major
 problem for the fruit industry.
 Fruit-piercing moths are generally tropical so
 I was surprised to find this one down here (we are
 34 degrees south).
 Another example of the impact of climate change?
 Watch a great video about bats and moths and
 sonar – scan the QR code above or go to
 www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeCmSL_N65A

14 science & nature

? !
 CE ns lp
 D VI estio to he Entry
 A qu st $7
 NT ur r be
 WA ng yo o ou Children
 ri l d Free
 – b wil
 we
 Dogs on
and leash
 welcome

 Illawarra Grevillea Park
 Autumn Open Days
 Sat & Sun / 10am-4pm
 May 7 & 8, 14 & 15
 Expansive native display gardens; rainforest
 & vine forest walks; picnic areas
 Extensive range of natives for sale
 including tubestock and grafted plants
 The Illawarra Grevillea Park Botanic Garden:
 A Photographic Portrait now available
 Grevillea Park Road, Bulli
 www.illawarrgrevilleapark.com.au

 May 15

A Powerful Owl with
 breakfast in its talons.
 Photo: Amanda De George

 Backyard Zoology With Amanda De George
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from nature, kookas and looking into the towering gums
it’s that birds always know. Sure, other for any signs of movement. It didn’t take
animals are finely tuned in to all the long before we were able to roughly work
happenings around them, the comings and out where the ruckus was coming from.
goings of the bush or their patch of earth, It involved a bit of rock-hopping across a
but, let’s face it, no one says what they’re creek and a tad more searching once we were
thinking as loudly as birds. I’m looking in the bush itself, but not very far along the path
particularly at you, cockatoos! Matt spotted one very large, very beautiful and
 All I wanted was a quiet Easter weekend, one very hen-pecked Powerful Owl!
where we could take advantage of the sun – on that These owls are the largest in Australia with a
note, can we all just take a moment and give a wingspan of up to 140cm. They’re also listed as
collective sigh of relief for seven consecutive days vulnerable, which means they’re at high risk of
of good weather! – but the local birds just would extinction in the medium-term future. Finding one
not shut up. First, it was the currawongs obviously just down the road is incredibly special. This owl
distressed about something. That got my attention, had its breakfast still tightly clasped in its
but not enough to rip me away from a good coffee finger-like talons – an equally beautiful Grey-
and an even better book. But once the kookaburras Headed Flying Fox, albeit missing its head, and a
started up, giving a throatier laugh than usual, wing and, well, you get the idea.
now that got me moving. Powerful Owls love to eat these bats, along with
 I’m thankful for a husband with the same brushtail and ringtail possums and gliders. They’re
interests as me and, after 14 years of marriage, masters of camouflage with their dappled body
we’ve got the ‘look’ down pat. I rushed past him, amongst the foliage and shadows within the tree
slipping into shoes as I grabbed my camera and canopy, so don’t be surprised if you don’t see one.
gave him a quick nod and a frantic, “The birds But if, during the night, you hear a deep, slow,
know!” and he was soon right behind me. almost mournful ‘hoo-hoo’, you’ll know that you’ve
 Any birders out there will know that the next got these special birds around you too.
part, the chase, is the fun part. We hustled down
the road, listening for the currawongs and the Visit www.backyardzoology.com

16 science & nature

Prepare for winter
 By Dr Julie Blaze, of Bulli Medical Practice
Winter booster and influenza vaccine be given on the same day.
2022 influenza vaccination is recommended Pfizer is the preferred vaccine for the
for people aged six months and over. We winter booster as it has evidence of being
expect more cases of influenza this winter the most effective, but AstraZeneca can be
compared to the previous two years, as used when an mRNA vaccine is
lock-down and other Covid-safe restrictions contraindicated. Novavax can be used if no
have eased, and social gatherings indoors other COVID-19 vaccine is considered suitable.
are increasing.
 The government is recommending an additional Japanese Encephalitis (JE)
booster (fourth dose) of COVID-19 vaccine to JE has been identified in commercial piggeries in
increase protection over the cooler months for: NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.
• Adults 65+ years The virus is spread when Culex species
• Aged care and disability care facility residents mosquitoes bite an infected animal and then bite a
• People 16+ years who are severely human. Infection risk is highest among people
 immunocompromised (for this group it will be working at and/or living close to piggeries that
 your 5th dose) have tested positive for JE.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Until recently, Bulli Medical Practice provided
 50+ years. vaccination against JE as part of our travel
 medicine service for travellers to parts of Asia or
The booster can be given four or more months the Pacific where the virus is endemic. Now all our
after the previous booster, or four months after stock of the JE vaccine has been sequestered by the
confirmed COVID-19 infection. government to be allocated to priority groups.
 The roll-out of winter boosters commences in For more, read the NSW Health Fact Sheet:
early April, at the same time as the 2022 influenza www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/
vaccination program and the two vaccinations can Pages/japanese_encephalitis.aspx

 Monday to Friday: 8am - 6pm 74 Park Road, Bulli
 Saturday: 8am - 12 noon
 4284 4622
 Full range of general practice
 Book online* via our website:
 services including women’s
 www.bullimedicalpractice.com.au
 and men’s health, child and
 scan QR code:
 adolescent health, older adult
 health and nursing home visits,
 and specialised clinics including:
 y Travel medicine
 y Weight management
 y Skin cancer checks *Please call 4284 4622 for an appointment if
 you have any respiratory symptoms

 QUALITY PERSONAL HEALTHCARE AND TRAVEL MEDICINE

 May 17

Here comes an infragravity wave!
 Photo: Rob Brander

 Dr Rip’s Science of the Surf
 This month: Waves that sneak up on you. By Professor Rob Brander
Early April brought us a gargantuan swell that and by forcing currents. But some of it starts
once again eroded our beaches. Footage sloshing around in the surf zone creating a
emerged of sudden surges of water, looking new type of wave motion that has very long
very much like a tsunami, rushing much periods on the order of minutes, but with a
higher up the beach than normal, catching small wave height. Yep, that’s the
people by surprise, damaging infrastructure, infragravity wave. This transfer of energy to
and churning far upstream in lagoons. However, infragravity waves increases as the normal waves
the surges weren’t caused by a tsunami, they were get bigger. During big swell like we had in early
examples of infragravity waves. April, it’s off the charts! The other important thing
 Infra-what? Have you ever set up your towel on to know is that infragravity wave energy gets
the beach, nice and high and dry, and everything is amplified towards the shoreline, so that when they
terrific, until you are swamped by a sudden uprush finally ‘break’, the extreme run-up you see is really
of water. Then things go back to normal. That was the crest of the infragravity wave. The strong
an infragravity wave. In the old days this backwash, where the shoreline can also retreat by
phenomenon was referred to as ‘surf beat’. On the a long way, is the trough.
west coast of the United States, they call them Beaches and coasts that always have high wave
‘sneaker waves’ and this term has kind of taken energy, like the west coasts of the US and New
over globally. Search for ‘dangerous sneaker waves’ Zealand (and Iceland!) always have infragravity
on YouTube and you’ll see lots of videos of tourists waves and they are considered a big hazard with
in Iceland getting knocked over by the uprush of a plenty of warning signs. We only get serious ones
sneaker wave and then chasing their backpacks that go way up the beach during big swell or storm
being taken back down the beach by the backwash. events when they may occur every five or 10
 Infragravity waves are all about breaking waves minutes or so. Still confused? That’s okay, so are
as they are mostly created in the surf zone, which most of my students. Why are they called
extends from where waves start to break offshore ‘infragravity’? I dunno, something about
to the shoreline. All waves carry energy and most frequency. Just call them sneaker waves.
waves we see have wave periods of about six to 12
seconds. When they break, they release most of Have a question for Dr Rip?
their energy and some of this energy is lost in noise Email rbrander@unsw.edu.au

18 science & nature

Headstones to holograms
 By Edwina Ellicott, Community Engagement Manager at H.Parsons
Headstones, plaques, gravestones, popular for its aesthetic appeal, and
tombstones, and grave markers are all usually signifies wealth, but due to its
emblems of the deceased’s final resting softness and lack of durability its
place. Like many aspects of death, these popularity has waned.
emblems are steeped in history, rituals As people became literate, the name,
and practicality. The inscription, material age and date of death would be inscribed
used, size and other features can tell us so much on the marker to signify who was buried. This in
about the person, their social status, their itself would give a clue to the deceased’s social
religion, the size of their family and even how standing, being available to the educated and
they died. The historical significance of grave well off only. Inscribing a sentimental message
markers is rich, and deserves more attention or quote came along later when more elaborate
than can be given in this space. funerals became customary.
 It’s believed that headstones or markers date Other inscriptions are used to indicate
back to Neothilic and Bronze ages. That’s 3000 religion. The dharma wheel or lotus flower is
to 6000 years ago. These were made from wood used in Buddhism, a flower represents
or stone, placed over a grave as a sign of respect detachment in Hinduism and in Christian
and to mark the location as a gravesite. religions the various types of crucifixes, angels,
 Nowadays, there is more to choose from, or a hymn or verse are included.
including slate and sandstone which were With cremations now accounting for over 70%
popular up until the 1900s, marble, granite, of interments in Australia, a different type of
bronze, limestone, iron and so on. Marble was plaque needs to be considered. Sue Rowe, from
 Mountain View Crematoria, says that plaque sizes
 are now smaller. Space availability is an issue, and
 Grave markers are an ancient
 in the Illawarra, families might order a plaque to
 and evolving human tradition. go in a commemorative wall of approximately
 100 x 135 cm. These are either bronze or chrome
 and will have a small container behind them in
 which to store the cremains. Larger plaques are
 used for plinthes which may go in granite walls.
 Often the cemetery will dictate the size and type
 of the plaque.
 The challenge, according to Sue, can be trying
 to fit the entire message requested by the family
 onto the plaque along with any personal
 symbols, such as images of pets. The trend
 towards personalising the whole funeral carries
 right through to the final resting space.
 And the future? Think holograms, digital
 messages, and scanning QR codes linking to
 life stories of the deceased and the exact location
 of their final resting place. In fact, all of this is
 happening now.
 H.Parsons has chapels in Bulli,
 Wollongong, Warilla and Dapto
 Phone 4228 9622 or visit hparsons.com.au

 May 19

Banksia Bush Care News
 The planting of ground covers and small plants by
 Bill Harris and others at 33 Stanwell Avenue, next
 to Doran House, is about half complete, and we
 have cleared away all the weed material from the
 western end of Stanwell Avenue.
 A big thanks to Tamara Seeck, Sayuri Takegami
 and Torin O’Connell for helping with the clearing
 of Lantana, Senna, Asparagus fern and Ochna that
 had been impeding the regeneration of native
 species. The sticks collected will now be used in the
 existing nests.
 Bill Harris and I recently extended the deer fence
 in that area. Two Argentinian friends, Pablo

Tree of the Month
 Cicoria and Nacho Bastamante, have helped me
 plant numerous local species including about 100
By Banksia Bush Care’s Kieran Tapsell
 Bangalow palms inside and outside the deer fence.
 While the rains have been good for planting,
Backhousia (formerly Choricarpia) they have also been good for the weeds.
leptopetala (Brush Turpentine)
Backhousia leptopetala (Brush Turpentine) is not
found anywhere else in the Illawarra. Brush Turpentine grows in
 Stanwell Park but nowhere
 In Stanwell Park, it is confined to the area else in the Illawarra.
between the CWA Hall and the tennis courts and Photos: Kieran Tapsell
up Stanwell Creek, along the western end of
Stanwell Avenue and Lower Coast Road, opposite
the shops in Lawrence Hargrave Drive and along
the edge of the Reserve close to the Surf Club.
 It is commonly found north of Sydney to
Buderim in Queensland.
 Stanwell Park is a cross-over point between the
trees of Sydney, the Royal National Park, and those
of the Illawarra escarpment, which has had a
significant effect on the local flora. Backhousia
leptopetala is another example of this cross over.
 It can grow as high as 10 metres, and although it
has bark like the Turpentine, it is not as rough.
It has yellow/white flowers, and opposite leaves.

 New home and garden titles at the library
 Available to borrow now
 • The Flexible Baker / Jo Pratt
 • Saka Saka: adventures in African cooking, south of the Sahara /
 Anto Cocagne and Aline Princet
 • Wild: the naturalistic garden / Noel Kingsbury, Claire Takacs.
 • The sustainable kitchen / food director, Sophia Young.
 • 50 easy Indian curries: fifty Indian curries / Penny Chawla
 • Succulents for beginners: a year-round growing guide for healthy
 and beautiful plants / Misa Matsuyama
 • The green planet: the secret life of plants / Simon Barnes
 • One-pot vegan: easy vegan meals in just one pot / Sabrina
 Fauda-Rôle
 • Creative mending: beautiful darning, patching and stitching
 techniques / Hikaru Noguchi
 • 10-minute Chinese takeaway: simple, classic dishes ready in just
 10 minutes! / Kwoklyn Wan

20 science & nature

Give joy to children
 Donate your Discover vouchers, writes Symbio’s Kevin Fallon
With the NSW Government’s Dine & Discover Symbio, one of those five charities will receive 2
initiative ending on 30 June, don’t let your x zoo entry tickets on your behalf.
unused Discover vouchers go to waste! Your random act of kindness will bring joy to
At Symbio, you can ‘Pay Discover Forward’ to children in need as they get to spend a day
one of five children’s charities and help kids in meeting the animals, enjoying the splash park or
need ‘Discover a Wild Life’ and create memories picnicking near our farmyard.
to last a lifetime. Donating vouchers is easy: simply
 You can choose to pay your voucher forward use your phone to scan the QR
to: Canteen, Sydney Children’s Hospital code or visit Symbio’s website.
Foundation, Starlight Foundation, Kidzwish and
Variety (The Children’s Charity). Go to symbiozoo.com.au/
 By redeeming your Discover Voucher at paydiscoverforward

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 May 21

Lemon Polenta Cake (Serves 12)
 Ingredients
 200g butter
 2/3 cup rice malt syrup
 1 cup blanched almond meal
 1/2 cup polenta
 1/2 cup shredded coconut
 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
 3 eggs, whisked
 Zest from 2-3 lemons
 Syrup:
 Juice from 2 lemons
 1/4 cup maple syrup

 Directions: Preheat oven to 180°C and line
 a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.
A zesty treat for mum Add all of the dry ingredients, except the
 baking powder, to a large bowl and mix well.
By Stephanie Meades, functional nutritionist Heat the butter and rice malt syrup in
at Thirroul’s Life Wellness Co. a small saucepan on low heat, stirring
 regularly to combine. When butter and syrup
This is a deliciously moist and zesty cake with are melted, add baking powder and whisk to
a hint of sweetness that is perfect for Mother’s Day combine.
morning tea. It is a cinch to make so the kids can Pour the liquid mixture into the dry
take over the kitchen while us Mums put our feet ingredients bowl and mix well, then add the
up. I like to serve this cake freshly baked from the whisked eggs and lemon zest. Mix all
oven, still warm with a dollop of natural yoghurt. ingredients until well combined. The mixture
It will also keep well in the fridge for up to five will be very runny, but it will firm up whilst
days, and the flavours seem to intensify by the day. cooking.
 Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake
 for 25-30 minutes (take care not to burn).
 Remove from the oven and allow to cool
 for about 5 minutes.
 Mix the lemon juice and maple syrup in
 a small bowl, then pour over the warm cake
 so it will absorb into the cake as it cools.
 Serve it warm with berries and yoghurt,
 or wait until it cools fully before storing the
 cake in an airtight container in the fridge.
 Happy Mother’s Day.

22 local business

New Perry sparkles
 like champagne
 By Jo Fahey at Darkes Glenbernie Orchard

Our new Perry pear cider is here in its
new-look can! Cider made from pears is called
Perry! We use dessert varieties in Australia to
make light, easy drinking Perry.
 Our Perry can be a great substitute for a
beautiful champagne. It is soft and delicate and
is equally lovely to drink with a Thai-inspired
meal or creamy pasta.
 There is a saying ‘grow pears for your heirs’
as Perry pear tree varieties from Europe have
been known to live up to 400 years, and can
grow to a height of 50 metres. Mature trees can
grow up to 2 tonnes of fruit.
 Pears were cultivated by the Romans, who
stewed them with honey and introduced the
fruit to Britain. Pears naturally contain sorbitol,
which can have a laxative effect for some
people. So enjoy them in moderation.
 As we head into the colder months it’s time
for warm cider. Here’s an easy version
incorporating pear and apple.

Warm spiced pear and apple cider
Slice an apple (pink lady) and a pear and place
in a pot. Add 2x 375ml can Darkes Perry, 2 x
375ml can Darkes Dry Cider, 1 cup Darkes
cloudy apple juice, 1 dessert spoon brown
sugar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon
lemon juice, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract,
1 cinnamon stick, 1 whole clove, ¼ star anise.
 Heat over medium-high heat until boiling. In the can!
Stir and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered Try the
for 30 minutes. Use a strainer to remove what new Perry
 Pear
remains of the apples, pears and whole spices. Darkes
 Serve warm and enjoy! Cider

Visit darkes.com.au

 May 23

Okay Sam, let’s get personal – what’s
 Team Franco: Samuel Jones (at back) your favourite thing about living on the
 and husband and wife Matt and Jo South Coast?
 Taylor-Watkins (seated). Photo supplied The community vibe down here is amazing,
 we believe it’s one of most important aspects of
 living down here. The proximity to the beach is
 obviously a big drawcard too.
 We’ve booked a table for dinner at Franco
 Pizza Bar, what do you recommend we order
 to eat and drink? We have a meat eater
 (adult), a vegetarian (adult) and three
 children. Don’t forget dessert…
 The best thing about Franco is that we cater for all
 occasions, whether it be a family night or date
 night, a get-together with friends or celebrating a
 special moment. We offer a set menu which
 showcases some of the highlights from our menu,
 like the house-made focaccia with Stracciatella and
 persimmon or our tiramisu.
 For the meat eater in the group, we have a wagyu
 carpaccio with truffle and salted ricotta or along
 with our signature Franco pizza (pork fennel and
 garlic sausage, N’duja, mushroom and olive) or just
 a classic pepperoni (we recommend adding
 mushroom or jalapenos to spice things up).
 For vegetarians we have plenty of options

 Pizza the especially with pizzas – zucchini with basil pesto
 and toasted pepita, potato with pickled onion and

 action
 rosemary, margherita, mushroom with garlic and
 oregano, just to name a few.
 We have kids’ pizzas available as well with salads
 The team at Franco have exciting plans for and fries to suit. But the big hit for the kids is our
 events at the pizza bar, plus wine online. Sundae – vanilla gelato, chocolate fudge sauce and
 Jessica Nelson enjoyed a Q&A with Sam. a cherry on top. Desserts are a must before leaving;
 our tiramisu is a must for first-time visitors, vanilla
Hi Sam, what’s new with you? buttermilk panna cotta with rhubarb and
Hi! Well, we (the team behind Franco Pizza Bar in pomegranate is a new dessert for our regulars to
Thirroul) have a new addition to our rapidly get excited about.
growing family, Franco Wine Online
(visit www.francowineonline.com.au). Wow! Why do I suddenly feel hungry? Okay,
 back to business… anything special coming
Sounds pretty good, what is it? up for Franco Pizza Bar?
It’s an online delivery service specialising in small In May (Sunday 22nd) we have a Sicilian event
boutique wine makers/brewers and spirit distillers. with local duo Cass and Matt Bugeja of Ain’t
Our motto has always been quality over quantity, Nonnas and Ross Curtis (Mondo Imports).
and with over 54 years’ combined experience in the We’ll be bringing a taste of Sicily to Franco and
industry we’ve built strong relationships with our exploring the landscape of the region through food
favourite importers from local and international and wine alike.
wine producers. We’ll also be getting involved with some more
 It’s these niche suppliers that give us access to all local businesses/producers like Benson & The
the hard-to-find and highly sought-after wines that Mooch (June) and the team from Night Parrot.
our Franco customers have grown to expect from All of which we are super-excited about.
us; it’s our point of difference. For event updates follow @francopizzabar on
 There are so many bottle shops in the South Instagram, visit www.francopizza.com.au and
Coast selling the same products, but Franco sign up to Franco’s enewsletter via the
specialises in hard-to-get wines. You won’t see website.
Franco wines in standard bottle shops.

24 local business

Sleep Success!
Helensburgh’s Andie Corrigan is a Certified
Infant & Child Sleep Consultant and the
founder of Sleep Success. Here, Andie shares
why she became a sleep consultant, and
what she loves about her job.
I became a sleep consultant because I was a
sleep-deprived, totally exhausted mum. Waking
every 45 minutes and unrealistic expectations took
their toll on me until I was referred to a sleep
school. It changed my life!
 I became so frustrated at how easily it could have
been prevented. It wasn’t about sleep training. It
was just understanding what was happening
developmentally, learning to read my baby’s signals
a little better and having the confidence to back
myself as a mum. Your
 For local,
 For local,
 experienced
 local, experienced
 experienced and
 and educated
 and educated
 educated real
 real
 But then, of course, my eldest’s sleep went real
 estate estate
 advice,professional
 call Ian today!
downhill again and I couldn’t figure out why the estate advice, call Ian today!
tips I’d used before didn’t work anymore! So, Ian
 Ian Pepper
 Pepper
I started studying baby sleep consultancy, initially 0403
 0403 570
 570 041
 041
just to increase my understanding and give me ian.pepper@raywhite.com
 ian.pepper@raywhite.com
more tools around my little’s sleep. raywhitehelensburgh.com.au
 This job is more rewarding than I ever imagined. raywhitehelensburgh.com.au
It’s making a difference to an entire family, not just
one person! I love parents walking away feeling
confident in their little one’s sleep. It’s about giving
them the reassurance to trust their instincts and
make choices that align with their family’s values.
 I truly believe there is no right way when it
comes to your family’s sleep. Everyone has different State of the market
circumstances, parenting styles and baby There has not been an interest rate rise
temperaments that impact our sleep needs. My
support is inclusive and holistic, based on your since November 2010 when the RBA raised
sleep goals and family values. its cash rate from 4.5% to 4.75%. At the time,
 Every day I am mixing my passion for educating average variable home loan rates were 7.5%
and helping others, constantly passing on little tips and three-year fixed rates were 7.34%.
and tricks I learn from each family too. It’s the These were considered the long-term
absolute best! average rates, however, it’s now been
 almost 12 years with rates only going down
Visit www.sleepsuccess.com.au and follow or staying the same. That’s a massive
@sleep_success on Instagram
 generation of mortgage holders who
 bought a home during this time that have
 never experienced a rate rise. The RBA is
 fully aware of this and is not likely to rush
 into raising rates quickly so there is no
 need for panic. However, the rises coming
 are inevitable and everyone must prepare
 for them. You could consider fixing,
 however, these rates have all risen
 dramatically already so may or may not
 suit your needs. My suggestion is to
 increase your repayments now and
 build up a buffer.

 May 25

Happy 100th birthday to Jessie!
The former seamstress has cut out a new dress for her party on 18 May, writes Iris Huizinga

 get a pink slice. Her daughter gives her mum a
 loving smile and quips: “See, that’s her
 independence.”
 Born in 1922 in Murwillumbah, New South
 Wales, Jessie recalls the Depression as a time where
 she and her family moved around a lot. They “had
 to live wherever we could find somewhere to live”.
 Jessie: “I only had one uniform. One pair of
 shoes. We used to get things from the government
 in boxes. Things that never fit you anyway and
 clumpy old shoes. And I’ve always been a shoe
 person. I love shoes.
 “We were poor. It made you appreciate what you
 get later in life. We have worked very hard through
 the years to get where we are today. We were really
 happy here until Bill [Jessie’s husband] went.
 “Bill used to let me make the decisions ... he used
 to call me The Boss. He never went to bed ever
 without kissing me goodnight. He used to tell me
 every day he loved me. Every day. One day he was
 sitting in his chair over there and he said to me:
 ‘You don’t tell me you love me every day, I tell you’.
 ‘Well’, I said, ‘you know I do.’”
 Her mother was a tailoress and taught Jessie
 sewing. She worked as a seamstress in a jeans
 factory located in Helensburgh. She also worked at
 the Garrawarra aged care hospital as a seamstress.
 Edna Jessie Smith “The boss let me work through my lunchtime so
 – known as Jessie I could get off [early] to get home when the kids
 – has lived in got home from school.
 Helensburgh “I don’t think it’s easy to live a life now with just
 since she married
 at age 19. Photos: contentment. Like when we [Jessie and Bill] were
 Iris Huizinga and together, you didn’t have a lot of things to worry
 the Smith family about. You just had enough money to go around
 and you just spent what you could afford. And if
 you couldn’t afford to buy it, you didn’t buy it.
 “If you had a chicken to eat, that was marvellous,
 even if it did run around the yard with no head.”
 When asked what the secret to her long life is,
 she says: “You just take each day as it comes,
 because you never know what is in front of you.
 “I’ve always had something to do, I’ve never
 been idle … I’ve made everything in this house,
 all the curtains, everything. And I have sewed all
 my life.”
At almost 100 years old, Jessie Smith is fiercely To this day Jessie still makes her own clothes,
independent, productive, and funny. with three sewing machines set up in the garage.
 The former seamstress has lived in Helensburgh With a grin she tells me what she is working on:
for more than 80 years. Surrounded by self-made “I’ve got a dress cut out there for me. I haven’t got
curtains and countless family pictures, dressed in many dresses. They asked me if I’d have an
slacks she has made herself, Jessie is a warm and afternoon tea and invite some of my friends … if it
wilful presence. I get an insight into her character just turns out right and it’s a hot day, I’ll wear it.
when she refuses the cake her daughter Theresa has And if it doesn’t, I’ll wear slacks.”
cut for her, instead disappearing into the kitchen to She laughs heartily at that.

26 clubs & community

‘NINA would not exist
 without volunteers’
 Ahead of National Volunteer Week (May 16-22), Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid
 manager Sharon Gissane asked local volunteer Alison Ainsworth to share her story

 maintain social connection and live independently.
 People in the community need to have these
 basic things in place for good health, and this is
 what drew me to volunteer with NINA.
 There is also a lot of evidence that volunteering
 is good for health and wellbeing, and it makes me
 feel like I’m doing something valuable and more
 connected to the community. After lockdown,
 I was also a bit desperate to get out of the house, do
 something different and see different people, after
 all the studying and home schooling!

 How do you fit everything in?
 It can be a challenge juggling everything. But I love
 the fact that NINA is incredibly flexible, and my
 volunteer work fits in around everything else going
 on. My availability can vary week to week,
 depending on casual work and study
 commitments, and I can accept as little or as much
Tell me about yourself. work as I’m able to do.
I live in the Burgh with my husband and two kids Over the summer school holidays I needed to
and have been here for nearly 13 years. As a child take my kids with me to transport some clients.
I lived in Thirroul, and I feel lucky to have lived in The NINA staff made sure the clients wouldn’t
the area most of my life, close to the beach and mind, and my kids thoroughly enjoyed the outings
bush. Besides enjoying these two things, I love – they are still talking about the lovely clients
Aussie rules football and have supported the they met!
Sydney Swans ever since going to my first game at
the SCG over 30 years ago. What have you got from being a volunteer?
 For the past two years I have been studying my It has made me feel more a part of the community
master’s in public health at the University of and feel like I am giving something back.
Sydney and am completing my final semester. NINA provides a wide range of training
Before then, I had a corporate job as a business throughout the year, including first aid and CPR,
events manager and I can thank Covid for manual handling, dementia awareness and much
leading me to this career change, which I am more. The training sessions have all been valuable
enjoying and embracing. and a nice opportunity to get together with other
 As well as studying, this year I started working volunteers and share experiences.
with Healthy Cities Illawarra, assisting with some The NINA staff are very supportive, caring and
of their health promotion programs, and I started flexible and host some wonderful social events to
volunteering with NINA about seven months ago. show their appreciation to volunteers.
 I have met and enjoyed working with many
Why did you start volunteering? other volunteers who were very welcoming when I
When our 2021 lockdown was coming to an end, started. Some of the volunteers have been with
I wanted to help the local community and do NINA for decades, which is incredibly inspiring.
something that aligned with my public health NINA would not exist without volunteers, and it
interests. The thing I love about public health is is a much-needed community service that we all
that it is all about supporting the health and might depend on one day.
wellbeing of communities and addressing
inequality. Visit the NINA office at 18
 NINA provides transport, meals and social Walker Street, call 4294 1900
support to community members, allowing people or follow @northernillawarra
to access the services they need, visit loved ones, neighbouraid on Facebook.

 May 27

Toastmasters celebrates
 500th meeting
 By Matthew Derbridge of Helensburgh Toastmasters

On the 1 March 1998 a group of local people come and see what Toastmasters is about. We still
chartered a club, part of a global organisation have Zoom for anyone who cannot travel or wishes
consisting of about 16,600 clubs with more than to remain at home or in the office.
350,000 members; which had one purpose, Our meetings are fun and engaging, allowing an
“provide a supportive and positive learning opportunity to talk and get feedback. If you have
experience in which members are empowered to any questions, need advice on a speech, work
develop communication and leadership skills”. For presentation or even a school project, we will give
decades, the club has provided a safe and friendly you tips and tricks to become better.
space for people from all walks of life to build their We don’t meet on public holidays but celebrate
self-confidence. events; we didn’t have a meeting on ANZAC Day,
 Helensburgh and District Toastmasters has been but we do honour the brave.
going for almost 500 meetings, after fire and storm We welcome anyone aged 18 or over to walk in
and now through the pandemic. The club has and join us on the 23rd of May and watch and learn
continued to welcome people from 2508 and from others. The first two meetings are free of
beyond. Helensburgh and District Toastmasters charge. After that, you will be invited to join our
meetings are held at The Cupbearer, corner of club and be entitled to earn valuable speaking
Parkes Street and Gibbons Lane, and our doors are qualifications.
open every 2nd and 4th Monday night of the Toastmasters, a not-for-profit organisation, is an
month. Come in for a 7pm start. educational entity and can provide “continuing
 On the 23rd of May, our club will celebrate its education” credits in many employment fields.
500th meeting. This is the perfect opportunity to

 Enjoy ‘First Monday’ tea at the Shed
 By Paul Blanksby of Helensburgh Men’s Shed
Your local Men’s Shed in the Burgh has opened its
doors to the community through our usual
Mondays and Tuesdays, our Saturday Sale and
Open Days, working with different charities and
organisations around town, Bunnings barbecues
and local fetes and fairs.
 To add to these, we are starting ‘First Monday’
afternoon teas for men to visit the Shed, meet some
of the blokes, have some refreshments and tour the
facilities for a look at what we do.
 You might see Wayne working on a postie bike,
Rod making a possum box, Alan restoring an item
for the Historical Society, or Ian creating a cake tier
for a local wedding. Perhaps you’ll witness Bruce
building a bespoke birdbox, or John carefully
restoring an old pond yacht.
 It’d be great to have you along, and we hope to
see you soon. First Monday of every month from
2.30pm, or pop in when we are open.
Visit helensburghmensshed.org.au,
199A Parkes Street Helensburgh 9am-3pm
Monday and Tuesday. Call Michael Croft
0413 401 522; Ron Balderston 0410 564 752;
Paul Blanksby 0403 701 788

28 clubs & community