Gerringong's Steve Fox feels at home in the surf even though he has Retinitis Pigmentosa - a progressive eye disease that damages the retina.Fox recently competed in the 2025 Bright Sky Australian Pro Adaptive Surf Championships , performing well in the Australian titles and the World Pro event for blind surfers in Byron Bay.The Championships feature competitors from around the world with various disabilities, including those who are in wheelchairs, amputees or people who are visually impaired.Fox secured second place in both the Australian titles and the World Championships, but he said the event for him was less about the competition and more about connecting with others who share similar life experiences.“There aren’t too many people surfing blind, so it’s great to catch up with them and have a chat. It’s also interesting to surf in an event where people are speaking different languages, but we all share the same common interest,” Fox said.“There’s just such a great vibe at the competition. Everyone is excited to be involved. It’s a really positive event – professional, yes, but without that cutthroat feel. Everyone is supportive, and there’s lots of cheering for each other as we all give it a go.”Fox surfs with a guide who helps direct him on the beach and calls him onto waves. “Then, we just paddle in, and from there, I’m on my own, surfing,” he added.Though Fox’s vision has only deteriorated over the last eight years, he’s always been a surfer, and losing his sight was never going to stop him.“I feel at home in the water,” he said. “It’s just natural to me. You can hear the waves coming, so you know where to go. "And when you’re on the wave, you can feel what it’s doing under your feet, so you just follow the energy of the wave.”For those facing similar challenges, Fox offers this advice: “You just have to keep making small changes, take it one step at a time, but always stay positive and get out there to make the most of it.“When you attend an event like this and see people who are completely paralyzed but still surfing with huge smiles on their faces, you realise that anything is possible. "If you're truly committed and want to keep doing it, you can make it happen."

Only one final of the NSW South Coast Junior Regional Titles was able to take place last weekend due to unsafe conditions.Held at Kiama’s Jones Beach on Sunday, Surfing NSW South Coast Regional Director Jo Collinge said the day began quite well.“Although the weather was rainy and windy, the morning started off with plenty of waves and some excellent surfing on display,” Collinge said.Collinge says the 14s, 16s and 18s boys’ heats were particularly impressive with most competitors getting consistently well-scored waves.“A very high quality of surfing was showcased throughout the boys’ heats, with standout performances from Jackson Fraser, Jet Bradley, Bowie Gray, and Lennox Lindsay, all of whom consistently posted excellent scores,” Collinge said.Around midday, the conditions began to deteriorate and the water was deemed unsafe, and as a result only one final was able to go ahead.Photo: Leonie Murphy“The only final that could be held was the Under 14 Girls, with Rubylee Neill taking first place and receiving an Urban Surf voucher, while Abigail Woods claimed runner-up, earning $100 worth of gift vouchers from Natural Necessity and their in-store café, The Perfect Break,” Collinge said.Collinge says the call was made for safety reasons and that the finals will still go ahead at a later date.“Competitors will be advised via Surfing NSW and also through the South Coast Surfing Instagram account.“Thank you to all the judges and crew, particularly water safety, as well as the dedicated parents from up and down the coast who braved the wild weather conditions.“Special shout-out to natural necessity who kindly and generously donated over $1000 worth of prizes for the event. It will be a big finals day and worth coming down to watch,” Collinge added.Photo: Leonie Murphy

When you sit down to hear from Andrew Wilson, the historian at Kiama Golf Club, about the history of the course, his passion for Kiama and its history is immense.Andrew turned up for his interview with The Bugle holding a portable filing cabinet filled with hundreds of documents, as well as a laptop. “People value the history of the golf club, and it’s important to make its most significant parts accessible to everyone,” says Andrew.To celebrate the club's 90th anniversary (at Minnamurra), Andrew thought it was about time more people knew about the history, not just of this particular piece of land, but of a sport and a way of life for Kiama residents.The story begins in 1903: a nine-hole links course was laid out at Chapman Point in Kiama, spanning the paddocks of local residents Mrs Caird, Mr Kendall, and Mr Holden. Thus, the Kiama Golf Club was born.Six years later, Kiama produced a champion woman golfer, Miss Nell Caird, who won the 1909 NSW Ladies' Amateur Championship.In 1916, the golf club ceased operations for reasons that remain unclear. “A photo with rows of army tents spanning the site of the golf course may give us a clue. There is also anecdotal evidence that stray bullets from the rifle range on Kendall’s Beach were a problem,” says Andrew.Nell Caird in 1907. Photo: SuppliedGolf was re-established in Kiama in 1927, the year Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Communist Party, and a new course was laid out at the site of the existing Kiama High School.In 1934, the golf club tried to improve the course and remove the need to crawl under a barbed wire fence after driving from a certain tee. The request was rejected by the Council, and the golf club advertised for persons with land suitable for a new course.Mr Cyril Boyd, a keen golfer who had carved out a few holes on his property in Minnamurra, made land available, leased for 10 shillings per week.Mr Eric Apperley, a renowned amateur golfer and course designer, laid out the new course, and the first competition round was played on 11 August 1934. It was officially opened by WJ Rumble, president of the Suburban and Country Golf Association of NSW, on 16 March 1935.Kiama Golf Club in the 1950s. Photo: SuppliedThe 1935 edition of Golf in Australia praised the course, stating that Mr Rumble was “most eulogistic concerning the course and its designer, the clubhouse and its facilities, and also those responsible for the enterprise.”Andrew has been using Trove to find articles referencing the golf club, as well as reading through old issues of Kiama Independent.“I ended up going through old Kiama Independents - they're on microfilm at the Kiama Library in the family history centre. I started in 1960 because I knew that was around the time they extended the course to 18 holes, and I’m still going through all the 1970s editions now,” says Andrew.Golf continued into the early years of World War II, but by 1943, things were becoming increasingly difficult. The annual meeting in April 1943 reported on problems with the supply of golf balls and machinery parts for the greenkeeper.The course in 1982. Photo: SuppliedThe associates’ annual meeting in November 1943 reported on the “non-attendance of associates” and that, “There is no doubt that the lack of interest is due to the times through which we are passing.”Golf was discontinued at the club from 1943 to 1946 and at the annual meeting in July 1946, it was reported that: “The meeting decided that an effort should be made to have the course in a condition to commence play on 1st September.”It is not clear whether the 1 September date was achieved, but a golf event staged at the Kiama links on 20 October was reported in the local press. The event involved players from Berry, Gerringong, Nowra, Port Kembla, and Kiama. The main event was won by Cyril Boyd with a net 73.Sorting through anecdotal stories, beliefs, and occasional false information about the golf course has been a challenge for Andrew. “You get a lot of conflicting reports, so you really have to check your information. For example, the club celebrated 100 years of golf in 2005. At the time, the earliest known record of golf in Kiama was from 1905, although we now know that the golf club started in 1903,” says Andrew.The 1984 flooding. Photo: SuppliedIn 1961, Kiama Golf Club’s first 18-hole course was completed under the guidance of Al Howard. The course incorporated seven of the 9 greens from the old course. Only the 8th (now 3rd) hole remained unchanged.The first game was played on Saturday, 21 October 1961, and a new course record of 72 was set by club champion Laurie Kelley. That score was bettered by Bill Peck two weeks later with 69, and he backed it up with a 67 the following week.In 1963, the annual meeting authorised the committee to raise £40,000 to build a new clubhouse. There was a debate over whether the club should enter into an arrangement with Millers Brewery, which was prepared to finance the building, subject to their beer being sold exclusively at the club.Andrew Wilson. Photo: SuppliedA majority of the club members were not fond of Millers beer, and so the option was declined. Instead, funds were raised by issuing debentures. Clubhouse extensions costing £15,000 were opened in November 1966.In the late 1970s, treated sewage from the new subdivision at Gainsborough became available for the course. Members were levied $40 each to cover the cost of a fully automated fairway watering system. A large batch of low-priced Radiata Pine seedlings was procured and planted.The clubhouse was renovated in 1983 and the course was flooded the following year before a number of greens were rebuilt during the 1990s. The last 15 years have seen the pine trees reach maturity and start to die off, one by one. The greens staff now spend a large part of their winters removing dead trees, which are being replaced with mostly brush box. Stage 1 of clubhouse renovations was completed in 2015. Stage 2 is due to start shortly. The Kiama golf course managed to stay open for all but a few days during the COVID-19 pandemic and the club ended 2024 with 984 playing members.The history of Kiama Golf Club illuminates the stories, passions and interests of generations of Kiama residents as well as shaping the identity of Kiama Golf Club and its place in the town’s heart.

Kogarah's Netstrata Jubilee Stadium or Gerringong's Michael Cronin Oval? When the Dragons recorded their first win of the season last Saturday against the Melbourne Storm, you could have been forgiven for confusing the two.Three Gerringong Lions juniors - Tyran Wishart, Hamish Stewart and debutant Dylan Egan - took to the field for the closely fought 14-8 Dragons win.Egan seemed right at home in his debut NRL game playing 49 minutes off the bench with four tackle breaks and 34 tackles including a barnstorming run at a crucial moment in the game which led to a penalty and, ultimately, the try that sealed the game.“It was definitely a dream come true,” Egan said. “I definitely had nerves and butterflies, but overall I was just really excited to get out there.”Once it was announced earlier in the week that Egan would make his debut after being an unused reserve for the Dragons’ first two matches, he was flooded with messages of support to the point where he had to put the phone down to focus on preparations for the game.“I decided not to reply to any messages from Thursday on and just started focusing on what I had to do for the team."The older boys and coaching staff showed a lot of confidence in me, which gave me a lot of belief in myself too."From then on, Egan says the whole week felt like a highlight reel. “From the moment you’re told you're going to debut, to telling your family and friends, to the jersey presentation, and then running out onto the field for the first time. The whole week was unreal.”The Dragons managed to break their duck for the season against the Storm, but it wasn’t convincing in the slightest - only leading by six points for the final 13 minutes.Dylan Egan. Photo: Game Face PhotographyEgan admits he was all nerves and adrenaline until the very last moment.“There was a minute to go and we had a fresh set of six and at that point I pretty much knew that we won the game. That was definitely a highlight,” says Egan.His fellow Gerringong Lions teammate Hamish Stewart, who debuted in round one this season, says it was an honour to get to share the stage with such a close friend.“To run out with Dylan was so surreal, we've played together from U6s in Gerringong, right through the Steelers pathways and now together in the NRL."I love playing with Dylan and so does everyone that plays with him, he's all effort and competes on everything. He's the ultimate teammate,” Stewart said.Stewart made 24 tackles in his 30 minutes on the field and many of those were made with the help of Egan or vice versa.The other Gerringong Lion, Tyran Wishart, may have come away with the loss but was pivotal in Melbourne’s only try, in addition to making 151 run metres and 22 tackles.Photo: Game Face PhotographyEgan believes the dominance of Gerringong in the NRL is due to the passion fostered in the small town.“There’s just a huge love for footy in Gerringong. You’ll go up to the footy field on any afternoon, and there are always kids kicking the ball and playing footy against each other. It’s a great environment to grow up in,” Egan said.The Dragons will face the Eels on Saturday at Parramatta and both Egan and Stewart have retained their spots in the Dragons' 17.

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The Jamberoo Superoos are aiming for a fresh start in 2025 after a last year’s challenging season, in which they won only two of their 16 games.Coach Jono Dallas, returning for his 10th year in charge, took a break from coaching last season but made a brief playing comeback (something he maintains won’t happen in 2025) and says he’s now fully focused on leading the team back to success.Dallas believes the team has strengthened with a mix of new talent and returning players.“There’s a good balance of new and established first graders, which makes a big difference,” he said.“Last year, a lot of guys played more first-grade games than they usually would, which was a positive. It’s good for us now because they’re more accustomed to quality footy.“Adding more quality players this year will only help.”His coaching philosophy prioritises creating a positive, enjoyable environment for the team rather than focusing solely on intense training.A Jamberoo Superoos defender makes a tackle. Photo: Brian Scott“We’re sticking with the approach that’s worked for me - keeping things relaxed and enjoying each other’s company. I’m not saying it’s the only way, but it’s been effective for us,” Dallas said.“The key for me has always been that if the boys are happy, I’m happy. “When players aren’t enjoying themselves, that’s when things start to drop off. So honestly the ultimate thing for me is that they generally enjoy themselves and commit to the footy club, whether it be social nights and functions and all the things that come along with it.”Despite the challenges of 2024, Dallas remains optimistic about the club’s future and is proud of the players who kept pushing through the tough times.“I don’t think the club suffered too much; everyone stayed positive,” he said.“Even though the team didn’t have the depth or quality they needed, they kept competing. “I never saw them give up. Injuries and unavailability will happen, but we’re working on building more depth to cover that.”Dallas is focused on improving the results, not just being competitive.“I want to win. My goal is to have a winning season. It’s not enough to just try hard - first-grade football is about winning. I don’t like walking off the field after a loss thinking ‘well, they tried hard’. You need to win games.”The Jamberoo Superoos will play their first match of the Group Seven season against the Kiama Knights on 6 April at Kiama Showground.

Dylan Egan is the toast of St George Illawarra after the Gerringong forward made a barnstorming NRL debut in Saturday’s upset win over competition favourites Melbourne.Egan came off the bench at Kogarah and played 49 quality minutes, making several strong runs and pulling off some powerful hits on his Storm opponents.He made four tackle breaks and got through 34 tackles in a performance which caught the eye of co-captain Damien Cook.The former Illawarra Steelers SG Ball Cup captain was not the only Gerringong product on the field with teammate Hamish Stewart also playing strongly in just his third NRL game while Tyran Wishart started at halfback for Melbourne."I was excited to watch him debut, just seeing how hard he works at training," Cook said."I didn't know anything about him before getting to the Dragons (this season). “But he's an effort-based player, all the boys love him in the team as well and he never lets anyone down."And that's one of the best debuts I've seen from a young guy, too. He came in against a quality side in Melbourne. In the end, getting that penalty was definitely a big reason why we could close it out."St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan was equally impressed with the 20-year-old second-rower."He is going to have a long future in the NRL, he trains so hard, he knows his footy, he moves well. His determination and attitude is top shelf, so a long career for Dylan Egan," he said.Egan was swamped by a huge group of family and friends when he walked over to the Kogarah hill after the game with many of them wearing T-shirts adorned with his name and photos to celebrate the occasion.

Kiama Oztag took seven Kiama Phantoms representative teams to the Oztag State Cup in Coffs Harbour from last weekend , with the Senior Mixed Opens team making it to the quarter-finals before bowing out.The Kiama Phantoms entered teams in the omen’s 20s, Men’s 20s, Mixed Opens, Men’s 30s, Men’s 40s, and, for the first time ever, a Women’s 37s side - something Kiama Oztag coordinator Keiron Duncan described as “unreal”.“It’s amazing to see women deciding to play representative tag in their 30s. It just proves that it’s never too late to start,” Duncan said.Duncan said while all teams were competitive, the state competition is about more than just winning.“For a small association like ours, it’s important to get away and enjoy the experience. It’s about having fun with your mates and making lifelong friends. When you walk around the fields and catch up with people you haven’t seen in a long time, that’s what makes it special,” he said.The senior mixed team. “You get to have a beer, socialise, and enjoy the friendly rivalry. Winning is great, but it’s the mateship and camaraderie that really make the experience worthwhile.”Duncan is in New Zealand with several other Kiama locals who are representing Australia in the Australian Tagaroos.“I don’t even know the exact number, but the local talent here in New Zealand is amazing. Local Paul Emerson has also been named as the Australian Tagaroos ambassador for the tournament, which is fantastic,” he added.He encourages people of all ages to try out representative competitions, stressing that they are truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences - and as the Women’s 37s team proves, it’s never too late to get involved.“I don’t know anyone who’s participated, whether junior or senior, and hasn’t had a positive experience. Especially with our association, we’re doing things right and creating an environment where everyone can compete while having fun. Whether you’re 10 or 40, I recommend giving it a go,” says Duncan.

Local tennis player Ellen Perez returned to Kiama earlier this week to fine-tune her game after flying in from Florida.The 29-year-old from Shellharbour, who is 15th in the world in the women’s doubles rankings, was bundled out of the WTA tournament in Miami at the Round of 32 stage.Along with her new doubles partner Jelena Ostapenko, they were seeded fourth at the tournament. They won the first set 6-4, lost the second 6-2 then bowed out 10-7 in a third-set tie-break to American duo Peyton Stearns and Ekaterina Alexandrova. Ostapenko, from Latvia, has had a career-high world ranking of No.5 in singles.Perez, who was born in Wollongong and learned how to play the sport as a junior with the Oak Flats Tennis Club, has reached 162 in the world in singles and the seventh ranking in doubles.Joe Moseley and Ellen Perez at Kiama.Her earlier than expected exit from the WTA tournament in Miami gave her an opportunity to quickly return home to see her parents John and Mitsi, and family.She also took the opportunity to catch up with her local hitting partner Joe Moseley, the Kiama Tennis Club coach, who was able to put her through her paces in a very solid workout.Perez has been selected in the Australian team coached by Sam Stosur for the Billie Jean King Cup, formerly known as the Fed Cup. She will be joined by Maya Joint, Ajla Tomljanovic, Storm Hunter and Kim Birrell to compete in Group D of the competition at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane on 10 April. After a short family visit, she travelled to Melbourne for training with the team before their first match against Kazakhstan and then Colombia.By David Graham

A record number of young surfers will take to the water at the NSW South Coast Junior Regional Titles at Jones Beach on Sunday, 30 March.Forty-eight surfers from Kiama, Gerringong, Ulladulla, and Culburra boardriders clubs, ranging in age from under 12 to 18, will compete at the Junior Titles.Jo Collinge, South Coast Regional Director for Surfing NSW, says the event provides an excellent opportunity for young surfers to kickstart their competitive careers."It's a fantastic entry-level competition. Many of the kids will have done boardriders before, so they’re familiar with the heat format. But in those events, the atmosphere is often more relaxed, and the competition rules aren't strictly enforced. For many, this will be their first serious competition - a chance to experience what it’s like to compete against some of the best surfers in the region,” says Collinge.Successful competitors at the Junior Titles will advance to the State Titles in Coffs Harbour in June, with the opportunity to progress further to the Australian Titles.A competitor at last year's Junior Regional Titles. Photo: Leonie MurphyLast year, three girls from the region made it all the way to the Australian Titles. Collinge expects the under-16s and under-18s girls’ divisions to be particularly competitive this year.“We’ve got a really strong group of girls in the region. Lani Cairncross made a great showing at the NSW state titles last year. Lucy Darragh recently won her age group for Surfing NSW, and Alice Hodgson is another name to watch. It's going to be exciting,” says Collinge.While a small swell is forecasted for Jones Beach on Sunday, Collinge is hopeful that the larger swells predicted for next week will arrive early.A competitor at last year's Junior Regional Titles. Photo: Leonie Murphy"The primary location is Jones Beach, but we have backup spots at Bombo, Werri, and Surf Beach. The exact location will depend on the conditions, and we’ll announce it on the surfingsouthcoast Instagram account. Everyone is welcome to come down and watch,” says Collinge.Surfing NSW South Coast is a not-for-profit organisation seeking local business sponsors to help continue supporting surfers in the region and enable them to reach their full potential."We really encourage surfers of all abilities to have a go and get involved. It's a great way to see what competitive surfing is all about and decide if it's something you'd like to pursue. At a young age, there’s still plenty of time to become a high-performance surfer,” says Collinge."Many surfers who started at the regional titles have gone on to compete in the Qualifying and Challenger Series."Collinge praised Gerringong's Natural Necessity Surf Shop who donated prizes for the winners of the competition at the last minute. "We are stoked and so grateful for their last minute support," she says.Spectators can watch the action live at the beach, and the heat draw and live scores will be available on Liveheats. If you're interested in supporting Surfing NSW South Coast, get in touch at [email protected].

Yet another former Gerringong Lions junior is hitting the big time in the NRL with young second-rower Dylan Egan making his debut for St George Illawarra on Saturday against Melbourne.The 20-year-old forward will line up on the interchange bench alongside his childhood friend Hamish Stewart with another Gerringong product, Tyran Wishart, starting at halfback for the Storm.It’s a proud day for the Group Seven club and it comes after Egan also signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday.The new deal will keep him at the club until the end of the 2027 season.St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan said Egan deserves his crack at first grade after impressive performances in the junior representative ranks and at NSW Cup level.“Dylan has been on a path towards NRL for a long time and it’s great to be able to both extend his contract at the club and give him an NRL debut at the same time,” Flanagan said.Dylan Egan playing for Gerringong. Photo: Game Face Photography“He’s a local junior who has come right through our pathways and Academy system.“As a player he’s got a big motor and can play on an edge or in the middle.“He’s got a great work ethic and a smart approach to his game and we’re really pleased to be able to extend his time at the club.”Egan played two seasons of Harold Matthews Cup and two seasons of SG Ball Cup with Illawarra.He was the captain of Illawarra's SG Ball outfit in 2023 and made the leap up to Jersey Flegg and the NSW Cup later that year.In 2024, the 20-year-old played in 1871 of a possible 1,920 minutes at Knock-On Effect NSW Cup level making 849 tackles – the highest among all Dragons and third in the competition – at near 96 per cent efficiency whilst tallying 11 line breaks and 45 tackle breaks.Egan captained Kiama High School’s open rugby league side to a grand final win in the NSW State Combined High Schools competition, the University Shield, in 2022.The Kiama High team in 2022.He was also named player of the tournament.After being mobbed by teammates when it was announced that he would be tackling the Storm this weekend, Egan called his mum to let her know the good news.“It means a lot to me and my family. And I’m just keen to go and do you proud on the weekend, hopefully,” he said.“It’s the club I grew up supporting and I’m very excited to put the jersey. Watching Hamish in Round 1 too, I know how much it means and I’ll try and do the same.”

Parenthood certainly agrees with Gerringong’s Reuben Garrick after the Manly centre enjoyed a bumper weekend after switching from the maternity ward to the NRL field.Garrick and his fiancee, Riley Wishart, welcomed their daughter Elsie into the world on Saturday before he had to back up the following day to play for the Sea Eagles against Canberra in their Round 3 clash at 4 Pines Park in Brookvale.Despite the unusual build-up to the match, Garrick put in a starring display as Manly registered a resounding 40-12 win.He scored the opening try of the match before adding another one just before half-time.The 27-year-old speedster touched down two more times in the second half as the home side ran away with the match. Garrick also booted six conversions from seven attempts for a personal points tally of 28, the second highest of his career.After rising through the ranks at the Lions, he played for the Steelers and St George Illawarra in the NSW Cup for a couple of years before he was signed by Manly in 2019.Garrick made his NRL debut that year, playing 26 matches in his rookie season, and has chalked up 139 appearances in the maroon and white.His four-try effort against the Raiders lifts his career tally to 82 and with 1214 points to his name, Garrick has already risen to third in Manly’s list of all-time scorers.Garrick is likely to pass former premiership-winning captain Jamie Lyon (1410) in the next year while he is a chance to overhaul club legend Graham Eadie’s record of 1917 which has stood for more than 40 years.The 28 points he put on the Green Machine was not quite the best of his time in the NRL - he notched 30 from three tries and nine goals in a 58-18 win over the Dolphins two years ago."What a 24 hours, huh?" Manly coach Anthony Seibold said when asked about Garrick’s busy weekend. "It's a great experience for him and Riley as first-time parents. I think he can be a really elite centre and a great goal-kicker." Garrick will line up at centre again at Brookvale this Sunday when Manly are red-hot favourites to continue their hot start to the season against the winless Parramatta Eels in a clash between two of the NRL’s longest rivals.

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