Picture by Andrew Moore/Moorey's PhotographyA toddler has been rushed to hospital with lower limb injuries after she was hit by a car in Figtree All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe emergency unfolded on Thames Street about 11.15am on Saturday with police and paramedics deployed to the area and the road blocked off "We had multiple resources at the scene including a helicopter," a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman told the Mercury The rescue helicopter landed in the nearby soccer oval, with paramedics treating the 18-month-old girl at the scene before moving her to the field to be airlifted A rescue helicopter after it landed in a Figtree soccer field on Saturday Picture by Andrew Moore/Moorey's Photography"She had injuries to her lower limbs and was taken by helicopter to the Children's Hospital Westmead," the NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said A NSW Police spokeswoman said there have been no police charges in relation to the incident at this stage Stay up-to-date with health, crime and court news Tragic Easter long weekend as five drown and two missing amid huge waves Camping fees could hit $600/week under a proposal from National Parks A rookie shines: How the Wolves escaped jaws of defeat in dying minutes of NPL clash Nadine Morton covers emergency services and breaking news for the Illawarra Mercury. She takes pride in regional journalism which she believes is crucial to informing our towns and cities. Have a story? Email her at nadine.morton@austcommunitymedia.com.au Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters Get the latest property and development news here Find out what's happening in local business tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords The Mount Gilead Estate is an 882-hectare rural property in the southern part of the Campbelltown City Council local government area at Gilead Both Figtree Hill (Gilead Stage 1) and Gilead (Stage 2) are included in the Greater Macarthur Growth Area identified by the NSW Department of Planning  Stage 1 and 2 are included in the NSW Government’s future land-use structure plan and there are overlapping considerations of Heritage Biodiversity and Infrastructure such as Appin Road upgrades that are common to both Figtree Hill and Gilead Tower Three,International Towers SydneyExchange Place,300 Barangaroo AvenueBarangaroo NSW 2000 Wollongong’s Figtree Grove Shopping Centre has 71 specialty stores as well as Kmart The shopping centre market is set for another test with the offer of Figtree Grove in the NSW coastal hub of Wollongong which is expected to draw bids of close to $200m The centre, majority-held by Singapore’s Paragon REIT, with a minority stake held by listed fund manager MA Financial is being quietly offered via real estate agency JLL as the international group rationalises its property holdings and this month sold The Rail Mall in Singapore It used the proceeds to pare down outstanding debt with the remainder to be distributed to unitholders via a special distribution It now has a portfolio of four assets across Singapore and Australia. Locally, it also has a 50 per cent interest in Westfield Marion shopping centre the largest regional shopping centre in Adelaide The 21,983sq m Figtree Grove is anchored by a 24-hour Kmart Coles and Woolworths supermarkets and two mini-majors JLL agents Nick Willis and Sam Hatcher declined to comment on the offer of Figtree Grove, as did the parties. But a flyer obtained by The Australian showed its strong trading performance, with more than $200m in moving annual turnover, with almost two-thirds from grocery, fresh food and catering, health and services. Total centre productivity topped $11,000 per square metre, putting it in the country’s top 10 performers. It has good demographic fundamentals, household incomes in its trade area are 20 per cent above the NSW non-metro average, and strong forecast population growth. While it is a convenience-based subregional centre likely to attract income-seeking buyers, it is also suited to value-add plays due to its prime location. Figtree Grove sits on the Princes Highway on a 51,366sq m land parcel to the southwest of Wollongong’s CBD. Paragon REIT is selling at a time when the trading of major centres is picking up in Australia. Investors have chased both regional shopping centres, with interests in Westfield assets trading, while subregional centres are also selling. Figtree Grove is likely to appeal to both the fund managers who have been making a run in the sector, and institutions which are headed back into the market after a period of selling down. realcommercial.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. The centre, majority-held by Singapore’s Paragon REIT, with a minority stake held by listed fund manager MA Financial It now has a portfolio of four assets across Singapore and Australia. Locally, it also has a 50 per cent interest in Westfield Marion shopping centre JLL agents Nick Willis and Sam Hatcher declined to comment on the offer of Figtree Grove, as did the parties. AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThey said streets near Jacaranda Ave Foy Avenue and Lamerton Drive have experienced theft-related incidents In a post to social media they have asked for the assistance of anyone who may have seen something or someone suspicious in this area They have posted a map which covers the affected area but did not detail the nature of the thefts Overall, in the past two years, the number of break-and-enter and theft offences recorded by the Bureau of Crime Statistics has remained stable in the Illawarra there were 692 break-and-enter dwelling offences listed and 279 break-an-enter offenses at non-dwellings in the Illawarra There were also 514 incidents of motor vehicle theft and 1247 cases of stealing from a motor vehicle saying they have also experienced incidents of theft in Fairy Meadow Anyone who has CCTV footage of people or vehicles hanging around the identified area in Figtree is also asked to come forward, with the police posting a link for video to be uploaded Or they can contact Wollongong Police Station and drop the footage off with the reference number E84954851 Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2011, I'm an award-winning reporter who has helped the paper set the news agenda across our region for more than a decade. Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Love footy? We've got all the action covered. The latest news, results & expert analysis. Get the latest property and development news here. Find out what's happening in local business. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! (right) David MathesonA late-night stranger has been praised for rushing to save lives during an overnight fire emergency in Figtree The fire tore through the wooden back half of the building before spreading into the two-storey area that fronts the highway Just three metres away in the building nextdoor were about 10 sleeping guests in the Solomon Inn Motel an unknown "bald-headed dude" rushed from room to room at the motel banging on doors to wake up sleeping guests as the fire raged the motel's on fire'," motel guest David Matheson said "You're asleep and don't really know what's going on." One of his tradie colleagues from Tallawarra Power Station who is also a guest in another room of the motel said the fire was raging as he stepped outside his room "It was a bald-headed dude banging on the doors Whoever that dude was that knocked on the door As the fire raged Mr Matheson grabbed his keys laptop and jumped in his car parked outside his motel room and moved it away He also listened as a teenager talked to a police officer at the scene View +9 Photos"There was a young kid telling police they'd been sleeping in there," Mr Matheson said "We walked around this morning and there's piles of wood The fire was racing through the building as firefighters from Fire and Rescue NSW Wollongong arrived "Flames were through the roof and one end of the building was fully involved in fire and it spread to the other end of the building where we were working on it," Acting Station Officer Darren Britten said "We couldn't get into the one-storey section because it was too structurally unsound We did escalate it at one stage because we were worried it was spreading." A fire ignited inside the former Rutty's Bus Service depot building in Figtree on Thursday Picture by David MathesonThe building was still standing the following morning however the wooden back half of the premises is destroyed while the two-story brick part of the building is fire and smoke damaged "The cause was undetermined because the damage was too great," Station Officer Britten said Nobody was injured during emergency and firefighters did not find anyone inside The derelict site may be unwelcome these days smoke damage and high fences but it wasn't always that way Long-time Illawarra resident Marie Payne has vivid memories of the former Rutty's Bus Service depot "They got to the stage where the traffic was so bad they couldn't get the buses out so they had to move it," she said As smoky smells wafted out onto the Princes Highway the day after the fire Mrs Payne looked at the site and questioned it had sat derelict for so long "Everyone wants to build homes for people who don't have one The Rutty family sold their business to Premier Illawarra in 2001 A NSW Police spokeswoman said no reports of squatters in the building had been received "Officers attached to Wollongong Police District responded and established a crime scene," she said Inquiries are continuing into the cause, and anyone with CCTV or information is urged to come forward and contact Wollongong Police on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Picture by Adam McLean.It's been a while since Figtree Football Club competed in the Illawarra Premier League but moves are afoot to return the once-powerful club to its former glory Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWell-known Illawarra football identities Anthony Tugrul and Icko Atanasoski have been tasked with taking Figtree's all-age Division 1 men's squad from the doldrums to the penthouse Figtree will compete in Division 1 in 2025 but the coaching duo of Tugrul and the man they call Ice hope for promotion to the District League Tugrul has been appointed Figtree's head coach and technical director for the 2025 season After most recently serving as the general manager and technical director of the Central Coast Mariners' SAP and junior development programs for the NPL and A-League clubs Tugrul was an assistant coach to Luke Wilkshire at the Wollongong Wolves coached at the Australian Youth Football Institute and was an assistant coach at Wollongong United in youth and first grade This experience resulted in Tugrul coaching at various tiers of the English football pyramid including with EPL giants Liverpool and Manchester City Atanasoski has seen success at all levels of Illawarra football as head coach of IPL first-grade outfits Cringila Lions But he is best known for his ability to blood young talent into first-grade sides This is important because both Atanasoski and Tugrul have committed to building a competitive technical pathway at Figtree to enable the club's rich junior talent to continue through the club from U6s through to the Illawarra Premier League Tugrul was excited about the challenge ahead adding the club's aim was to get promoted to the District League as soon as possible "This year's target is promotion to District League and then eventually getting into the Premier League," he said "There were personal reasons for me coming back to the Illawarra but as soon as Ice lets me know about the project down at Figtree "My goals are to help them achieve what they want and leave a bit of legacy at the club Atanasoski was also looking forward to coaching Figtree but admitted his plan initially was to tell the club's vice-president Joshua Ranalletta to look elsewhere "After initially thinking that I was done with football I just felt that I still had a little bit more to give to the game I love," he said "I went into the meeting with Josh with every intention of turning him down I'd already sent him a message to say that the answer was going to be no But chatting with Josh and seeing the plans that Figtree had in place excited me "I really wanted to get back to working with young guys and give them an opportunity to push through into senior football "I'm a little over the Premier League and the money "I wanted to get back to a little bit of a grassroots project Coming through my footballing journey at the beginning I think they won four or five or multiple grand finals in a row back in the late 80s and early 90s "I'd love to be part of the re-emergence of Figtree as a football powerhouse again we can get them back to the Premier League in the future "To do it together with Anthony would be ideal The development pathways experience Anthony gained during his time at the Central Coast Mariners made him the perfect candidate for Figtree "We have a great friendship and have worked together in the past I'm looking forward to what we can do here at Figtree." Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure. Picture by Grace CrivellaroA painter who "lost significantly" at the Melbourne Cup hurtled himself into $20,000 in further debt after driving home seven schooners deep and crashing into a boat at Figtree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWollongong Local Court heard on Tuesday that Jordan Steve Dimeski will have to cough up thousands after causing significant damage to a trailer and the boat it was carrying about 7.30pm on November 5 Dimeski was driving a Mitsubishi Triton when he crashed into the trailer parked on Bellevue Road with such force it was thrown onto a footpath after it hit a Toyota Hilux parked in front of it Dimeski was unharmed but his ute was extensively damaged with its front airbags also set off as a result of the collision while the Hilux was only moderately damaged Police arrived at the scene where Dimeski blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.117 and initially tested positive to having cannabis and cocaine in his system A subsequent test only indicated a positive detection to cannabis Dimeski told officers he drank seven schooners of beer in three and a half hours without eating at the Collegians Club at Figtree Tendered court documents state he was moderately drunk "(Dimeski) appeared relaxed in a dreamy state His eyes were watery in appearance and the white area was reddish in colour," police facts state He was issued with a court attendance notice and pleaded guilty to driving with mid-range PCA defence lawyer Matt Russionello said the damage to the boat was not extensive prompting laughter from the police prosecutor Sergeant Richard Novatin after he saw a picture of it that's not going to be sea-worthy ever again," Sgt Novatin said Mr Russionello submitted his client understood it was no excuse that he got behind the wheel after he "lost significantly" on Melbourne Cup day and that he will have to cop $20,000 on top of his losses for the damage He conceded his client's traffic record was "not great" with an average of one offence every two years Magistrate Claire Girotto fined Dimeski $500 and disqualified him from driving for six months Picture supplied by The LottA relaxing day at the beach has ended with a Wollongong woman walking away $102,000 richer Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueShe was just starting to doze off in the sunshine when she noticed her phone had a few missed calls a person from The Lott told her she'd won the Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw on Monday "I had absolutely zero idea I was ignoring a $100,000 phone call and I was just drifting off when you called earlier She admitted she is a loyal Lucky Lotteries player and hoped to win one day "I'll be putting some of the prize towards a new car." Her winning entry of three consecutive numbers was purchased at Figtree Newsagency in Figtree Grove Shopping Centre Figtree Newsagency owner Grace Ma said she was over the moon to learn that her shop had sold a first-prize-winning entry It feels like our outlet is on a winning streak at the moment," she said we sold a top prize-winning Instant Scratch-Its ticket worth $100,000 "We wish our winner a big congratulations and hope it lets them fulfil all their dreams." Picture by ACMA former IRT project manager will avoid jail after he corruptly solicited a now-collapsed building company to build his Illawarra family home with his discreet offending spanning six years Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueDarren Anthony Jackson faced Wollongong Local Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to being an agent and corruptly soliciting a benefit of $440,000 The court heard Jackson was employed at the not-for-profit aged care service in various roles between 1996 and 2017 and that during his offending he was responsible for recommending tenders for construction projects to the board a person phoned IRT in 2018 to report an ex-employee had been increasing the tender price for a Queensland retirement village after it had closed to use the excess funds to build his personal residence Companies were shortlisted for the project's construction with Jackson having influence over the board endorsing building firm RGD in 2014 Darren Anthony Jackson outside Wollongong courthouse on December 11 Picture by ACMThe board acted on Jackon's recommendation and construction began The court heard Jackson had repeated conversations with RGD's director Ron Grabbe who agreed to carry out works Jackson's home on the sly it was paid by RGD," Magistrate Gabriel Fleming said as she read out the agreed facts The magistrate said Jackson received a total benefit of $440,000 which was used to build his home - funds she said "should have been used (to benefit) aged care" Jackson was interviewed by police in May 2023 and disputed the accusations levelled at him - including denying that he gave Grabbe information that he knew the figures in relation to the building were wrong and that he held influence in choosing the successful company "This is the person who drafted the board recommendations he clearly had a lot of influence," the magistrate said "He didn't disclose (to IRT) that the payments were to his home." Defence lawyer Matt Ward conceded the offending was serious the money his client solicited was significant and that the crime was not one of necessity Mr Ward added IRT was not out of pocket for the $440,000 and that the Queensland project was still completed successfully at a lower price to other quotes from other tenderists However the magistrate pointed out that the project could have been completed $440,000 cheaper than it was Mr Ward submitted his client had adverse life experiences that mitigated his offending however specific details were not aired in open court He added Jackson has significant underlying mental health issues and that he had a heavy work load during his period of offending The magistrate accepted Jackson's "difficult upbringing" which impacted his ability to develop self esteem however referred to a psychiatrist's report that indicated he was not suffering from a depressive disorder during his offending Prosecutor Ashley Bird said there were lengthy delays in the investigation due to Jackson's work laptop being reformatted after his resignation he was in a position to communicate and negotiate directly with tenders people below that position were not able to do so," Ms Bird said of his role Magistrate Fleming described the offending as "abhorrent" but noted Jackson has not re-offended since in the significant period of time that has passed She also accepted Jackson had prior good character however said this may have aided him in not coming under notice The magistrate said she would impose a two-year intensive correction order upon Jackson however adjourned the matter to allow time for a report to assess his suitability for community service and home detention He will learn his full punishment on January 29 The court heard the NSW Crime Commission has a hold over the home Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBed 5 | Bath 3 | Car 4 Set on a staggering 3574 square metres of land this spectacular Figtree property offers privacy and exceptional indoor and outdoor living areas Listing agent Cristian Cignarella from The Agency Illawarra said the home has been recently renovated to the highest standard and delivers a modern-day masterpiece "Step inside and discover the dramatic double-height void that frames the show-stopping view of majestic Mount Keira," Cristian said "It also features multiple living areas for recreation or retreat and the incredible kitchen is an artwork within itself." The gourmet kitchen includes 40mm stone benchtops there is a voluminous open plan living/dining area a separate family room along with a library and study nook FigtreeThe main bedroom retreat exudes luxury with a huge walk-in wardrobe elegant new en suite with rain shower and dual hand basins as well as a Juliette balcony capturing picturesque views There are an additional four carpeted bedrooms including guest accommodation with private entry You will also discover a separate laundry with stone benchtops and built-in cabinetry hybrid timber flooring in a blonde oak finish throughout a double garage with remote access and internal entry "There is an endless opportunity for kids to roam and explore the generous parcels of lawn and when summer arrives they can splash around in the in-ground pool while the adults eat and mingle just beside them on the sunbathing terrace," Cristian said and native vegetation surround the home and provide privacy civilisation is conveniently close at hand with Nareena Hills Public School just one minute from home Figtree shopping and services four minutes away and vibrant Wollongong CBD is accessible in 11 minutes (times approximate) It also has subdivision potential (subject to Council approval)," Cristian said Read the full Illawarra View real estate guide here I enjoy highlighting businesses and events in our community through features and special publications and have been doing so for more than 21 years. If you have a story for me email ndavey@austcommunitymedia.com.au File pictureAn elderly woman is fighting for life in hospital after she was struck by a ute in Figtree Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 88-year-old woman was hit by the vehicle on Cordeaux Road about 6.30am on Tuesday with emergency services rushing to the scene Paramedics treated her at the roadside for hip and then transported her by ambulance to Shellharbour Airport "She was airlifted to St George Hospital in a critical condition," a NSW Police spokesperson said "The 64-year-old male driver stopped and rendered assistance before emergency services arrived." Wollongong Police District officers established a crime scene at the location and have called on anyone with dashcam footage or CCTV to contact Wollongong Police Station on 4226 7899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Stay up-to-date with court and crime news here Freeze in beer tax welcomed by Illawarra pubs, but it's still 'really difficult' for venues Wolves and Dragons unite in support of Hawks ahead of crucial decider The big Illawarra employers with the widest gender pay gap revealed 'who are the people who need a 24/7 Kmart?' and we become a person who needs a 24/7 Kmart Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMy time came on a recent rainy night when I realised I'd forgotten to get the neighbours' kid a birthday present and that the window for sorting the situation before I saw said kid the next morning was about seven hours absent-mindedly petting the soft polyester fur of a herd of very reasonably priced rocking dinosaurs as Thursday ticked over into Friday Read more: Former Wollongong lawyer struck off the roll over $2.1m fraud There is something comforting and discombobulating and a bit thrilling about being in a place that is open when it shouldn't be No need to switch off the lights before bed The toy section reveals a wall full of drones costing as little as $25 wow - kids can get drone-mounted cameras for pocket money now I make a mental note to remember to fully close the bathroom window at shower time I am on the cusp of the kids' clothing section when I encounter the robot - this one not a toy quietly and smoothly on wheels concealed under a pink skirt Rolled out across large-format Kmart stores in 2022 Tory (short for inventory) is a self-navigating robot by Germany's MetraLabs that works by scanning the unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip on the tag of each piece of Kmart apparel The machines have been credited with a "quantum improvement" in inventory accuracy so that when an indecisive shopper picks up a pair of men's pyjamas then ditches them in the babywear section the PJs can be found when a customer calls up wanting to buy the last pair The technology means stores that once did a yearly stocktake can now do them daily There is now a Tory at work in every Australian and New Zealand Kmart Kmart's Figtree store as it appears on June 20, 2024. Picture: Sylvia Liber Read more: Wollongong loses its greatest not-a-kebab shop as the King steps down But daytime visitors to the stores won't have seen the machines which clock on at night and by morning have returned to a dock somewhere back of house and is rarely still on the shop floor when the first customers start arriving next morning I leave Tory to it and remember the mission: a present for my clever It comes down to a choice between a beautiful kaleidoscope of clay colours The slick black and neon drone is the future stashing it in the cupboard for the next birthday emergency No need for another midnight encounter with Tory Read more: The best finds from Wollongong's coolest vintage stores revealed Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues. UOW alum. Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day. ang.thompson@austcommunitymedia.com.au Picture by Robert PeetNot many five-year-olds are happy to eat Brussels sprouts or beg their mum to be able to eat fresh broccoli before it's even been stored in the fridge Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBut Figtree girl Evie Walshe-Smith has been watching mum unload and pack veggie boxes for as long as she can remember Ms Walshe-Smith said this exposure has had a big influence over her youngest child "She's pretty happy to eat her Brussels sprouts and asparagus or she'll come out and find a box and open the broccoli and ask 'can I have this?'," Ms Walshe-Smith said "She just loves to go through the boxes and find out what the foods are and what they're called and how they taste and what we do with them "It's going to be really exciting to see how her palate is a bit different to my bigger girls - who didn't have this - and how she's more open to exploring foods." the Figtree family has hosted a Box Divvy hub - which basically means they've turned their home into a a fruit and veggie co-op on several days a week Ms Walshe-Smith started doing Box Divvy after she had been buying a farm box of fruit and vegetables but was finding it difficult to have no control over what came in the box over 13,000 members and one or two new hubs opening weekly hub members go online and see what is available based on what the company has secured from growers at the Sydney markets Box Divvy puts all the produce on a pallet and - for Ms Walshe-Smith - it arrives in Figtree at 6am for her to sort and pack "I spend the day divvying those boxes up into individual orders according to what people have decided to have," she said it's seasonal and you're supporting the growers." She said prices were often much cheaper than at the major supermarkets and enjoyed knowing more of the money was returned to farmers For example - avocados were about 50 cents cheaper at present than in supermarkets "The growers tell us what they want to be paid and on average they're getting 60% more than at the supermarkets," she said Evie Walshe-Smith and her mum Rebecca with their Box Divvy operation Picture by Robert PeetAn alternative amid rising costsFood security and costs have emerged as big issues for Illawarra residents in 2024 with research showing he average cost of food for a family of four in the Illawarra is now sitting just under $1000 a fortnight University of Wollongong academics Professor Karen Charlton and Dr Katherine Kent, have been conducting the biggest survey of its kind about food across the region nd published new data which confirmed how much the cost of food has risen in the past two years They found the cost of a "current diet," bought at major supermarkets - which includes items like soft drinks, alcohol, and take-away foods This means it has jumped from $886 in 2022 and now averages $957 per fortnight for a family of four Ms Walshe-Smith said there had been health benefits to running a vegetable co-op She said her whole family had expanded their palate and cooking repertoire because of the boxes - as they were often presented with bulk options to buy produce very cheaply "Truss tomatoes are coming in from South Australia at the moment and the oversupply is insane so that means we can get 10 kg of tomatoes this week for about $5," she said and we know that it's directly impacting a grower which is just heartwarming because these growers get out of bed when we're still in bed and they work hard and they have to deal with such adversity with the weather and no control over it "And that means within the hub we'll all be sharing recipes and what we're going to do with it too." "It's been great because this has meant I've changed the routine of spag bol or meat pies and mash because we can explore different foods and veg what's not in season - so they know mangoes are a summer fruit and you can't get them in the winter." Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIn 2023 Brooke Silk won the dessert category in the Australian qualifiers for the World Food Championships which earned her a ticket to the US to contest the biggest cooking competition of its kind While she did not make it to the next round of the world competition she still impressed Ms Silk - who runs her own private chef and catering business Dine In - hopes to secure herself a spot to represent Australia again in the dessert category of the global competition when she competes in the qualifiers in late September But she's also throwing her chef's toque in the ring in the vegetarian category Ms Silk did not eat meat for several years to learn how to cook for vegetarians better and her experience gave her a passion for catering to this cohort of diners Vegetarians and vegans typically only had a couple of options when eating out but she wanted to give people room to experience different things This inspired her to develop an entirely plant-based menu for her business' customers "I don't want people to feel like they're missing out on an experience when they're eating with us," she said Ms Silk decided to compete in last year's World Food Championship at the urging of a family member and found it was a lot of fun as well as a challenge that pushed her to try new things "I'm more nervous about my performance because I want to do the best I can for myself," she said ahead of this year's competition she will be in the running for a US$150,000 prize Ms Silk has worked in the Wollongong hospitality scene since 2005 when she got a pastry apprenticeship right out of school She worked at Zweefers Cakes and fell in love with pastry but always wanted to be a chef so once she finished her apprenticeship she went into cheffing Over the course of her career Ms Silk has worked in the kitchens of some of the region's most well-known venues But when COVID hit and crippled the hospitality industry she lost her job and was forced to "make the best of a bad situation" providing fine dining in the comfort of people's homes While Ms Silk also caters such events as weddings it is in-home dining that forms the bulk of her work and often she will cook for a group in a holiday home as they celebrate a hen's weekend or family reunion Four and a half years since establishing her business Ms Silk said she was booked out most weekends Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs and education. Our Watch award winner. If you've got a story, let me know. Pauline Sowry was 49 years old when she was last seen by her family in December 1993 Police are calling for information after clothing was found in bushland that may be a crucial clue in determining the final movements of a woman who disappeared more than 30 years ago after searching the Illawarra escarpment at Figtree found black pants and a cream button-down blouse with white and orange stitching as part of an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Pauline Sowry also known by her married name Pauline Lawrence was 49 years old when she was last seen by her family in the northern suburbs of Wollongong in December 1993 Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email and a 2008 coronial inquest found she had died most likely after an unconfirmed sighting in 1994 police established Strike Force Anthea to reopen the investigation into Sowry’s disappearance “I can tell you that at the time of her disappearance Pauline had just recently gone through a divorce bad crowd,” the NSW police assistant commissioner “She did come into some money as a result of the settlement of the divorce and we believe that may have been the catalyst to her disappearance.” Police have not confirmed whether the clothing belonged to Sowry but said the items include hand-stitching in coloured cotton and the mother was known for altering clothing for herself and her children “Those items of clothing have been examined forensically because they have been out in the elements we are yet to identify any blood sources or DNA,” Cassar said Free newsletterGet the most important news as it breaks Black pants may hold a clue to Pauline Sowry’s disappearance Photograph: NSW Police Force“We are releasing these images to try to jog someone’s memory.” “We are interested in anyone that may have any information as to how these items of clothing got in this location whether they’d seen Pauline wearing these items of clothing.” the police and state government announced a $500,000 reward for information that leads to the “arrest and conviction of anyone responsible” Responses to that announcement led officers to search the bushland three times – in March and May 2023 and October 2024 as we continue to investigate the circumstances of Pauline’s disappearance,” Cassar said Pauline’s son Jason Lawrence hopes the discovery of the clothes will lead to a breakthrough in the investigation “We don’t want to spend another Christmas not knowing what happened to mum We deserve to know what happened to her and to give her a proper send-off and lay her to rest.” “We know someone out there knows something – as you prepare to spend Christmas with your own family we are pleading for you to come forward and give us some closure by knowing what happened to my beloved mum,” Jason said police issued an appeal for information on a white 1968-model Holden HK Kingswood sedan that Sowry may have been travelling in south of Wollongong around the time of her disappearance The car has been described as being in pristine condition at the time Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers and can do so anonymously Learn how to grow figs right in your backyard The fruit of the common fig is edible and can be eaten fresh common fig trees can grow 30 feet tall or higher Compact varieties like 'Little Figgy' top out at 4 to 8 feet tall Many species of fig are pollinated by fig wasps—tiny insects that crawl inside the fruit to pollinate the flowers—but most home-grown fig trees are self-pollinating Popular varieties have small or closed openings that make it more difficult for wasps to enter Fig Are Fruit Trees Safe in Horse Pastures? Equus NC State Extension. Ficus carica. File picture by Adam McLeanPolice have arrested two teenagers after they allegedly led police on a chase in a stolen vehicle All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueShortly before 3pm on Wednesday, police patrolling in Dapto spotted an allegedly stolen vehicle on Lakelands Drive They turned on their warning lights but the car failed to stop and a pursuit began with the car making its way to the M1 Princes Motorway and heading north Safety concerns led police to call off the chase but it was restarted a short time later near the M1's off-ramp to Berkeley the car crashed into another vehicle on the Princes Highway in Figtree Police officers arrested a 16-year-old boy The 17-year-old male driver allegedly fled the scene and ran into nearby bushland Police arrested him a short time later and took him to Wollongong Police Station Police say he is assisting them with their enquiries The male driver of the vehicle that was struck was not injured Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Wollongong Hospital nurse had just finished his shift and was driving to Unanderra Maccas to grab a coffee when he noticed the flames They burst five metres into the air from right alongside Solomon Inn Motel on the Princes Highway at 10.40pm on Thursday and I thought it was the hotel itself that was on fire the hotel's on fire and there's people sleeping." jumped out of the car and ran straight towards the motel who was also passing by when he spotted the fire and stopped to help "Adam was with me and asked if I'd called the firefighters and I said I did," Tom said the blaze was tearing through the abandoned former Rutty's Bus Service depot just three metres away next door "We ran round the front of the motel where the doors were and there wasn't a soul outside," Adam said View +9 Photos"We ran down the block of rooms banging on the doors "One guy came out and was shocked and said 'f***ing hell' and seemed like he had no idea He thanked me as he ran out and he got into his ute to move it away." The heat and smoke from the fire were bearing down on them as they rushed to wake up sleeping guests "I could feel the heat from the fire and I had thoughts in my head 'is there anything here that could explode'," Adam said One of those people who came stumbling out of their motel rooms after a bang at his door was a Tallawarra Power Station tradie who asked not to be named he told the Mercury that when he first stepped outside his room he also thought the motel was on fire and was grateful to the man who woke him up Damage from a fire that ignited inside the former Rutty's Bus Service depot building in Figtree on Thursday Picture supplied When speaking to the Mercury after the fire Tom laughed when he realised the sleepy motel guests thought he was bald Adam's sponsorship to live in Australia ran out He'd spent eight years living in the Illawarra and most recently been a manager at Charlies Liquor Barn in Unanderra Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueNow two years and one publishing contract later The Lemon Pie Tree is available in bookstores and online Considering Mr Young wrote the majority of the book in three days during COVID lockdown it's been a wild ride - and a learning experience "I started writing with no idea where it would go but it just poured out," the first-time author said "Ninety per cent of it was done in three days The children's picture book is written in rhyming verse with the words brought to life by French illustrator Sandrine Olivier and I thought that reading him a story I wrote might make it more of a fun experience - and who doesn't love a magical lemon pie tree?" The book is about a tree that comes to life and teaches the animals of the forest the importance and value of sharing Mr Young says he "stumbled on" the notes for the story when he was clearing out a computer drive preparing to return to the office after the pandemic "My wife Natalie first heard the book as I was reading it to the kids and was adamant I needed to get it published." There were rejections from some publishers before an independent Australian publishing house "Reading is so critical for developing brains and I think that impacts creativity and imagination," Mr Young said "I'm such an avid supporter of daily reading and I hope my book helps spark a joy for reading and storytelling in little minds." Already the 43-year-old has taken the next steps in his career as an author. He's finished book number two - The Legend of Fang McGuinness - and is searching for a literary agent. Picture by Sylvia LiberThird time was a charm for the Figtree Saints as they finally got the better of the Wollongong Lions in the AFL South Coast Women's Premiership grand final at North Dalton Park on Saturday cruising to a commanding 9.7 59 to 1.3 9 victory The Saints started on fire and raced to a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter before taking a 3-2 20 to 0.1 1 advantage at the first break Figtree's second quarter was even more impressive as the Saints kicked a further three goals but kept the Lions scoreless as they raced to a 6-2 38 to 0-1 1 halftime lead The Saints had a good spread of goal scorers with two goals apiece to Ellie Veerhuis and Vashti Muller and a major each to Ashleigh Anderson and Amelia Martin Figtree continued grinding the Lions into the dirt in the premiership quarter while conceding only two behinds in the process The Saints were so dominant they didn't give up a goal until midway through the final term when the game was already way out of reach for the Lions Figtree player Lily Macdonald told the Mercury prior to the match that the hurt of the previous grand final losses was spurring on the Saints to deliver something special in 2024 adding after watching his team breakthrough for a premiership victory View +11 PhotosPictures by Sylvia Liber"The girls have put in so much work so I'm just really pleased for them and pleased for so many people around the club," he said "Brendan Brooks has built the junior program up and puts in so much effort and as you know community footy is just all about volunteers Emley added to finally win the grand final after two losses on the trot So many girls have been a part of the women's program over the last three years but it's just a build up of like so many hard hours and work and the Lions are such a good "So I'm just really pleased for them," he said Gabby Eaton was judged best on ground in the grand final much to Emley's satisfaction She has been a Figtree junior her whole life and what can I say about Gabby Eaton in defence "These girls are Figtree juniors as well and they started AusKick and worked their way up "I think that's what South Coast footy needs it is players like them who built up from the base "It's great to see good competition and good footy I thought the girls played really well and deserved the win." Main picture by Adam McLeanJetskis are slowly searching the coastline at Port Kembla on Monday January 6 as the search for a much-loved father and grandfather continues Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTwo Marine Rescue boats are doing laps around the five islands searching for Figtree man Tony Andeliero Mr Andeliero was described by his daughters as a passionate fisherman and it didn't matter whether he threw a line in at the ocean as he launched his four-metre Quintrex aluminium vessel into the water at Port Kembla boat ramp Tony Andeliero with his granddaughter Malia and (top right) daughters Gemma and (bottom right) Kayla his empty boat was found drifting in the ocean about 500 metres off Windang Island at Warilla While authorities have looked at ocean current modelling to help determine the search area Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Stuart Massey told the Mercury they don't know which direction Mr Andeliero headed in to go fishing that morning "The hard thing is you don't know where he went .. it could be any number of scenarios," he said A land, ocean and air search was immediately launched after the boat was found on Friday and it continued until the early hours of the following day The search resumed early Saturday and continued on Sunday as strong winds and rough seas hampered efforts to locate Mr Andeliero. By 2.45pm on Sunday, emergency crews were pulled off the ocean due to wild weather warnings made a five-hour dash in their car from their homes in Forbes in the NSW Central West to Port Kembla to watch the search operation on Saturday "I last spoke to him on Thursday and I couldn't get in contact with him on Friday," Kayla said Tony Andeliero with two of his four grandchildren Picture via Facebook"I don't think it's fully set in It's hard to grieve when you don't have definitive answers." he knows what to do and always does it safely." While authorities don't know if Mr Andeliero was wearing a lifejacket Kayla said he usually does wear one while fishing The disappearance of the doting dad and granddad has left his family and the community in shock "They'd all say he was up for a chat; he was always lovely It's hit a lot of people really hard," Kayla said Foot patrols have also been conducted along the shoreline NSW Police Inspector Will Collins told 7News Mr Andeliero's boat was not damaged, and officers believe Mr Andeliero was alone on the boat. "There's nothing untoward inside the vessel that would have thought that anything other than he's come over the side of the boat," he said. As the search continued, Mr Andeliero's car remained at the Port Kembla boat ramp. File picture by Robert PeetCharges are yet to be laid after a "crazy" police pursuit from Figtree to Woonona during school pick-up time on Thursday All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt's the second police pursuit in two days with drivers allegedly speeding through suburbs during school times and putting lives at risk Thursday's pursuit started when officers spotted a black-coloured Subaru Liberty that was allegedly speeding on the M1 Princes Motorway at 3pm on August 1 "When the vehicle failed to stop a pursuit was initiated Due to the vehicle's manner of driving the pursuit was terminated for safety reasons along Railway Street Police soon found the dumped car on Thompson Street at Woonona were arrested at a home on the same street "About 8.40pm police executed a search warrant at the home where they currently remain on scene," the spokesman said The man and teenager are helping police with their inquiries and no charges have been laid It's the second alleged pursuit in two days after officer chased a VW Golf as it tore through the streets of Shellharbour Flinders and Barrack Heights at school drop-off time on Wednesday The VW was later found dumped at Warrawong and the driver remains on the run A man who was wheeling his young son in a pram on the corner of Park and Mitchell roads at Woonona on Thursday told the Mercury the area was teeming with schoolchildren when he heard the Subaru approach and saw it cross onto the wrong side of the road Gray and Thompson streets in Woonona as they appear on a map Picture by Google Maps "I could hear it screeching around Gray Street and saw it come down overtake a car at the roundabout and mount the roundabout," he said "It was crazy because there's a lot of schoolkids who walk down Gray Street at that time of day and the guy just had no regard for anyone." Shellharbour mum Nikki Ristoski was stopped at a red traffic light when the VW Golf allegedly sped and turned around quickly on Wednesday Police chasing a VW Golf that was driving erratically through a number of Illawarra suburbs on Wednesday Picture supplied"It nearly came and hit me," she said "I was at the traffic light and it [the Golf] tried a left hand turn into the wrong direction because police had blocked off the street Mark Riddell was also at that same Shellharbour intersection driving his 13-year-old son to school when they came within centimetres of being struck by the Golf "He came flying around the corner and we thought we were getting hit it pulled up centimetres from us," he said Thrilled by the chase and sobered by some of the things I see and hear when I stand still - sometimes in the same day Proudly Illawarra Mercury since 2008; these days covering crime and justice issues Picture suppliedA serial domestic violence offender has failed to reduce his sentence after he sent his ex-partner's new lover nude pictures and 184 text messages in one day taunting the man he was going to "smash" him Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueToni Murgovski made the appeal bid at the Wollongong District Court last Friday February 28 after he received an 18-month jail term with a non-parole period of 12 months over the events of December 4 last year The 53-year-old tradesman had pleaded guilty to contravening an apprehended violence order and intentionally distributing an intimate image without consent Tendered court documents state Murgovski sent text messages to a man who was now in a relationship with a woman he previously dated short-term three years ago The man recognised images sent to him from an unknown number were of his partner topless "Your (sic) fat lol and she's a slut," Murgovski wrote "Anyway I thought I'd let you know what a c--- she is I've moved on I've got a 32-year-old." The man called the number and Murgovski launched into a verbal tirade Court documents state the man said he was going to contact his lawyer before he hung up Murgovski continued sending 106 text messages and two further topless images of the victim The man's partner recognised the number belonged to Murgovski and she reported the incident to police and was later sentenced to jail in the local court defence lawyer Claudia McCristal submitted that because Murgovski was sent the nude images of his ex-partner he "thought he was free to do what he pleased with it" She said the original sentence was excessive in the circumstances that her client was having a "horrible" time in custody and that he offered a sincere apology to the couple Murgovski was also willing to undertake counselling and interventions for his ongoing behaviour Judge Andrew Haesler pointed to Murgovski's prior similar offending in which he received a community-based jail sentence for incessantly contacting the woman "He seemed to be in the community for some months and learnt not one thing," the judge said The judge added Murgovski in his prior offending told the woman "I don't care if I go to jail I'll probably get locked up" which showed he was aware his behaviour was criminal The appeal was dismissed and the sentence was confirmed Murgovski will become eligible for release in December Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinuePeter Thompson has an extensive rap sheet for offences of a violent and sexual nature with many of his crimes stemming from his inability to control his apparent urges around women's ears sought his release at Wollongong Local Court on one count of intimidation on Tuesday In opposing bail, police prosecutor Nathan Smith noted Thompson was serving a community-based jail sentence for reaching for a young woman's earlobes at her Port Kembla workplace in April when he allegedly committed the similar incident on Monday Tendered court documents state Thompson arrived at an Illawarra veterinary clinic without an animal about 4pm where the 16-year-old complainant was cleaning I was just seeing how you guys were doing." Police allege Thompson then cornered the girl in a narrow hallway before she eventually squeezed past him to the reception area "Are you sure you don't have an appointment?," she asked to distract Thompson as he allegedly faced her and started playing with his belt before trying to expose his penis He allegedly paced back and forth in the foyer for another minute before he left after another staff member noticed him Thompson was arrested at his Figtree address after officers identified him on CCTV footage "According to the cops I pulled my pants down .. I'm not going to say that I deny it," Thompson told the court Magistrate Gabriel Fleming refused his candid request on account of the complainant's age the strong prosecution case and Thompson's lengthy history of similar offending it's likely you'll serve a period of imprisonment," she said Picture from InstagramA Figtree man has admitted to stealing undies and jewellery from his ex-partner's home and returning some of the items in an Uber Eats bag on her doorstep a week later Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAdam Canavan told the woman he took some of her belongings "as a reminder" of her after another ex-partner busted him with the bizarre stolen haul The 52-year-old's matter was mentioned at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday where defence lawyer Analise Ritchie confirmed a guilty plea to stealing $300 worth of items from a dwelling house on December 17 Tendered court documents state Canavan arranged to meet at his ex-partner's home to allow his child and her children to exchange Christmas gifts he turned up alone and was asked to leave a few hours later due to having no reason to be there Canavan became upset by this request and sat on his ex-partner's bed The victim ignored him and continued cleaning the house until she heard one of her drawers close shut He eventually left the house after he stuffed her personal items in his backpack the victim received a text message from another ex-partner of Canavan who told her Canavan had arrived at her home in the early hours of December 18 with a pair of black earrings and sent a photograph of the items to the victim via text message The women met up the next day to discuss the ordeal further The victim then confronted Canavan via text message stating her favourite earrings and sunglasses were missing and that he was the only recent person who had been in her bedroom He replied and told the woman he took the earrings "as a reminder" of her the victim received a notification on her phone from her CCTV camera at her home and saw Canavan was standing on her doorstep She returned home later that day and found the flowers sitting next to an old Uber Eats bag which contained her stolen earrings wrapped up in a surgical mask Roughly one in two people with cardiovascular disease has no standard modifiable risk factors One local expert is leading the charge to find new faster ways to identify cardiovascular disease risk in people with no standard risk factors.   “I spend a lot of time looking at people who are having heart attacks ‘why me?’ This is particularly [common in] women who really don’t think that coronary artery disease is going to be the thing that gets them… despite the fact that we’ve been very aware of coronary disease being one of the greatest killers of women and the biggest cause of impaired quality of life for over three decades.”  a cardiologist from the Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney opened her plenary presentation on the unique landscape of cardiovascular health in women at the recent World Congress on Menopause.     One example was her friend and colleague Jennifer Tucker who was diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome in her mid-30s despite not having any of the risk factors traditionally associated with cardiovascular disease.  “We call her SmuRF-less – someone with no standard modifiable risk factors,” Professor Figtree said.  Local data from the Royal North Shore Hospital suggests that up to 25% of first-time heart attack patients don’t have any SmuRFs – a figure that has increased over the last ten years.   “That’s probably because we’re getting better at treating traditional risk factors and [now] we’re just seeing what’s always been there which is a lot of stuff that’s not explained by the things we easily understand now,” said Professor Figtree.   In 2023 the Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium, which pooled over data from over 1.5 million patients from 112 cohort studies conducted in 34 countries, published similar findings: only 50-odd percent of cardiovascular disease occurred in people with at least one of five common, modifiable risk factors – BMI An international collaboration during the covid pandemic provided Professor Figtree and her collaborators the opportunity to explore the outcomes of SMuRF-less patients who experience a STEMI using data from the Swedish myocardial infarction registry, SWEDEHEART left Professor Figtree “astonished”.  but you developed standard plaques [in your coronary arteries] you actually had a 50% higher chance of being dead within 30 days And women with no risk factors have about a threefold [increase in] mortality at 30 days compared to men with traditional disk factors,” Professor Figtree said.   This led Professor Figtree to wonder how we can move beyond standard risk predictors which assign people without the included risk factors as low risk to better determine which people “actually have the ticking plaque time bomb”.  Professor Figtree compared the ideal approach to plaque screening to what happens in colon cancer where the results of screening are staged based on an individual’s probability of having a polyp or a malignancy.  “[This approach] can help us then look for early disease – before it comes to the catastrophic endpoint we don’t want to wait for this [to happen] We want to actually pick up the disease in the early stages,” said Professor Figtree To do this, Professor Figtree has bought together a multidisciplinary team of national and international experts to form CAD Frontiers which aims to fast-track the development and translation of technology that can use used to diagnose and treat coronary artery disease.  A key part of the approach is pairing CT coronary angiography with blood samples and clinical data – over a million data points per patient – to move beyond LDL and CRP levels to find more useful risk markers.   we could actually apply the same secondary prevention level of aggressiveness to individuals such that the plaque can really go into admission,” Professor Figtree told delegates.   “But in the meantime, we’ve also set up a SMuRFless clinic that’s got national and international engagement on how to best manage individuals who’ve had an event or got coronary artery disease despite [having] no standard modifiable risk factors,  “The first thing we do is actually confirm we’re not missing any of the major risk factors. We then make sure we do a comprehensive screening for other non-standard factors, and in women, we make sure to take into consideration some of those other potential contributors including [things] related to hormones and previous pregnancies.  “One of the things we think is really important in the SMuRFless population is obviously making sure that they get on traditional drugs that are a part of our secondary prevention guidelines, but also to use them to really advocate for the importance of [looking for] new biological mechanisms and drug target opportunities.  “We’ve [also] been working with the FDA to try and see how we can standardise CT measures to make sure we can reduce the study size number down from 15,000 over five years to 400 individuals over one year, which will incentivise the whole field to develop drugs that are focused on the plaque itself.  “Some people think we’re a little bit bonkers, but I think we have to be ambitious. We’re trying to shift the scientific and clinical paradigms for coronary disease … and I think it’s going to take quite a shift in mindset to achieve this.”  The IMS World Congress on Menopause was held in Melbourne from 19-22 October.   Receive daily updates on the latest news affecting Australian GPs A 45-year-old man has been charged after a fatal crash on the M1 Motorway at Figtree last weekend Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA 66-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene of a three-vehicle crash on Sunday Wollongong officers were told the motorcyclist and the driver of a Ford Falcon utility attempted to merge into the same lane and crashed was flung from his bike and hit a white SUV The driver of the Ford Falcon utility then allegedly failed to stop after the crash First responders and paramedics tried in vain to revive the rider of the motorcycle Following inquiries from the Southern Region Crash Investigation Unit police attended a Gwynneville address on Friday and found a silver Ford Falcon in the backyard The vehicle has been seized and will be subject to forensic and mechanical examination Police then arrested a 45-year-old man at Power Drive He was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station on Friday and charged with six offences - dangerous driving causing death - drive manner dangerous fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death drive uninsured vehicle and drive whilst suspended He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Saturday applying explicit teaching principles and right Figtree Public School principal Melissa Harding Pictures by Robert PeetFigtree Public School is considered a prime example of a teaching strategy that is core to NSW's new public education plan with one student group recording a 23 per cent improvement in writing results in one year Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueExplicit teaching is not a novel concept but something that public school educators in NSW are applying with renewed focus it involves giving students clear instructions on what to do with their work then measured against success criteria said teachers gave students examples of what they were learning and let them have a go at doing it themselves before giving them feedback on how they went "Rather than a student working independently for extended periods of time - it might be completely off track with what they're doing - the teacher's providing that feedback and navigating their course throughout the lesson," Ms Harding said Explicit teaching did not do away with other approaches but ensured students were "set up for success and that they have the fundamental skills modelled for them" Figtree Public School has focused on explicit teaching for the past three years in particular and is seeing positive results year 3 students have recorded increases in their NAPLAN results of 23 per cent in writing and 17 per cent in grammar and punctuation Ms Harding said these sorts of results showed they were on the right track in using this approach to teaching with similarly promising outcomes in other year levels Figtree Public School principal Melissa Harding Picture by Robert Peet"We've got more kids achieving at higher levels than we have had for quite some time," she said It's not just the way that students are taught that is leading to good outcomes Ms Harding said the school was maximising teacher's classroom time and balancing that against planning and looking at student performance to consider what adjustments might be needed The strategy is central to the Department of Education's new plan for public education A department spokesperson said longstanding evidence showed it boosted students' learning "It is the best way to teach students new or complex concepts and skills and provides the necessary building blocks for guided and independent practice," they said It is also considered important to the delivery of the new primary curriculum the latest stage of which was unveiled in July Ms Harding said the new curriculum meant teachers had to take the time to consider what was being asked of them and ensure they had a good knowledge of what to teach "You can't teach explicitly if you don't have a strong knowledge of what it is that you're teaching beforehand," she said Explicit learning was not just a teaching strategy but something that was ingrained in the school culture "We're really proud of that school culture.. I'm really confident that every classroom is a safe and we're maximising time in each classroom for the students to be engaged in explicit teaching as much as possible," Ms Harding said Kingscliff's iconic fig tree is once again aglow after new fairy lights were officially switched on tonight by (from left) Business Kingscliff President and Tweed Shire Councillor James Owen Mayor Chris Cherry and Kingscliff Ratepayers Association President Peter Newton BELOW: The beloved fig tree on the roundabout at the intersection of Marine Parade and Seaview Street at Kingscliff is all lit up Christmas cheer has come early to Kingscliff after a spectacular new fairy light display was switched on in the coastal town’s beloved fig tree tonight in partnership with local business and community groups successfully switched on the new light installation in the giant fig tree which dominates the roundabout at the intersection of Marine Parade and Seaview Street in Kingscliff The Kingscliff fig tree initiative was a joint effort between Council’s Destination Events and Business team and Parks and Active Communities team working alongside Business Kingscliff and the Kingscliff Ratepayers Association The $20,000 lighting project was initiated following a proposal from Business Kingscliff to bring additional light and energy to the heart of Kingscliff’s town centre The official tree relighting took place during a small event that also marked the conclusion of October Business Month coordinated by Council as part of its 'Succeed in the Tweed' initiative successfully drew local business operators leaders and others together across a series of 16 events to celebrate business achievements in the Tweed while fostering opportunities for growth and networking throughout the region Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry said this vibrant new feature was part of a broader Council initiative to beautify and activate key precincts across the Tweed with the Kingscliff fig tree project the first in the program “The fig tree is an iconic part of Kingscliff’s identity and it’s fantastic to see it illuminated in such a striking way,” Cr Cherry said “This project not only enhances the atmosphere of the town but is also a shining example of what we can achieve when Council local businesses and the community work together “We are working on similar projects with the Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads business chambers and the Pottsville Community Association to uplift and beautify key precincts in their towns and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve there too.” Business Kingscliff President and Tweed Shire Councillor James Owen said this was a great win for the Kingscliff community “The Tweed Shire community love the iconic fig tree on the corner of Marine Parade and Seaview Street in Kingscliff – it is part of the Kingy community!” Cr Owen said “Cr Rhiannon Brinsmead and I received a lot of correspondence from community members who wanted to see lights back in the tree and have been working with Council staff for some time now to see if it was possible and so it’s great that it has happened – it’s a win for the community “It’s like the tree has been given a new lease of life and just in time for Christmas!” Kingscliff Ratepayers Association President Peter Newton was also excited to see the fig tree aglow once again “The Kingscliff fig tree is an iconic much-loved feature of our village,” Mr Newton said “The return of the lights is so welcomed by our community Thank you to Business Kingscliff for advocating for their return and to Council for enabling this.” Find out more about doing business with Council at tweed.nsw.gov.au/development-business/business The vibrant new feature at Kingscliff's iconic fig tree is part of a broader Council initiative to beautify and activate key precincts across the Tweed with similar projects in the planning for Tweed Heads Photo 1: Kingscliff fig tree lighting ceremonyCaption: Kingscliff's iconic fig tree is once again aglow Photo 2: Kingscliff fig tree lightsCaption: The beloved fig tree on the roundabout at the intersection of Marine Parade and Seaview Street at Kingscliff is all lit up Photo 3: Kingscliff fig tree light switchCaption: The vibrant new feature at Kingscliff's iconic fig tree is part of a broader Council initiative to beautify and activate key precincts across the Tweed Connection to Council’s Community Strategic Plan: Call 02 6670 2136 or email for all media or interview requests View all contact details View all our social media channels We wish to acknowledge the Ngandowal and Minyungbal speaking people of the Bundjalung Country, in particular the Goodjinburra, Tul-gi-gin and Moorung – Moobah clans, as being the traditional owners and custodians of the land and waters within the Tweed Shire boundaries. We also acknowledge and respect the Tweed Aboriginal community’s right to speak for its Country and to care for its traditional Country in accordance with its lore, customs and traditions. Picture by Adam McLeanHomes and businesses were left without power and SES volunteers were scrambled across the Illawarra as wild winds in excess of 90km/h struck overnight Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe strong winds started late on Sunday night and they brought trees down onto roads The strongest winds were recorded at Albion Park with a gust of 93km/h at 6.30am on Monday Gusts reached at 82km/h in Port Kembla and 74km/h in Kiama further south they peaked at 87km/h in Nowra and 67km/h in Ulladulla A large tree branch has become stuck on power lines on Lamerton Drive at Figtree during wild winds on Monday Picture by Adam McLeanA tree smashed a hole in the roof of a Janet Street home at Figtree a car on Kialoa Road at Woonona was smashed and SES crews were called to help tie down a trampoline that had come undone and was threatening to become airborne in Woonona Trees fell onto streets and blocked traffic on Thompson Road at Woonona and in Figtree on Govett Crescent Cordeaux Road Homes in Cordeaux Heights and West Wollongong had trees fall in their yards A large tree branch that landed on powerlines at Lamerton Drive in Figtree early Monday morning plunged 164 homes and businesses into darkness for hours Endeavour Energy technicians and Fire and Rescue NSW Wollongong crews rushed to the scene for repairs and to make the area safe A drop-out fuse at Jamberoo caused an outage for 89 properties it's a protection device," Endeavour Energy spokesman Peter Payne said There were a number of smaller outages in the Illawarra with no more than eight affected properties at each location "The wind has caused a whole heap of small jobs there's lots of single customer outages," Mr Payne said The weather pattern caused outages near the Illawarra including a blackout affecting 66 properties in Kangaroo Valley The wind has caused a whole heap of small jobs there's lots of single customer outages "We're putting in a generator for commercial customers because there's an issue with a transformer," Mr Payne said of the Ulladulla outage While wind conditions eased on Monday afternoon to around 20-30km/h, the strong winds will return again late on Tuesday and continue into Wednesday. "We're expecting more damaging wind warnings, probably similar to today [Monday], with winds up to 90km/h expected," Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jonathan How said "It is looking to be as windy as today, if not windier." Other than the winds, warm and sunny weather is predicted for the Illawarra this week, with a top of 22 degrees on Monday and 23 on Tuesday. "The winds will make it feel a bit colder than what it is," Mr How said. Wednesday and Friday will be unseasonably warm with a top of 26 and 28 degrees respectively in Albion Park. Picture by Adam McLeanThe chance to make friends play sports and connect with her new community in Wollongong prompted Kat Gow to join the Wollongong Saints in their inaugural year in the Sydney AFL competition in 2010 All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFourteen years later Gow is the only foundation player remaining at the club now called Figtree Saints and now playing in the AFL South Coast competition This Saturday the four-time premiership player will celebrate another milestone when she plays her 200th game for her beloved Saints As luck would have it Gow will bring up her 200th game at Figtree Oval against a Kiama Power team featuring Shellie Gibson another inaugural player of the Saints who was integral to the club's inception Gow said she was looking forward to playing her milestone game at her home ground in front of her family and friends "When I moved to Wollongong I was looking for a team to join for physical activity and to meet some people "The reason I am still a part of this club and still playing football is about having the opportunity to create that inclusive welcoming environment for people to come and challenge themselves but also to build relationships and be part of a community along with the benefits I have gained playing and volunteering has provided for my mental health " she said Kat Gow in action for the Figtree Saints.Gow played 144 of her 200 games for the Saints when they competed in the SWAFL (Sydney Women's AFL) competition She said she has loved playing for the Saints in both the Sydney and South Coast competitions Gow, who never had any opportunities to play AFL as a child because all the "AFL clubs in Deniliquin only had netball available for the girls" loved the fact there were more opportunities for girls in the sport nowadays "Highlights include seeing so many local girls being successful as the pathways have developed over the last 15 years," she said "Personal highlights include an international match against Canada leading into the 2011 Australian Football International Cup being named in the 2012 Sydney AFL Team of the Year 2023 Figtree AFC Volunteer of the Year and winning four of the eight grand finals that I have played in the pandemic causing the cancellation of the season inability to access training fields and resources and being represented by parties with nil female representation." Gow and her Figtree Saints take on the Kiama Power at Figtree Oval on Saturday Singapore listed Paragon REIT and MA Financial have divested a regional shopping centre for a touch over book value but less than they outlaid six years ago found favour with Fawkner Property for $192 million following a public campaign launched August The pair paid Blackstone $206m with Paragon – then known as SPH REIT – holding an 85 per cent stake ($175.1m) The disposal price is 4.9pc over book value but less than the ($200m-plus) guide upon listing; JLL’s Nick Willis and Sam Hatcher were the agents The deal comes seven months since Melbourne based Fawkner paid $103m (against a $111m book value) for Stockland Nowra Fawkner’s latest asset contains 21,873 square metres anchored to Coles the latter which trades 24 hours (story continues below) eight kiosks and an ATM; occupancy is nearly 100pc the site is configured with three pad sites and 940 car parks too Paragon REIT is sponsored by Cuscaden Peak Investments backed by Ong Bee Seng’s Hotel Properties Limited It estimates the Figtree Grove exit yield circles 5.5pc Subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of this page A former property analyst and print journalist Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au Forgot your password? You will receive mail with link to set new password Back to login This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Connecting the Communities of Glasshouse Country and the Blackall Range A HISTORIC fig tree within the Maleny and District Sports and Recreation Club (MDSRC) lease area appears to be ailing with a large section of the tree showing signs of decline.  A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson stated the tree is estimated to be over 200 years old.  “This large Moreton Bay Fig is one of the Council’s high-value fig trees and there are no plans to remove it,” the spokesperson said.  an active infection of a fungal fruiting body (Ganoderma) was observed and this will continue to be closely monitored.” To support the tree’s health and wellbeing the Council will be relocating the three timber benches and other informal seating outside the bollarded area.  “Council may consider installing signage and chains between the bollards to protect the tree’s root system and lowhanging canopy branches and to discourage use beneath the canopy,” the spokesperson added “Ensuring community safety in these areas remains a priority Council continues to monitor and maintain the tree regularly.”  The MDSRC is also assessing the situation with a spokesperson confirming they would seek an independent evaluation.  “We shall investigate further as our initial expert advice regarding the tree differs from the Council’s advice,” they said Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time It’s the tree a neighbourhood brought back from the brink. A community push to save a fig tree in Sydney’s eastern suburbs prompted the council to reverse its decision to send in the chainsaws A motivated group of more than 20 residents devoted hours to running a campaign to stop Randwick City Council removing one of five interlinked figs in the tree-lined Quail Street and Zoe Wilesmith and child and the saved Quail Street fig It followed a complaint about damage to private property and a claim for repair costs Councillors voted by majority on February 25 to remove the decades-old Hills weeping fig in the beachside enclave and replace it with a “super advanced” weeping lilly pilly at an estimated cost of $15,000 That decision was paused pending an extraordinary general meeting on March 25 in light of the community uproar, but councillors again voted by majority (8-7) against a proposal to postpone removal and consider “all alternative options to tree removal” A council report had concluded the roots of the 24-metre tree could not be pruned further without affecting its structural stability and health and removing it would have negligible impact on fauna and habitat based on our insurer’s recommendation to settle the claim council would no longer be insured for damage caused by this tree and its roots,” the report said Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the tree would not be removed after further discussions with the council’s insurer “The difficult decision to remove the Quail St fig tree was made on the clear advice that council would no longer be insured for either property damage or personal injury caused by the tree going forward This fact tied council’s hands requiring removal,” Parker said council staff and I have continued to work closely with our insurer to explore every possible alternative to keep the tree “I am pleased to announce that we have reached a position where council has been able to obtain partial insurance cover for future damage caused by the tree “This positive change of circumstance means that our risk exposure has now been reduced to a level that no longer requires removal of the tree.” an engineer who works in construction and property development was one of the drivers of the community campaign “We’d love to thank the council and the insurer … for coming to a pragmatic The Quail Street fig tree bathed in afternoon sun on Thursday “We look forward to getting all of the Quail Street fig trees on the significant trees register .. to ensure their protection in the long term.” said: “Randwick City Council’s reversal on the decision to remove the tree is so warmly welcomed by the residents of Quail Street “This is a wonderful demonstration of people power – the man-hours of work that residents have put into saving this tree and the expenses incurred from commissioning independent reports and legal advice have all been justified by council’s welcome reversal.” It was a “massive community effort which started with a desperate call-out to our neighbours for help” Here’s to saving the Quail Street trees and many more in our district from destruction.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. It\\u2019s the tree a neighbourhood brought back from the brink. A to save a fig tree in Sydney\\u2019s eastern suburbs prompted the council to reverse its decision to send in the chainsaws. A motivated group of more than 20 residents devoted hours to running a campaign to stop Randwick City Council removing one of five interlinked figs in the tree-lined Quail Street, Clovelly. It followed a complaint about damage to private property and a claim for repair costs. Councillors to remove the decades-old Hills weeping fig in the beachside enclave and replace it with a \\u201Csuper advanced\\u201D weeping lilly pilly at an estimated cost of $15,000. That decision was paused pending an extraordinary general meeting on March 25 in light of the community uproar, but councillors again (8-7) against a proposal to postpone removal, seek further information, and consider \\u201Call alternative options to tree removal\\u201D. A had concluded the roots of the 24-metre tree could not be pruned further without affecting its structural stability and health, and removing it would have negligible impact on fauna and habitat. \\u201CFurther, based on our insurer\\u2019s recommendation to settle the claim, council would no longer be insured for damage caused by this tree and its roots,\\u201D the report said. But in a statement on Thursday, Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the tree would not be removed after further discussions with the council\\u2019s insurer. \\u201CThe difficult decision to remove the Quail St fig tree was made on the clear advice that council would no longer be insured for either property damage or personal injury caused by the tree going forward. This fact tied council\\u2019s hands requiring removal,\\u201D Parker said. \\u201CSince then, council staff and I have continued to work closely with our insurer, Statewide Mutual, to explore every possible alternative to keep the tree. \\u201CI am pleased to announce that we have reached a position where council has been able to obtain partial insurance cover for future damage caused by the tree. \\u201CThis positive change of circumstance means that our risk exposure has now been reduced to a level that no longer requires removal of the tree.\\u201D Local homeowner Rob Aird, an engineer who works in construction and property development, was one of the drivers of the community campaign. \\u201CWe\\u2019d love to thank the council and the insurer \\u2026 for coming to a pragmatic, sensible solution,\\u201D he said. \\u201CWe look forward to getting all of the Quail Street fig trees on the significant trees register ... to ensure their protection in the long term.\\u201D Zoe Wilesmith, another resident, said: \\u201CRandwick City Council\\u2019s reversal on the decision to remove the tree is so warmly welcomed by the residents of Quail Street, Arden Street, Beach Street and beyond. \\u201CThis is a wonderful demonstration of people power \\u2013 the man-hours of work that residents have put into saving this tree, and the expenses incurred from commissioning independent reports and legal advice have all been justified by council\\u2019s welcome reversal.\\u201D It was a \\u201Cmassive community effort which started with a desperate call-out to our neighbours for help\\u201D, said Quail Street resident Angela Mork. \\u201CAnd help they did. What a wonderful community we are part of. Here\\u2019s to saving the Quail Street trees and many more in our district from destruction.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . Pictures suppliedPolice have arrested a man after finding firearms and items to make explosives in Figtree All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords, Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAt 9.15am on Thursday, February 6, officers attached to the Wollongong Police District served a Firearms Prohibition Order compliance check to a home in Outlook Drive There they seized three registered firearms four detonators with a remote and an electronic stun device Other items seized included two flick knives three extendable batons and perimeter alarms Following police inquiries a 55-year-old man was arrested at Wollongong Police Station on Friday at 3.50pm The man was charged with multiple offences including six counts of possessing or using a prohibited weapon without a permit two counts of possessing an unauthorised firearm and possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm The man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Saturday Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, covering business and entertainment most of the time. Got a tip? Send it to me at joel.ehsman@austcommunitymedia.com.au. He/Him