In 2023, in collaboration with the Illawarra Indigenous Business Network, Wollongong City Council launched the first Illawarra Indigenous Business Expo at Wollongong City Library.
It was an incredible day that started a journey of celebrations, connections and advancement of the First Nations economy of the Illawarra.
Since its inception, the expo has seen exponential growth, with more than 350 people attending in 2024.
With over 35 stall holders and businesses – ranging from artisans to food and beverage suppliers all the way to international service providers – the expo has become a cornerstone of connection for procurement bodies, industry, reconciliation action plans and the First Nations business community.
In 2025, after an EOI period, the expo officially changed hands and is now run by a First Nations-owned business, Sacred Country Consulting. We are a very proud, Dharawal-based First Nations business consultancy with a focus on sustainable and social enterprise.
The 2025 expo is set to run on Friday, October 31 at the prestigious Novotel Wollongong Northbeach. We already have over 40 businesses registered and it's looking to be a fantastic day.
One of the businesses that has championed the expo since its inception is South Coast Urgent Response. We had the privilege of sitting down with them before the expo this year to talk about their business and the role they play in our community.

What’s the story behind your business?
South Coast Urgent Response (SCUR) was officially founded in January 2024 by Cieren McKenny. It started with a simple but crucial goal: to provide Fire Protection Services to businesses operating out of Sydney Motorsport Park in Eastern Creek, NSW. At first, our footprint was small, with just a few clients and limited opportunities.
That all changed in March 2024, when we received an email from a small Highlands community event, inviting us to provide a First Aid crew. This community event, rooted deeply in Indigenous culture and local spirit, marked a turning point for SCUR. It became clear that our future lay not only in fire protection but in becoming a trusted provider of emergency medical care across regional communities.
Since then, we've evolved into a leading first aid service provider across the Illawarra and South Coast, proudly supporting local councils and community events.
While our firefighting contracts have paused, our commitment to emergency response has only grown stronger. We’ve diversified to include fire and flood mitigation support, always guided by the four core stages of emergency management: Preparation, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.
How does your culture or community show up in your business?
Culture is at the heart of everything we do. SCUR is proudly shaped and led by Indigenous voices, with three out of four members of our Management Team being Indigenous. Most of our operational staff are Indigenous too, and we prioritise cultural representation at every event – especially those grounded in tradition and Country.
We don’t just work with Indigenous communities – we’re part of them. That deep trust and connection have been earned through respect, consistency, and shared values. Many events we support are community-led and just finding their feet. We do everything we can to provide high-quality services without breaking their budgets. We don’t just bring medical support – we bring partnership, understanding, and heart.
What do you love most about the work you do?
What drives us? It’s simple: the satisfaction of helping others.
We love the adrenaline, the teamwork, the sense of purpose. Our work can swing from slow and quiet to life-saving chaos in moments – and we train for exactly that. When things go wrong, we fall into place like a well-practiced dance. We know our roles, we trust each other, and we adapt without missing a beat.
That’s what makes us different. That’s why we show up.
Can you tell us about a moment where your business made you feel proud, connected or inspired?
One unforgettable moment that sums up who we are happened during a community event when a patient fractured their ankle far from our triage area. Rather than wait for assistance, we sprang into action. Our crew quickly mobilised, communicated clearly, and used our backboard to safely move the patient across tricky, muddy terrain.
The entire team – alongside event security – executed the transfer in under five minutes. Once back at the triage unit, we worked seamlessly: monitoring vitals, stabilising the injury, offering comfort, and coordinating with Triple Zero. When paramedics arrived, they commended us on our speed, care, and preparedness – even using our gear to complete the handover.
In just 20 minutes, we transformed a tough situation into a textbook response. It reminded us why we do what we do – and just how good we are at doing it.
What are your hopes for the future of your business?
Looking ahead, we dream big. We hope to expand into non-emergency patient transport, broaden our first aid and fire protection services, and gain advanced clinical capabilities like pain management for trauma cases.
We’d love to one day own our own fire truck (it’s an inside joke that might just become reality). But more importantly, we aim to secure consistent contracts that allow us to support grassroots events and underfunded communities – sometimes even for free. We also hope to one day soon provide First Aid and Firefighting training services across the region.
Our mission remains the same: to be there when it matters, for anyone, anywhere. For mob. For community. For care.
The Illawarra Flame is a proud supporter of the 2025 Illawarra Indigenous Business Expo, which will be held from 11am-2pm on Friday, October 31 at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach.