The Illawarra Flame

To kick off the winter months, 1st Austinmer Joey Scouts were thrilled to welcome firefighters from Thirroul Fire Station 461 for a special visit focused on fire safety education. With a campfire night coming up soon, the Joeys were eager to learn how to stay safe and be prepared. The firefighters taught the Joeys important firesafe practices, including how to Stop, Drop, Cover and Roll, what to do if there is a fire at home, and how to identify a safe meeting point.

By Mona Nikidehaghani, University of Wollongong Fraud has been on the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) radar for years. Now, a new parliamentary report has made 12 recommendations aimed at stopping criminals, dishonest providers and other “bad actors” from exploiting the scheme. The report calls for better information-sharing between government agencies, stronger action against kickbacks and conflicts of interest, a worker registration system, and better whistleblower protection.

Our May 31 pointscore was an absolutely incredible day at Wombarra Reef, where we scored some epic conditions across all our divisions. It’s not often Wombarra fires up with the last Pointscore held there three years ago according to local folklore. It was on for young and old with the chance for many to try for the green room or take advantage anyway possible. Congrats to Mannix for taking the win in A grade and Shyla Short in Open Women’s.

The Illawarra Edible Garden Trail will return bigger and better in its fourth year, spanning two weekends in spring. Gardens will be open for this year's trail from Helensburgh all the way to Gerroa. Continuing last year’s theme of Food for All, the trail celebrates the power of backyard growing to support food security, foster biodiversity and build strong community connections. "The theme Food for All is an important point of difference for us,” Emily Fowler, the trail's coordinator, says.

Council strikes back in its battle to stop vandalism in Stuart Park. All photos: Jeremy Lasek Over the past two years hoons in hotted-up cars have caused thousands of dollars of damage to North Wollongong’s popular Stuart Park. Worse still, this has created an eyesore in a part of the city visited by tens of thousands of people each year. Today, after fielding many complaints, Wollongong City Council hit back.

An artist's impression of a new high-rise project on the corner of Burelli and Church streets in the city centre. “Are we building the vertical slums of the future?” That was the question put to respected heritage architect Andrew Conacher at the latest meeting of Neighbourhood Forum 5 (NF5), a community advocacy group created to advise Wollongong City Council.

Members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are respectfully advised that this article contains the name of a deceased person. Twenty years ago, a group of dancers left the Illawarra on a trip that would make history. In July 2006, the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe travelled to Macedonia, becoming the first Aboriginal dance group to perform there.

Members of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are respectfully advised that this article contains the name of a deceased person. Twenty years ago, a group of dancers left the Illawarra on a trip that would make history. In July 2006, the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe travelled to Macedonia, becoming the first Aboriginal dance group to perform there.

Just weeks after a woman recently suffered severe injuries from a shark bite at Sydney’s Coogee Beach, the NSW Government announced a $34 million investment to expand the shark drone surveillance program operated by Surf Life Saving NSW to 70 beaches, 365 days a year. This includes every beach in Sydney and one in each local government area (North Wollongong for us).

A cosy pub meal with Helensburgh Men's Shed. Photo: Paul Blanksby Shedders come from many backgrounds, but they all share a love for good food, conversation, and community – especially around a cosy fire with friendly faces. On a crisp June Friday night, at the Centennial Pub in Helensburgh, shedders welcomed the community to share in Hanley Bistro's fine food, learn about the Men's Shed, our service to 2508, and our growth over the past decade.