A woman in her forties is being treated on the scene in Woonona after reports a speargun was accidentally fired 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 areaContinueTechnical fire crews police and the Toll helicopter were on the scene at Carrington Road Technical fire crews at the address in Carrington Street A spokesperson from NSW Ambulance confirmed the woman was conscious and breathing after a speargun arrow penetrated her neck and back Emergency services were called to the address at 8pm It is understood the incident is not being treated as suspicious and was described as an 'accident' 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 Wollongong City Council is investigating the removal of two well-established gum trees on a private property in Woonona on the weekend Council staff attended the site on Saturday morning following reports from a number of concerned community members about the removal of the trees which were both more than 15 metres’ tall and appeared to be in good health “Wollongong City Council is investigating the removal of these trees as it appears there was no consent in place to have these gum trees cut down,’’ Wollongong City Council Manager Regulation and Enforcement Corey Stoneham said “We will fact-find and take statements over the coming days and then consider what course of action is appropriate after that.’’ Mr Stoneham said in addition to removal of the trees Council’s investigations would also consider threatening behaviour towards staff who attended the site on Saturday morning and requested the tree removal be stopped “We had a number of staff attend the site at different points on Saturday They were there to request that the work stop immediately so that an investigation can be completed and for details of the company undertaking the work,’’ he said “As Council staff approached the site they were verbally abused and told to leave “Council has zero tolerance for the abuse of our staff They were carrying out their job within the NSW Government’s legislative requirements and should not be subjected to verbal abuse or feel unsafe when they carry out their duties.’’ Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown thanked those who contacted Council in the early hours of Saturday morning to share their concerns about the tree removal “Council staff took multiple calls on Saturday morning from people who were concerned about the removal of the gum trees and the way the work was being undertaken,’’ she said “I’m really grateful to those who took the time to pick up the phone and call our after-hours number and report this matter they’re assisting Council to gather timely information and evidence “As a community we value our local environment and established trees like these aren’t just a source of shade contribute to the diversity of flora in the city and they help to absorb carbon dioxide They’re essential and we should be doing everything we can to protect them.’’ 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 areaContinueMaisy and Co and The Edge Outdoor Adventure Store have been operating from a busy Princes Highway location for years, and after failed attempts to sell the businesses owners Matthew and Angela Tokley have decided to close the doors Tears filled Mr Tokley's eyes when talking about the tough decision to close down the family businesses but that was unsuccessful because obviously Global juggernauts like Amazon have had a significant impact on their businesses "The likes of Amazon that do free returns and those sorts of things They don't have the overheads of a bricks and mortar store and they can strip the prices out of everything," Mr Tokley said In the seven years since giftware store Maisy and Co started and four years since The Edge Outdoor Adventure Store opened Mr Tokley has noticed a dramatic change in consumer buying behaviour The likes of Amazon that do free returns and those sorts of things They don't have the overheads of a bricks and mortar store and they can strip the prices out of everything The cost of living crisis has led to people buying fewer presents for each other He recalls people buying presents for their entire family and next-door neighbours but this has changed in recent years due to people having less spare money "Everyone's budget conscious and financially strapped because of all the charges that every family's got and they're pulling spending in," Mr Tokley said "If they know that they want to still celebrate Christmas they want to do it as affordably as they can." With the lease for the two stores finishing at the end of February and closing down sales well underway the couple thanked the community for its support "Without the support that we've had from our beautiful local community we wouldn't have been here for seven years," he said It makes me a little bit sad to think about it The couple will now focus on their two other businesses - a nutrition brand and an ATM company that supplies portable cash machines to festivals or sporting events Mrs Tokley is also two-thirds through completing a degree to become a registered nurse while working at Bulli Hospital. 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. 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! The RSPCA has acted on those complaints.The RSPCA carried out a search warrant on a Woonona house following complaints of animal cruelty allegedly breaking their legs and killing them There have been concerns this week about the dwindling number of ducklings in the pond with locals taking to handing out pamphlets calling on people to help save the ducks A spokesperson from the RSPCA confirmed they executed a search warrant on the home on Friday the spokesperson said that no offences were identified during the search A police spokesperson said they had also received complaints with the most recent one being in January this year They said any incidents should be reported to the RSPCA and NSW Police A Wollongong City Council spokesperson said the council shared the concern of residents regarding native wildlife "Ducks are a protected species in NSW and should never be harmed or disturbed in any way," the spokesperson said "Any residents who witness an act of animal cruelty should immediately notify police "Incidents of animal cruelty or disturbance can also be reported to the RSPCA along with any evidence or relevant information regarding acts witnessed "Any residents who encounter injured wildlife are also encouraged to contact WIRES for assistance." 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. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueOfficers believe Molly Nonnan-Medley is in the company of a woman known to her since she was last seen about 11am on Thursday On Friday, November 8, a NSW Police spokeswoman told the Mercury there were no updates and officers were continuing to investigate Molly was reported missing the day after she was last seen and police have been investigating ever since Officers said she is Caucasian in appearance Police do not know what she was wearing when she went missing "The woman in company with the child is known to frequent the Woonona Wollongong and Huskisson areas," a NSW Police spokesperson said in the initial missing person alert on November 2 "Inquiries have established that the pair may be heading to somewhere in Queensland." The woman and Molly may be relying on public transport to travel Inquiries have established that the pair may be heading to somewhere in Queensland If you have seen Molly, know where she is, or have information that could assist police, call Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 In May this year, officers revealed details of a Holden Kingswood sedan that could hold clues into the disappearance of Wollongong woman Pauline Sowry who was last seen in December 1993. Picture from InstagramA former champion amateur bodybuilder will fight allegations she was caught with thousands in cash after supplying meth and liquid ecstasy in Woonona Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueSamantha Lee Flores-Beaton who won the Australian National Sports Model title at the 2019 National Amateur Body Building Association competition had her matter briefly mentioned at Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday The 30-year-old Warilla woman pleaded not guilty to two counts of supplying a prohibited drug and recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime Picture from InstagramTendered court documents state Flores-Beaton allegedly supplied methamphetamine and GBH (liquid ecstasy) at a Woonona address between 8am and 9am on June 4 It's further alleged she dealt with $4300 in cash and was reckless as to whether the funds were the proceeds of a crime Flores-Beaton was arrested by the Southern Operations Support Group a week later on June 13 She will fight the charges in a hearing set down for May 16 next year including a formalised car park - at rear of image - to be built on the site of an old cemetery.The presence of an old graveyard where victims of the Bulli mining disaster were buried does not have to stop a Woonona church from redeveloping the site "The building no longer meets the requirements of the congregation," the statement of environmental effects said "Consequently the Church is proposing alterations and additions so that the building more closely reflects the needs of its worshippers if more than 150 people attend a service then they are no longer able to comfortably fit within the existing church building." the gravel and dirt car park on the western end of the site - next to Woonona Public School - will be formalised to create 23 spaces The parking area is used by those going to church and also parents dropping off and picking up children from the school This car park has been built over the site of a cemetery that was decommissioned in 1937 and the headstones later removed An archaeological report submitted as part of the development application stated that at least nine victims of the 1887 Bulli mine disaster were buried on the site of the Woonona church the report said it was unclear just how many people were buried there The burial plan showed 279 plots though it wasn't clear whether they had all been used The report stated that there were 102 people known "beyond reasonable doubt" to have been buried there The archeological study did raise concerns about any excavation work done at the site "The excavation would likely result in the removal of upper levels of burials which were buried in the 1980s," it stated the proposed works would result in a major negative impact to finite historical archaeological resources of local significance relating to the use of the study area as a Presbyterian Church and Cemetery." The report did identify that archaeological tests and salvage excavations could provide a "partial mitigation" of the construction impact "The potential archaeological resources and information gathered from the excavation of the upper levels of the graves and of the buried headstones would be able to allow us to answer important research questions relating to information that is not otherwise available from any other site or source," the report stated "The knowledge gained from the identification of the location of the graves would therefore outweigh the potential harm caused by the excavation works the works would contribute to our understanding of the cemetery resulting in the partial mitigation of the potential impacts." The development application is on public exhibition until February 4 Picture: Anna WarrThe Illawarra's premier all-female surfing event was back for its second year at Woonona Beach last Saturday attracted the region's best talents in Junior and Open Women's divisions Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCheck out every picture taken with our gallery from the day View +38 PhotosThe Ocean Queen Classic female surf Competition at Woonona Beach Picture: Anna WarrOcean Queen Classic attracts region's best female surfers to WoononaFollowing the success of its inaugural year in 2024 the Ocean Queen Classic featured a stacked lineup of female surfers boasting a range of experience - with some already making a mark on the international stage including event favourite "It's a good spot and I've had lots of competitions held at Woonona," the Illawarra local said Rogers placed runner-up in 2024 to Charli Hurst but is eager to do one better this time around "I had it taken from me in the last seconds last year "Charli is a good friend of mine but it would have been nice to have the title." Oceanna Rogers wants to go one better after placing runner-up in 2024 Picture by Anna Warr.The 20-year-old has had a recent run of success in the water claiming several podium places and earning prize money to fund international travel and competitions including the Nias Pro in Indonesia where she placed second and now I've qualified for the Challenger Series starting in June," she said An Illawarra local who grew up with the surf "I quit dancing one day to go for a surf and haven't looked back since," Rogers said "I made States when I was about 10 years old and knew this is what I'd be doing for a long time." "The prize money definitely helps because you never know when your next lot of travel is and it's nice to know you've got money in the account for if you ever need it," Rogers said "Lots of money is involved with surfing especially if you have no financial support and you're running off prize money and a part-time job." Event organiser and contest director Kirby Mowbray said there had been significant interest from female surfers keen to compete due to the incredible vibe experienced last year "Just about everyone we invited has come back," she said "Last year's winners Charli Hurst and Lucy Darragh have been overseas to surf in World Qualifying Series and Junior events "Oceanna Rogers has had some great results at a top WQS event in Nias and more recently at Phillip Island "So we're happy to see that our prize money has been really helpful." Co-contest director Yvonne Turner said there had been an explosion of female surfing talent in the area "That's why we put the event on in the first place," she said "It's so satisfying to see our efforts paying off "We've opened up some wildcard spaces this year and we've had applications from so many talented juniors who've just suddenly arrived on the competitive scene "The improvements these girls have made to their surfing in the last twelve months is astonishing." Indi Elkerton and Callie Hull will be on display in the competition's 'Rising Stars' category Grace Gosby and Alice Hogson dazzle in the 'Junior Women' division Oceanna Rogers in action at the 2024 Ocean Queen Classic Picture by Adam McLean.Alongside Rogers in the 'Open Women's' will be top talents Keira Buckpitt The event will be commentated by former World Surf League commentator Shannon Hughes "What started as a small idea has become a seedling for inspiration-who knows a little girl might come along and love what she sees and feel like she's part of something Grace Hamilton covers all things sport for the Illawarra Mercury. Born and raised a Queenslander before relocating to Wollongong, she is passionate about telling the story behind the story and supporting clubs from grassroots to professional. Got a yarn? Email her at: grace.hamilton@austcommunitymedia.com.au and it featured the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter Picture by Adam McLeanLess than 24 hours after searching the Illawarra coastline for a missing swimmer the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter is back for a completely different reason 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 areaContinueUnder gloomy and grey skies at Woonona on Tuesday filming for a new beach safety commercial took place that features the chopper The helicopter buzzed north and south of Woonona Surf Club conducting mock rescues and aerial searches during the shoot "We're filming a safety campaign, it will air late November," Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter general manager Shane Daw said Click on the photo to see more pictures from the filming View +4 PhotosThe helicopter base may be in La Peruse but officials chose to do the filming in the Illawarra We think this is such a diverse coastline," Mr Daw told the Mercury as the helicopter hovered over the windswept beach The same chopper was involved in a two-day search from Austinmer to Bellambi after a missing swimmer report was made at 5.30pm on Sunday Following a land and air search authorities believe it was a false alarm there were 323 drowning deaths in waterways across Australia this is 16 per cent higher than the 10-year average of 278 "We've had a terrible year so it's [the new ad] to get people to think about the summer and think about how they can be safe," Mr Daw said In the Illawarra, lifesavers and lifeguards have only been back on patrol for a little over a week, and on Sunday and Monday of the long weekend they conducted 16 dramatic ocean rescues. there has been a gap in the shopfronts along Woonona's CBD - but that is about to change 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 areaContinueIn December 2022 fire destroyed the Royal Thai restaurant and the Grumpy Chef cafe next-door The neighbouring chemist was also damaged by fire While the chemist was able to carry out renovations the Thai restaurant and cafe were demolished soon afterwards leaving a vacant lot in the middle of the Woonona business strip for two years Fire and Rescue NSW crews battle the 2022 blaze in Woonona's main street.Earlier this year when the suburb was hit by flooding the rushing water through the vacant block damaged the footpath Now a development application has been lodged with Wollongong City Council to fill in that gap in the suburb's shopping strip The proposed development would see an as-yet unnamed restaurant on the ground floor with a separate business premises on the first floor "The proposed development replaces a previous commercial premises which burnt down in December 2022," the application's statement of environmental effects said "The proposal retains a ground floor restaurant in the layout and incorporates an additional level above the restaurant for a business premises consistent with the established two-storey built form that generally characterises the Woonona town centre." A look at the two-storey building planned for a vacant lot in the Woonona CBD Picture by Edminston JonesJust three parking spaces will be supplied at the rear of the premises because of the proximity to bus stops and also a large car park on the street behind the site The floor plans show the restaurant will occupy the entire ground-floor frontage and include a large dining area as well as a bar The upstairs business space is open plan and will include a balcony over the footpath on the Princes Highway "The existing streetscape will not be significantly altered by this proposed development," the application stated "The balcony extends to be [in line] with adjoining awnings over the footpath." The development application is on public exhibition until December 12 Picture by Grace CrivellaroA Woonona man has been ordered to continue with psychological treatment after he filmed a naked teenager through a bathroom window Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueGary Payne had a clean criminal record until he pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally recording an intimate image without consent crimes which he was sentenced for at Wollongong Local Court on Monday was taking his bins out one evening in 2020 when he noticed the light of a bathroom on through the window He took his mobile phone out when he saw the victim and filmed her through the window for about one minute Payne took a screenshot of the footage then deleted the video he realised the video had transferred electronically to his laptop Payne came across two private videos on a device that depicted the victim He began filming the videos without her knowledge for about one minute and 30 seconds and took three screenshots of the victim in the video He deleted the files a few weeks later and told police he viewed the video about two to three times prior to removing them Payne was confronted by a woman known to the victim about the 2020 incident when she became aware of the screenshot of the girl on his laptop He apologised and the woman told him to seek help Payne attended Wollongong police station on the morning of April 22 2024 to confess to the incidents before he came under investigation He took his mobile phone and laptop to police and made full admissions to his offending in a recorded interview in which he also said he started seeing a psychologist due to feeling he has a pornography addiction Defence lawyer Patrick Schmidt said the threshold to jail had not been crossed due to Payne voluntarily handing himself in deleting the footage soon after it was taken everyone's aware of what he's done," Mr Schmidt said "He was in a dark place when it happened and is on the road to recovery." Police prosecutor Sergeant David Weaver acknowledged all files had been deleted but noted these crimes cause a great deal of distress to victims He said the offences were high in the public interest and receive a lot of media attention and urged the magistrate to place weight on general deterrence in sentencing Payne received a 15-month community corrections order with supervision and was ordered to continue with counselling The magistrate was satisfied there were alternatives to jail "You know it was reprehensible what you did but there's immediate remorse at the time and you've handed yourself into police," Magistrate Claire Girotto said "I doubt any judicial officer will see you again." issuing a rectification order to fix some faults Picture by Robert PeetA Woonona home under construction just 120 metres from the beach has fallen foul of the NSW Building Commission Building Commission inspectors were at a Noori Homes construction in Ocean Avenue the commission issued a draft order identifying 16 faults The builder soon rectified 10 of those faults to the satisfaction of the Building Commission the commission claimed the submissions lodged for six of the defects "do not provide sufficient evidence that the defect has been rectified" So a formal rectification order was issued on September 20 calling on the builder to address those six issues One of the major concerns was that no drainage or overflow provisions had been made on any balcony on the two-storey home "Balconies are susceptible to flooding as external service water may enter into the dwelling due to a blockage of the floor waste outlet where no overflow provision has been installed," the rectification order stated Other faults included a lack of articulation joints required when different masonry materials connect to allow for different expansion and contraction characteristics in some areas the damp-proof course - used to block moisture from travelling up or along load-bearing walls - was not visible at the face of the brickwork as required by the Building Code of Australia The intersection of numerous walls were also not secured with nailing plates The builder has 30 days from the issuing of the rectification order to complete all works Private AC Anderson (son-in-law) at the Front.It is the mourning of a woman that is said to have inspired the first Anzac Day Dawn Service Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueA small group of ex-servicemen saw a tearful mother placing flowers at the foot of the unfinished Sydney Cenotaph in the early hours of Anzac Day 1927 Her son had been killed in the dawn landing at Gallipoli The servicemen promised her they would hold a service at dawn every Anzac Day in future That mother's grief has since grown into a nation's mourning and an annual expression of loss Anzac Day is also a time to acknowledge women and especially the many loving and nurturing mothers husbands and brothers to fight in fields and on shores far from their love and shelter The Fighting Fletcher brothers, Abram Fletcher (standing) and Donald Fletcher (seated). From the collections of the Wollongong City Libraries and the Illawarra Historical Society.Find all the 2025 Wollongong ANZAC services hereTwo such women were Jessie Elizabeth Fletcher and Annie Fletcher Jessie Fletcher reluctantly gave five of her precious eight sons to fight for Australia and New Zealand in a war that was said to end all wars When conflict broke out in Europe Jessie and Annie were living in the coal mining community of Woonona Jessie was a widow and Annie was married to Jessie's son had been killed in an underground rockfall at nearby Bulli Colliery in May 1906 The family was crammed in a small coal miner's cottage in Campbell Street Woonona Much to Jessie's reluctance some of her sons followed in their father's footsteps and toiled down the dirty mines War was an opportunity for men in the district to escape the dusty They thought they were embarking on an adventure in service of their King and Country and believed they would return with enough money to start a new and better life for themselves and their families He was a farm hand and enlisted on 27 February 1915 at the age of 18 followed weeks later enlisting on 19 March The brothers underwent training at Liverpool View +3 PhotosIn August 1915 the Fletcher brothers landed at Anzac Cove They were part of reinforcements after the fateful Anzac landing on 25 April that was to be declared Anzac Day Donald was wounded and evacuated to hospital in England and eventually repatriated to Australia Ted was also wounded in action at Gallipoli and evacuated to England He rejoined his unit in May 1916 and transferred to France where he was later hospitalised suffering from shell shock and then wounded a second time while fighting near Pozieres repatriated to Australia in June 1917 and eventually discharged signed up for a second tour of duty rejoining his battalion on 28 August 1917 during one of the first battles on Menin Road Donald was posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star the British War Medal and the Victory Medal which were sent to his family in Woonona the British War Medal and the Victory Medal was a 'boy soldier.' He was born in March 1899 and only 15 and seven months when he enlisted in October 1915 yet he claimed on his enlistment application he was 21 and seven months Hundreds of young men lied about their age and served before reaching 18 years The Australian War Memorial has identified more than 200 'boy soldiers' and 'boy sailors' who died in service pictured during her retirement years at Otford Photo courtesy of the Helensburgh Historical Society.Abram's first major battle was at Fromelles on 19 July 1916 and his battalion went on to play major roles in conflicts that are now part of history and the Anzac legend He was wounded in February 1917 while fighting in France and evacuated to England Abram was invalided to Australia on the troop ship Bakara the British War Medal and the Victory Medal and died in 1982 was a coal miner when he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Forces on 7 January 1916 at the age of 31 He and Annie had two children and lived in Burnett Cottage in Campbell Street Woonona John joined the ranks of the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion on 19 August 1916 and ten days later he was killed in action at Mouquet Farm His mother and wife were initially told he was missing Their fears were realised several months later and on 23 March 1917 the local newspaper reported under the headline JB Fletcher of Campbell Street Woonona has received word that her husband Private John Burnett Fletcher has been killed in action after being reported missing since 29 August last He gave his life for his King and Country.' John was posthumously awarded the 1914/15 Star she received news in October 1918 that her brother The local newspaper reported on 11 October 1918; 'Private Norman Murray He was one of the original Anzacs and was due for leave to return to Australia is serving in the Middle East.' Norman Murray was 23 and is commemorated at Villers Bretonneux Memorial in France among those with no known grave Arthur (Toby) Clarence Anderson enlisted with the Army Arthur was also a coal miner and lived in Belmore Street Wollongong with his wife and Jessie's daughter a portend of things to come or just coincidence was reported missing in action in France and Arthur joined the same Battalion in which his late brother-in-law had served Arthur and the Fletcher family were unaware that John was missing and that he had been killed in battle On 8 November 1916 Arthur embarked the troop ship Port Nicholson for England and eventually France William Joseph Fletcher enlisted in New Zealand in July 1917 at the age of 41 He had been living in New Zealand for more than 20 years He was wounded in France and sent to Boulogne-Sur-Mer on the north coast of France before being evacuated to England where he saw out the remaining months of the war Willliam returned to New Zealand in January 1919 and was discharged the following month He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal Of the five sons Jessie Fletcher waved off to war though they bore physical and mental scars for the rest of their lives Annie Fletcher lost a husband and a brother Many other families in the district lost their men or they returned physically or mentally wounded the Fletchers were known as 'A Family of Fighters' and the 'Fighting Fletchers.' In response to their service and sacrifice their neighbours rallied and built a cottage in Campbell Street Woonona for war widow Jessie died in 1944 in Helensburgh south of Sydney Annie never remarried and lived the rest of her life in Woonona a townhouse development on land that was once the Woonona-Bulli RSL car park has been approved The developer with plans to build townhouses on the former car park of the Woonona-Bulli RSL has been given court approval Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThis was despite numerous objections from Wollongong City Council Developer MH Property wanted to build 26 townhouses at 15 Nicholson Road on land that had previously been part of the Woonona-Bulli RSL car park The proposed development also featured 52 residents parking spaces and seven for visitors Following a deemed refusal the developer took the matter to the Land and Environment Court The court ruling stated the council objected to the original plans and told the court nothing had changed "It contends that the proposed development does not maintain the flood function of the land and will adversely affect flood behaviour and increase the flood risks to other properties," Commissioner Joanne Gray's ruling stated "The council says that the flood modelling carried out by MH is inaccurate the proposed development does not comply with the relevant controls for development in an area affected by flood and that it inappropriately seeks to divert floodwater away from the site." Commissioner Gray ruled that the flooding impacts of the development were "acceptable" A flood map showing the development's location next to what remains of the Woonona-Bulli RSL car park."I consider that the stormwater design on the site is appropriate and that the piping of some overland flow under Nicholson Road is acceptable in circumstances where the flow will continue to the same receiving catchment," Commissioner Gray's ruling stated She added that none of the other contentions raised by the council warranted refusal the council sought to attach a range of conditions relating to flooding One of these called for an engineer's report that the development "will not have any detrimental effects to adjoining properties" Commissioner Gray ruled that condition would not be imposed stating that request had already been carried out insets from FacebookAn East Corrimal mum says her son has come away lucky after a group of balaclava-clad teenagers circled his brand new e-bike while he was kicking a footy with his friend Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueKelly Kreillis said her son had ridden to Elizabeth Park in Bellambi and locked his fat tyre e-bike he got for Christmas when two older teenagers arrived and started looking at it "He continued playing because they (the teenagers) only rode past But soon after he noticed they had come back with more kids - eight in total - all older than him," Ms Kreillis said "My son and his friend vacated as fast as they could and felt like they were going to get surrounded and cornered "They managed to get away with no dramas except a lot of fear afterwards If they left any later I'm guessing the outcome would have been a lot different "There seems to be a herd of kids around at the moment taking a lot of bikes and just bolt cutting them." A fat tyre e-bike chained up at Bulli Beach on January 1 Picture by Anna WarrAfter reporting it to police Ms Kreillis felt compelled to share the incident on social media due to the apparent influx of Corrimal Bellambi and Bulli residents having their locked e-bikes stolen throughout the holiday period "We're seeing on community pages ourselves almost daily someone's bike is being stolen," Ms Kreillis said "If it's not being stolen from being chained up somewhere in public it's being stolen from their garage or house It's really sad that some people's entitlement has come to this." Dozens of similar posts have flooded in detailing similar thefts including a boy's e-bike being stolen from Woonona Beach on December 30 he only got the bike five weeks ago," the post read Anthony Fikkers was visiting Wollongong from Victoria when he had two locked bikes stolen from Corrimal Caravan park on December 28 Others have reported suspected stolen e-bikes being found en masse within garages across the Wollongong Karl Goldman, who has worked at the Illawarra Cycle Centre for the last 41 years, believes thefts of e-bikes have ramped up in the last 12 months as they're the new hot item on the market. which is a hardened steel shackle that resists bolt cutters and leverage attacks Mr Goldman also advised people to get bike insurance and log stolen bikes on Bike Vault. he said when it came to thieves taking bikes: "If they want it "They probably just strip them for parts." Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 location where a childcare centre was proposed - the local planning panel has refused its development application.A childcare centre at Woonona would create "an undesirable precedent" for the street the Wollongong Local Planning Panel decided Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe panel was charged with making a decision on a proposed centre at the end of Russell Street in Woonona The 66-place childcare centre was proposed for two lots at the dead-end of Russell Street and next to the Memorial Drive noise barrier A development application was lodged with Wollongong City Council in April and the matter was sent to the planning panel because 25 submissions over the project were received - all but two of them were negative A council report to the planning panel recommended it be refused amid concerns about the removal of one of the trees on the site and the noise impacts from Memorial Drive on the children at the centre The planning panel has now officially knocked back the application because "approval of the development would set an undesirable precedent for similar inappropriate development and is therefore not in the public interest" It decided the proposed childcare centre was not complaint with official guidelines in a range of areas including number of matters for consideration including site suitability ventilation and emergency and evacuation procedures "The application failed to demonstrate that the proposed development has been designed appropriately given the characteristics and constraints of the site and will not result in adverse impacts on the surrounding area," the planning panel ruling stated "The proposal fails to demonstrate appropriate amenity outcomes for the occupants of the development." Picture by Google Street ViewA man who allegedly had a gun and drugs stashed on him while in a Woonona motel car park just after midnight Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueOfficers pulled into the Windmill Motel car park at the intersection of Princes Highway and Gray Street when they saw a man acting suspiciously at 12.20am on Wednesday "Police searched the man, allegedly finding a pistol and drugs," a NSW Police spokeswoman said "The 41-year-old man was arrested and taken to Wollongong Police Station." He was charged with possess unregistered firearm-pistol; not keep firearm safely-pistol; and supply prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity He was refused bail and appeared before Wollongong Local Court on Wednesday, October 23. There, he was formally refused bail to reappear in the same court on November 26. Picture by ACMA Woonona barber who offered more than a trim when moonlighting as a cocaine dealer out of his salon was busted with tens of thousands in dirty drug money stuffed inside his till Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTroy Upward ran Black Diamond Barber Shop on the Princes Highway when he supplied small baggies of coke - totalling 286.58 grams - to witnesses between June and November last year faced Wollongong Local Court supported by his wife on Wednesday where he pleaded guilty to supplying a commercial quantity of cocaine and dealing with the proceeds of crime Tendered court documents state investigators tapped Upward and his alleged upline supplier Zieke Francis Lyons' mobile phones in which Upward agreed to supply bags to witnesses on five separate occasions Deals involved the barber sourcing 55 grams of cocaine for $14,000 from Lyons before he sold them for a $2000 profit from buyers who met him at the salon Upward contacted Lyons in late October last year and confirmed the customer was "coming down Thursday to pick it up" with Lyons allegedly replying "Alright I'll organise it" Lyons allegedly sold the coke to Upward at his Mangerton home on October 31 and Upward dealt it at Black Diamond two days later A customer texted Upward two weeks later on November 13 and said Upward phoned Lyons who allegedly sourced the coke and the barber made another deal from the shop with police pouncing on him at the salon shortly after 11 am and seizing $16,000 in cash stuffed inside the till with a further $6950 was unearthed from his wine cellar at his home He remained behind bars before being granted bail in December last year with a $1 million surety hanging over his head Upward will await his sentencing while on bail in the community while Lyons will receive his trial date this month after he pleaded not guilty to his charges related to the operation Picture by ACMA Woonona realtor accused of drugging and sexually touching a teen will spend Christmas on high-stakes bail with a $1 million surety hanging over his head and an electronic monitor around his ankle Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueRobert Brian Grubb was arrested on November 21 due to a detention application that was lodged after police deemed him a "flight risk" after he emailed a yacht broker back and forth days earlier The court heard last month Grubb was allegedly "about to fail to comply" with his strict bail conditions prohibiting him from approaching a departure point and leaving the state His urgent inquiries with the yacht broker centred around his desire for the vessel's ability to sail the open ocean and fit his two pet dogs with the court hearing he had a recent "windfall" with cryptocurrency Grubb dialled into Wollongong District Court on Monday and made a successful bid for bail He was initially arrested and charged in August 2023 with a string of offences including sexually touching without consent allegedly committed against a 17-year-old girl who he offered a job It's alleged Grubb drove the girl to his Woonona address where he gave her cocaine and an "alcoholic raspberry drink" He allegedly made sexual remarks towards her before revealing a massage table and bondage equipment from behind a curtain It's alleged the girl's next memory was waking up at the end of Grubb's bed wearing a black "S.W.A.T" g-string with his penis allegedly against her vagina police raided Grubb's home where they allegedly found the underwear Judge Andrew Haesler opted to grant Grubb's release despite the "strong case" against him and that his inquiries to buy a yacht appeared to be "more than just a fantasy" The judge was satisfied the 26 days Grubb spent behind bars would be enough to drive home the seriousness of adhering to bail which was tightened to include a condition to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet Grubb must also forfeit a $1 million surety and abide by a curfew A support person in the courtroom gallery pumped their fist in celebration as Grubb was granted his release It was part of spate of thefts that police believe are linked Picture by Anna WarrWoonona carpenter Tom Mckay had his livelihood stolen by thieves during a spate of break-ins 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 areaContinuePolice are investigating five break-ins in Woonona over the Australia Day weekend and they believe they might all be linked Mr Mckay a friend were at his Beach Drive home on Friday night Some time between when they went to bed and woke up on Saturday someone crept in through the back door and walked upstairs the theives grabbed the keys to his ute and trailer with all his carpentry gear along with his mate's keys and both wallets the thieves left the house and drove off with his work ute Mr Mckay wasn't too concerned with the idea of strangers being inside his house; he was more preoccupied with the loss of all his tools "I was quite upset about just losing all the tools from when I was an apprentice it's going to knock me out of action for at least two weeks." police found his ute and trailer - still with all his tools inside - at the beach end of Campbell Street at 1.20pm on Australia Day It was dusted for prints and Mr Mckay now has his ute back and is out on the tools again Police have linked the theft of his ute to break-ins at two Woonona cafes and a pair of homes - in Pendlebury Parade and Campbell Street They are appealing for assistance from the public Anyone with information or a dashcam footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 Mr Mckay said he was aware of the risk of break-ins at Woonona which he put down to the closeness of the bike path - which he called "crackhead highway" "They hop on motorbikes or e-bikes and they just fly up and down there," he said "They can go into people's houses and get straight back on the bikes and the coppers don't have any access to it 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 areaContinueHeavy flooding on April 6 this year wrecked the multi-sport court at Woonona Public School, as water gushed down the hill, across the flat towards Collins Creek, in the gully where Nicholson Rd meets Liddle St. The low-lying area is at high risk of flooding, shown clearly by Wollongong City Council flood maps. Some of the most dramatic images from the April flooding showed cars upended on Nicholson Rd as waves swept along the road. Neighbours Jennifer and David Courtney were gobsmacked when the NSW Education Department began building a new multi-sports court on the flat in October. Not only was the court 2m longer and 2m wider than the old synthetic one, but it was made of concrete and raised 150mm above the ground, in a low-lying gully beneath hills on three sides. The Department of Education had relied on a planning assessment for the old court, from 2016, for the new larger structure. "My immediate response was what about the impact for homes around the flat - the flat is a flood zone," Ms Courtney said. "We are worried that any future flooding will mean water will flow back into our property and the impact on Nicholson Rd will be even greater due to the large concrete structure being placed on the flat." The concrete court is to protect it from future flood damage - but the Courtneys fear it will push water faster into their property, and they have had to engage a lawyer get their concerns taken seriously. "We assumed it was a like-for-like replacement," Ms Courtney said. "The school had not told us anything about it but after a week of work it started to look like they were setting it up to put in concrete. It had some markers around the outside, and the cups that hold the poles were set quite high above the ground. "We are trying to work out why you would build such a big structure in a known flood zone. I think it's pretty shocking ... homeowners are still dealing with the flood impacts of six months ago." In response to the Mercury's questions, the Department of Education described the new court as "maintenance" work and said an impact assessment from 2016 did not identify any impacts to neighbours. "The Department of Education is currently undertaking a maintenance project to resurface the sports court to ensure that students have safe access to sports, play and activity areas," the spokeswoman said. "Wherever it delivers school upgrades, the department works to assess potential risks. "A Review of Environmental Factors (REF) was carried out before the sports court was constructed in 2016. "An impact assessment was completed as part of the REF which addressed all factors requiring consideration, including potential flooding, and where necessary, provided management and control measures. "No impact to nearby residents was identified through the REF." Questions about the court being larger, concrete and raised, as well as why the neighbours were not consulted, were not specifically answered in the department's response. Picture by Jordan WarrenThe pain of losing the inaugural Illawarra Women's Premier League grand final in 2023 is now all but forgotten for Woonona after beating Shellharbour in the latest decider at WIN Stadium extra time was required to see who would be crowned champions it was Woonona who learned their lessons from last year to score the 1-0 win Second half substitute Sinead Bailey proved the difference, netting in the first half of extra time to give the 2024 league champions that elusive grand final win Grand final glory is something that has been a long time coming for Woonona especially for experienced members of the side in captains Jordan Wheatley and Morgan Potter demonstrating just how much that win meant for her and the club "That was the most stressful game of my life," Wheatley said That's what we're made of and that's what the club is made of We just hang in there and we deserved that today." Meanwhile one of the team's other influential leaders Potter said that a win on the final day of the season was a long time coming "That was just something that we have worked for for so long and we knew we could do it," Potter continued "I've played at this club for 18 years and that is the first grand final that I've won and we grabbed it with both hands and we weren't giving it to anyone else So we're just so thankful to everyone involved." View +30 PhotosClick on the photo to swipe through the best of the action from the grand final Pictures by Robert PeetIt was fitting that Woonona's reserve grade would also claim grand final glory in the match before the first grade fixture considering the Sharks have made their 2024 campaign a full club effort with five youth graders from last year featuring in the first grade win on Sunday "We had five girls that played in the youth grade grand final last year that have come in plus Tess Stephens back from the Stingrays who is a Woonona junior," Castle added "So we've got a bright future I think with the club When we won the Julie Porter Cup we lose our first two rounds [of the IWPL] and now we've won I think 14 of our next 16 games." Shellharbour started the game off well and were unlucky not to be ahead in the first half The fact that Katelyn Leadbeatter won the player of the match for the grand final Shellharbour striker Maddi Costanzo was obviously heartbroken with the result on the day We definitely had the opportunities," Costanzo said "We just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net But it just shows how strong this comp is because we had to go into extra time I feel like we were the stronger team [in the beginning] it's about who can find the back of the net we're carrying quite a few injuries so it will give the girls some time to rest Hopefully we come back stronger and better next year." The Shellharbour striker added that she expected the women's IPL comp to only get better in 2025 with the addition of Coniston and potentially Shoalhaven "Coming from the NPL it was definitely a big change but I am so surprised at how strong the comp is down here," she said and I can't wait to watch this Prmeier League for women grow." It just wasn't Shellharbour's day in the grand finals Thirroul did the league and championship double defeating Shellharbour 3-2 in the first fixture of the day Woonona ensured it was a great day to be a Shark as they beat Shellharbour 2-0 Illawarra Mercury sports journalist. Feel free to get in touch jordan.warren@austcommunitymedia.com.au. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe targets include homes and cafes in the northern Illawarra suburb and the items stolen range from nothing all the way up to a car The first in the string of break-ins occurred at a Princes Highway cafe sometime between when it closed at 3.30pm and opened the doors again on Saturday morning On Saturday morning the cafe owners found money had been stolen from the till Also in the early hours of Saturday someone broke into a house on Campbell Street - which runs off the Princes Highway CBD strip READ MORE: 'All they can do is wait': Warrawong teen's fight to survive after horror crash The thieves also hit a home in Beach Drive Police later found the ute abandoned on Campbell Street and seized it for forensic analysis On Saturday night someone broke into a Pendlebury Parade home though at this stage the residents have not reported any items stolen The fifth in the string saw the thieves hit a Park Road cafe on Sunday morning MORE NEWS: Women charged with murder over Shellharbour stabbing After making some enquiries police believe all five incidents are related fileA man accused of attempting to rob Woonona McDonald's claims staff misconstrued his words stating he was trying to order late-night grub instead of demanding them to "open the till or I will kill you" Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue"It's an unusual offence," defence lawyer Vanessa Zahra said adding her client Benjamin Peter Smoday believed he was "in the club looking for the poker machines" instead of at a fast food restaurant Wollongong Local Court heard Smoday had only been released on parole two weeks prior for a previous armed robbery when CCTV footage captured him inside the McDonald's at around 1am on October 8 Ms Zahra said Smoday believed he ordered food and denied making any threats to staff It's alleged he left the restaurant and then came back before assaulting a male staff member and demanding he "open the till or I will kill you" "When I asked him about coming back to McDonald's he said he thought he was in the club looking for poker machines," Ms Zahra said "They've misconstrued my words," Smoday said from the audio-visual link screen The police prosecutor disputed there was a misunderstanding stating: "There is a big difference between 'Can I have a cheeseburger?' and 'Open the till or I will kill you'." The prosecutor pointed to the strength of the case against Smoday given the incident was captured on high quality CCTV footage adding that a custodial sentence was highly probable due to him being on parole for the same offence It's alleged Smoday walked out of the McDonald's after demanding the cash and said Magistrate Claire Girotto could not find that any bail conditions would mitigate risks of further offending and refused the application "He's on a five-year sentence for armed robbery .. how can I mitigate risk when he's on parole for the same thing?," she said Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe two-year-old boy was found near the IGA on Russell Street at 9pm on Wednesday with a concerned woman posing a photo of him on Facebook "Please contact the police if you know who this little boy is or if he is your child He has been found out in the rain on his own," Jenni Ludewig wrote with people sharing the post and others saying that police officers were door-knocking nearby homes "We had police knocking on our door five minutes ago asking if we knew him," one person posted An IGA Woonona staff member with the boy who was found wandering alone in the rain on Wednesday, July 4, 2024. Picture by Jenni Ludewig via FacebookWollongong Police District Inspector James Dark said some reports on social media that the post was a hoax were incorrect "The boy left home at 8.45pm and was found at 9pm," he said "He was returned to his grandmother at Bulli." IGA Woonona assistant manger Greg Haines praised locals for their help in reuniting the boy with his family He was returned to his grandmother at Bulli "Thanks to our great community the little boy has been reunited with his grandma," he posted on Facebook "This was not a hoax as some implied he is happy and well in his grandmas arms thanks again a fantastic outcome." Mr Haines thanked IGA staffers for walking the streets to try and find the boy's home and others for looking after the toddler until police arrived and the speed of police who arrived instantly [when] I placed the call," he wrote Some people shared their own stories on the Facebook thread of how their child had wandered off "When my daughter was young she climbed out her bedroom window to cross the road to play with her friend Lucky her mum was also my friend so she kept her safe and it was a quiet street," one person wrote Another said it had happened to their friend "One morning the husband got up to feed baby and as he closed the back door a garbage bag - they use to hang bag from back of door - got caught between the latch," the post said "Then big winds came and blew the back door open Their child got out with mum's car keys and sat on the gutter hitting lock/unlock beside their car Next thing mum woke up to two police officers in her bedroom asking if she knew where her child was." Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaAfter Thirroul's Sammy Lowe captained NSW to a national surf victory on Saturday he'll shoot for personal glory on Sunday Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe 17-year-old will be joined by Gerringong's Lucy Darragh as the Australian Junior Surfing Titles come to a thrilling end Six Australian junior champions will be crowned on Sunday with winners in the U16 and U18 divisions securing spots on the Irukandjis Team for the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship NSW claimed victory in the State Tag Team event at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles breaking Queensland's bid for a three-peat Ocean Lancaster gets some air at Woonona on Saturday Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaA rare sea fog delayed the morning's competition at Woonona but standout performances across all age divisions on the seventh day of competition set the stage for finals day on Sunday The winning NSW team was captained by Thirroul's Sammy Lowe and included Ocean Lancaster Milla Brown and Lucy Darragh from Gerringong They finished ahead of Queensland with Victoria third I think that's what set us apart from the rest of the states and our camaraderie has been really good and that put us ahead believing in each other and knowing that we can get it done," Lowe said Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing Australia"Pretty stoked to win as a team and hopefully that carries through to the overall team result." Thirroul's Lowe and Noosa's Mitchell Peterson advanced to the U18 men semis on Saturday In the U16 women's Gerringong's Lucy Darragh and WA's Olive Hardy claimed heat wins to progress into the semi-finals Queenslanders Ziggy Mackenzie overcame challenging conditions to win her U18 quarterfinal while Isla Huppatz posted an impressive 15.38 heat total to advance NSW) delivered strong performances in the U16 men to advance NSW's Locana Cullen will meet Zac Johnston in the U14 boys final after a close semi-final heat "I had a 7 and a 6 was under priority so I caught a little wave and did a little air "I've been doing a little bit of travelling recently with Red Bull camps in California where I've had good waves and been practicing comp surfing and airs." WA) advanced after a narrow win and will meet Talia Tebb (Kincumber The weather was problematic early on Saturday "The day started with the first two heats in the U14 Boys but had to go on hold due to sea fog which is a very rare occurrence," contest director Jeremy Barnett said Ocean Lancaster in the U16 men and Samuel Lowe in the U18 men who posted the highest heat total of the day - a 16.13 - were standout performers "Talia Tebb continued to impress in the U14 Girls The future of female surfing is in great hands View +24 PhotosAll photos via Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaTHURSDAY'S ACTIONCompetition was cut short thanks to Thursday afternoon's storm but quarter-finalists were decided in four divisions of the 2024 Australian Junior Surfing Titles Standout performances from Isla Huppatz and Sammy Lowe at Woonona Beach as the U18 and U16 divisions reached the business end of the comp "Surfers were greeted with silky three-to-four foot swell .. with light northwest offshore winds," contest director Jeremy Barnett said Talia Tebb (NSW) impressed with a heat total of 14.50 Isla Huppatz (Qld) posted the highest single wave score of the day - a massive 9.25 (out of a possible 10) Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing Australia"Thirroul talent Sammy Lowe continued to shine delivering a heat total of 14.66 in the U18 men," Barnett said "It's been pretty fun out here the last couple of days It's awesome that we get to surf in such good waves Isla Kindstrom gets some advice before hitting the surf Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing Australia"It's a great comp and the rights are going back into the corner With the competition cut short due to threatening thunderstorms and heavy rain the last five heats have been rescheduled to run Friday Fun waves were the order of the day at the Australian Junior Surfing Titles at Woonona Beach with Illawarra surfers Alice Hodgson and Thirroul's Sammy Brown among the standouts The U18 and U16 divisions made the most of the swell but with a storm brewing and lightning overhead competition was called off early meaning the U14s missed out Kiama Downs starlet Hodgson advanced to the U16's fourth round and declared the day's surfing "pretty fun" Milla Brown gets some hang time at Woonona on Wednesday Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing Australia"I was gonna go out and sit and catch the rights READ MORE: Home schooling in between chasing waves as van life comes to Wollongong The highest total of the event was posted on Wednesday when Milla Brown continued her domination of the U18 women's division She churned out a a 16.38 (out of a possible 20) including an excellent 9.13 single-wave score (out of a possible 10) Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing Australia"I was watching Ruby Berry from behind "I didn't want to go into second and then this really good double up came So I just did two big turns and got a 9.13 Good to surf some waves with power and it was super fun surfing with all the girls." The U19 girls school surfing division (MR Shield) also kicked off with Queensland's Palm Beach Currumbin SHS and Dromana College Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaIn the U19 boys The Illawarra Grammar School escaped the elimination round Contest director Jeremy Barnett said conditions were good again today at Woonona with the wind favourable as well as local surfer and NSW captain Sammy Lowe who put together a great heat score to get through," Barnett said Similar conditions are expected on Thursday Hot-shot young surfers from across the country are lapping up the clean conditions on day two of the Australian Junior Surfing Titles at Woonona Beach Day four starts on Wednesday and kicks off with the U18 women's third round and will feature one of the stars of Tuesday Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaWestern Australia's Isi Campbell surfs in the second heat of the day after a ripping 7.48 effort in round two Queenslander Will Martin was the U18 men's standout performer after posting a 7.63 ride in his second round Illawarra surfers in the hunt as national juniors gear up for finals at WoononaThe most powerful waves of the week are expected at Woonona in the early hours of Wednesday with winds likely to be cross-offshore for starters More than 250 surfers will compete over seven days a chance to represent the Irukandjis Team at the 2025 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship Mia MacMahon in the surf at Woonona Beach. Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaHOW DAY 2 PANNED OUTThe water is a perfect shade of blue and Woonona Beach is packed with kids with sun-bleached blonde hair It's not the cast of Surviving Summer, Blue Water High or even Home and Away. This is Australia's best junior surfers battling it out in the 2024 titles A crowd watches Felix Kindstrom at Woonona Beach Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaMonday November 25 marked day two in the competition and it was perfect conditions for the U14 and U16 heats "Today's surfers were greeted with a clean three-foot swell at Woonona which made for an epic day of competition," said contest director and Woonona local Jeremy Barnett He named Lachlan Arghyros in the under 16 men's and Rosie Richardson in the under 16 women's divisions as standouts Rosie Richardson in the surf at Woonona Beach Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaEvie Wilson from the Sunshine Coast won her round one heat in the under 14 girls I looked at my markers and just waited for the sets and so far it's been really good," she said Kade Kelly watching the waves at Woonona Beach Picture by Aaron Hughes and Surfing AustraliaKade Kelly from Newcastle also made it through to round two in the under 14 boys said he was out to win the titles It'd mean everything to win an Australian Junior Surfing Title November 26 with the under 18 boys and girls divisions Picture by Adam McLeanBeau Brown was watching a theatre production of the musical Moulin Rouge when she saw set wizardry that captivated her Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinue"I turned to my friends and said: 'That's what I want to do'," Beau said Now the Woonona High School graduate is well on her way to achieving that landing one of just six places in the National Institute of Dramatic Art's (NIDA) bachelor of fine arts in set construction technologies course It is the only course of its kind in Australia adding that she'd loved the backstage world of film Beau Brown with her construction and industrial technology teacher Ben Bradley Picture by Adam McLeanThe 18-year-old will begin her studies in 2025; originally she planned to take a gap year but she attended the open day and "just loved it" Ideally she'd like to eventually work on movie and TV sets but she would also love working in theatre building sets offers an opportunity to make magic I like watching something like a piece of timber turn into something amazing," she said It's perhaps not a surprise: her dad Eddie said that as an only child Beau would get roped into helping him with some of his projects Beau Brown with one of her HSC major projects Picture suppliedBeau finished year 12 this year balancing her studies with work and placement at a solar installer a Korean martial art in which she is a black belt She received her HSC results on Wednesday and achieved an impressive 89 in construction a class in which she was the only female student Her construction and industrial technology teacher Ben Bradley spoke of his pride in having students like Beau do well not so much for the marks they got but the skills they developed and them going on to do what they wanted "You just want to see them achieve their best .. and go on to their next stage of life and fulfil their 'why'," Mr Bradley said Woonona High School principal Caroline David said the 2024 year 12 cohort had achieved the greatest year-on-year improvement seen "for some time" the result of an education approach that included a focus on collaboration "Student success for us is improvement," Ms David said Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs and education. Our Watch award winner. If you've got a story, let me know. Pictures suppliedThe Australian Federal Police has issued an appeal for a missing girl last seen in Woonona two months ago as the search for the child steps up All articles from our websiteThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia has issued a recovery order authorising police to retrieve Molly Rose Noonan-Medley who was last seen about 11am on October 31 The eight-year-old is believed to be with her mother Jacki Lynne Medley The AFP says Molly's father Henry Noonan has been trying to find his daughter and return her to his care since she disappeared "The pain of a missing child is incomparable We can only imagine the strain this situation is placing on Molly's family and loved ones with Christmas around the corner," AFP Detective Acting Superintendent Carly Smith said Molly is described as being of Caucasian appearance with a fair complexion 130 to 140 centimetres tall with a thin build Picture supplied"If you see Molly or Jacki or have any information on their whereabouts we urge you to contact Crime Stoppers and help reunite Molly with her family," Detective Acting Superintendent Smith said "Hiding a child from their families can have adverse effects These types of actions are inexcusable and can significantly endanger the wellbeing of the children involved." The court-issued recovery order authorises all members of the AFP and the marshal of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to recover Molly NSW Police Force also reissued its appeal for information on Molly's whereabouts on December 17 Today's top stories curated by our news team. Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueGeneral manager Bill Hudson blamed "the ongoing economic conditions" for forcing the company to make the difficult decision The distinctive Baines trucks will still be on the road for this month but come the end of October the company which was founded in 1979 will have poured out its last load of pre-mix concrete The late John Baines bought his first truck at the age of 17 in 1947 modified it and eventually built the Woonona plant with his friend Dave David Mr Hudson said in a social media post that Baines was concentrating on fulfilling delivery obligations as best it could before October 31 "We regret to inform you that Baines Concrete will be closing its operations permanently as of 31 October 2024," he wrote Baines Concrete at Woonona will close on October 31 after 45 years Picture by Adam McLean"Baines Concrete has been supplying ready-mix concrete to the building and construction industry in the Illawarra for more than 45 years and is extremely proud of our achievements It has been a very difficult decision to make "Despite our best efforts to sustain the business the ongoing economic conditions have forced us to make this difficult decision "Our primary focus is to ensure a smooth transition for our clients We are committed to fulfilling any outstanding obligations to the best of our abilities before the closure date." The closure will cause job losses at the York Pl Baines Masonry Blocks in Appin will continue to operate Former employees and customers of Baines Concrete reacted with sadness to the news, several saying it had been a great place to work. "Sad days that an icon business will be closing its doors," said Wayne Boyce. A truck in action at the Woonona plant on Friday. Picture by Adam McLean"I knew the family well before going to work for John Baines (RIP). I worked up at Baines Masonry for 15 years a great family to work for. you wasn't just a number." "Very sad day I really enjoy working for Baines great lot of blokes. Very sad," said David Brennan. "I worked there for a number of years as operations manager. It was a thriving business with all three concrete plants operating then a fleet of concrete pumps etc very disappointing to [hear] it is closing down," said Tony Weckwerth. "Surely this isn't true, best concrete in the Illawarra. Not a day goes by when you don't pass a Baines truck!" said Gavin Lumsden. The Mercury has sought comment or an interview with Mr Hudson but has not had a response. "We want to extend our deepest appreciation for your partnership with Baines Concrete throughout the years," Mr Hudson told trade customers. Picture by Anna WarrWe all remember graduating high school Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueTears of joy about leaving tears of sadness about the friends and teachers you don't know if you'll see again the trip to the airport to go to Croatia to represent Australia in the 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships Ok, so maybe things are a bit different for Tarren Elliot from Woonona High School Elliot actually had her graduation ceremony on Thursday a few weeks earlier than the rest of her classmates because her flight to Croatia was on Sunday "It's a bit disappointing that I miss graduation and formal though." Competing with teammate Chelsea Sutton, Elliot will be competing in Metkovic, Croatia, in a 20km marathon "It has three pontoon portages where we have to get out and carry the boat and run for about 100 to 200 metres and then get back in and keep paddling," Elliot said Woonona High School students who have competed at a national or international level Picture suppliedThree other students from Woonona also did the school proud this year with Zoie Carruthers attending the London International Youth Science Forum Kate Luyten playing for Australia in the U18 Softball World Cup qualifiers and Adax Brienen winning a gold medal in the NSW U18 Boys Indoor Volleyball team Elliot will be arriving back in Australia on October 2 She admits she isn't feeling "100 per cent great" about the prospect of starting her exams less than 48 hours back from a country eight hours behind us on the clock she has received early entry to the University of Wollongong to study earth and environmental science 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 where a 66-place childcare centre is proposed.A 66-place childcare centre in Woonona should be knocked back because it is "not in the public interest" according to a Wollongong City Council report 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 areaContinueA development application for the centre at the dead-end of Russell Street and next to the Memorial Drive noise barrier was lodged with the council last year The development across two residential lots has been forwarded to the Wollongong Local Planning Panel for assessment because the council received 25 submissions about the proposed development - only two of which were in support Those two supporting submissions referred to the need for more childcare in the area and suggested the centre would result in fewer impacts than a medium density housing development According to a traffic study lodged as part of the application the childcare centre would result in at least an extra 100 cars driving in and out of the dead-end street every day The report estimates there would be an extra 53 trips in the morning peak period along a street with cars parked on the roadside for most of its length Among those objections from residents was one that stated the application's traffic report included photos where few cars were parked in the street "which does not represent the normal situation" Others were concerned that Russell Street would not cope with the increased traffic volumes which would also make it problematic for residents entering or leaving their driveways Despite these traffic concerns raised by residents a council report submitted to the planning panel stated "the proposed traffic generation is unlikely to result in any significant road capacity impacts in Russell Street" concerned with other aspects so much so that it recommended the development application be refused Among the council staff's objections were the removal of one of the trees on the site and the noise impacts from Memorial Drive on the children at the centre - this was despite the fact a childcare centre is appropriate given the site's zoning "The development is likely to negatively impact on vegetation as a result of proposed tree removal and has failed to demonstrate that the proposed earthworks will not detrimentally impact on retained/existing trees," the staff report said "Noise levels arising from nearby road traffic noise on Memorial Drive and potential noise impacts from inside the building are mitigated by the use of mechanical ventilation and the closure of all doors and windows during the use of indoor areas of the buildings This would effectively mean that the doors and windows would be closed at all times This is in conflict the Child Care Planning guidelines." The planning panel will meet to decide on the Woonona childcare centre on October 22 Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueThe tree felling was in apparent contravention of an approved development application The Woonona home had an approved development application from the council for renovations A council planning assessment report noted that an amended plan removed a proposed second dwelling and so "no tree removal is proposed" Also council staff recommended the backyard trees be retained However on Saturday the council received number for calls to say the trees were being cut down "We had a number of staff attend the site at different points on Saturday," Wollongong City Council Manager Regulation and Enforcement Corey Stoneham said "They were there to request that the work stop immediately so that an investigation can be completed and for details of the company undertaking the work Council has zero tolerance for the abuse of our staff." Mr Stoneham said the removal was being investigated "as it appears there was no consent in place to have these gum trees cut down" "We will fact-find and take statements over the coming days and then consider what course of action is appropriate after that," he said Lord Mayor Tania Brown praised the residents who brought the matter to the council's attention "I'm really grateful to those who took the time to pick up the phone and call our after-hours number and report this matter," Cr Brown said they're assisting council to gather timely information and evidence "As a community we value our local environment and established trees like these aren't just a source of shade "They're essential and we should be doing everything we can to protect them.'' 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. Pictures by Adam McLeanThe sun was out and the winds stayed away for Woonona East Public School's 60th anniversary fair on Friday You can see all the action in our picture gallery below: View +23 PhotosAll the pictures from Woonona East Public School's 60th anniversary fair Pictures by Adam McLeanDuring the afternoon the school opened up its gates to visitors so they could see the facilities The tours were followed by a formal assembly where students old and new gathered to remember the school throughout the years School Principal Emily Corcoran said it was an exciting day for the students and a chance to celebrate the school's achievements let us take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the collective effort that has brought us to this point We are not just celebrating the passage of time but the incredible achievements we have made together," she said school captains Jack Grant and Finni Rorke I am filled with optimism and excitement for the future Our school's legacy is built on a foundation of excellence let us continue to build on this legacy with the same enthusiasm and dedication that have guided us thus far." Students from the school will be taking part in the Southern Stars Arena Spectacular on Saturday August 31 at WIN Entertainment Centre alongside 3,000 students from across the Illawarra It's the second time students have graced the entertainment centre stage after 43 Woonona East Public School performers took part in Wakikiri on August 13 where they won a state award for their storytelling and choreography The performance has now been put forward for a national award Picture by Anna WarrTributes have flowed for a person who died on railway tracks at Woonona and those involved during the overnight emergency August 29 following reports a person had been struck by a train A person "died as a result of being struck by a train in the rail corridor" The incident is not being treated as suspicious and police declined to provide further information on the sex and age of the person involved Diane Gal was on the train at the time and posted to Facebook about how upset she was Thank you for all the emergency services staff who helped and assisted us passengers on this train home safely," she wrote Sharon Washbourne posted "thoughts go out to all emergency services involved Tracey Seymour Schroder wrote that he daughter was a passenger on a different train when a fatality occurred "It took time for her to recover from the horrific experience," she wrote "You do not have to witness the accident for horrific memories of feeling the impact will never go away. It is a sobering reminder of the ripple effects it can have on passengers and those involved." Emergency services at the scene of a fatality on the railway tracks between Woonona and Bulli stations on Thursday Picture by Illawarra MercuryThe southbound train involved in the incident was immediately stopped Buses replaced trains between Thirroul and Wollongong until 5.30am on Friday to allow police to investigate Passengers from the stopped train looked shell-shocked as they were escorted off the tracks around 7.30pm Buses were waiting to continue their journey Many walked through the railway corridor with luggage I'm sorry for the inconvenience," an official co-ordinating the passengers said over and over again "It's no inconvenience," a woman travelling with her family wearily said Main picture by Sylvia Liber and inset picture by Eddie GuerreroFeral rabbits have been digging up on Woonona soccer fields leaving holes that pose a risk of injury to players 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 situation has gotten to the point that Woonona Football Club has called in Wollongong City Council to address the problem is now running a targeted baiting program at Ocean Park Club president Scott Kell said 20 to 30 minutes was spent on a Saturday filling in the holes before play got underway because the holes left by the rabbits were hazardous for players Mr Kell said the aftermath of the rabbits' activities were also costly He said the club spent thousands of dollars each year to keep fields to standard and the rabbits destroyed that but the club's young players were forced to compete in droppings Mr Kell said rabbits were a common problem but "this year is bad" The targeted baiting program at Ocean Park is taking place in locked and gated areas of the reserve It comes ahead of the rabbit breeding season Wollongong council's director of infrastructure and works Joanne Page said such programs took place from time to time "The intention of these programs is to reduce the population of these pests and to also meet our obligations under the Biosecurity Act," Ms Page said "The rabbit population around Woonona has boomed in recent times "This targeted program will help protect the local native plants that are eaten by the rabbits and also to reduce the risk that their digging and burrowing habits will damage playing fields destabilise waterway banks and cause erosion." The program began in late July and will continue throughout August so dog owners are advised to keep their dogs on leads and not let them near the baiting location Anyone concerned that their pet has come into contact with a baiting station should see a vet immediately police arrest David Bagster in October 2019; on March 9 2011 CCTV captured some of the last images of Valmai Jane Birch with her killer David Bagster; Ms Birch; and police in Woonona after the discovery of her body in March 2011 Pictures by Orlando Chiodo and suppliedA man has tried to quash his conviction for the unlawful killing of his girlfriend whose body was discovered in a wheelie bin in her Woonona home almost 14 years ago arguing the verdict was unreasonable and unsupported by the evidence But the Court of Criminal Appeal upheld his conviction in a decision handed down on December 20 was found in the bathroom of her Woods Avenue unit on March 21 Picture suppliedShe was upside down in a wheelie bin with her right leg bent and her ankle tied to her waist The Crown argued at trial that Bagster had caused Ms Birch's death by assaulting her although accepted she might have died before she was placed in the bin Bagster's barrister Slade Howell said the possibility that Ms Birch died of an overdose could not be excluded because the manner and cause of her death was undetermined Ms Birch had a history of drug use and on the day she was last seen alive she was heavily drug-affected and could not get back into her unit without help Police outside Ms Birch's unit following the discovery of her body in March 2011 Picture by Ken RobertsonMr Howell said the jury also had to exclude several other possibilities to find Bagster guilty including an unknown person tying her up and placing her in the bin that Bagster put her in the bin after someone else caused her death or that she died of natural causes before she was placed in the bin If the evidence did show Bagster's actions caused Ms Birch's death then those acts had to be identified because the jury had to be satisfied they were intentional Mr Howell argued the Crown case was limited to Ms Birch's death occurring during or after she was put in the bin so it was not open to the jury to convict Bagster if there was a reasonable possibility he caused her death beforehand Bagster also took issue with evidence the prosecution relied upon including the credibility of a cellmate who said Bagster admitted to putting Ms Birch in a wheelie bin The Crown pointed to the evidence from Ms Birch's friends and acquaintances that she had told them Bagster had been violent to her The Crown also raised forensic evidence - Bagster's DNA and fingerprints were found on the wheelie bin and in Ms Birch's unit - lies Bagster had told Justice David Davies said the tendency evidence - which spoke to Bagster's history of violence against Ms Birch - was "very strong" which was found in her unit and described the last day she was seen alive proved he had seen her after leaving her the morning of March 9 The Crown relied on such lies as showing "consciousness of guilt" and Justice Davies described the letter as a "significant" piece of evidence implicating Bagster in Ms Birch's death He said the fact that the cellmate who gave evidence against Bagster was motivated to get bail did not mean the evidence was not truthful Picture from NSW Police ForceJustice Davies said even if Ms Birch died of an overdose it was not reasonable that a person would then tie her up and put her in a bin "If such a person was concerned about being criminally implicated in the deceased's death from a drug overdose it is not reasonable to accept that the person would act by tying the deceased up and disposing of her body in the way it was," he said was that the person who put her in the bin was responsible for her death He accepted the Crown's argument that only Bagster had the motive opportunity or tendency to leave Ms Birch that way Justice Belinda Rigg said the evidence established beyond reasonable doubt that Bagster had unlawfully restrained her before she died She did not accept that the Crown had limited its case and said it was open to the jury to find that any act of Bagster's that caused Ms Birch's death whether before or after he put her in the bin Justice Rigg was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that if Ms Birch died before she was placed in the bin Bagster having tied her up "substantially contributed" to her death I am entirely satisfied that it was open to the jury to find the applicant guilty of the manslaughter of the deceased," Justice Davies said Bagster is serving a prison sentence of 11 and a half years He will become eligible for parole in October 2027 Picture by Sylvia LiberThis story was written in August 2022 when the Coalition Government was in power in NSW Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWhen Shaye Candish heard NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on the news talking about union bosses recently it took her a minute to realise he was talking about people like her the former emergency department nurse was appointed General Secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) - the state arm of the biggest union in Australia A 36-year-old Woonona resident and mum to two young boys she says she's not what people picture when they hear the words union boss Personal and political: A 36-year-old Woonona resident and mum to two young boys Shaye Candish says she's not what people picture when they hear the words union boss Picture: Supplied."The premier got up in the last budget announcement and there was a question from a journalist about nursing ratios and he said 'I understand the union bosses aren't going to like this' and I thought it was hilarious to think he was talking about me," Ms Candish said "The public and politicians have a perception "But the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation nationally is the biggest union in the country a unionist does look like me': Ms Candish says the push for improved pay and conditions for nurses is part of a wider movement towards better recognition of work traditionally done by women Ms Candish took over as NSWNMA General Secretary from retiring union boss Brett Holmes The union has vowed to continue its fight for better pay and nurse-to-patient ratios all the way to the 2023 state election Its members are exhausted, burnt out and angry They are working in a health system showing big cracks with hospitals recording long emergency department and ambulance waiting times and struggling to get on top of the huge backlog for elective surgery There's a shortage of aged care beds leaving older patients stuck in hospital and people can't get in to see GPs which means they end up in hospital instead but I'm an eternal optimist and I think there's a whole bunch of opportunities facing us right now to reimagine what healthcare can look like," Ms Candish said whoever it is is going to end up with a deteriorating health system "We need people who are going to reimagine new solutions and nurses and midwives are going to be critical to that because we are the biggest component of the workforce and coming to work not being able to deliver the care they want because of understaffing "It's generating a normalisation of overwork and the result of that is that we're seeing nurses and midwives leave the industry." Local nurses at the march in Wollongong on March 31 Picture: Sylvia Liber.Shaped by her early experiences as a nurseMs Candish started her career working in Campbelltown Hospital emergency department and never aspired to work at a union But her early experiences working in a system that made her feel like a failure as a nurse and banding together with her colleagues to change things opened her eyes to what the union could do "I became active because we only had one nurse in the [resuscitation] beds on a night shift there were four beds and that's where your absolutely most critically unwell patients go," she said "These are people coming in on a breathing machine you might be giving a small child Ventolin because they can't breathe you've got people having a massive stroke or a huge heart attack Read more: 'Heartbreaking': Baby with pneumonia not seen for hours in Wollongong ED "I was [leaving work] having this devastation I pulled together a group of likeminded people and we campaigned she was encouraged to apply for a role within the union and has since worked her way through a number of major campaigns and roles to become the General Secretary "Once I realised that the failure was actually with the system I knew I didn't want a career where I would just turn up every day and feel dissatisfied with what I was able to do - I think that's a tremendous burden for people to have to carry," she said Ms Candish says many nurses feel a similar burden and she is determined to help them get systemic change Read more: Wollongong doctor sounds alarm after ED patient waits three days for a bed "We're talking about this thing called moral injury which is referred to when you're talking about people in war zones when you're turning up and having to make decisions that go against your values," she said we're seeing people with post traumatic stress People are making decisions to protect their own health or dropping hours - whatever it is they can manage to protect their own welfare." The solution the nurses and midwives union wants is nurse-to-patient ratios which would mean each nurse would look after a guaranteed number of patients on every shift "Ratios would be a circuit breaker," Ms Candish said "Nurses might not be able to fix everything but they know that the four patients that they have today are going to get the care that they deserve it's quite common that a nurse will turn up and have seven Picture: Supplied.NSW Health currently uses a staffing system which looks at "nursing hours per patient day" which the health department says is more flexible because staffing levels can be adjusted to reflect changing needs The union has been calling for ratios - which are already in place in other states - for about 10 years and Ms Candish says there is a large body of evidence showing the system works and saves money in the long term by giving patients a better standard of care and keeping them out of hospital it's unclear if there is political will from either side to support ratios with Labor raising concerns earlier this year about what it would cost to change the staffing system 94 per cent of the NSWNMA's public nursing workforce voted to strike for 24 hours on September 1 It will be nurses' fourth round of industrial action this year and - as well as being spurred on by frustration and anger at working conditions - Ms Candish sees it as part of a wider movement towards recognising work traditionally done by women "We've seen at the federal election that lots of fantastic professional women who put themselves forward as legitimate for their communities got elected," she said "Women are demanding a space in the public discourse and that's really exciting and I think for teachers and nurses here in NSW "It feels incredibly frustrating for our members that a man in a suit somewhere gets to decide whether or not someone's child can access the quality health care that they need "We deserve a seat at table and we're demanding it now." As Ms Candish starts her tenure as the leader of tens of thousands of nurses who say they won't give up until they're heard her fight for a better health system is personal as well as political just like all these other nurses that are out there who worries about long emergency department waits and a lack of hospital beds affecting her family "I want to know that when my kids have something I can take them to a well-resourced hospital and I would hope that every other person in our area has the same expectation," she said we had a really big meeting at Sydney Town Hall and our members took industrial action and off they marched into Town Hall I was sitting on the stage and got a call from daycare So I had to go and pick him up and sit in Urgent Care in Bulli watching this meeting on the news while the nurse there gave fabulous care to my son "I thought it was the absolute epitome of what's happening here We were trying to do this big political piece but I had to go and get called away to ED." 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. Pictures by Robert PeetIt takes a lot to satisfy Woonona's all-conquering Illawarra Women's Premier League side Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueWoonona did as expected on Sunday and downed Bulli 4-1 at Balls Paddock to claim back-to-back league championships The history-making Sharks won the inaugural IWPL title last season and have been just as dominant in season 2024 But while their players rightly celebrated their latest league championship success, Woonona captain Morgan Anderson couldn't help but still feel a "little unsatisfied" "I won't be totally satisfied until we go on and win the grand final," Anderson told the Mercury Her desire stems from the fact the Sharks brilliant 2023 campaign was slightly soured by losing the grand final to Shellharbour in an extra-time classic We don't want to feel that sadness again," Anderson said "We've definitely got lots of goals for this year and one of them at the start of the year was to win that grand final because it's something that didn't happen last year "Our coach [Neil Castle] has always made sure that we're very focused on taking it one week at a time But now that we've found ourselves in these positions we want to win on Wednesday night so that we can go straight through [to grand final] "To win that grand final will be something really special." The Sharks will play last season's grand final winners Shellharbour on Wednesday night with the winner to progress straight to the 2024 decider The loser will get another chance and take on the winner of the minor-semifinal between Albion Park and University "We will be all out to win on Wednesday to ensure we get to that grand final," Anderson said "We are desperate to go one better than last year All our focus now is on getting to the decider and winning it "We celebrated long and hard on Sunday night winning the league championship for a second year straight "It's something that deserves to be celebrated because it showed we were the most consistent and best team all year "That's saying something this year because all the Premier League clubs this season are super competitive there wasn't an easy game all year and truly any team on their day could beat the so-called top sides of the competition." It's not only Woonona's first-grade side which has enjoyed success this season the reserve-grade women's outfit also claimed the minor-premiership while the Sharks' youth-grade team finished in third-spot on the ladder "It really has been a great year so far for our club," Anderson said "But we want to make it even better by going all the way and winning that grand final that so far has eluded us." Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure. Picture supplied A Woonona hoarder's home that went up in smoke in April will become the subject of a second investigation after an even mightier blaze finished off the property tonight which sparked at least 10 triple-0 calls from about 6.30pm tonight (Thursday RNSW duty commander Inspector Chad Wallace said five fire crews attended from Bulli "Firefighters were faced with a two-level townhouse that was 100 per cent involved," Insp Wallace said "The rear yard had a significant amount of hoarded material Normally the first crew would go in the front door and the second would go through the back But the crew through the back door was not able to enter the house because of the amount of household materials." that there were no people inside the property fire walls separating the public housing homes extended all the way into the roof cavity Thermal imaging cameras showed those neighbouring homes were protected "Neighbours were extremely lucky that this type of construction had a fire-rated wall between the units In this case it's saved the units either side and potentially saved a life," Insp Wallace said The Mercury understands the two fires will be treated as unrelated incidents Firefighters at work at a Sussex St, Woonona property alight on Thursday, July 4. Picture supplied Free smoke alarm, fire safety advice for your homeFirefighters are so concerned about the number of house fires in the Illawarra they've teamed up with the Illawarra Mercury to provide free smoke alarms (including free installation) and fire safety advice for residents the smoke alarm is free and so is the fire safety advice If you're reading this story on your mobile phone click here to book otherwise scan the QR code below to request a free smoke alarm Fire upon fire as Woonona hoarder's home lights up the nightRead more: Senate inquiry will look into Illawarra wind zone consultation 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