Clubs & Community

Working in ‘Kleinville’

By Tamara Hynd, curator of Shellharbour City Museum Edwin Harold Klein was an eccentric to say the least. He had little education, made millions using unorthodox construction methods while working as a builder at Shellharbour, and purchased the...

The Illawarra Flame

6 hours ago

Clubs & Community

Ambos embrace CWA’s comfort teddies

By Marion Cook The Keiraville Branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) are always busy cooking and sewing and raising funds for the needy and creating things to help others less fortunate. One way that our branch likes to help is the...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion

By Ken Magnus of Oak Flats Lions Club In 1917, in response to social problems created by World War 1 and rapid industrialisation, a businessman named Melvin Jones invited business clubs across the US to a meeting where the Association of Lions Clubs...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

CWA enjoys pottery class, shares Remote Opshop tip

By Jan Johnston of Stanwell Park CWA In February, one of our members hosted a wonderful day teaching us the art of pottery. After moulding the clay, we came up with a complete array of pottery ideas – all shapes, decorations and colours. While...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Helensburgh Men’s Shed sets up in Darkes Forest

By Bob Pymm of Helensburgh Men’s Shed Helensburgh Men’s Shed now has a new home. Over the last few months, we have moved all our stuff from our old premises in Parkes Street to what can only be described as a ‘green fields’ site at the end...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Toastmasters to compete at Woonona-Bulli RSL

By Toastmasters Area 03 Director Matthew Derbridge Toastmasters is a safe, welcoming place to develop communication and leadership skills. It is a not-for-profit organisation that provides opportunities for our members to grow and learn new skills...

Matthew Derbridge

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Reckless in Towradgi

Tony Ryan revives his love of local live music and discovers that yes, people do still collect playlists. After travelling to the four-day Mundi-Mundi Bush Bash music festival outside of Broken Hill last year, my taste for live music has been...

Tony Ryan

March 2025

Clubs & Community

1st Austinmer Scouts put their skills to the test at national Jamboree

By Greg Pearce of 1st Austinmer Scouts Five Scouts and one Leader from 1st Austinmer joined more than 10,000 other Scouts and Leaders from all over Australia in spending 12 days in January at the 26th Australian Scout Jamboree in Maryborough...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Alchemy Chorus: Dementia-friendly choir sings for joy

The region’s only dementia-friendly choir, Alchemy Chorus South Coast is bringing great joy to local audiences, singers and carers. Christa Wood, whose partner Ray has dementia, founded the choir in Gerringong in 2022 after being approached by...

Lesley Roulston

March 2025

Clubs & Community

New beginnings and fond farewells at Helensburgh Public School

By Nina Sampson of Helensburgh Public School We are delighted to announce that Helensburgh Public School has recently welcomed 70 enthusiastic Kindergarten students who have joined three new classes. It’s been heartwarming to see our newest...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Holy Cross primary school invites community to fete

The annual family fun day is back, writes Jenny Amadio. The Holy Cross School Fete is fast approaching and our school is looking forward to welcoming our wonderful community for a day of fun on Saturday, 15th March from 10am until 2pm. Your...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Learn, Laugh, Live with Shellharbour City U3A

Shellharbour City U3A (University of the Third Age) is a local community group that promotes life-long learning in the ‘Third Age’, (the third age being retirement or semi-retirement.) In keeping with their motto ‘Learn, Laugh, Live’ the...

Lesley Roulston

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Tech savvy? Helensburgh Lions need your help with their website

We’re also seeking assistance with our webpage. If you’re a community-minded individual with skills in HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, and can spare a bit of time for updates and admin tasks, we’d greatly appreciate your help. Please email at...

Fran Peppernell

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Adopt a Kitten: Rapture and her sibling need homes

These kittens come desexed, microchipped vaccinated & lifetime registered.

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

Clubs & Community

Help local finalist win a Women Changing the World award

I’m Dr Danielle Camer and I wear many hats. Some of which include being a mum, multi-award-winning picture book author, Eurovision tragic, and creative director. When others find out my main day job is as a leading senior medical writer in...

The Illawarra Flame

March 2025

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

Clubs & Community

Swing into action for local charity Inuka

The Inuka Open is on March 7 at Brighton Lakes Recreation & Golf Club. Book a spot via Humanitix

The Illawarra Flame

February 2025

Clubs & Community

Fur-ever friends: Admin welcomes Illawarra Dog Owners in local social group

After adopting Bruiser, her Labrador Retriever, in 2019, Maddi Brady started the social and informative Facebook group Illawarra Dog Owners to bring together dog lovers and owners across the Illawarra region. “I started the group because I wanted...

Oguzhan Dincsoy

February 2025

History

A Century of Women’s Cricket

By Lisa Hutton, a senior library service officer in the Local Studies section Almost a century before Ellyse Perry and Alyssa Healy became household cricketing names, a group of Wollongong women were commanding the pitch in the 1930s, competing in...

The Illawarra Flame

February 2025

Clubs & Community

Retired minister expands The Men’s Well with new women’s group at Bulli

A local men’s support group, which aims to help people deal with adversity, is so popular it is expanding this year to include a women’s branch as well. The Men’s Well (TMW), founded by Mark Beaton, “specifically deals with helping men...

Marcus Craft

February 2025

Clubs & Community

RSL Revival: Volunteers power Coledale club

The award-winning Coledale RSL Club features on the cover of the Illawarra Flame’s February 2025 edition. To download the magazine layout, click here, or find the article text below. Rising phoenix-like on the shoulders of its committed volunteers...

Ian Badham

February 2025