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What has the response been like – any surprises?No surprises, except how overwhelmingly positivethe response has been from everyone we haveapproached: business, community, sport, disability,Aboriginal, multicultural, arts and culture, the listgoes on. We have been staggered by the support wehave received and we are now closing in on 100incredible ambassadors. The media has also beenamazing. Every single media outlet has said ‘yes,just tell us what we can do to help’. In just fourweeks we have a great following on social media,have a busy and informative website (the go-toplace for where to get a vaccination), we are in themedia prominently on a daily basis, and, mostimportantly, with more vaccine hitting the region,our vaccination rates are quickly rising.You’ve run a fantastic campaign featuring LocalHeroes, from Emma McKeon to the GovernorGeneral, David Hurley. What’s been the highlight?There are too many highlights to mention really.Securing Emma so soon after her incredibleachievements at the Olympics was a real coup andthe perfect launch pad. The Governor-General is aformer Port Kembla boy and he and his wife didn’thesitate to offer their support when asked. Wethink the strength of the campaign is the diversityof voices and faces who have been willing to sharetheir stories and to make the case for people to getvaccinated real. From brave ICU nurses andpatients who literally came back from the dead,to our biggest sporting superstars and entertainers,the common catchcry is ‘let’s #vaxtheillawarra’.How is the campaign financed?The vast majority of the work is being donevoluntarily – it’s been pretty much a 24/7 operationwhich hasn’t slowed down since we decided to hitGO. The generous financial support from business,community organisations and some individuals ishelping cover the hard costs to get the campaignrunning. Illawarra Health and Medical ResearchInstitute (IHMRI) is the recipient of all funds andany monies left over once the campaign wraps upwill go to a local mental health project. Mentalhealth has been heavily affected during Covid soboth IHMRI and our working group think that isa perfect solution. 2515LIKE 80% Illawarra on FacebookFOLLOW @vaxtheillawarra on InstagramVISIT vaxtheillawarra.com.auSeated, clockwise from left: Jeremy Lasek,Vicki Tiegs, Toby Dawson, Grant Plecas, Kylie-AnnHaynes. Photos supplied by #VaxTheIllawarraOctober7

GARDEN MAKEOVER: PART 1Losing the lawnBy Green Connect general manager Kylie FlamentThirteen years after we met, my husband andI finally purchased our first home. It hadeverything we wanted – it was walkable toa school, train station and nature; theneighbours were all lovely, there was noneed to renovate. Before we even put in anoffer, we had made plans to turn the lawns androse bushes into vegetable gardens, and adoptsome chickens and bees.There was only one small problem we hadnever gardened before!One of the perks of my job at Green Connectis being able to sign up for every new tour,workshop and service we offer. Resources aretight, so I’m always a paying customer, happy tosoak up the knowledge of my incrediblepermaculture colleagues.I did a chicken-keeping workshop with Jacqui, abee-keeping workshop with Claire, an introductionto permaculture weekend with John and a nativegardening workshop with Narelle.I came home full of enthusiasm and ideas. Webought four chickens, named Doris, Phoebe,Mannie and Coco by our kids, who spent hourspicking up, putting down, feeding, following themContact:enquiries@green-connect.com.au or02 4243 1537around and talking to them. We hadbuilt-in babysitters for six months beforethe novelty wore off.I bought a beehive and suit and tools andwould sit and watch the girls (yes, girls –a story for another day) flying in and out ofthe hive, cup of tea in hand, smile on my face.When it came to the garden though, I hada tough time.Many of my first decisions went horribly awry– I managed to put the compost bin in the shadiestpart of the garden, my kale was covered in whitecabbage caterpillars, my passionfruit vine diedinexplicably, as did all the herbs we had proudlyplanted in the front yard and told the neighboursto help themselves to, and after six months, kikuyugrass had taken over all of my vegetable bedsdespite daily weeding.Happily, the Green Connect team had beentoying with the idea of offering backyard gardenconsultations.“Sign me up!” I cried.The wonderful Claire came and walked aroundthe garden with me, talking about what I wanted(lots of produce, and a tidyish looking front yard sothat I didn’t scare the neighbours off growing theirown food), what I had (early attempts, many in thewrong spot, poor soil and kikuyu-infested gardenbeds) and where to from here.Claire drew plans and wrote detailed notes aboutwhat to do where. I had a five-page plan of attack,tailored for the sun, soil and slope of my yard, andwhat I wanted from it, plus a few more pages onhow to get “up and growing”.The next step would be implementing this plan.2515Next month: how Kylie’s garden grew!8 October

The Powerful Owl isa very special visitor.Photo: Amanda De GeorgeBackyard ZoologyWith Amanda De GeorgeNature tends to hum with a predictablerhythm that changes only with the season.I know that during spring and summer, forexample, when dusk begins to fall, that thelocal micro bats will take to the sky, flittingand looping as they snatch at moths unluckyenough to get too close. I know that around 7pm,or earlier on hot days, the possums that live in ourroof will begin scratching and stretching andreadying themselves before noisily clomping acrossthe back of our tin roof, leaping off and into thesame tree and out into the world to begin theirnight. And I love that I know all these things and asa result have a window into the lives of thecreatures that live with us.But, let me tell you, there’s nothing that gets theblood pumping more than having a veryunexpected encounter with a very special visitorlike a Powerful Owl. I’ve won the neighbourhoodlottery and live surrounded by lovely people whohappen to love the local wildlife as much as I do.I received a text from a neighbour letting meknow that there was a beautiful Powerful Owl inour gum tree. This was a bit of a shock for a coupleof reasons. Firstly, these birds are classed asvulnerable in NSW, which means they’re at highrisk of extinction in the medium-term future, andsecondly we have not heard so much as one call forages – that classic, somewhat mournful ‘hooo,hooo’ from the owls that fly in and out of our area.I got a brief glimpse of the P’Owl before it spreadits enormous wings and headed out to hunt for10 OctoberRingtail Possums and other tree-dwellingcritters. By the next morning, I’d prettymuch put it out of my mind and insteadwas distracted by some very focusedKookaburras who were quickly joined by acouple of Currawongs, all callingsimultaneously and flying down at somethingcloser to the ground.It doesn’t matter how quiet I try to be, I alwaysjust end up a mess of crunching leaves andsnapping twigs and so, just as I angled my body sothat I could follow the gaze of the furious kookas,I scared something very large out of the foliage. Iwatched as it flew low, hotly pursued by theshrieking birds and into one of my neighbours’yards. It was the same owl from the previous night!We ended up spending maybe 20 minutes in thepresence of this incredible creature, its one yelloweye staring down at us once the kookaburras weresatisfied that it was no longer a problem and ceasedtheir relentless dive-bombing.I sent a message to the people at the PowerfulOwl Project who advised that this particular owl,a male, is a very well-known local who has beensporting the injury to its eye for about 18 monthsand who, along with its partner, is known to beparticularly quiet. Look at that amazing face.So, yes, I love being a part of the daily lives of somany beautiful creatures, but there’s always roomfor special visitors! 2515Visit www.backyardzoology.comoPthanJan JaSu

Physiotherapy are now treatingout of Coledale WorkLife Suite 6!Passionate physiotherapists helpingtheir community move with Purposeand live with Purpose!Jack and Ben treat an array of life’sniggles, such as: Sciatic painBursitisLow back painJack: 0401 089 702 Rotator cuff rehabOsteoarthritisguidanceBen: 0413 837 835Suite 6, 741 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, ColedaleBook Todaypurposehealthcare.com.au@purposephysiotherapy

Right: Portia, the Port Jackson shark raised from an egg in abucket, then released off Coledale by the Tuck family(find this remarkable story in 2515’s archives, in our July2015 edition). Photo: Lynne Tucklength and can be found in groups of four or so,although they are mostly seen by themselves. Theyfeed on crustaceans fish and squid and give birth tolive young.Wobbegong sharks are also seabed-dwelling fishthat live on rocky reefs. Some species can grow toover 2.5m long and they feed on crustaceans andfish. They can be very difficult to see due to theircamouflage and whilst they won’t actively attackthey have a nasty set of teeth and can inflict somedamage if you land on top of one whilst diving.Port Jackson sharks are also in the cute category.Totally harmless, these sharks also live on theseabed and are commonly seen in winter in groupsof up to 30. Their teeth are designed for crushinganimals like sea urchins and crustaceans. They layeggs that look like a purse with a screw end that isused to anchor the egg in amongst the rocks.The grey nurse shark can be seen in variousspots around Bass Point. It is a criticallyendangered species that can grow to about 3.5m inlength. It has an impressive array of sharp teethBy Duncan Leadbitterwhich are used for holding their fish prey. They willI occasionally get asked if I see or get worried about bite only if provoked and generally swim away ifapproached.sharks whilst snorkelling and diving. I do worryWhaler sharks are potentially dangerousbut not to the extent that it stops me from gettingin the water. The chance of getting bitten by a shark especially if a decent size. The one in the video isonly about 1.5m and it swam out from under ais vanishingly small.bunch of surfers at Bellambi. As soon as a divedThere are upwards of 50 species of sharks to befound along the NSW coast, most of which are not down to get a closer shot it swam away.Most sharks are not a hazard. If you see one thata hazard to humans at all. The video to be found attakes an interest in you, keep your eyes on it andthe QR code, at right, provides some footage ofdon’t panic and splash around. More than likely itspecies that I have seen.will simply come in, have a look and go away. 2515If any shark can be thought of as cute the blindshark would, in my view, fit the bill. They can befound in shallow ( 5m depth) water around rocky Scan the QR code to watch Duncan’s dive videoor follow ‘Illawarra Underwater’ on YouTubeheadlands. They grow to a bit over a metre inHello FishTell us a story!By South Coast Writers Centredirector Sarah NicholsonDo you know a young writer between 9-18? Youngwriters are invited to submit a real-life story to theSCWC's ‘Young Archie’ Writing Competition.Tell us a story of someone you know who hasbeen on a great adventure, or has a funny story totell. Someone who knows a great hiding spot, orhas had a scary experience. Someone who has livedthrough a war, or has lived overseas.It might be your own story, or a story from your12 Octoberfamily. It could be a neighbour’s story, yourteacher’s, or a friend’s.No matter what it is, the SCWC want to readyour best real-life stories!Competition closes 16 October. 2515Guidelines, entry details and resources can be found onthe website: southcoastwriters.org/youngarchiewriting

Supported by and with thanks toThe Team @130 Lawrence Hargrave Dr, Austinmer // 02 4268 1399Martin Place CafeOpen daily 8am-2pmCome in for a coffee & enjoy thesunshine in our backyardAll staff fully vaccinatedThe coffee shop is the gallery centreof Thirroul with a lot of local paintingsand antiquesDrahos Zak exhibition on now3/345 Lawrence Hargrave Drive,Thirroul NSW 2515Phone: 4268 0666 / 0439 325 458@martins.placeMoore Street GeneralOpen for takeaway! Call and order ahead,or pop by Tuesday-Sunday.Coffee, Cakes & Pastries — Weekdays &Saturday 7am-1.45pm, Sunday 8am-1.45pmKitchen — Weekdays & Saturday 7am-1.30pm,Sunday 8am-1.30pmSeasonal menu full-day breakfastmenu available on our websitePantry staples by our favourite local farmersand suppliers include bread from Pane Paradisoand milk from South Coast Dairywww.moorestreetgeneral.com.au38 Moore Street, Austinmer, NSW 2515@moorestreetgeneral 0466 248 559October13

Time to createJanice Creenaune meets Christina Slon, a long-time resident of Austinmerand a retired teacher of art in evening colleges who now continues herpassion by developing her skills and creating works of artChristina moved to the Illawarra over 30 years ago,but her childhood illness and her surroundings infar-away England dominated her early life. It wasthere she developed her passion and skills forpainting, drawing, sculpture and photography.Later, Australia enabled her to develop her arts andto teach them to others.“I was very sickly as a child and couldn’t attendschool as often as I would have liked, but I wasalways focussed on what I could do rather thanwhat I couldn’t do. My father was an engineer andhe had brought home some cardboard boxes.“I took these cardboard boxes and turned theminto a sculpture of a plane. It is the first thing I canremember creating but it was big enough for me toplay in. There was a cockpit, dials, joystick, asubstantial wingspan, all put together with brownpaper tape.”Making art was Christina’s way of making lifeenjoyable by focussing outside of herself and herhealth problems. “I would look out the windows inmy home in London and watch the world go by.“Opposite my window the theatre ladies wouldwave as they were doing their make-up. Theirs wasa great generosity for a sick little girl. But myphotography came out of this.“I find people fascinating, particularly theirgestures. Their gestures show more aboutthemselves than they think. I was always good atnoticing, sensitive to people’s emotions, and thencapturing that image seemed a natural ‘flow-on’.”In painting, Christina found her way throughtrial and error, and an escape from the constraintsof illness. “I realised early that I was a very visuallearner and even with my absence from school Idid very well especially in maths. But I foundhappiness in my art, in another world, my ownspace, and I realised I was quite astute visually.”Christina found inspiration in the works of greatartists, such as English sculptors Henry Moore andAntony Gormley, as well as US photographerDiane Arbus, but French artist Henri Matisse“changed the direction of painting” in her mind.“Matisse managed to depict three dimensions bymaking two-dimensional work truly amazing.”Christina finds creative inspiration everywhere.“The area where I live, the views from mybalcony, the world around me all inspire. But I alsolove visiting galleries and viewing the works of14 Octoberothers. The French Impressionist exhibition inMelbourne was very emotional for me.“I really understood what those artists wereaiming for. And you hold those memories closebecause they are so emotional. I learn from othersthrough my understanding.”Christina’s world is indeed one of beauty; thewalls of her warm house exhibit her works, andthose of other artists. Any visitor is drawn into thatsame world Christina and her partner have created.Beauty personified in their surrounds.Christina is happy to pass on her knowledge andinsights, and has conducted local classes for theNorthern Illawarra U3A group. Hers is a generousand giving spirit, but there is immense beauty inChristina’s careful use of words that denotes anintense love of the arts in all its forms. It is apleasure to spend even the smallest amount of timein her company.Christina has faced immense personal challengesin her life, but she has found a rich creative life notonly despite them, but because of them. 2515Writer Janice Creenaune is a volunteer for the PKD(Polycystic Kidney Disease) Foundation. For more info,contact janicecreenaune@gmail.com

Bringing the West to the IllawarraBy John Elton, of Bulli’s Illawarra Grevillea ParkWestern Australia is home to some of our mostspectacular plants. Thanks to grafting we can nowgrow many of these wonderful plants in ourgardens. This is done by putting the desirable planton a rootstock that will take our wet humidconditions here on the east coast. For grevilleas,plants are usually grafted onto Grevillea robusta,the Silky Oak. The result can be stunning and moreand more are being seen in our gardens.Grevillea flexusosa is one such shrub. Growing to3 metres, it is smothered for several months infragrant bright creamy yellow flowers. It issometimes called the zig zag grevillea because of itsunique foliage. It will grow quickly and reward onewith a stunning display in no time. Our smallbirds, like the eastern spinebill, absolutely love thenectar and the protection provide by the plant.With Western Australian grevilleas we are nowspoilt for choice, so why not try one or many! Thebest place to see grafted plants is at the IllawarraGrevillea Park, which will have a special openweekend on October 30 and 31.For details, go our Facebook page or website,illawarragrevilleapark.com.au 2515Grevillea flexusosa.Photo: IllawarraGrevillea ParkCWA hall needs your helpBy Sonia WestwoodStanwell Park’s much-loved CWA hallneeds your help!The Stanwell Park CWA andStanwell Park Arts Theatre (SPAT)together received a grant to carryout improvements to the CWA Halland are now ready to go ahead withStage 1 of the building project.The DA was approved, butadditional compliance requirementsimposed by Council have increased thecosts. Covid has thwarted many fund-raisingevents – as the wonderful Thirroul CommunityGarden well knows! Their support during SPAT’sproduction of The Sound of Music was very muchappreciated, but halted after the first weekend asrestrictions began. We are now asking for your helpto complete the building improvements and inviteyou to “Make Your Mark in the Park”.For 100, you can nominate up to four words tobe etched on panels that will be permanentlydisplayed in the CWA hall, and then there will be aHUGE launch party to celebrate the unveiling of16 Octoberthe Supporters Panels (Covid permitting).Your four words can be your name,your family, a memory of a party orspecial occasion, in honour ofsomeone, a class, a group, an address– whatever you would like to beremembered or noted.Imagine the fun of seeing yourname (or a memory) up on the wall. Itcould also make the perfect gift!To support the improvements to what iseffectively a community hall in the northernIllawarra, and for the opportunity to be

honours from The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2007 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Berlinda enjoys spending time with her husband and four daughters, cooking and walking. EDITORS Gen Swart, Marcus Craft CONTACT editor@2515mag.com.au. Ph: 0432 612 168 2515mag. PO Box 248, Helensburgh, 2508.