News

Kiama Council will discuss suspending the sale of Bluehaven Bonaire Street at a meeting on February 1st. The Council plans to continue seeking a buyer. Australia Day events were held at the Kiama Downs Surf Club, including a talk by Australia Day Ambassador Bruce Elder and citizenship ceremonies. The Council Community Awards have been moved to September. The United Services Union has called for the sacking of Kiama Council. The Kiama show was successful, featuring motocross stunts and hobby horse trials. Kiama Surf Life Saving Club had a challenging day with multiple rescues. Blue Haven Terralong residents are still without a working inclinator despite paying maintenance fees. Construction has begun on a female changing facility at Gerry and Marie Oval. Val Brunker received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to netball. Alex Glover is undertaking a walk around Australia to support men's mental health. Darrell Best is advocating for a transition from coal to renewable ene Kiama Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on the 1st of February to consider a motion to suspend all action on the sale of Bluehaven Bonaire Street. Council CEO Jane Stroud has made it clear Council plan to continue to seek a buyer for the site. Kiama Council hosted Australia Day events at the Kiama Downs Surf Club. Australia Day Ambassador Bruce Elder gave a talk and citizenship ceremonies were held at the clubhouse. The Council Community Awards have been moved to Local Government Week in September. The Council Union, the United Services Union, has called for the sacking of Kiama Council and the appointing of an administrator. The Kiama show opened on Friday the 26th, Australia Day, and was yet another very successful event. The show finished on Saturday the 27th. Highlights included Freestyle King's motocross stunt team and the Hobby Horse Trials, exactly like show jumping, but with sticks. Sunday the 21st of January was a very challenging day for Kiama Surf Life Saving Club. Surf Beach was very popular with hundreds of people heading to the water in the 35 degree heat. Nine rescues, including two mass rescues, were the unfortunate result of beachgoers getting into trouble in the surf at Kiama, Kiama Downs and in Gerringal. One rescue at Surf Beach involved five people rescued at the same time, with five rescued at Werri Beach in another incident and similar numbers at Jones Beach. There was also a near fatality at South Bombo, which is an unpatrolled beach. Residents of Blue Haven Terralong are still, as of the latest report, without a working inclinator, which is like an outdoor elevator for steep slopes for those with mobility issues. Despite 200 residents paying more than $24,000 a week, that's $120 per resident per week in maintenance fees, Council is waiting on a decision to proceed despite receiving two quotes. This further limits independent living for seniors who do not have access to local taxis for shopping and appointments. Construction has begun on the first ever female changing facility at Gerry and Marie Oval in Gerringal. John Trevena, the President of the adjacent All Sports Club, said that up to 4,000 females use the Oval in a year and for six different sport codes, including soccer and cricket. The project has received $500,000 in funding and is receiving many offers for free labour and materials, but will need further funding for the project to be completed. Minnumurra resident Val Brunker has received a Medal of the Order of Australia for her 40 years of service to local netball, which includes becoming a founding member and life member of the Kiama Netball Club. Val has been immortalised with the Kiama Netball Courts being named the Val Brunker Centre. Val also received the Netball NSW Anne Clark Award in 2009. The Anne Clark Service Award is awarded to an individual in recognition of their significant contribution to the development of netball at an association level and has given at least 10 years outstanding service to netball. Kiama local Alex Glover has left from Kiama Blowhole for an unassisted walk around Australia in support of men's mental health and suicide prevention. The journey started on Sunday the 21st of January, could take up to 14 months and is a journey of about 17,500 kilometres. You can follow his journey at Strides Against Suicide on Instagram or Facebook. After 180 layoffs from a Russell Vale coal mine, lifelong coal miner Darrell Best has called on the Illawarra to prepare to transit from coal to renewable energy. Darrell wants a skills audit where current coal miners can retrain to use their skills such as being an electrician in the coming Illawarra renewable energy industry. Darrell has been working with the group High Neighbour led by actor Yale Stone looking at what will be needed to avoid a sudden jump in unemployment if a number of mines all suddenly close. Kiama Woolworths has confirmed that no coin operated trolleys will be used at the store after the rebuild of Kiama Village is finished. Coin operated trolleys currently outside Woolies were delivered by mistake and this has been confirmed by Alan the manager. The new recycled trolleys will be used when the car park is fully finished which could be as late as March. Each trolley is made from 74 recycled milk bottles.