Clubs & Community

Youngest reporter shares Girl Guides news

By Freya Bond, age 8, of Helensburgh Girl Guides At Girl Guides we have been doing Christmas in July. We are making fairies, decorations and gnomes. We have been very creative. We made Christmas fairies out of clothes pegs and fabric and we used hot...

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Dream job dress-ups, speeches and a visit from the Mounties inspire Scarborough students

By Scarborough Public School’s principal, Emma Hutchinson On 6 August, Scarborough Public School proudly celebrated Public Education Week with this year’s theme, Ignite Your Potential. The day focused on inspiring students to explore how their...

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Students shine at Wollongong Schools’ Choral Festival

By Helensburgh Public School teacher Nina Sampson On August 5th, Wollongong Town Hall hosted the 2025 Wollongong Schools’ Choral Festival, featuring Helensburgh Public School and other local institutions. Guided by Mrs Nicole Hennessy and Ms...

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Clubs & Community

It’s time to Get Ready with RFS open days this weekend

By RFS volunteer Iris Huizinga Helensburgh Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade will host a Get Ready Weekend event on Saturday, September 20. Learn how to create a Bush Fire Survival Plan – plus, receive FREE gardening gloves and access essential...

Iris Huizinga

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Time to knit with the First Wednesday Knitting Club

Carol Douglas has always been busy, it is simply the way she lives her life. “I can’t just sit down and watch TV, I have to be knitting something. I really do find it nourishing for the body and the soul,” she says. “My teacher at school...

Janice Creenaune

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Shining a blue light on plastic

By Jadzia Wolff and Helen Lewis of Circular Plastics Illawarra A plastic clean-up organised by Wollongong Council at Stuart Park in August showed how much plastic litter – particularly microplastics and fibre – is in the environment but...

Helen Lewis

September 2025

History

Water Stories for History Week

See it in the Lab, level 1 at Wollongong Library, September 2 – December 2 and online

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Helensburgh Probus Club look forward to zoo vet’s talk

By Judy Duckett of the Combined Probus Club of Helensburgh & District Looking to connect with others in retirement? Our welcoming not-for-profit group meets monthly at Helensburgh Tradies for conversation, laughter, and friendship. Our next...

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Clubs & Community

From silly old songs to sleepwalking, it’s quite a month for Wollongong U3A

Funny songs from yesteryear, the impact of cartooning, the history of islands, and why do we dream? That’s an eclectic mix of subject matter, and those topics and more are on another packed agenda this month at Wollongong’s University of the 3rd Age...

Jeremy Lasek

September 2025

History

A history of Ravensthorpe and the Albion Park doctor whose surgery is now a honeymoon suite

Dr Arthur Wigley Bateman was a fascinating, and well-travelled man. He was born 1844 at St Pancras, London to Thomas and Marianne Bateman (nee Daubeny). His father was a solicitor and the family lived at Endsleigh Street, with several servants...

The Illawarra Flame

September 2025

Cover Story

Our very own bootscooting superstar dances her way into a community’s heart

Pretty much anywhere else in the world, Maddison Glover would be a household name. The bubbly 30-year-old from Albion Park is to bootscooting what Lionel Messi is to soccer. Put simply, she is the amongst the best of the best. When The Illawarr...

Jeremy Lasek

September 2025

Clubs & Community

Swim for an award-winning cause, help Need a Feed buy a food van

By Shaz Harrison, CEO of Need a Feed On Sunday, September 21, the Need a Feed Swim Challenge will make waves at UOW’s Emma McKeon Pool from 10am to 10pm. Twelve incredible teams will dive in and swim with purpose, making every stroke count to...

Shaz Harrison

August 2025

History

Smitten at first sight

By William Tibben The marriage of Rev Alfred E. Waters and Gwendoline Bowyer on the 3rd April 1924 at Bulli Methodist Church may not have occurred had the vagaries of unrequited love forced a different course of events. This love story begins with...

The Illawarra Flame

August 2025

Clubs & Community

New Bicycle Buddies scheme is getting women on their bikes

A new mentoring program in Wollongong aims to increase the confidence and skills of women and non-binary people to ride their bikes for active transport and leisure. Bicycle Buddies, an initiative of the Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (IBUG), rolled...

Emma Rooksby

August 2025

Clubs & Community

Kayakers remove 20 big bags of rubbish from island in Lake Illawarra

Kayakers from Illawarra Ramblers spent the morning of July 17 cleaning up rubbish around the foreshore of Lake Illawarra’s Gooseberry Island as part of Plastic Free July. A 12-strong crew of Ramblers volunteered for the clean-up, held as part of the annual Plastic Free July, a global event in which millions of people help to rid our streets, communities and oceans of rubbish by participating in community clean-ups and pledges to reduce/eliminate single-use plastic.

Julie McDonald

August 2025

Clubs & Community

Campfire tales from the Shed in the Forest

Well, it’s winter. And who would believe it’s colder at Darkes Forest than in Helensburgh? Like, 77 metres difference in elevation drops the temp THAT MUCH? Yep. Hardy folks at Darkes. Good for the apples and peaches, though. So, what does...

Paul Blanksby

August 2025

Clubs & Community

How Stanwell Park and Keiraville CWA clubs are helping our community

In May, our election day cake stall was a great success and it has enabled us to direct further donations towards help for women fleeing domestic violence. Our recent book review evening was well attended and opened our eyes to what a cosy venue the...

The Illawarra Flame

August 2025

Clubs & Community

From making fire to eating octopus, Cubs share their favourite night

By Scott Bradburn, 1st Austinmer Scouts Cub Group Leader The 1st Austinmer Cub Group (for kids aged 7 to 11) are looking forward to Term 3 activities. These include running a ‘pop up’ restaurant, learning magic from a professional magician...

The Illawarra Flame

August 2025

Clubs & Community

Need a Feed’s 12-hour mission to get a mobile food van on the road

Twelve hours, 12 teams and one big goal - to get a mobile food van on the road helping those doing it tough across the Illawarra. The Need a Feed Swim Challenge will take over the UOW Aquatic Centre on September 21 to raise funds for the local charity’s Mindful Meals program as demand for its services grows.

Tyneesha Williams

August 2025

Clubs & Community

Celebrating Aboriginal culture at Helensburgh Public School

By teacher Nina Sampson In the final week of Term 2, Helensburgh Public School hosted an afternoon tea to celebrate the achievements of our Aboriginal students. Families, staff, and students gathered to recognise each student’s learning journey...

The Illawarra Flame

August 2025

Clubs & Community

Scarborough students connect with all ages

By Scarborough Public School principal Emma Hutchinson Scarborough Public School students are developing a meaningful and ongoing relationship with residents of the Frank and Jess Kennett Home in Stanwell Park, visiting twice each term to share...

The Illawarra Flame

August 2025

What's On

Lego lovers set for Sunday’s Brick Fair in Helensburgh

We hope the community is keeping by the fireplaces, gas and electric heaters! Wasn’t it supposed to be a “mild” winter? Anyway, onto more important fun topics… Our Brick Fair is now confirmed for Sunday, August 10. It will have amazing...

Fran Peppernell

August 2025