The Quarry Cafe at Burnett’s on Barney has launched a heartwarming initiative to give elderly residents a chance to remain active and engaged in the community. 

For a long time staff at Burnett’s on Barney have been transporting patrons that had difficulty accessing transport to and from the cafe and garden nursery. With the use of the Kiama Bowling club bus, outings can become a regular fixture on the calendar. 

Elizabeth Burnett, owner of Burnetts and the organiser of the initiative, is passionate about addressing barriers the elderly community faces. She believes it is very important to make sure older people can remain active and engaged and she has worked hard to offer a solution to the issue of transportation, “we want to make sure that everyone in our community, regardless of their mobility, has the opportunity to socialise and engage in the activities they enjoy.”

The bus runs on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from Bluehaven Bonaira with the opportunity for growth moving forward. Bluehaven Terralong may be included in the pick up and drop off system in future.

This collaborative effort between Kiama businesses prioritises inclusion over profit, allowing the elderly residents to visit the cafe and nursery for lunch, to meet with friends or to pick up their gardening supplies, “our community has a lot of old people and they’re really vibrant, we just want to be a part of their lives.”

The initiative has been made possible by Elizabeth Burnett, the staff at Burnett’s on Barney and Kiama Bowlo in a generous and selfless reflection of the community’s commitment to caring for our elderly.

Photos provided by Elizabeth Burnett.