If you have ever wandered past the windswept headland south of Kiama’s famous Little Blowhole and paused to admire the flowering natives, the gentle stone path or the bridge at the base of the slope, you are walking through Jan Bloomfield’s legacy.

After years of tireless coordination, Jan is stepping down from her leadership role with the Little Blowhole Landcare Group.

She leaves behind not just a beautifully restored coastal site, but a strong, connected and quietly determined group of volunteers who continue to transform this once-neglected patch into something extraordinary.

Jan was there at the beginning. She was one of the original volunteers when Landcare began at Little Blowhole in 2009, tackling an area choked with noxious weeds on neglected dairy pasture. 

Two years later, when the founding coordinator left, Jan stepped in without hesitation. She never looked back.

With a background in the National Parks and Wildlife Service, she brought deep ecological knowledge to a team of eager amateurs. But it was her grit, warmth and wry humour that kept the group grounded and growing.

“She might be very little,” fellow volunteer Gail Evans said with a smile, “but Jan is very determined. Some say like a terrier with a bone.”

Jan’s commitment extended far beyond weeding and planting. She liaised with Council, secured grants, organised working bees, wrangled scouts and school groups, built strong relationships with the local Wodi Wodi community, and gently but firmly navigated differences of opinion about Landcare’s role. Even the snakes, Gail quips, seemed to prefer Jan’s company.

The Little Blowhole Landcare team shared their appreciation for Jan Bloomfield's 20 years of dedication

Kiama Council has supported the group over the years in practical and ongoing ways. From removing weed-filled bags after working bees to constructing the stabilised path and small bridge that now provide safer access, Council’s partnership has helped bring Jan’s vision to life. 

Council officer Peter Gill provided technical guidance, while Council's consistent backing made a tough, salt-swept site more viable for restoration.

The group meets monthly, usually around 10 hardy souls who get their hands dirty for a couple of hours before sharing a cuppa and some cake. The terrain is not easy. Loose rock lies just inches under the soil, and the salt spray from the blowhole can decimate fragile plantings. But with Jan’s guidance, they have transformed the site into a well-loved picnic and wedding spot rich in native biodiversity.

“She really was the leading light,” says new coordinator Chris Powell. “She organised everything, even when her own health was faltering and while caring for her husband Hilton, especially after his surgery. And she always made sure we had what we needed, from plants and gloves to Council bags for weed removal.”

Jan also worked closely with Landcare Illawarra’s regional coordinator, Meredith Hall, and was instrumental in securing grants like the recent one to tackle invasive Golden Goddess lily along the site’s natural boreline. Though Jan is stepping back, her influence remains stitched into every shrub and sandstone step.

“We’ll miss her guidance, her smile, her common sense and the fact that snakes didn’t seem to bother her,” Gail said. “She made us all feel like this was our patch to care for.”

The group will continue to meet on the first Saturday of each month at 9.30am. New volunteers, young or old, are always welcome. As one supporter said, Landcare might just be “the older generation’s playground.”

And thanks to Jan, the gate is wide open.