Thousands of households are being warned that artificial smoke may billow from lawns and roof vents over coming weeks. Unitywater crews are pumping non-toxic vapour through wastewater pipes to find illegal connections, leaks and defects. Residents in targeted suburbs around Moreton Bay will receive letters two weeks before testing. Property owners found with defects will need a licensed plumber to make repairs, with fines of up to $32,000 possible for illegal plumbing work. Other utilities across the country, including Sydney Water, are running similar testing programs.
Scarborough Public School's 28th annual Art Show launched on Friday night, run entirely by parents and volunteers. More than 150 people are displaying paintings, prints, sculpture, photography, jewellery and ceramics. The show includes work from established Illawarra artists and student creations from the school's ArtSpark program. The Sophia Rose Quartet performed for the opening crowd. The show runs Sunday, October 11, from 10am to 3pm, with adult admission at $5 and children under 13 free.
A turn-of-the-century miner's cottage at 417 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Scarborough, is heading to auction with a guide of $1,850,000. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home sits on almost 430 square metres on the clifftop and has ocean views. A walking track leads down to the rock platform below, which agent Trever Molenaar of Molenaar describes as rare for the area. Original features include 3.5-metre ceilings, timber floors and a combustion fireplace. A large rear studio and space for an extension, subject to council approval, add to the appeal.
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The City of Stirling will consider a proposal to explore unrestricted trading hours in Scarborough, with councillor Tony Krsticevic arguing it could attract major retailers and boost local tourism. He suggests current restrictions, such as Sunday morning closures, limit convenience and business opportunities. Resident Amy Dawson supports earlier openings, citing reduced congestion and alignment with eastern states. However, the state government has no plans to extend trading hours, citing potential impacts on workers and small businesses. The council will decide on the proposal at its October meeting.
Nine events are taking place in the Illawarra region this week, including a stage production by local playwright Stephen Goldrick, an art show at Scarborough Public School, and a Spartan Race at WIN Stadium. Other highlights include a women's health forum, a cultural festival in Kiama, a quilt and craft exhibition in Dapto, a comedy night, and an environmental festival in Port Kembla. The events cater to a range of interests, from theatre and art to sports and community celebrations.
Scarborough Beach in Western Australia has a new outdoor gym with a beach view. The Beachfit Zone features a range of equipment designed for all ages and fitness levels. The facility includes workout stations with instruction videos and has been built to withstand coastal conditions. City of Stirling mayor Mark Irwin said the new gym offers a beachside fitness experience similar to well-known destinations overseas. The Beachfit Zone has been heavily used since it opened last week and is expected to become more popular.
Kiama Community Radio is hosting Blues in the Night, a fundraising event on Saturday 7 November at Kiama Leagues Club. The station, run by volunteers, is seeking support to fund its equipment, technology and facilities. Headliner Frank Sultana will perform alongside Shane Flew and Matt Ross, and Jr and the Jewel-Tones, which includes Kiama musician Dave Shaw. Doors open at 5 pm. Tickets cost $50, or $40 for station members, plus a booking fee. Every ticket sold supports the station, which has operated since 2020.
Will Lee has served 56 years with the NSW Rural Fire Service, which he began after helping fight a major fire in the northern Illawarra in 1968. He joined the Austinmer Bushfire Brigade in 1970 and went on to hold several leadership roles, including Group Captain. He was recognised with a National Medal with a fourth clasp at a recent ceremony, where his daughter Belinda Lee also received a 40-year Long Service Medal. Will now focuses on training young firefighters. He says the job of an old firefighter is to teach young firefighters to become old firefighters.
Sexual assault complainants could face less distressing questioning in court under proposed changes. Wollongong District Court is one of three NSW courts chosen to trial new rules on how long questioning can last and what topics can be covered. The trial would run from 2027 to 2030 if passed by NSW Parliament. The Illawarra Women's Trauma Recovery Centre has welcomed the reforms, backed by $4.8 million in government funding. Attorney General Michael Daley said the changes would minimise trauma for complainants.
Wollongong's Illawarra Indigenous Business Expo has grown to 67 stalls since its 2023 debut. Nearly 600 people attended the fourth expo at Novotel. Organiser Maiquilla Brown, who runs the event through her Bimbala Collective business, said many visitors were non-Indigenous allies. Exhibitors included weavers, tradespeople, a plant nursery and a dairy launching in Western Sydney. Wollongong's Lord Mayor, Tania Brown, said the council started the expo with 30 businesses and now has over 65.
NSW Police are asking the public for help finding Ewan Meades, a 16-year-old boy last seen on a northbound train at Woonona at about 11:15 am on Thursday, 22 October. He was reported missing on Friday, and Wollongong Police have begun inquiries. Police and his family are concerned for his welfare, as he lives with autism. Ewan may be using the rail network to travel. Anyone with information about where he is should contact Wollongong Police.
Seven filmmakers from the Illawarra region have made the finals of the SmartFone Flick Fest, the world's largest smartphone film festival. Three of the 13 films picked for the main gala finals at the Sydney Opera House come from the region. The festival, now in its 12th year, was founded to make filmmaking accessible to anyone with a phone. Its director, Angela Blake, said the region has a lot of talent. The festival runs from Saturday, 31 October to Sunday, 1 November at the Opera House and White Bay Power Station.
The Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog has been named October's frog of the month. It is found along eastern Australia and is very common within its range. Growing up to 2.5 centimetres, the frog makes a sharp, loud call for its size. It is usually found around ponds or swamps with plenty of reeds or sedge. A photographer spotted a male basking on a Lomandra bush beside the duck pond at the University of Wollongong, and in spring has counted up to 20 frogs in that single bush.
Dr Alison Haynes, a writer and conservation biologist, is introducing a new nature series for the Illawarra Flame. She moved to the Illawarra from Sydney in search of space and a garden. Rediscovering her interest in biology led her to a conservation biology degree, then a PhD studying how urban mosses survive city stresses. Her work has included field surveys of lizards, small mammals and bandicoots, and a four-week research trip to Antarctica in 2020. She plans to write about urban moss, city nature and community walks.
Eight Christmas markets across the Illawarra region are running from early November to late December. Events include the Wollongong Makers Market at UOW's Innovation Campus on 7 and 8 November, and a Port Kembla market at Red Point Arts Precinct on 14 November. Shoppers can find handmade jewellery, ceramics, gourmet treats and local crafts. Several markets offer live music, face painting and photos with Santa. The Kiama Seaside Markets on 20 December feature more than 150 stalls beside the Kiama Lighthouse.
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Kiama council is progressing plans for a two-year trial of a special entertainment precinct, which could start by early next year. The precinct aims to boost live music, hospitality and the night-time economy through more flexible sound limits, longer trading hours and less red tape. Some critics say the proposal lacks ambition and want higher sound limits for longer periods. Councillors voted to progress the draft as originally recommended, with a month-long public exhibition still to come. Wollongong council is also investigating whether a similar precinct would suit its city centre.
A local history writer has long sought the architect of Rondanella, an unusual house at Kanahooka on the shores of Mullet Creek. Land title searches by researchers Wendy and Terry Nunan showed Charles Ormond Smith owned the property by 1914. The property passed to William James Johnson by mortgage in 1916 and was sold to Major Richard Pudsey Dawson in 1936. The writer suspects the Howard Smith family's architect, Verton Howard Bruce Smith, may have been involved, but says the link remains unproven.
Wollongong Pet Connection has named Tommy and Brock as its pets of the week, both seeking forever homes. Tommy is a two-year-old cat who is wary of people and needs a patient family to let him progress at his own pace. Brock is a five-year-old American Staffordshire Terrier cross who loves human company, long walks and time with other dogs. He has some fear of being confined in garages or rooms with closed doors. Interested adopters can apply through the Wollongong City Council website, and a council officer will arrange a meet and greet.
Blacktown pilot Aglaya Papadokokolakis flew the first commercial aircraft out of Western Sydney International Airport on Sunday. She said the milestone was a career highlight, launching operations in her home region. Her father is also a pilot, and she encouraged young women to pursue aviation despite its male-dominated reputation. The airport opened after about eight years of construction and is set to run around the clock. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened it at a Sunday morning ceremony, and its first international flight arrived on Monday.
As part of Small Business Month in October, three New England and North Coast businesses are being highlighted. Steve Shaw runs GH Innovations in Thrumster, helping local firms attract customers through online search and sales improvement. Di Wade runs Rawspice Boutique in South West Rocks, offering independent fashion and lifestyle products. Meagan Hudson and Rory Taylor run Beardy Downs in Emmaville, making small-batch tallow and beeswax products through BD Collection.
Drivers travelling between Armidale and the coast on Waterfall Way should allow extra time from Monday, 26 October, to Sunday, 8 November. Transport for NSW says a string of maintenance jobs and projects may cause cumulative delays, with some sections of up to 10 minutes. Vehicles wider than 3 metres face restrictions on parts of the route, and a permit is needed. Motorists can follow signs and directions from traffic controllers, or use alternative routes including the Oxley Highway, Gwydir Highway or New England Highway.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp has been officially named Patyegarang, after a Cammeraygal woman who helped bridge colonial and Indigenous communities. The name was chosen through a collaborative process with local Aboriginal community members. Transport for NSW has also unveiled new bronze signage and a cyclist counter board, which shows live usage statistics. The ramp's opening in January has led to a 30% increase in cycleway usage, averaging 1,600 daily riders over the past six months.
