Be boulder on your next play date and head to the new nature play area at Charcoal Park It is the second nature play space in the Wollongong Local Government Area and is set to be a great addition for local children and families It will complement the area well, which has undergone a number of changes including Charcoal Park’s recently renewed playground and new amenities block at Lindsay Maynes Park The nearby park is also home to the Illawarra Criterium Track Nature play encourages kids to engage with the natural environment and nurture an exploration of nature creativity and emotional resilience through play It invites children to find their own way to play and enjoy time with their friends away from the structure of traditional play equipment It includes landscaped play elements such as stepping logs The play space is also located amongst existing trees providing a wonderful Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said she will never tire of the joy on kids’ faces when they celebrate new play facilities and is excited to see the latest one at Unanderra “Our play spaces provide so much for our kids such as endless games and running around with friends imagined stories and a fun way to be outdoors,” she said “Nature play is a new initiative to our city but I know our younger residents will take on the challenge with open imaginations With a new one at Charcoal Park in Unanderra it’ll certainly be a popular spot this summer “This innovative play has been boosted with valuable state funding from MP Ryan Park and his office We’re grateful for their support and continued investment in our communities.” The new play space was supported by a $20,000 grant under the NSW Government Local Small Commitments Allocation (LSCA) funding program The program supports small local projects to enhance community wellbeing and provide benefits to communities Member for Keira Ryan Park welcomes the nature play area as a perfect example of how thoughtful design can make improvements even better for communities “The new nature play area at Charcoal Park is a fantastic addition for Unanderra families “By investing $20,000 into this project the NSW Government is helping to nurture curiosity and resilience in our youngest residents while giving families a vibrant space to enjoy together.” The first nature play opened up at Stanwell Park Playground in Stanwell Park earlier this year You can read more in our media release: Let the fun and games begin: Stanwell Playground open for business. The project was partially funded by the Local Small Commitments Allocation grant funding program Visit our News page to find out what's happening in your community, or sign up for e-news. We show our respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Dharawal Country, Elders past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. You can also use the number above for after hours Council-related emergencies Email council@wollongong.nsw.gov.au Webchat 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 areaContinueStaff at McKeon's Swim Centre were mixing two chemicals in a plant room when suddenly a toxic gas erupted and quickly spread Three people suffered breathing difficulties, headaches and sore throats and were rushed to Wollongong Hospital with a further five people treated by paramedics at the site members of the public aged between 30 and 50 Paramedics also treated a woman sitting in the front seat of a car just outside the centre's now-locked gate The centre was evacuated as multiple fire trucks and ambulances rushed to the scene with lessons and swimming lanes closed to the public As three ambulances carried the injured to hospital swimmers draped in towels stood outside the centre's front door while emergency personnel work to contain the spill and ventilate the premises View +6 Photos"My grandson was swimming when everyone started to cough They were quick to get everyone out," Wendy Nubley said Simonne Haines said her granddaughter's swimming lesson had been cancelled that afternoon Firefighters and specialist HAZMAT crews entered the swimming centre wearing protective suits to keep them safe from the toxic gas. "They mixed two chemicals together and they had an off-gas incident of sulphur dioxide," Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Peter Church said of centre staff. Due to the volatility of the chemicals, firefighters determined it was safest to dilute the chemical, rather than try and contain it in hazardous materials bins. "The product was safely diluted into the pool," Supt Church said. "Nobody will be able to use the pool until it's determined safe." The 700,000 litre pool will now be tested and remedied before anyone is allowed back in. "We have an expectation that they'll have their own pool maintenance people come in and do further testing before it can reopen," Supt Church said. Twelve staff were working when the emergency unfolded and thankfully none were injured, McKeon's Swim Centre general manager Greg Crawford said. "It was mainly contained in the plant room and we evacuated the centre to be on the safe side," he said. "We're still working out what that was. We'll need to investigate what happened." During emergency, the centre took to its Facebook page and said a "maintenance issue" forced its closure for the rest of Wednesday. "No classes will be held this afternoon. All accounts will be credited for today's cancelled classes," the post read. The Mercury has contacted the centre to see when it will reopen. The three people taken to hospital have now been discharged. McKeon's Swim School will remain closed on Thursday, October 24, staff posted to the centre's Facebook page just after 8pm on Wednesday. "We expect classes and squads at our Unanderra Centre to resume as normal on Friday 25 October," the post read. "We sincerely apologise for the disruption caused to our valued customers and families." 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 Last year we asked our community what hours they'd like Unanderra Library to be open and now we're responding to their feedback From Monday 28 April, Unanderra Library will be extending its morning open hours, giving the local community an additional five hours of library services each week. The new hours will see the library open from 9.30am – 5pm on weekdays, and 9.30am – 1pm on Saturdays. This is a change from the previous opening time of 10am on weekdays, except Wednesdays when the library opened at 12.30pm. "More than 170 submissions were made to our survey, and most of these people were regular visitors to Unanderra Library. There was general support for opening the library at 9.30am on weekdays due to convenience, consistency across libraries and opportunities for children's programs," said Wollongong City Council's Community Services Director, Kerry Hunt. "We also appreciate the feedback we received from community members who wanted to share with Council their appreciation for the library's staff and the services offered through our libraries." Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said the was a lot of passion in the community for Unanderra Library. "Libraries are an essential part of Wollongong City Council's services, delivering more than 'just' amazing books, magazines and DVDs, but also providing social connections and delivering a range of lifelong learning programs,'' she said. "I know Unanderra holds a special place in many people's hearts – it's a much-loved local community space. "We've also recently completed some essential repairs and maintenance on the Unanderra Community Centre and Library building, and I'm delighted that the community will be able to enjoy using this great facility for more hours each week." File picture by Adam McLeanA missing girl who was last seen in Unanderra has been found safe and well 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 13-year-old was last seen on Thursday, February 27, with NSW Police issuing a statewide alert to find her "Police and family hold concerns due to her age," a police spokesperson said an updated alert said she had now been found Jason Lawrence, the son of missing Wollongong woman Pauline Sowry, told the Mercury his family has been left heartbroken by the 30-year mystery. If you have information on any missing person in the Illawarra contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. booklovers in Unanderra will need to visit an alternative library to pick up their reading materials with their local library temporarily closing its doors to allow for essential works The project at Unanderra Library is expected to take a few months and includes the replacement of roofing and drainage the removal of hazardous materials and the replacement of the plasterboard ceiling and gable end linings there will also be improvements to the building’s interior and exterior to give it a refresh “We know Unanderra Library is a much-loved community space and these planned works will allow it to continue to be an important space for people to borrow books and also a calm retreat in a busy world,’’ Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said “The library and its returns bin will close after next Saturday to allow for the books and resources to be removed and reallocated to other branch libraries like Dapto “Regular library customers are encouraged to visit one of Wollongong City Libraries other six locations during the renovations.’’ While work is underway the neighbouring Unanderra Community Centre will continue to operate at a reduced capacity People are encouraged to contact the Community Centre by phone or email directly for more information about their important services including their Food Pantry “The building housing the library has been an important space since it opened as the original Unanderra Community Hall in 1901 “Before the formation of the City of Greater Wollongong in 1947 it was the site of the Central Illawarra Municipal Council Chambers will once again welcome people to peruse its book-filled shelves from early 2025.’’ Unanderra Library will close from 1pm on Saturday 7 September 2024 and reopen in early 2025 and Jereko Jackson leave court after sentencing Pictures by ACMTwo brothers who triggered a melee that led to the death of a much-loved father and grandfather have narrowly avoided a jail sentence for their roles in the events of the tragic night The 60-year-old was at the pub that night with three others They each pleaded guilty to a charge of affray in relation to their actions that night Neither were charged with causing Mr Andrews' death Documents tendered to Wollongong Local Court said the wife of Mr Andrews' friend approached hotel staff shortly before 10.50pm and asked that Jereko be removed from the hotel because she was worried a physical fight would occur There had been longstanding hostility between the Jackson family and her and her husband two arguments broke out between the man and the Jackson brothers 10 seconds after the second altercation ended Jereko ran out and began pushing the man and the two started wrestling As several people rushed to separate the two a scuffle broke out and Jake ran up and punched the man in the head Two people pulled Jake away as others held Jereko back but Jake broke free and ran back towards the man punching him twice more to the back of the head He grabbed a pool cue but others kept him away Mr Andrews was allegedly assaulted and immediately fell to the floor Rhys Wayne Olbrich is accused of throwing the fatal punches and remains before the courts The 34-year-old faces a charge of assault causing death with offences of affray and causing grievous bodily harm to be withdrawn Jake and Jereko Jackson were sentenced at Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday The Crown prosecutor said the incident would have made bystanders fear for their safety and Jereko showed no remorse in a sentencing assessment But Jereko's lawyer Lewis Etheridge said he asked his client more generally about the violence that occurred and he was remorseful saying he would walk away if he saw those people again Mr Etheridge said his client had also complied with bail for several months Jake's lawyer Analise Ritchie told the court that her client got involved to protect his brother had had a gap of over four years in his criminal history and had abided by his bail conditions He was in a stable relationship with children Magistrate Michael Love said the incident was a reminder that drunk people engaging in violence could so quickly end in death Mr Love said the men's criminal records did not entitle them to any leniency but their early guilty pleas entitled them to a 25 per cent discount He also said they came "really close" to crossing the threshold where a jail sentence was the only available option He told Jake he was lucky his punches did not cause serious injury The magistrate sentenced each brother to a community correction order lasting two years with conditions that they be supervised by Community Corrections and undertake any drug and alcohol or anger management programs as directed Olbrich will return to court on January 29 Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs and education. Our Watch award winner. If you've got a story, let me know. 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! Picture by Adam McLeanInvestigations are continuing into the cause of a fire that broke out in a Unanderra mower shop in the early hours of Tuesday morning Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueEmergency services were called to the fire on the Princes Highway just after 2am after multiple triple-0 calls came in about a shop alight Fire and Rescue NSW sent 48 firefighters with 12 trucks from various stations including the ladder platform from Wollongong Inspector Steve Brown from FRNSW said firefighters found a "significant fire" at a single-level business upon arrival They worked to extinguish the blaze at the Unanderra Mower Centre while protecting neighbouring buildings with about three people evacuated from the McDonald's restaurant next door as a precaution Firefighters at Unanderra Mower Centre in the hours after the fire Picture by Adam McLeanInspector Brown said the fire in the mower shop breached the roof and firefighters were forced to withdraw from the building It took about three hours to control the fire which left about one-third of the shop totally destroyed firefighters did manage to save a significant amount of stock As firefighting efforts got underway all southbound lanes and one northbound lane of the highway were closed A police officer takes photos at the scene of the fire Picture by Adam McLeanSome lanes of traffic have since reopened Motorists are advised to take extra care travelling through the area A FRNSW investigator is due to attend the scene on Tuesday to determine the cause of the fire It comes one week after two separate fires destroyed homes in Mangerton and Mount Warrigal on the same day Young ‘experts’ consulted through the construction of the new Unanderra Park Playground can enjoy the fruits of their labour through a summer of fun with the new site officially open for business was the result of extensive consultation with local students from Unanderra Public School St Pius Catholic School and Western Suburbs Community Pre-School Their valuable input saw the installation of new swings spider net and climbing fort with monkey bars -one of the most hotly requested items from the children The family friendly playground also includes an expression swing for an adult with a baby or toddler with a new softfall surface ensuring safe and accessible use of all the new features The site boasts a number of other key inclusions made possible by a $52,000 injection from the NSW Government via the Local Small Commitments Allocation (LSCA) grant program This funding provided for a new picnic setting water refill station and a water play feature which was highly requested by the 110 children involved in the design process for the playground that is the result of their input and consideration Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM welcomed the opening of another new playground saying it is the result of fruitful collaboration with the city’s youngest residents “It was great to see so many of the children who provided such valuable input into the design of the new playground so thoroughly enjoy the opening,” Cr Bradbery said “Speaking with the children who will spend many years enjoying these facilities forms a key part of Council’s commitment to maintaining its more than 150 play spaces for local kids and their families “These spaces allow our youngest residents to boost their physical and mental well-being through outdoor leisure activities and provide the opportunity to form new friendships and connections that build strong local communities “Ensuring these recreation spaces are maintained and accessible to as many children as possible remains both an immediate and long-term priority for Council Playgrounds need to be upgraded as kids expectations and appetite for adventure and exercise grows “I also plead with the community to help us look after these assets and report any antisocial activity or vandalism to Police We need to make sure our kids have the best and safest playgrounds” The Unanderra Playground is one of several new sites to benefit from NSW Government funding via the LSCA grant program – including the recently opened Stanwell Park Playground - with Wollongong Council General Manager Greg Doyle keen to see these partnerships continue “We welcome the NSW Government’s support in our shared commitment to delivering these community-focused facilities across our city,” Mr Doyle said “We will continue to look for opportunities to partner with the NSW Government on the delivery of these great recreation spaces for local families to enjoy for many years to come.” Member for Keira Park said it was great to see local kids have such a direct say in the construction of their own new play space "It is wonderful to see the vision and suggestions of our local young people directly influence the design of this inclusive playground,” Mr Park said explore and exercise more engaging for kids.” For more information please visit Council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au or call Customer Service on (02) 4227 7111 Buckley appeared before the court via video link from custody where he had spent almost two months after being refused bail Defence solicitor Adam Sumbak entered guilty pleas on Buckley's behalf to two counts of intimidation with the intent to cause fear of physical harm; two counts of using a carriage service to menace or harass; one count of destroying or damaging property; and five counts of contravening an AVO Mr Sumbak said Buckley had admitted "a prior issue" with methamphetamine the breakdown of a relationship in the leadup to Christmas 2024 saw him relapse and in "an emotional state" "It was a rapid escalation over several days culminating in the threats," Mr Sumbak told the court He said Buckley had no prior convictions on his record so the time spent in custody was an "eye-opening" experience Local Court magistrate Doug Dick confirmed it had been around seven weeks behind bars already "Now that you've had a taste of being bail refused I hope you won't want to go back again," Mr Dick said to Buckley "It was quite frankly deplorable behaviour "Time will tell if the victims will forgive you." Buckley was convicted and placed on a community corrections order for a period of two years the two intimidation charges and the damaging of a mobile phone On the two charges of using a carriage service to menace or harass He was also granted bail and ordered to report to Community Corrections in Wollongong within two days I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula, Eden, Batemans Bay and Narooma Dr Nirusha Weultjes and Dr Yi 'Si Si' Zhou from the newly opened Helios Medical Rooms in Unanderra a cutting-edge medical facility delivering exceptional healthcare to the Illawarra community is now open and welcoming new patients to their modern practice in Unanderra Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueGeneral practitioner Dr Nirusha Weultjes said their local team provides outstanding resulting in highly satisfied patients who return time and again and share a deep commitment to the community," Dr Weultjes said "These highly skilled doctors collaborate closely to deliver holistic care prioritising each individual's needs with a focus on primary and preventative health." state-of-the-art facilities that further enhance the experience creating a welcoming environment where every consultation reflects the respect and dedication each patient deserves The specialist general practitioners deliver a comprehensive range of services that are designed to keep patients healthy and feeling supported "We are committed to creating a community where patients and their families can come anytime and know that they will receive consistent Their specialist general practitioners are the heart of Helios Medical Rooms All of their doctors are Fellows of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and practice according to the latest Australian clinical guidelines While they provide comprehensive care for patients of all ages - from newborns to seniors - the doctors have developed expertise in the following special interest areas: DCH): A Western Sydney University graduate with experience in paediatrics and emergency medicine Dr Buckingham excels in preventative health and diabetes management Zhou has a special interest in chronic disease management DipCH): A Western Sydney University graduate with experience in obstetrics Dr Weultjes focuses on menopause management She is dedicated to helping women at every stage of their life "Helios Medical Rooms is more than a practice - it's a commitment to excellence purpose-built facility features the latest technology and our multilingual doctors serve a diverse community with care that resonates," Dr Weultjes said partnering with other healthcare professionals in the community and are expanding our team and services to meet growing demand training medical students while maintaining the exceptional care to our patients Our commitment to the Illawarra is to deliver patient-centred primary healthcare that is impactful." Helios Medical Rooms is located at 1/94 Nudjia Road 9am to 5pm and will be extending their hours in the coming months to include evenings and weekends Helios Medical Rooms is a mixed billing practice On-the-spot Medicare rebates are available for added convenience Booking an appointment is simple and convenient just go to the website at heliosmedicalrooms.com.au or phone 4288 2524 Same-day appointments are offered to ensure patients can quickly access the top-tier care that keeps them returning to Helios Medical Rooms 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 Life Member John Whiddett and Steve Fuller Picture: Robert PeetJohn Whiddett has bled maroon and white for decades Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWhiddett has been volunteering for years and has held various roles in the junior and senior Unanderra Hearts Soccer Club committees But one of the 'proudest days' for the life member of both the junior and senior clubs came recently when the committees under the leadership of presidents Pino Gringeri and Steve Fullard from the senior and junior divisions endorsed the unification and the subsequent name change to Unanderra Hearts Football Club The amalgamation announced on December 10 came 66 years after a group of visionary individuals convened in 1958 and decided to establish a football club in Unanderra The club was named Unanderra Hearts Soccer Club and the colours maroon and white were chosen to represent it the club experienced divisions and the introduction of new names the club expressed its heartfelt gratitude to John Whiddet "for his invaluable guidance and support throughout this venture and for assisting us in achieving this unification." Whiddett said common sense dictated the need to unite as one club "This is the second phase of Football South Coast's strategy in the unification process," he said "We have so many clubs out there that are segregated by names "We had Unanderra Junior Soccer Club and Unanderra Football Club playing out of the same facility with nearly 50 to 60 per cent of their members across both committees it made sense that they came together and formed one club "The move allows a streamline from under sixes to over 45 at the same club And the pathway is now much more straightforward for all players the pathway wasn't obvious for the younger generation because they didn't understand why there were two clubs at seven It just makes sense to do what we've done." Whiddett added that FSC had 57 clubs but could reduce that number by 30 per cent if these clubs amalgamated their juniors and seniors Unanderra Hearts' senior club secretary said John Whiddett and Paul Boscaro initiated discussions in 2017 to restore the club to its original format as a unified entity the junior team was designated as Unanderra Hearts Soccer Club while the senior team was known as Wests Illawarra Football Club," she said there existed a prevailing sentiment to return to the foundational principles of a single club rather than maintaining separate groups not due to issues related to the structure or constitution but rather due to factions within the committees that were either unconvinced of the proposal or opposed to it out of concern that one committee might exploit the other." Gringeri added that various factors drove the decision for the juniors and seniors to amalgamate into a single football club "There was a shared vision among stakeholders to foster a cohesive community and promote a unified identity within the club This consolidation aimed to enhance the overall experience for players of all ages creating a supportive environment that encourages development the amalgamation was influenced by the recognition that a unified club could more effectively pool resources junior and senior teams could benefit from improved training facilities ultimately leading to a more substantial competitive presence in the football landscape "The collaboration also aimed to reinforce the club's historical roots and values ensuring the legacy of the original club remained intact while adapting to contemporary needs and challenges." the club has seen a notable increase in player participation the senior men's teams are competing in the Illawarra District League alongside several teams participating in the Community League "This growth is a testament to the commitment of our volunteers and the club's ongoing efforts to foster a vibrant and inclusive sporting community," Gringeri said "With Football South Coast advocating for unification and encouraging clubs to streamline their operations by integrating junior and community league teams under a single banner it became evident that consolidating our club was a logical step forward," she said "This alignment with the broader objectives of the governing body not only enhances operational efficiency but also fosters a unified identity that can strengthen our community engagement and overall club development." 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. left and Des Gregoriou with a picture of Elias Gregoriou from family-run business Unanderra Charcoal Chickens and Take-away Picture by Adam McLeanFor more than three decades it's been a takeaway staple in Unanderra - but for the owners it's so much more Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueUnanderra Charcoal Chickens and Take-away has been serving food for nearly 33 years but will be closing its doors on September 21 The decision means more than just closing the doors for the owners Des and Elias 'Leo' Gregoriou first moved into Unanderra after selling a shop at Kanahooka The reason they chose Unanderra There was a house attached to the business giving them the room to raise their growing family including daughter Andrea who has been helping run the chicken shop Leo's death in 2020 and Des' decision to retire means the shop is set to close its doors permanently who also owns and operates Delicious Delights in Albion Park said she has mixed emotions about the closure of the shop "Reading all the messages that the customers were writing yesterday [Tuesday "Even if you go on my Facebook and see when my dad passed away the amount of messages that go was crazy my parents were very well loved in the area I guess." The take-away shop was the first job for many of the Gregoriou family who are now saying "goodbye to Unanderra" Andrea said 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 Picture by Adam McLeanA Unanderra mother is concerned her children's school canteen is still not open after almost a year because no suitable operator has come forward to run the service 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 areaContinueUnanderra Public School's canteen shut in September 2023 when the previous operator terminated their licence Since then the service has been put out to tender In her newsletter at the end of the last school term Unanderra principal Anissa Rajendra said the school had received interest in its canteen again so it endeavoured to advertise the tender in the second semester of the year "We will advise the school community of the outcome when we are able to do so," Ms Rajendra wrote Parent of three students Alena Cormack has been agitating to have the canteen reopened She said the canteen helped ensure her sons Bentley which in turn helped them stay on the medication that helped them focus on their schooling Ms Cormack explained that their medication suppressed their appetite so if they lost weight they had to stop taking it which affected their behaviour and ability to learn "By having the canteen I know my children will eat a hot meal or something other than the sandwich they get over eating 190-200 school days a year," Ms Cormack said Unanderra Public School P&C president Lisa Jones said the organisation would like a canteen but recognised it was a luxury "The school has taken steps to ensure that children who do not have food at school are given food when it is required," Ms Jones said "It is a testament to the dedication of staff to consistently care for each and every student." She said the P&C was unable to take it on because there were not enough parents in a position to help out and the organisation did not want to pressure people who were already busy to do more "The loyal and hardworking parents who regularly attend our P&C meetings do their very best to support as many of the fundraisers that we run as possible," Ms Jones said She also noted the canteen had not been profitable in the past Data from the NSW Department of Education shows Unanderra Public School's canteen earned $1100 in revenue in 2023 Ms Cormack said she offered to volunteer in the canteen so it could open at least part of the time The Department of Education did not respond to a question about why such an offer was declined but assured it was trying to get the canteen running again "The department remains committed to providing a canteen service for the students and school community and will continue working with the school to find a suitable solution," a spokesperson said Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueUnanderra man Daniel Mantovani lowered his head when beamed onto the screen at Wollongong Local Court wiping away tears throughout his bail application on Tuesday and for good reason," the magistrate said of the allegations levelled against him The 33-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 17 charges including participating in a criminal group five counts of dealing with identity information to commit an indictable offence and four counts of using a false document to obtain property Strike force detectives established an investigation in July into the alleged syndicate with tentacles across Sydney and the Illawarra Police will allege Mantovani headed up the syndicate which fraudulently swiped in excess of $250,000 from a bank by using stolen identification information as well as allegedly making unauthorised payments and transfers The court heard Mantovani allegedly ran the "sophisticated" operation from January 8 to October 1 and included him fraudulently applying for government grants from Service NSW He allegedly successfully received a $15,000 grant however a subsequent application for a $26,000 grant failed Investigators will rely on evidence gathered through CCTV cameras allegedly revealing Mantovani withdrawing stashes of cash from Illawarra ATMs and voice identification from 190 calls made to various banks The court heard he allegedly made fraudulent applications for personal loans amounting to $539,000 however it is unknown whether these funds were received Mantovani was arrested after coming out of his Atchison Street unit on Tuesday He declined to be present for the police raid that followed in which identification information was allegedly discovered Defence lawyer Ron Davis argued the police allegations were "loose and scant on detail with respect to some of the offences" and that there was no proceeds found at his home "My client would have been living in some lavish way .. in fact his father is funding his bail application," Mr Davis said Police prosecutor Nathan Smith argued against bail citing risks of continuing further offences and interfering with witnesses He added a custodial sentence is inevitable if Mantovani is convicted Magistrate Robert Rabbidge denied the application on account of the alleged operation's sophistication and strength of the prosecution case "Despite the powerful submissions from Mr Davis I must do my duty and refuse bail," he said The matter will return to court on November 13 Tristan Yeatman told the Illawarra Mercury "I'm not going anywhere" Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueHe was stood in the ashes of what remained of his Unanderra Mower Centre following a massive fire which ripped through his small business on September 10 Mr Yeatman's sheer determination and resilience he is now temporarily running the business one street down at The Hardware Man on 53-57 Princes Highway The owner of the Hardware Man threw us a lifeline and offered for us to come over to their building," Mr Yeatman said It took 12 trucks and almost 50 firefighters to tame the blaze that ripped through Mr Yeatman's small business in the early hours of September 10 The first he knew of it was when he woke to a phone full of messages and notifications Investigations into the cause of the fire are still ongoing He said they have been doing about 30 per cent of their normal business and with thousands of customers on the books he's hopeful the rest will return when they hear they are still open but it was very slow getting business back in You expect customers will quickly come back in "A lot of people have heard about the fire but I don't think people have heard about his reopening." Mr Yeatman said the team was busy making their way through repairing the over 100 customer machines that had been destroyed in the fire owner of the Unanderra Mower Center which was gutted by fire in the early hours of September 10 Picture by Adam McLeanThe firm services mowers for contractors and while the goods damaged in the fire will be covered by insurance Mr Yeatman said they were doing everything they can to fix them up "We had over 100 machines in the building when the fire hit About 75 per cent of them have some level of damage or are destroyed We do have some loan machines available that customers can come and use "We work with a lot of contractors and mowing businesses - the fire has had an impact on their businesses as well We had built a sizeable customer base and we hope to get them back." Unanderra Mower Centre is now based at The Hardware Man at 53-57 Princes Highway Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt has opened expressions of interest to find a piece of suitable site for the station which is says could be in Unanderra or surrounding areas The new ambulance location was announced last February by the then Coalition Government as part of a $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program Now being rolled out by Labor, it will deliver 30 extra ambulance stations and includes the new under-construction station at Fairy Meadow The Unanderra building - which will include inside parking for emergency ambulance vehicles logistics and storage and an office area - is one of four new locations now open for Expressions of Interest Wollongong MP Paul Scully said the Unanderra station would deliver a service boost for the region "I'm really pleased Unanderra is getting a new ambulance station with dedicated paramedics who can respond to the needs of the growing local community," he said "The NSW Government is now looking for the best location in Unanderra which will optimise ambulance response times to provide care and meet the future health needs of the community." The government says the locations for new stations are determined by NSW Ambulance using modelling software which maps Triple Zero calls The nearest ambulance stations to Unanderra are at Dapto ambulance callouts hit an all time high in the most recent quarter when there were 4898 ambulance responses between January to March In Wollongong there was also a record high of 6942 responses Health Minister Ryan Park said the new stations would enhance network coverage and support existing ambulance stations "We are progressing with planning to identify suitable sites to deliver new modern and purpose-built ambulance stations which will support local paramedics to provide the best emergency medical care now and into the future," he said "These new ambulance stations will bolster emergency care for growing communities across the state and provide a first-class purpose-built workplace for our hardworking paramedics." All sites nominated in the expressions of interest process will need to be located at places which optimise ambulance response times and meet the needs of the community and other factors that may influence development timelines and costs The exact location will be confirmed once the land search and acquisition process is finalised with construction and operational timeframes to be determined as planning progresses To find out more, or lodge an Expression of Interest visit: www.hinfra.health.nsw.gov.au/ambulance-infrastructure-program 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. "I am relieved that the site was unoccupied at the time and that none of our employees were at risk and nobody was hurt," Mr Von Clark said "Now our focus is to make sure that we're meeting the needs of our employees as well as our customers "We'll be ensuring that we engage all our employees with ongoing employment There's other areas that we'll be able to use so that we can meet up our customer needs but also provide that employment." Mr Von Clark said the facility took care of the washing for aged care providers and other groups; until the Unanderra building is up and running Fire and Rescue NSW crews spent several hours controlling a blaze in the commercial laundry of disability employer Flagstaff Picture by Robert PeetFire and Rescue NSW Duty Inspector Chad Wallace said the fire started around 8.30pm on Thursday Once they realised the fire was burning in a 50 square metre building with structures attached on two sides extra crews were called in to help - including a ladder crew to fight the blaze from above "The firefighters had to cut their way into the building initially and two different firefighting crews aggressively attacked that fire from either side of the building," Insp Wallace said "They did a great job and managed to save it to one part of the building That part of the complex has been totally destroyed "But because of the work that firefighters did in those initial 30 minutes it did minimize the damage to just that area and it means the rest of their operations here will hopefully be up and running here by Monday." Insp Wallace said the crews contained the fire within those first 30 minutes but it took three to four hours for it to get it under control Flagstaff CEO Rodney Von Clark said the employees who worked in the Unanderra laundry will be found work elsewhere Picture by Robert Peet"For those first 30 minutes with the crew either side they contained it - it was still heavily involved in fire "That then lets the firefighters concentrate on their efforts on the other things that were impacted There was a chemical storage section in the building that was initially impacted "So we had a crew specifically assigned just to look after those chemicals because it definitely becomes an issue if it's alight." The commercial laundry had plenty of linen inside which is very combustible and had an effect both during and after the fire Insp Wallace said fire crews would remain on the scene on Friday to deal with the linen Fire and Rescue NSW Duty Inspector Chad Wallace in front of the roller door crews had to cut through to fight the blaze in the Flagstaff Group's Unanderra laundry facility Picture by Robert Peet"It can have an effect that can smolder for days or even multiple days," he said "So it probably did contribute to fire spread originally and it does make the fire a lot harder to get out "We'll have crews here all day today just putting out spot-fires because we've extinguished the fire and in about 10 minutes time it could spark up again just keeping control of it for the rest of the day and at some point today we'll probably hand back to Flagstaff Group." Insp Wallace said they would also be working to determine the cause of the fire which at this stage was "highly likely" to be accidental "There are no immediate signs of any suspicious activity or illegal entry to the building - firefighters have to cut their way in," he said "There's nothing to indicate there was anything suspicious so it's likely at this stage it's either something accidental or potentially an electrical fault." I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading. File picture by Robert PeetA man will front court after leading police on a dramatic pursuit from Cataract to Unanderra Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAs people were heading to work and dropping their kids to school at 8.12am on Tuesday "Officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol allegedly detected a car speeding on the M1 southbound, Cataract and attempted to pull the car over," a NSW Police spokeswoman said. "When the driver allegedly failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated. "The pursuit continued southbound on the M1 before the vehicle came to a stop around 8.20am near Five Islands Road, Unanderra. The male driver was arrested and taken to Wollongong Station. The 46-year -old was charged with exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/; not stopping when directed to do so and three counts of hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of their duty. He was refused bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday. March 21Police are yet to charge a motorcycle rider accused of leading officers on a wild chase across the Illawarra Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 44-year-old male rider allegedly sped off from officers in Cordeaux Heights with police chasing him to Unanderra where he crashed at 10pm on Tuesday He suffered leg and pelvic injuries and was taken to Wollongong Hospital and a police spokeswoman said no charges have been laid in relation to the pursuit A motorcyclist accused of leading police on a late-night chase through multiple suburbs is in hospital with serious injuries after crashing into a fence The man was riding along Carbeen Crescent at Cordeaux Heights when he allegedly sped off from police who tried to pull him over for a random breath test The pursuit began when a motorcyclist allegedly failed to stop for officers and drove towards Central Road in Unanderra File picture"Police will allege he reached speeds in excess of the posted speed limit of 50km/h," a NSW Police spokeswoman said "The motorcyclist entered a number of streets in Unanderra before riding across a grass reserve between Central Road and Ridley Parade." The spokeswoman said police did not follow the bike through the park and were able to maintain a view of the bike he [the rider] allegedly failed to negotiate the corner of Rose Parade and struck a fence on Ridley Parade," she said Paramedics were called and treated the 44-year-old man at the roadside for suspected leg and pelvic injuries. He was later taken to Wollongong Hospital where he remains The pursuit comes three days after Illawarra police conducted a blitz on illegal motorbike riders in Berkeley On December 10, 2024, another motorcyclist accused of leading police on a pursuit crashed in Warrawong and was left with life-threatening injuries. The 26-year-old driver has since been charged with a string of offences. Pictures by Robert PeetProtesters have claimed victory for shutting down a Unanderra company they accuse of being involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueBisalloy Steels stopped operations on Thursday September 19 as protesters chanted and waved flags outside the factory accusing the company of being "complicit in genocide" In the wake of Bisalloy Steels' involvement in the weapons industry exhibition about 50 people gathered at the company's Unanderra site at 6am for a 12-hour protest staff told to stay home and the Mercury understands night shift staff left early to avoid the protesters "The company's response today in shutting down operations is a great outcome It really shows the power of our community to put a stop to business as usual for companies complicit in genocide," a Wollongong Friends of Palestine spokesperson said A Bisalloy spokeswoman blamed large-scale protests and violent clashes outside the Land Forces conference for the closure of the Unanderra site on Thursday "Following the violent nature of the protests at the Land Forces in Melbourne last week we made the proactive decision to prioritise the safety of our staff and not operate the Unanderra site for the day," she said all other aspects of the business continue to operate as normal." Policing the three-day Victorian protests cost that government $15 million Last week, Illawarra workers were warned they could be exposed to the International Criminal Court if they knowingly perform work as part of the production and supply of materials that may be used in committing war crimes South Coast Labor Council secretary Arthur Rorris called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to provide assurances that Australia's defence industries were not contravening international law As protesters chanted and waved flags outside Bisalloy's gates on Thursday, Lake Illawarra Police District officers stood at a distance watching on This protest was peaceful and no arrests were made Palestinian born Rawda Alsharoof was among the protesters and told the Mercury she feared for her family living in Khaleel Jenin "It's just plain horrific settlers have been grabbing Palestinians some of them returned with lifelong traumas It's horrific," the University of Wollongong psychology student said View +21 Photos"Many Palestinians are already fleeing from the outskirts of Jenin into the inner parts of the city." Ms Alsharoof accused Bisalloy Steels of links with the Israeli military and the illegal occupation of Palestine armored steel that is utilised by both the military and settlers in the West Bank and Gaza to subjugate and oppress the people of Palestine," she said Bisalloy declined to answer the Mercury's questions on any involvement in the conflict Austinmer woman Cookie Lloyd was among the protesters and said the shutdown was a reflection of Bisalloy's concerns about the company's links to the conflict "The company really is complicit in a genocide and their workers are exposed to being complicit I don't think the company realised that," she said "It's an occupational health and safety risk for their staff." Woonona man Billy Marshall brought his son Chip to the protest because of the "very brutal and clear genocide" occurring in Gaza and Palestine He is concerned that an Illawarra company is linked to the conflict and he wants that link to stop "I don't want that in my community and I'm here to hope that Bisalloy will stop doing that and that also our government will act in any way that they can to put an end to us selling steel and selling weapons and supporting the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] and their continued genocide within Gaza." Police and protesters outside the Bisalloy Steels site in Unanderra on Thursday Picture by Robert PeetWollongong woman Leo Luna said: "I feel it's vital and necessary to be physically standing up for collective liberation particularly as a white able body in this space" Jane Aubourg said the conflict may be far away "It's very important to recognise Australia's role in that," she said that it was dropped from a 12-hour sit in to five hours This is the fifth protest by Wollongong Friends of Palestine since the conflict erupted on October 7, 2023, with members to continue their actions. Picture by Fire and Rescue NSW ShellharbourSwimming lessons will be back this Friday at a Unanderra pool after a chemical and toxic gas emergency left three people in hospital Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA chemical mix-up created toxic gas and it forced an evacuation at McKeon's Swim Centre General manager of the centre Greg Crawford thanked emergency services for their quick response "I wish to say a big thank you to the emergency services; they were here quickly Dozens of emergency services personnel rushed to the scene at about 11.30am on Wednesday and spent hours trying to get the situation under control Three staff, earlier reported by NSW Ambulance as members of the public, who had minor breathing problems were rushed to Wollongong Hospital Hundreds of swimmers were forced away as the centre closed down immediately and remained shut on Thursday "It was deemed safe yesterday [Wednesday] afternoon but we stayed shut to make sure," general manager Greg Crawford said Due to the volatile nature of the chemicals, specialist HAZMAT crews had to dilute them in the 700,000-litre pool rather than place them in special bins. "We've had to balance the pool, which is done," Mr Crawford said. Mr Crawford said experts were not required to do this due to his 30-year experience and training in pool operations. Click on the photo below to see more pictures: View +11 PhotosThe injured staff were discharged from hospital within hours and returned to the centre by 3pm. "Internal processes" would be assessed during an internal investigation into the incident, Mr Crawford said. The emergency has been reported to SafeWork NSW, who will now investigate. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWith demand surging for services relating to the skincare weight and weight loss medication and hormonal and mental health issues that surround perimenopause and menopause Dr Jemima Grant has set up Sanctuary by Thrive "I feel like a lot of women in their 40s - and men - just find it hard to lose weight and as a system we're not offering them good care." "But as with many things in medicine and health and wellness there is starting to be a huge commodification of menopause "But that means having evidence-based guidelines, or having a doctor talk to you about it is, really important, because not everything is menopause but also menopause is really a holistic subject." "Not everything can be fixed with a tablet or a pill or a patch you also need to make changes in your life and adapt and you need help and support to do that." "Teaching you to look after yourself is a huge part of surviving menopause because you actually have to change and start nurturing and not giving out all the time She is operating from a site on Tannery Street that fit her purpose of helping people with their "wellness "I also wanted to have a really safe environment for people to come that wasn't a traditional medical environment with sick people because a lot of what we're doing is health prevention," she said "I called it The Sanctuary because I wanted people to see it as a place they could come to speak to educated people about their concerns - or maybe things that they might feel a bit shy or embarrassed about." Dr Grant works with other health practitioners "I feel like this type of thing where we're seeing really multi-disciplinary teams working in wellness rather than sickness will be happening more and more," she said Dr Grant said she had started seeing more men in recent months "I'm seeing young men and middle-aged men who were so responsive to coming to like a discreet place to talk about their concerns so I have tried to keep it a bit gender neutral," she said "And I think you'll find in a year or two that that actually men will be coming to these sort of places more often to to look after themselves." Dr Grant became an advocate for women experiencing menopause symptoms after being blindsided when she started experiencing perimenopause even though she was a GP with years of experience She remembers being told 'it's nothing, it's in your head, have an anti-anxiety tablet' and has since hosted events to help educate women about perimenopause. She publicly shared he experience of having symptoms in her 40s which ended in her quitting her job because she didn't get the right help to treat the condition "With my third baby I started to get sweats while I was breastfeeding which I thought was because I was really stressed," she said and over the next few years I had a lot of emotional symptoms and weight changes that were getting super-stressed and having panic attacks on the way to work who put me on an anti-anxiety tablet - which I tried and got side-effects - and I ended up just quitting my job." she incorporates clinical medicine focusing on perimenopause into her Thirroul skin clinic exercise or hormone treatments to treat their symptoms While perimenopause is slowly becoming much better understood and widely talked about Dr Grant said too many women were not being diagnosed and treated if you're getting a lot of symptoms of perimenopause it can herald that you're at risk of cardiovascular disease in your future life," she said "Perimenopause is kind of like the canary in the coal mine for women - if you're getting a lot of sweating hot flushes it's a warning sign that we need to treat it and not just ignore it." "Women have been told there's nothing we can do about it it's just something you have to go through or that it's too dangerous to treat - but that's actually not true." She said women should be on the lookout for symptoms of perimenopause from their mid-to-late 30s with a new onset of anxiety or insomnia usually the earliest signs she sees as a clinician "This can be from low progesterone - which happens way before your estrogen starts to drop - and is a very calming hormone," she said "So in the two weeks before our period you might feel anxious And you can actually correct that with a bioidentical progesterone She said women may also see a change in their weight as their estrogen starts to drop because of the link between estrogen and insulin which is the area that has high metabolic risk and is very hard to lose "I want women to know that there is a way of living your life where you have to become a bit more accountable "Women need to know that this is a time that they have to look after themselves and that there is so much you can do now to prevent and help with symptoms and also prevent chronic disease down the track." who all had different reactions to the introduction of body cams Pictures by Robert PeetThe workers at Unanderra Woolworths have been given a new work uniform addition recently - a body camera Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueHaving been introduced in the last few weeks at the supermarket giant's Unanderra store the cameras are used in more than 200 stores across the country A Woolworths spokesperson refers to the devices as "team safety cameras" "We're always looking at different methods to ensure the safety of our team and customers The cameras are only turned on as a last resort if a supervisor is concerned about team safety In other sectors like health the effectiveness of body cameras is being debated but how do local shoppers feel about the new piece of 'safety equipment' Unanderra Woolworths has introduced body cams for their workers Bad idea?The Mercury went to Unanderra to see how the community was responding Sarah Atkin has worked in retail before and says the cameras aren't a bad idea "I feel like they [Woolworths' staff] should feel safe in their own store no matter who it is looking around," she said The sentiment was shared by Bengamin Shepard who hoped it would reduce the violence towards workers "Woolworths should be a safe place for the workers as well Deborah O'Brien liked the idea of the body cams: "It just keeps security for older and younger people." Ms O'Brien was hopeful Woolies would make sure "staff are secure and the people shopping there are secure" Others weren't as positive about the body cameras like Alina McBryde who said she was feeling "not amazing about it" "I feel like it's a bit of an invasion of privacy Barry Baird was also not thrilled by the addition: "I don't like the idea to be quite honest "This is not very good Unanderra or Wollongong is it Falling closer to the middle was Alannah Swan who said while she had nothing against the body cams "If it's for their [Woolworths workers] then by all means but if it's an invasion to public privacy then probably a bit of an issue." "If it's for their safety then 100 per cent I'm all for it." Pictures by Anna Warr and Adam McLeanIMB will close its branches in Woonona and Unanderra in the first closures since the former building society became a bank Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe closures will leave each of the suburbs without a branch of any bank IMB said there would not be job losses as a result of the branch closures which were being made because fewer customers were using local branches to make transactions The Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) will also be removed at both Woonona and Unanderra once the bank branches close on September 27. IMB figures show about 40 per cent of customers at each Woonona and Unanderra do not use online banking. These are likely to be older customers who rely on branch visits. An IMB spokeswoman said the branches were being closed because more people were banking online or using electronic payment systems. "In recent years, we have seen an increasing number of IMB members banking online and using cashless payments, significantly reducing visits to our branches, and many of our members using multiple IMB branches across the Illawarra," the spokeswoman said. "For these reasons, and the close proximity to other IMB branches, we have made the difficult decision to close our Unanderra and Woonona branches. "While IMB will continue to operate 12 branches in the Illawarra, the largest branch network of any bank, we know any change can be difficult and our priority is to assist our members through this transition. "Importantly, there will be no redundancies with our experienced staff from each branch offered alternative roles at other IMB branch locations to continue to serve our members." Both Woonona and Unanderra are heavily populated suburbs with a high concentration of businesses in their CBDs. IMB figures show more than half the customers at Unanderra (58 per cent) and Woonona (52 per cent) also use other branches. For the 42 and 48 per cent, respectively, of customers who use only the local branch, the lack of ATMs post-September will be an additional hardship. From Woonona, the closest IMB branches remaining open will be Thirroul and Corrimal, each less than 4km from Woonona. Once the Unanderra branch is closed, the nearest IMB branches will be Figtree (2.7km away) and Dapto (6.9km away). IMB became a mutual bank in 2015, 135 years after it was founded as the Illawarra Mutual Building Society in 1880. The Weekly SOURCE is published by DCM Media Shocked tradesmen have found a body after arriving to work at a construction site south of Sydney Work was halted after the grisly find at the site in the Wollongong suburb of Unanderra on Thursday morning A worker from a neighbouring business recalled hearing cries of 'stop' coming from the Nolan Street site which is under the supervision of Chappell Building Systems 'They started up an excavator, then I could hear someone yelling out "stop, stop",' Bob told the Illawarra Mercury 'I didn't think anything of it, but then about half an hour later all these cop cars turned up - crime investigation unit, forensics - everybody else turned up. There were about 20 police. 'They all went down to the side of the creek, where they were digging.' Bob claimed that masked gloved officers got down on their hand and knees and dug out what appeared to be the body.   Ambulance crews also attended but were unable to revive the man.  NSW Police confirmed a man's body was found onsite in what appeared to be non-suspicious circumstances. 'On arrival, police located the body of a man yet to be formally identified,' a police spokesperson said. 'Officers attached to Lake Illawarra Police District have established a crime scene.  'Initial inquiries suggest the death is not suspicious.' A report will be prepared for the coroner. The site, which was once home to a Bonds textiles factory, sold for $11.275m in November 2022 to Hornby Property Investments Pty Ltd. The former warehouse onsite hosted a workforce of more than 200 until 2010 when Pacific Brands closed the facility. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... 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Tradies make grisly discovery at construction siteCommenting on this article has endedNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}} Picture by Anna WarrIt wasn't meant to end like this but Illawarra-based social enterprise Green Connect is closing its op-shops Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueFor now The outlet at the University of Wollongong will close on Monday while the popular Princes Highway store in Unanderra will shut on Saturday The decision was made reluctantly but in the best interests of the enterprise "Our lease at Unanderra is coming up and the building is for sale so there's a few question marks there even harder to take as not only has the Unanderra store developed a strong following the internal workings have never been smoother Green Connect's op shops at UOW and Unanderra are closing so there are bargains to be had from October 8 Picture by Anna WarrEverything from how donations are handled to stock rotation sales and the organisation's landfill system is nicely in hand While revenue from the shops goes towards funding the 4.5-hectare urban farm at Lake Heights their closure will not impact the farm's activities "They help fund the farm - somewhat," Mr Servince said "One of our missions is to reduce waste. And we have less than 10 per cent of donations going to landfill, so that's a definite success." It's not only the dedicated shoppers who will miss the shops but also the 45 volunteers who have so loyally given their time over the years. Investigations into alternative accommodation are ongoing but, due to the nature of the work certain needs must be met beyond it being an affordable retail space in a good location. "It does need to be a reasonable size as the shopfloor is one thing, and the warehouse space for donations and sorting another," Mr Servine said. The good news for shoppers is the big, half-price closing-down sale which starts on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. And if need be there will be a fill-a-bag sale on October 26, 2024 to get ride of any remaining stock. Nelson Thurgate and Chloe Stuart celebrating the top 20 finish for their Mystic hazy IPA in the weekend's Hottest 100 beers poll Picture by Robert PeetLast weekend didn't just see a countdown for the hottest songs of the year Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAnd a small Unanderra brewery managed to land a top 20 spot in the national poll On the same weekend as Triple J was running its Hottest 100 there was the 17th annual GABS Hottest 100 which saw tens of thousands of people cast a vote for their favourite beers Seeker's Mystic hazy IPA finished in 19th spot up from 57th the year before - the only Illawarra brewery to make the top 100 Milton brewery Dangerous Ales was the only South Coast brewery to appear Seeker brewer Jeff Argent said he was "pretty ecstatic" at the result "I was hoping for a better position last year He said he had a few Mystics to celebrate over the weekend but had a quiet one due to the "roller coaster" of wondering where Seeker would finish - or even if they'd make the top 100 this year Mr Argent said Mystic had been around since the start of Seeker and it always got a bit of attention but they decided to raise the profile even more in 2024 "It was about getting the beers out and about a little bit more so people get familiar with the beer," he said "We did all the GABS (Great Australian Beer Spectapular) festivals last year And we had Mystic there and it was a success." While making the top 20 does result in a nice feeling Mr Argent is also hoping to see a sales boost following the high finish "We're hoping it's just great for the brand and marketing and sales," he said "We're looking to expand into Dan Murphy's stores and stuff so it's all going to really help with that I think it's just going to help our wholesale." Picture by Grace CrivellaroA Unanderra man has been found guilty of creating child abuse material by typing prompts like "schoolgirl" "skirt" and "young" into an artificial intelligence chat forum The court heard 10 AI-generated images were discovered on Dillon-Henderson's computer by his then girlfriend's younger brother who went over to his home to play Fortnite on the device The younger brother called his older brother after he searched through some files and found the images four of which constituted child abuse material The officer went to Dillon-Henderson's home then took his little brother to the police station to make a statement to another detective David Bradley Dillon-Henderson leaving Wollongong courthouse on September 16 Picture by Grace CrivellaroThe detective recorded an interview with Dillon-Henderson at his address the next day and asked him to direct him to where the images were stored "How long have you had those photos on your computer?," the detective asked to which the court heard Dillon-Henderson admitted Asked whether he knew it was illegal to possess child abuse material The court heard the four images ranked within the second highest category of child abuse material with one file depicting a young girl with three legs Police prosecutor Ashley Jacob argued the descriptions like "schoolgirl" and "skirt" were used in a particular way to populate the images on a computer that was owned solely by Dillon-Henderson However defence barrister Jack Hibbard said there were other alternative reasonable hypotheses available as to how the material ended up on his computer Mr Hibbard added there were "gaping holes" in the case against his client as his ex-girlfriend and her police officer brother were not called to give evidence "The Crown hasn't disproved that someone else has put these images on this computer," he said adding there was also an lack of data on date and time the images were created on a computer that was left unlocked in the living room Magistrate Les Mabbutt said legislation surrounding child abuse material has changed to keep up with technological advancements with recent reform stating the material now includes minors that are AI-generated The magistrate said he could not come to the view there was any other reasonable hypothesis consistent with Dillon-Henderson's innocence and found him guilty of both offences A background report was ordered ahead of his sentence set down for December 4 This is probably not the page you’re looking for There were three lives on the line as a Wednesday ticked over into a Thursday and a fire took hold at the back door of a Hurt Avenue Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCome morning the damage to the property would be so severe the home would be razed and the land eventually sold there are allegations the fire was deliberately lit a 34-year-old unemployed man in prison for unrelated offences is accused of starting the fire with the intention of endangering the lives of three people - father and son John and Benjamin Haigh who had lived at the house for three years Wollongong Local Court heard Ately's partner had visited the home on the evening of March 2 she allegedly told Benjamin that Ately had assaulted her Ately is alleged to have arrived at the property about three hours later ignoring Ms Miller as she told him his partner was not there According to Crown documents considered by the court Benjamin opened the door and swung a golf club in the air towards Ately after Ately's agitation escalated to banging on the front door and trying to break it down John Haigh was allegedly woken by the commotion and heard Ately yell "I"m gonna burn you c---s alive" The Crown will allege Ately returned to the home and lit a fire at the back entrance some time before 1.50am on March 3 The court heard Benjamin awoke to a sizzling and crackling noise some time after midnight He ran to the kitchen and opened the back door to see flames reaching the porch roof The three occupants evacuated before firefighters attended who set up a crime scene and began a forensic examination An ignitable liquid detection dog was brought in as part of the investigation and led its handler to a kerosene bottle on the property's southern boundary The fire had consumed a pile of household goods on the porch refillable BIC lighter found at the back of the home was later tested and found to have Ately's DNA on it The lighter came under scrutiny on Wednesday as Ately serving a soon-to-expire prison sentence for unrelated matters Defence lawyer Caitlin Drabble told the court Ately "vehemently" denied any involvement in the fire The court heard his mother's Unanderra home was a short distance from Hurt Parade and that had had been an associate of Benjamin Haigh's for many years Ms Drabble argued the presence of Ately's DNA on the lighter didn't prove any offence "I wouldn't be surprised if Mr Ately's DNA is found on any object around that area," she said it's a bit damning that it's found on the lighter," Magistrate Claire Girotto said 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 Orrcon Steel Manufacturing has presented its new Unanderra Pipe and Tube Mill which the NSW Minister officially opened for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully and Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery The event featured photos capturing the essence of the facility that will supply crucial materials for renewable energy infrastructure, BlueScope reported in a LinkedIn post. BlueScope); Lester Kirkwood (National Marketing and Innovation Manager and event MC Orrcon Steel); Mark Vassella (Managing Director and CEO BlueScope); Tania Archibald (Chief Executive Australian Steel Products); and Tony Schreiber (General Manager The launch of the Unanderra mill marked a significant milestone for Orrcon Steel which joined the BlueScope group of companies ten years ago This achievement underscores the benefits of sustained investment and the importance of building sovereign capability to deliver increased local content for Australia’s infrastructure featuring advanced robotics and automation can produce up to 90 metres of tubular product per minute and rectangular hollow sections up to 10 inches in diameter This new facility extends Orrcon Steel’s existing range from its mills in Salisbury replacing larger sections that were previously imported into Australia Special commendations were given to the teams at Orrcon Steel and BlueScope for their dedication to making this project a reality with particular recognition of Brendan McNally (Unanderra Manufacturing Manager) for his tireless efforts in overseeing and ensuring the project’s successful completion Watch a video of the launch on LinkedIn or on YouTube at TVBlueScope For more information about Orrcon Steel Manufacturing’s mills and product range, visit their website. Keep me up to date with the latest Australian Manufacturing news, events, resources, and information. Australian Manufacturing (AM) is the leading publication, directory, and resource for the manufacturing and industrial sector in Australia. Picture from FacebookA drug-addicted man who begged his ex-partner for money sent a barrage of demeaning terrifying text messages in which he threatened to kill her Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueMark Mantovani breached an earlier-imposed apprehended violence order put in place to protect the woman on November 7 2023 when he aggressively kicked off after his request for $50 was declined "Send it now or I'm gonna kick ur f-kin door down again u little dog it's 50 dollars," his 8.26am text to the woman read "F-kn maggot watch wat I do can't give me 50 bucks Tendered court documents state the Unanderra man told the woman her door would fly off its hinges when he arrived before he threatened to kill her several times "I'm nearly at ur house [redacted] u best ring me Despite the woman telling Mantovani to stay away and that she would call the police Neighbours called triple-0 when they heard screaming coming from the home finding Mantovani hiding in the woman's shower I'm allowed to be here," but pleaded guilty to intimidation and contravening an apprehended violence order on June 19 At Wollongong Local Court defence lawyer Matt Ward conceded Mantovani's offending was a serious example of this type of offending which his client reflected on for the past seven months from behind bars Mantovani's offending could be contextualised through underlying drug abuse issues Magistrate Claire Girotto sentenced Mantovani to 10 months' imprisonment She urged him to comply strictly with conditions of the apprehended violence order including to not go within 500 metres of any place the woman lives and works Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAlex Gabriel Tugrul sought his release at Wollongong Local Court on Saturday morning after being charged with failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causes death Police state they were called to the crash at Tannery and Victoria Streets near Woolworths about 8.20pm on Friday They were told the motorcycle and bus were travelling south while the ute and the sedan were travelling north when the motorcycle reportedly overtook the bus NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the motorcyclist Bricklayer accused of fleeing from scene of fatal Unanderra crashPolice allege Tugrul All three drivers were arrested and taken to Wollongong Hospital for mandatory testing before the 54-year-old and 19-year-old were released Police prosecutor Sergeant Amelia Wall opposed Tugrul's release citing concerns he would fail to appear at court given that he allegedly fled the scene of a crash without explanation He later surrendered himself to police for testing stating his prior record of driving while disqualified and driving with an illicit drug present in his system does not assist his bail application Sgt Wall described the fatal accident as "really serious" and that "one would assume based on the facts that Mr Tugral must have been aware (the man died) given the damage to the vehicle" She requested that if bail were to be granted that Tugral not occupy the driver's seat of a motor vehicle until blood and urine results come back Defence lawyer Julian Mufale said his client has strong ties to the community and that his licence has been suspended Mr Mufale added that although the case may be strong in relation to who was driving the ute it needs to be ventilated in court whether he knew or ought to have known that someone was killed during the crash "I submit there will be many reports in relation to that from many experts that may delay things," Mr Mufale said adding that full-time custody is unlikely if convicted "It's not the case this matter will be finalised extremely quickly." Registrar Paula Mulheron agreed Tugral's record does not assist him but opted to grant bail on account of him complying with past court orders and the potential delays in the case "There doesn't appear to be any allegation he was at fault with the motorcyclist colliding with his vehicle and sadly passing away," she said Tugral must forfeit a $500 surety and report to police three times a week Kate McIlwainDeputy EditorProudly 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. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueRhys Olbrich dialled into Wollongong Local Court from custody on Wednesday and entered a guilty plea to assault causing death Two charges were withdrawn: affray and causing grievous bodily harm with intent Olbrich, 35, delivered the fatal blows against Mr Andrews after he intervened in a melee triggered by brothers Jake and Jereko Jackson at the Unanderra Hotel on April 12, 2024. Mr Andrews died three weeks later on May 1 succumbing to serious head injuries including extensive skull fractures and Jereko Jackson leave court after sentencing on January 16 Pictures by ACMTendered court documents state Mr Andrews was at the pub participating in a pool competition to celebrate his best friend's birthday Olbrich was also at the pub in a function room for a birthday with that group including the Jackson brothers Agreed facts state the wife of Mr Andrews' friend approached hotel staff shortly before 11pm and asked that Jereko be removed because she was worried a fight would occur There had been longstanding hostility between the Jackson family and the woman and her husband owing to a dispute involving Jereko - which was unknown to Olbrich Brett (background) remembered his dad Paul 'Ernie' Andrews as the kind of man who would help anyone in need Main picture by Adam McLeanWithin a few minutes two arguments broke out between the man and the Jacksons Olbrich had moved Jake to the side with security who took him away from the couple But about 10 seconds after the second altercation ended Patrons from both parties rushed in and a melee broke out Olbrich and Mr Andrews were standing next to each other at the front of the pool tables A woman's elbow impacted Mr Andrews' chest and he pushed her Mr Andrews got up and Olbrich grabbed him by the collar and punched him twice in the head in quick succession He attempted a third punch but Mr Andrews had already fallen to the ground where he lay "unresponsive and motionless" The woman put him in the recovery position and security began clearing the hotel Mr Andrews was bleeding from the back of his head and was rushed to Wollongong Hospital for emergency treatment with a CT scan revealing haemorrhaging and extensive skull fractures He underwent a craniotomy (the removal of part of the bone from the skull to expose the brain) with MRI scans showing he suffered a traumatic brain injury A post-mortem examination identified his cause of death as blunt force head injury dodged jail time when they were sentenced earlier this month with neither charged with causing Mr Andrews' death Olbrich will receive his punishment date in the coming weeks Picture by Kate McIlwain There's a thrilling sense of wild abandon that comes with being able to order absolutely anything - and if you want Eventually, after we've parked - and promptly get parked in - we make it inside and are read the list of unique rules that come with dining at Okami kids $20-25 and kids aged three and under free) and you can order anything from the menu and - to minimise food waste - if you order too much and can't eat it all there's a $15 surcharge for any uneaten item exceeding 200g with an additional charge of $5 for every extra 100g Picture supplied/FacebookOnly one person from the table can use the QR code at a time to order We're meeting family there for a low-key birthday and everyone has arrived hungry post-work-school-daycare so someone immediately get to work on the QR code The menu is similar to the dishes you'd get at most local sushi trains - sushi I can see why it's my eight-year-old nephew's new favourite place to eat and the servings are pretty small - but that's actually good way to make sure that you can't over order (and you can always just order more!) Picture by Sylvia Liber.Some of the best dishes included the sushi and sashimi platter the chicken with Japanese curry and the spicy tuna sushi Halfway through the meal - as more of us have had a go of ordering a few different things - it's hard to keep track of what's on its way I forgot to press the checkout button on that last order quick let's get a bit more before our time is up." It was kind of dizzying to have so much ordering power Presented with an entire plate of seaweed salad and her own row of both cooked tuna and prawn tempura sushi rolls because my youngest daughter only ate a bowl of plain rice and miso soup some vanilla ice cream and shot a few edamame beans at the floor I'm left wondering if the food that's she chewed and discarded counts towards our 200g limit we end up full - probably too full - after a last minute double-up order of chicken katsu and chicken wings tips everyone over the edge I don't think we ordered everything on the menu - but probably got pretty close and perfect for a raucous family get together but - with the general sense of confusion and the pressure to finish everything you order - I'd probably choose a more restrained night out at my favourite Japanese hole-in-the-wall over the loud Plenty of people clearly disagree with me though as we're swept out and into the car park (where thank goodness we are no longer parked in) so they can prepare for round two of the Monday night rush Picture by Adam McLeanOver the past seven years Unanderra woman Alison Mellor has recorded the calls of more than 1100 frogs Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueIt makes her a 'top frogger' for the Australian Museum's citizen science project FrogID in which people use an app to record the calls of frogs providing important data for scientists to better understand the amphibians began using the FrogID app after it launched in 2017 out of curiosity "I think I've always been interested in local wildlife," she said But she was never especially interested in frogs - it was only through using the app that her interest in the animal grew Ms Mellor believes her first recording was of a striped marsh frog a species that inhabits her backyard and one she knew before using the app But the one she recorded most is the common eastern froglet which Ms Mellor said was a species often found in urban waterways and the most commonly recorded in the Wollongong area which she encountered while bushwalking with a friend in the Dorrigo National Park on the north coast Ms Mellor has also recorded on one occasion the green and golden bell frog an endangered species which lives in the Illawarra File picture by Ken RobertsonShe said FrogID was a great way of getting to know the local wildlife and connecting people to the environment Ms Mellor said people need not be intimidated if they didn't know what species of frog was calling Experts at the Australian Museum listen to every recording to verify the species people helped scientists learn more about Australian frogs Users have even contributed to the discovery of eight new species helped researchers rediscover species of frogs that were thought to be extinct and have found new sites where populations of threatened species live The contribution of users has also given scientists a better understanding of how frogs and ecosystems are responding to climate change and extreme weather events "[Scientists are] using that data you're giving them in their research projects," Ms Mellor said A lot of her recordings are incidental, but with FrogID Week - Australia's largest count of frogs - now underway she plans to go out with the aim of finding frogs it was a great time to record frogs because they were becoming more active FrogID Week runs until November 17 but the app can be used at any time Adam McLeanThe United Services Union says it will be keeping a close eye on the IMB Bank's branch closures at Woonona and Unanderra after promises no staff would lose their jobs 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 areaContinueIMB has announced it will close both branches in September saying it's because growing numbers of customers are using online banking instead of local branches The bank has apologised to older customers who rely on its branches and said they will be given assistance to learn online banking if they wish These are the first Illawarra branch closures since IMB became a mutual bank in 2015. IMB vowed the staff at Woonona and Unanderra would not be put out of a job, and would have positions at the bank's other branches in Wollongong. United Services Union (USU) general secretary Graeme Kelly said these assurances should be put in writing. "IMB has assured the union no workers at the Unanderra and Woonona branches will lose their job, and no casual workers will lose any hours, they'll be deployed to other branches or roles within IMB," he said. "We will be holding them to that assurance. "The union is expecting to see assurances of job security in new roles delivered to staff in writing imminently, and comprehensive transition plans." An IMB spokeswoman said it was engaging with the union on helping bank workers into new positions. " We confirm no roles will be made redundant because of this change and have committed to offering our team members at Woonona and Unanderra roles at other local IMB branches, ensuring they can continue to serve our members face-to-face," the spokeswoman said. "Our focus now is to work with each employee on a smooth transition to a role that works for them and our members. We continue to engage in good faith directly with the USU. He said bank staff were worried about the effect of the branch closures on older or less mobile customers. "Obviously many of our members at the Unanderra and Woonona branches of IMB are disappointed as they have strong connections with local IMB members, whether they be local mums and dads or local businesses," Mr Kelly said. "Union members at Unanderra and Woonona have told us they are concerned the branch closures could disproportionately affect those who are less comfortable with digital banking or who have limited mobility, especially older people, making it harder for them to access banking services." The IMB spokeswoman said staff would be helping customers transition to online banking before September, if they want to do so. "We understand this change to our branch network will inconvenience some of our members, and we apologise for this," she said. "Our priority is to ensure that all our members, regardless of their preferred banking method, receive the support they need to manage their finances comfortably and securely. "We understand not all members are comfortable with internet banking, and we are committed to providing continued face-to-face banking services for members at our 12 Illawarra branch locations, including those within 4km of the Woonona and Unanderra branches. "Additionally, over the next three months, our teams will be available to assist any members who may need help transitioning to digital banking services, should they wish to do so." IMB was founded as a mutual building society in 1880. An earlier version of this story said these were the first branch closures since IMB became a bank. They are the first branch closures Illawarra since IMB became a bank and the first in the Illawarra for 15 years. A Newcastle branch had earlier been closed.