Here's your guide to what you may have missed over the weekend of 9 - 10 December 2023

Amazing race

Left to right: Luke Doepel, Emma Lau, Natalie Maloney, Nicola Flynn, Luke Maloney, Kartik Mishra.

Residents of Gerroa on Saturday 9 December 2023, especially along Headlands Drive would have spotted teams of different walkers in different team colours doing their own version of the Amazing Race Challenges.

There were various stations on the way (including a portable hydration station moving from station to station with watermelon and ice) for the competitors on one of the hottest days of 2023.

Challenges were timed and included such tasks as stringing Cheezels while blindfolded.

The whole exercise was to celebrate the 30th birthday of Jessie Holder of Gerroa, and by all reports much fun but also much sweat was had by all!

Dynamic Moves

Dynamic Moves Dance studio of Dapto performed their end of year dance extravaganza at the Kiama Pavilion on Sunday 10 December.

Belinda Kawalek, the principal of Dynamic Moves Dance Studio, which is in Dapto, said in the Grease booklet: “As we bring the curtains down, we invite you to carry the memories of this performance. Cherish the emotions, the laughter, and the moments that touched your heart. Dance has the unique ability to inspire, entertain and connect people, and we hope this show has done just that.”

The Pink Ladies were led by Atayah Irvine as Sandy, and were Olivia Bianchi, Phoebe Block, Mikayla Rytkonen, Harlee Ferraro, Zara Meikle, Mila Erikson, Juliet Pinto and Amelia Croft.

The T Birds were led by Hannah Tate as Danny and were Zoey Erikson, Addison Szabo, Zoey Dorfmueller, Claudia Abrahams, Alissa Hardwick, Emilia Loprieato, Shayla Bryson, Gabrielle O’Shea, Anastasia Mastrioanni, and Lisa Sawyer.

Over sixty dancers hit the stage in various choreographed performances of all the songs from the hit musical Grease.

One feature was the all ages, all levels of talent , and all levels of ability inclusive nature of the performances with dancers aged from 3 years to seventy years on stage at the same time either just there for the joy of dance or seeking a more professional career.

Dinner with a detective

Mike Cains, NSW Detective Sergeant now retired Damien Loone and retired detective Frank Sanvatali

A fascinating and highly topical talk was held at the Kiama Bowling Club on Sunday with NSW Detective Sergeant now retired Damien Loone, who worked on the high profile Chris Dawson case, which was featured in the high profile Teachers Pet podcast which helped gather evidence for the case.

The Cheryl Grimmer case was also discussed, with retired detective Frank Sanvatali joining the panel, after a recent breakthrough where a new witness to the toddler’s disappearance in 1970 at Fairy Meadow Beach has recently come forward. Frank Sanvatali has worked on the Cheryl Grimmer case for many years.The witness was found by the podcast Fairy Meadow hosted by former BBC journalist Jon Kay who contacted Damien Loone only about a month ago, in November 2023.

It was clear that a popular podcast could bring new witnesses forward who had never spoken to police about the cold case before.

Both agreed that the age of both cases meant that vital witnesses were dying, simply of old age. 

Detective Sergeant Loone, when asked by The Bugle about the effectiveness of true crime podcasts, agreed that they work best on reviving interest in cold cases, rather than open cases where any citizen investigators could reveal lines of inquiry the police would rather keep confidential from any suspects.

There is certainly enough material for anyone thinking of starting up a Kiama true crimes podcast. 

Kiama has had a number of high profile and even gruesome murder cases over the years, such as the murder of Kim Barry, whose body was found at Jamberoo, by the notorious Graham Gene Potter, and currently has at least two open cold cases, those of Rachelle Childs, whose body was found at Gerroa in 2001 and whose murder was never solved, and Kiama woman Jackie-Lee Walsh who disappeared in 1989 and is presumed murdered but whose body was never found.

Why not contact Kiama Community Radio if you are interested in starting up a Kiama True Crimes podcast?

The talk was hosted by Mike Cains, President of the Kiama branch of the Liberal Party. The local branch also hosted the event. 

See you next weekend!