User Profile

Janice Creenaune

Janice Creenaune is a retired English teacher. A wife and mother of three, she sees the life of a retiree as an evolution, something to be cherished, enjoyed. Janice is a volunteer for PKD Australia and her interests include travel, Letters-to-the Editor SMH, letterpress printing and film study.

Clubs & Community

Time to Garden: Bri Smith digs in at Green Connect

At 63, Bri Smith, has found her own avenue to assist our community in the Green Connect movement, which has embraced the needs of the young people and refugees in the Illawarra. “I was looking for new ventures when I retired and Green Connect was...

Janice Creenaune

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Time to Organise: Why U3A’s Film Group relies on Roy Tang

At 74, Roy Tang relishes the chance to pursue interests he did not have time for while working. “I enjoy discussing and developing ideas with others and communicating generally,” Roy says. “I have always participated in Amnesty International...

Janice Creenaune

March 2025

Arts & culture

Time to join the Illawarra Film Society

Janice Creenaune meets Austinmer resident Lynn Read, who worked in human resources before retirement. She continues to utilise her skills as a past president and current member of the Illawarra Film Society. Inspiring films can make you think and...

Janice Creenaune

January 2025

Clubs & Community

Time to Guide: Retired teacher enjoys volunteer role at Wollongong Art Gallery

Janice Creenaune meets Sharon Pechey, a Scarborough resident and past primary school teacher and assistant principal, who now continues her love of learning and teaching children by volunteering as a guide and workshop assistant at Wollongong Art...

Janice Creenaune

December 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to stitch with the Thirroul Quilters

Gail Cannell may be closer to 80 years than 70, but she is still bringing beautiful hand-made projects to life, thanks to a lifetime’s skill in patchwork, quilting other stitch crafts. “Occasionally I may use a machine for some work, but most...

Janice Creenaune

November 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to … spin and weave

Janice Creenaune meets Carl Murphy, who worked as a public servant in Canberra, before retiring to Austinmer in 2018 and re-engaging with a past passion in spinning and weaving while breaking gender expectations in the process. When viewing Carl...

Janice Creenaune

October 2024

News

Bowls fundraiser helps Thirroul couple who lost everything in April’s floods

On Saturday, April 6 this year Hewitts Creek burst its banks after heavy rainfall, flooding houses at the lower end of Lachlan Street. Gary and Bronwyn Hart lost their family home and everything in it. “We almost also lost our lives too,”...

Janice Creenaune

September 2024

News

Time to coordinate the First Wednesday Knitting Club

Janice Creenaune meets Margaret Groom, a long-term resident of the Northern Illawarra, who owned and ran a bookshop in Sydney. In retirement she co-ordinates The First Wednesday Knitting Club in Thirroul Library. Photos by Janice Creenaune. Margaret...

Janice Creenaune

August 2024

Sport & Leisure

Time to Grapple: Meet jiu jitsu instructor Fabricio Itte

Fabricio Itte is a man with a very particular set of skills: he has a Bachelor of Health Science, holds a Diploma in Sports and Recreation (Fitness) and was part of the coaching staff for the national Olympic freestyle wrestling team from 2007 to...

Janice Creenaune

July 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to Sing: Joan Gissing takes joy in acapella choir ‘Out of The Blue’

Janice Creenaune meets Joan Gissing, a retired school counsellor and psychologist. A long-time resident of Thirroul, Joan remains active and proud of her inclusion in the four-part acapella choir, ‘Out of The Blue’. Joan Gissing’s eyes sparkle...

Janice Creenaune

June 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to manage a Men’s Shed in Thirroul

At 73, Dave Read could sit back after a long career with Sydney Trains and time at the Steelworks, and relax. Instead he chooses to manage the day-to-day running of Thirroul Men’s Shed, overseeing jobs, and ensuring the safe use of machinery...

Janice Creenaune

May 2024

Arts & culture

Time to paint landscapes: Hal Pratt shares his journey as an artist

In 2003 the State Library of NSW commissioned Hal to photograph 350 public grain silo facilities across country NSW. He took seven years to complete the task and an image of each appears in the Library’s archives. (Visit nswsilos. com. au.)

Janice Creenaune

April 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to create ‘bear hugs’: Thirroul machinist sews teddies in retirement

Janice Creenaune meets Thirroul resident June Summers who spent more than 30 years working as a machinist at the King Gee factory. It was there she perfected the skills she’s using in retirement to create delightful teddy bears. The timeless...

Janice Creenaune

March 2024

Clubs & Community

Time to Volunteer at NIU3A

Janice Creenaune meets David Muscio, who worked in TAFE, university administration and later regional development in the Illawarra, and is now utilising his organisational skills in retirement for Northern Illawarra U3A in Thirroul, arranging...

Janice Creenaune

February 2024