Guest speaker for December was Xuela Sledge from South-west Sydney Koala Project. She gave a very comprehensive talk about threats to koalas, koala protection and the work of the Koala Project. It was estimated that have been approximately eight million koalas lost since settlement, with 90,000 more than being lost to the fur trade and more after Black Sunday. It is believed that remaining koalas survived by hiding in deep gullies.

The koala population in south-west Sydney is significant as it is disease free, but it is being affected by reduction in habitat, dogs, and roads. There have been forty-three found dead on Appin Road since 2022. Currently there are about thirty koalas living in the Smiths Creek reserve, Campbelltown. They feed on grey gum.

The south west Sydney Koala Project involves habitat restoration and improvement, planting seed trees, establishing corridors and road overpasses, building community engagement and advocacy.

Guest Speaker for the November meeting was Elsa Evers from Electrify 2515, to talk to us about the planned Community pilot scheme offering a subsidy to homeowners in the 2515 postcode area to install electric appliances, solar batteries and hot water systems to reduce energy bills and energy emissions.

Guest Speakers for the August meeting were Vicki and Paul Christie from Illawarra Rhododendron and Rainforest Gardens. Originally land at the site of the original Mt Pleasant Mine on Mount Keira was given by Australian Iron & Steel – AIS (BlueScope Steel) for the establishment of the Rhododendron Gardens by Don Stanton in 1969. This was in response to him being told that it was not possible to grow rhododendrons in Wollongong. The gardens were, and still are, funded purely by gate takings ($5 per person, $30 pennum per adult or $50 per annum for a family) and staffed by volunteers.

There are 3 types of rhododendrons:
•Regular cold climate rhododendrons
•Vireya (tropical) rhododendrons
•Azaleas.

Don was assisted by his friend Bill Mearns, curator of the Wollongong Botanic Gardens.The exotics are planted in the lower gardens and the upper gardens are rainforest, with regeneration of valuable red cedar trees and some other rare trees.

Gardens are open Tuesdays, weekends, public holidays 10am – 5pm
Web: irrg.au Email: [email protected]

Guest Speaker for the July meeting was Kaylene Collins from the Trade Travel. Kaylene gave an informative talk about tours and travel offered by Trade Travel. Trade Travel is a company which offers Australian and International tours and travel, specialising in escorted travel for seniors, cruising, free and independent travel. Trade Travel is also a Gold Probus member.

Their tours provide:
•Quality accommodation as per itinerary and usually with full breakfast
•Experienced tour guides and local experts
•Transport and transfers arranged as per itinerary
•Flights from your home port as required.

Kaylene provided printed information on upcoming tours and contact information to several members who were interested in their tours.

The Guest Speaker for the June meeting was John Shipp from the Illawarra Historical Society. John recounted the history of Otford through his research into his family (Hamilton), local history, and two other settler landholders, the Gardiner and James families, who had purchased crown land lots made available to settlers in 1875. Although originally purchased with the intention to mine coal, it was found to be unsuitable for this.

The Hamilton family ran a farm, timber felling business (Red Cedar and other valuable timbers), the James family ran a sawmill up until 1970s and the Gardiners ran a winery and dairy for goat milk. In 1888 a railway line was built which opened up the area to trade and establishment of small businesses. However, in 1920 the original Otford tunnel to Stanwell Park was closed, a new section built which was safer and less steep, and the original section became Lawrence Hargrave Drive.

The guest speaker at the May meeting was Josh Saunders from Wollongong City Council’s Memorial Gardens. Josh is the Operations Manager for all the Wollongong City Council’s Memorial Gardens and Cemeteries.

From Waterfall down to Kembla Grange there are ten different cemeteries under the council’s care and control. The main office is located at the Unanderra Cemetery. The key messages from the information are to plan now and discuss this with close family.

The guest speaker at the April meeting was Peter Gray, a local author. A retired geo-technical engineer, Peter mines his experience of working with BHP to create thrillers based around the Australian diamond industry, and specifically the rare and beautiful pink Argyle diamonds. Peter generously provided everyone at the meeting with a copy of his first thriller, "Rough Cut". He has also written three books for children. His fascinating presentation included the science behind the creation of both diamonds and thrillers. More information can be found at this website

www.peteragray.com.au

The guest speakers at the March meeting were Paul Dorin, Corrimal Station Commander with NSW Fire and Rescue and his colleague, Hedley Privett, Station Commander at Thirroul Fire Station. Paul gave a very informative presentation with some timely updates on fire safety in the home.

Do you turn off your phone charger at the wall when you disconnect the phone? Many members took advantage of the opportunity to book a home fire safety check, to collect some fire safety activity books for the grandchildren and a cooking and looking spatula.

Paul can be contacted at Corrimal Fire Station on 4224 2069, and Hedley can be contacted at Thirroul Fire Station on 4224 2061.

The Guest Speaker at the February meeting was Senior Constable Wes Dallas, Wollongong Crime Prevention Officer with the NSW Police. Wes reminded us of precautions we can take to keep ourselves and our property safe. Locking doors was number one, followed by not leaving anything of value visible in your car.

Wes can be contacted via

Email: [email protected]

T: 4226 7805 - M: 0498 402 898

Our first guest speaker of the year was Louie Kelbert, a local apiarist. Louie’s presentation about bees and honey was informative, entertaining and full of surprises. Bees are fascinating creatures with some extremely interesting behaviours. Louie brought along a range of produce which proved very popular with our members. If you missed out, or would like more, Louie can be contacted on 0414 972 065 and promises free delivery. He also has a stall at many local markets including Wollongong every Friday, Kiama Seaside Markets on the third Sunday of every month, and the Berry Markets on the first Sunday of every month.

The guest speaker at the December meeting was Fred Back from Kiama Scenic Tours, who entertained us with amusing anecdotes from his time behind the wheel. He also outlined some of the tours available, one of which, a pub crawl to hotels over 100 years old, whet the appetite of some of our members. Fred distributed brochures which provided more detail about the tours. Fred can be contacted on Mob 0429 472 593 or Free call 1800 611 735.

The Guest Speaker for our November meeting was Susie Crick who owns and runs Planet Childcare in Coledale but is also involved in many other things including Surfrider Foundation Australia, of which she was the first female Chairperson, a Director of Oceanic Research, Surfing for the Disabled. Susie is passionate about reducing plastic contamination and improving the Environment both now and for the future. It was interesting to hear Susie’s perspective on plastic waste and recycling and how we can help reduce plastic waste as well as some of the myths on current plastic recycling/disposa practices. In general we have become too accepting of plastic packaging and we all need to rethink the way we shop and what we use

Steve McKenna, from Services NSW, gave a most informative presentation that was delivered in a charming Glaswegian accent. Steve’s role is Support Services Specialist from Service NSW and his presentation was on the Savings Finder Program. Steve is based at the Corrimal office of Service NSW and can be contacted via email with any follow up questions.

[email protected]

The guest speaker at our September meeting was Sharryn Black, Community Engagement Coordinator with Home Instead Wollongong. Sharryn gave an overview of the history of the organisation and the services they can provide.

A selection of booklets and pamphlets was available on a range of different aspects of care options. Sharryn indicated that changes are afoot in Aged Care, which will almost certainly impact on the provision of services.

Sharryn can be contacted at Home Instead Wollongong, as follows

Tel: 4295 6829, Mob: 0490 053 832

E [email protected] 

At the August meeting we had a return visit from Mark Matthews, a natural entertainer and raconteur who shared beautiful music and amusing anecdotes. Mark can be heard on Saturday mornings presenting the breakfast program on ABC Illawarra. You can find out much more about him and his creative output on his website www.remarkablemusic.net

Our Guest Speaker for the July meeting was Shawn Tyler from the University of Wollongong Graduate School of Medicine.

Shawn gave a very interesting and entertaining presentation about how they use volunteers as part of the training they do with medical students. Shawn advised there is no set or minimum requirement and you can go when it suits you, it is only a 2 hour commitment on the days it is run.

There was a good response from a number of members who are interested in being involved, if you were not at the meeting and are interested in finding out about the program or becoming a volunteer you can contact Shawn on 4221 5627 or email [email protected]

Moira gave an entertaining account of her 20 years with the SES in a variety of roles and emergency situations. Brian provided some factual information, including the bestway to find more information about the SES, which is via the website ses.nsw.gov.au

If you need assistance, in the event of an emergency call 132 500.

Our guest speaker in May was Dan Micheal Meehan, a delightfully relaxed raconteur, local author and historian. We can definitely add Dan to the “Repeat” list for a future visit. In the meantime, you can follow him on Facebook, or  his website danmichaelmeehan.com

Paige McGrouther, Puppy Educator Supervisor, Assistance Dogs Australia and her friend Knuckles. 

 Assistance dogs are trained in 30 – 40 skills to assist people living with mental and physical disabilities. This programme is not government funded and so relies on donations and volunteers as there is no cost to the person who receives the trained dog. There are opportunities for volunteers to become involved either full time or part time.

Elossa Fitness located in Corrimal focusses on functional fitness and muscle strength to improve quality of life for 60+ age group. Health guidelines recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity and two strength sessions weekly to improve the risk of falls.

Richie gave away a career as a butcher to become an actor and writer of children’s books and his books are available to buy online if anyone was not at the meeting.

Keiran Tapsell – The Tale of Two Shipwrecks.

Keiran gave an interesting talk to the members on the Wreck of the Sydney Cove at Ninety Mile beach in Victoria in 1797 and the Wreck of the Barque Stefano in WA in 1875, the common thread being that survivors of these wrecks were assisted by the  Indigenous population. Five British and 12 Bengali seamen from the Sydney Cove swam ashore after their longboat was ripped apart in a storm. They set out to walk 700kms to Sydney — but only three of the men arrived. All seamen perished from the Stefano except for two 16yo boys. Another very enjoyable talk.

Mark is a well known local identity, musician and a presenter on ABC local radio amongst other things. Mark kept the meeting entertained with both his stories and some of the music he has composed. Mark is also loves history and has done research on his family tree that dates back to the First Fleet. It was interesting talking to Mark over lunch after the meeting, he has so many stories to tell and it turns out we both have descended from females who were transported to Australia on the Lady Juliana. Mark has offered to come back next year and to give a historical talk that he has done for other clubs, Iimagine it would be both interesting and entertaining.

Stuart told us a bit about himself and his introduction and involvement in a similar project back in the UK, then spoke about the starting up of the first centre at Wollongong in the old migrant accommodation buildings. It was great to hear how they have progressed and have one of the best equipped centres in Australia and also about their plans for continued expansion in the future. It was also great to hear about the project scheduled to start next year that includes an aged living complex and research centre linked up with the UOW Graduate School of Medicine. Stuart has invited the Club to attend as a group or individually and see what the Centre currently has to offer, especially if you have never been before.

Trent Jansen gave a very interesting and informative talk on the proposed Electrifying 2515 Project. Trent who lives locally and works at UOW is part of a group brought together by Saul Griffith to instigate this project. It is a great innovative concept that has been well received in the 2515 area, the initial target was 500 households which was achieved in less than 48 hours and is now heading towards 2,000 expressions of interest.

Our Guest Speaker at The August meeting was Olivia Southall from Kells Lawyers who spoke to us about 'Powers of Attorney' and 'Enduring Guardians'. Olivia explained the importance of having these appointed and the importance of selecting the right person or persons for these roles and the responsibility of both roles. As Olivia explained, it is good to have these done because we do not know if and when the need may arise. Again I would just like to thank Olivia and Kells for making the time to come and speak to us.

Our guest speaker for July meeting was Olivia Southall assisted by Jessica Ryan from Kells Lawyers Thirroul who spoke to the meeting about Wills and Estate Planning. It was good to see that most members at the meeting had at least a will in place although some may be out of date or not up to date with their current situation.

Our Guest Speaker at the June meeting was Kieran Tapsell who gave a very interesting and eye opening talk on indigenous life in the Illawarra before and after white man settlement. I think it surprised quite a few members to hear of the massacres and treatment of aboriginal people that actually took place in this area. Kieran has led a very interesting life and is involved in Community and Bushcare work, I would like to get him back next year to speak to us about other topics.

Penny gave a very informative and interesting talk on all things composting. We should all be experts, now, in creating an energy rich compost from our food scraps,newspapers, grass, prunings, manures and weeds.

Tania Elston and Anna Scott from Remondis Wollongong gave a very informative and interesting talk on our waste management bins. It was great to hear that so much is now being recycled, especially with the FOGO system. Tanya and Anna answered many questions and clarified some items that people were unsure of eg; pizza boxes and takeaway containers.

Stroke survivor, Tania Reay, talked about the StrokeSafe Program and the work of the Stroke Foundation.

The guest speakers were Alyce Mason and Leanne Cummins from WIRES (Australian Wildlife Rescue Organisation).

Alyce and Leanne spoke about the work done by WIRES and its volunteers. WIRES has been rescuing and caring for wildlife for 35 years and is the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia. WIRES has over 3000 volunteers, 28 branches and a dedicated Rescue Office that operates 24/7  hours, and 365 days a year assisting the community to help native animals in distress. 

Audrey Walsh gave a very informative presentation on all the services provided by the trained volunteers, who work in conjunction with the medical staff of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.

Doug talked about the establishment in 1979 of HARS and the Aircraft museum at Albion Park airport, the various aircraft  kept at the museum which have been restored and the dedication of the volunteers who give their time to the restoration of the aircraft.

Our guest speakers for May were Brendan Dowd and Steven House, owners of Resin Brewing in Bulli. Brendan and Steve's partnership resulted from originally meeting when surfing, then later  at Wollongong University and working together as environmental consultants. 

Murray Jones, representing Thirroul Village Committee (TVC), gave a talk about the background of TVC, the projects in which it has been involved in the past and also currently.

Sharon Gissane, Manager at Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid (NINA)

Northern Illawarra Neighbour Aid (NINA) is a locally based community organisation that supports seniors to remain independent in their own home by providing social support activities, meals on wheels and transport support. 

Our quest speaker Robert Pinccin from Dementia Advisory Servive Illawarra.

Gave a very informative talk and answered many member questions from the floor.

Jenny is the General Manager of, and driving force behind, Our Community Project and Tender Funerals.

Tender Funerals is a community-based funeral service offering a caring, compassionate and highly personalised approach to after death care, funeral/celebration arrangements and burial/ cremation options.

We were very fortunate to have Wayne Malone, from Club Thirroul, as our Guest Speaker, at the December meeting. Wayne gave a very insightful talk about Club Thirroul’s past, its past financial troubles and its future amalgamation with Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club. The amalgamation will result in future club upgrades, community engagement e.g. various sporting club grants and member benefits. The clubs future is looking bright.

Amy has a degree from the University of Wollongong in Exercise Science. She has spent numerous years in the United Kingdom developing Exercise Rehabilitation programs for the National Health Service for Chronic disease and musculoskeletal conditions. Her specialty is the Prevention of falls and injuries in Older People.

Since returning to Australia she has continued to utilise these skills, establishing the wildMANN group who specialise in ‘Maintaining Independence and Improving Lifestyles’ for our older population. Their ultimate goal is to keep older people living safely and independently in their own home, now and all the years to come. A Falls Prevention Clinic and Postural Stability Program have been established to provide a thorough individualised examination of falls risk factors and establish a personalised pathway, in order to prevent a fall and associated injuries from occurring. Their services not only focus on the individual, but also the maintenance of the environment in which they live.

Guest speakers Genevieve Swart and Marcus Craft gave a very interesting insight into the beginnings of the 2515 Coast News and their work as editors of the magazine. Both Gen and Marcus are journalists by profession. The magazine was initially started as a project of interest when Gen was at home raising her children. The magazine started with a 2508 edition for the Helensburgh - Stanwell Park area replacing the local News sheet of a few pages. The 2515 Coast News followed with both editions being distributed from Helensburgh down to Bulli. Both Gen and Marcus  now work on the production and editing of the magazine, with Marcus also doing work for the website www.carsguide.com.au.