Real estate agent Rachael Griffin is part of a team of four vigilant volunteers who are on call at all hours as admins of the busy Woonona/Bulli Community Facebook group.
Established nearly eight years ago in 2016, Woonona/Bulli Community is a private group with more than 18,000 members. In the past month, it has had about 1200 new posts.
To run a group of this size requires four admins – Rachael, Lachlan Dewsbury, Kristen Hunt and Paul Boultwood, who is also known for his volunteer work at Corrimal Chamber of Commerce. The admins’ role involves everything from fielding queries to building camaraderie within the community.
Rachael, a licensed real estate agent at First National Wollongong, has lived in the Illawarra since 2004.
“I bought real estate down here, moved and have never left, I love the area,” she said.
Originally simply a member of Woonona/Bulli Community, Rachael responded to a previous admin’s post about someone taking her place. Now Rachael is not just an admin of that Facebook group, but also of the CommUnity Notice Boards for Bulli, Corrimal and Woonona, which each have about 5000 members.
“I was a member of the page and the old admin wanted out,” Rachael said.
“I think it's a needed role – people lose dogs, keys and wedding rings.
“It is rewarding that the community bands together for different things.”
The amount of time Rachael dedicates to managing the group varies, but generally it is three to four hours a week. “Sometimes more and it's all hours of the day,” she said.
“People message you at 10 o'clock on Friday nights, Saturday nights, Sunday nights.
“They have no boundaries in contacting admin at any time, day or night.”
Rachael balances her volunteer work with real estate commitments by sharing her professional advice publicly and privately, and, in some instances, helping community members find homes.
Over the years, Rachael has observed shifts in community perspectives, particularly when it comes to contentious topics, such as elections and wind farms, as people have come out strongly for and against the proposed offshore zone.
Like many other admins who bear the responsibility of approving new members, Rachael is confronting the growing challenge of scammers. This has led to heightened awareness, as admins aim to safeguard their pages from infiltration and protect community members from potential harm.
“You don't want to see people in the community lose money or get scammed in another way,” Rachael said.
“It’s important to keep all the members vigilant to report things if they see it because you can't be on there 24/7.
“Just trying to know what the next scam is and how to stop them.”
Mediating disputes within the Facebook community is another challenge. Rachael plays a crucial role in addressing conflicts, although her visibility is limited.
“You're getting both sides messaging, it's just a matter of trying to keep the peace,” Rachael said.
“Trying to keep people happy but you can't please everyone all of the time.”
Admins do check new membership requests to ensure profiles belong to real locals, but privacy settings often make this difficult. Admins may review content and make decisions in the best interests of the community.
“We're open to most forms of content,” Rachel said.
“If someone objects to it, then we review it and make a decision on it.”
The Facebook group welcomes residents of Woonona/Bulli and nearby areas. While cautious of outsiders, exceptions are made for local businesses offering valuable services. Recommendations and inquiries are encouraged.
If you are interested in joining, here’s the link.
