Nestled at the end of Reid Park overlooking the Kevin Walsh Oval is the Jamberoo Youth Hall, a physical manifestation of the community spirit that defines the town.

Opening in 1988, the Jamberoo Youth Hall has provided a centralised location for countless community groups, especially, youth-based groups, to gather and carry out their activities. Some of the groups that have and continue to use the Hall includes Guides, Brownies, Scouts and Cubs, Jamberoo Playgroup, and Little Groovers Dance and Acrobatic Lessons.

Organisations like the Jamberoo Country Women’s Association use the hall for meetings and to host children’s groups and environmental talks, but it can also be rented out for birthdays, Christmas parties, weddings, or whatever other occasion you may have to celebrate.

If you’ve never visited the Hall before, now’s your chance as the Jamberoo Youth Hall Association is holding an event on 23 March 2024 to commemorate the hall’s history, and the community that built it. There are stories to tell and anecdotes around the assembly of the hall and its tireless workers. A chance to celebrate its formation and the multipurpose of its use and history.

Kiama Council has granted funding to the Jamberoo Youth Hall Association, which will largely go towards preparing a series of historic photographic display panels.

As part of the celebrations, the Jamberoo Youth Hall Association wanted to recognise those who helped build or contributed anything to the Hall’s construction. This was a tall order though, given the overwhelming support the Hall received, and organisers said identifying each contributor was like asking how long is a piece of string! The heart and soul of those that helped with each aspect of the building process is testament to the community spirit and the hall continues to cater for the community.

Jenny Judd, provides a small insight into how the Hall came to be, and those who contributed to its construction and maintenance.

During the early 1980s, Jamberoo’s youth groups like Scouts and Venturers met in an old tin shed behind the School of Arts, while the Guide Group and Brownies used the church halls, and none of them had any space for storage.

Les Hartenstein originally had a vision for a single venue in Jamberoo where youth could meet and older social groups could store their equipment.

A committee was formed to develop the concept, and a deed for the Hall was signed with Council in 1982. The entire community pitched in with fund-raising efforts, while the building itself was completed with voluntary labour and donated building materials. None of this happened overnight, and it took a few years of planning, permission-granting and title changes, and finally opened in 1988 during National Bicentennial Celebrations.

Council at the time matched the community’s funding dollar for dollar, and was responsible for providing refurbishment and repairs, while maintaining management under the Jamberoo Youth Hall Association. It is still run by and for the community to this day.

The Youth Hall Committee also established a catering committee to help with fundraising, with Dianne Swanson leading a team that catered for functions and events at the Jamberoo Bowling Club and Folk Festival.

Other founding committee members include former Mayor Neville Fredericks, who was instrumental in the planning stages, as well as Coralie Fredericks, Mike Swanson, Col Hannigan, John Marsh and Jenny Judd.

The new display of historical photos is being coordinated by Stuart Richards, and anyone who has memories or photos of the Hall’s construction can contact Stuart at [email protected].



So much activity is still happening at the Youth Hall - a true hub of Jamberoo life. Support the celebrations and take your memories along with you.