South Coast’s top 20 influential people revealed
They play a role in shaping our everyday lives – whether in political arenas, on sporting fields, guiding our youth or protecting our communities. See the full list of the South Coast’s most influential people and find out why they are making an impact in the community.
The South Coast News
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From sports world champions to champions in their fields, whether it be business, politics or community campaigns, the South Coast has some of Australia’s most inspirational, forward-thinking and down-to-earth characters.
Some have inspired others across the globe and some have had a profound impact in the day-to-day lives of many in their communities.
The South Coast News is celebrating 20 of the most influential people who have made an impact and are game-changes in one of the most beautiful places in the world.
1. Turia Pitt
The wonder woman from Milton-Ulladulla is an inspiration for people across the globe through her sheer willpower to overcome incredible adversity.
In 2011, age 24, Turia was an ex-model, fitness junkie and successful mining engineer when she was caught in a freak firestorm while competing in a 100km ultra-marathon in Western Australia. She was choppered out of the remote desert barely alive, with full thickness burns to 64 per cent of her body.
Surviving against overwhelming odds is the least of her achievements.
Turia has gone on to thrive in the ultimate story of triumph over adversity.
The best-selling author and influencer, with almost one million Instagram followers, is one of Australia’s most adored women.
While her brand and story has gone international, she has never forgotten her South Coast roots.
In the aftermath of the ‘black summer’ bushfires Turia and a friend used her social influence to encourage people to Spend With Them after the terrible summer.
2. Terry Snow
Widely-hailed as one of Australia’s richest men, Terry Snow is more than just a businessman. His Capital Airport Group acquired a 99-year lease of the airport and Brindabella Business Park in the late ’90s, but it’s his late-found love of equestrian and horses that has lead to the realisation of a vision which is putting Bawley Point on the international stage.
Snow opened Willinga Park in 2017. The facilities at Willinga Park have set out to be world-class.
The facility was developed to include an equestrian centre with three Olympic-sized dressage arenas, showjumping fields and a campdrafting arena.
While Willinga Park aims to attract the best eventing, campdrafting and showjumping competitors from Australia and the rest of the world, more recently the well-manicured park was the evacuation point for many animal owners and their four-legged friends as the Currowan blaze threatened the Bawley Point, Kioloa and Termeil communities in December 2019.
Snow and his staff have been praised for their efforts in protecting the small coastal communities.
3. Philip Cox
Dr Phillip Cox is one of Australia’s greatest architectural minds who has helped designed some of the country’s most iconic buildings.
These are predominantly public buildings, and include Sydney Convention Centre, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sir John Monash Centre in Villers Bretonneux, France, the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne and the Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park.
While lauded for his work that has spanned more than half a century, Cox has recently had a hand in bringing some of the South Coast’s infrastructure into the 21st century.
His contributions in Bermagui include the design for the Fishermen’s Wharf for the Fishing Coop, the Sound Shell for Four Winds and the redesign of the town’s Woolworths with support from Bega Valley Shire Council.
Cox also opens his coastal retreat ‘Thubbul” near the Murrah, south of Bermagui, for the town’s Sculpture Bermagui art festival.
Cox recently told News Corpthe property was purchased with conservation in mind.
“While NSW people tended to drift north in search of escape, there was very little drift south,” he said.
“The far South Coast was pretty much the playground of the Melbourne rich.
“Bermagui is a beautiful place. It has been largely forgotten and unsubdivided.
“From a selfish point of view I’m happy with that.”
4. Barry Irvin
The Bega Cheese chairman has overseen huge growth in the dairy company based on the state’s Far South Coast.
Under Irwin’s watch since 2000, Bega has grown from a small regionally-based dairy company to now the third largest dairy company in Australia, supplying a large range of dairy and grocery products in Australia and around the world.
In 2008, Barry was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for contributions to children with disability and the Australia dairy industry.
He has been the chairman of Giant Steps, an organisation providing services to children and young adults since 2002.
Barry has also received the NAB Agribusiness Leader of the Year and the Rabobank Leadership Award.
5. Mark Williams
Shoalhaven Rural Fire Service manager Superintendent Mark Williams has helped fight fires overseas, but last summer many Shoalhaven residents would have become even more familiar with his face and voice as the Currowan blaze burned for 77 days.
Supt Williams was the leader of countless community meetings across various towns and suburbs in early December and was the voice radio, television and digital media turned to for the latest updates.
As district manager he oversees 36 brigades across the Shoalhaven district.
At the conclusion of the fire season Williams acknowledged the tremendous work from frontline staff to the essential services and various agencies who supported the firefighters.
“The 2019/2020 Bush Fire Season has been horrific, with significant impact in the Shoalhaven and across the state. I would like to acknowledge the extremely hard work and outstanding effort by all involved, be it from front line firefighters through to the essential support services and other agencies who all came together to combat the incident,” he said.
“I would also like to acknowledge the community who not only adhered to the advice and warnings that were issued but also have shown amazing support of our firefighters.”
6. Greg Moore
Superintendent Greg Moore took command of South Coast Police last September.
He joined the NSW Police Force in October 1987 and was initially stationed in the Ashfield area performing general duties. He spent four years in general duties before moving into an investigator’s role in Sydney’s inner west.
Supt Moore continued to investigate serious crime as a detective in Sydney until 2003, before transferring to Bourke in the state’s Far North West with his newborn twins and wife, Maggie. He spent time at Richmond and Bourke local area commands before returning to the coast.
His first year has thrown some unexpected challenges as most of his command area was swamped by bushfires for almost three months, before flooding and COVID-19 pandemic.
“It comes with the territory,” he says.
Since moving to one of the “most desirable” places in NSW, Supt Moore has drawn up a plan of attack to drive down domestic violence rates and engage the area’s young people.
“There’s higher than (average) rates of domestic violence on the South Coast and higher unemployment, so two areas of focus we had were domestic violence and youth engagement,” he said.
“As a district command team, we’ve set ourselves our targets of lowering rates (of DV) and lowering rates of repeat offenders, or victims.”
Supt Moore says they’re approaching their goals in a holistic way by engaging with relevant agencies and local leaders in specific towns.
One successful example is guiding vulnerable young people to work with traditional fire knowledge alongside the RFS and NPWS he says.
The goal is to see both good outcomes for the young people and wider community’s fire protection.
“Over the summer period we saw really good outcomes. COVID has slowed us up a bit, but we will get back to more when we can.”
7. Magistrate Doug Dick
In February, Magistrate Doug Dick clocked up 45 years in the justice system – 26 years on the bench and 19 in the registry.
Magistrate Dick currently sits at six courts including Batemans Bay, Moruya, Narooma, Bega, Eden and Bombala. But throughout his career, he’s worked at more than 60 courthouses.
“I never get sick of the success stories. It‘s a bit like the golfers who get got a hole-in-one, they keep coming back to the course every week to see if he can repeat that feat,” he said.
Magistrate Dick was the driving force behind the introduction of Circle Sentencing in NSW in 2002, which is designed to break down barriers between the justice system and Aboriginal communities.
It is an alternative sentencing approach that takes Aboriginal adult offenders out of a traditional courtroom and before a magistrate and circle of elders, as well as the victim, family members, lawyers and police.
A new study by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) released at the end of May found Aboriginal people who participate in Circle Sentencing have lower rates of imprisonment and recidivism than those sentenced in the traditional way.
“Without a doubt, this is the biggest achievement of my life,” Magistrate Dick said.
“Circle sentencing is a recipe for changing offending behaviour. It empowers Aboriginal people to have a say in the sentencing options for indigenous offenders which is a powerful tool in breaking the cycle of recidivism.”
8. Tom Slockee
Aboriginal elder Tom Slockee is a respected former armed forces services, retired pastor and public servant who has helped many people get a roof over their head along the South Coast.
After retiring from the army, Tom settled in Batemans Bay, but after seeing racial prejudice he started Budawang Housing Corporation
Since then he has been sought by the NSW Government to lead the Aboriginal Housing Development Committee (ADC) which was the forerunner the Aboriginal Housing Office (AHO) in NSW. He was the inaugural chairman of both.
As the current chairman of SEARMS, Tom and his colleagues help house people in communities from Nowra to Wallaga Lake and some towns inland.
9. Ossie Cruse
Ossie Cruse is a hardened activist with a heart of gold. A member of the Monaro people, he served for 13 years on NSW’s Aboriginal Advisory Council during the 1970s and ’80s, and was chairman of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council from 1996 to 1999.
At the international level he has served on delegations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government and the United Nations. For his efforts in improving cultural understanding he has been honoured with an MBE and AM.
Last year Uncle Ossie was made a fellow of the University of Wollongong. During the ceremony Professor Paul Chandler said he was “outstanding ambassador for cultural integrity and a passionate supporter of education in our region”.
“Pastor Ossie Cruse has dedicated his life to the advancement of Aboriginal people and the survival and sharing of Aboriginal culture and knowledge, uniting generations in intercultural understanding and respect”.
In Eden, Uncle Ossie is a pastor at the Aboriginal Evangelical Church and continues to realise his dream for a youth camp at Jigamy Farm.
10. Rick Stein
Although a British celebrity chef, Rick Stein helped put the Shoalhaven on foodie’s maps with the opening of his signature restaurant ‘Rick Stein at Bannisters’ in Mollymook.
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, with views toward Point Perpendicular, from Bannisters headland, the destination restaurant has been welcoming guests from all over the world and showcasing fine seafood since he took over the eatery in 2009.
The best-selling author had dreams of opening a restaurant using the best south coast ingredients since he ate Pambula Oysters and flathead in Merimbula in the 1960s.
Since then, he and his wife Sarah have opened another Rick Stein restaurant in Port Stephens.
11. Adam O’Brien
The son of Batemans Bay Tigers club legend Mick O’Brien, Adam has honed his craft under some of the most successful coaches in rugby league.
In 2007, the Batemans Bay boy took up an offer from Arthur to coach the Melbourne under 20s side. After winning a premiership beside Arthur he progressed to become an assistant under club stalwart Craig Bellamy.
In 2017 Bellamy made him a life-member of the Melbourne club.
Last year the former Bay Tigers’ lock/five-eighth took on the role of Roosters attacking coach, under head coach Trent Robinson, winning a premiership.
Now he’s leading the Newcastle Knights’ rise up the premiership ladder beside one rugby league’s best young talents in Kalyn Ponga.
12. Tyler Wright
The two-time world champion surfer from Culburra has seen the highs and lows of professional sport. After back-to-back world titles on the World Surf League tour in 2016 and 2017, her life and career was put on hold due to chronic fatigue syndrome.
She returned to the circuit late last year, but spoke to the to News Corp ahead of her comeback.
The 26-year-old said the nightmare began after she was hit by influenza A and fever while on the surf tour in South Africa in July, 2018.
“When I was in South Africa the doctors sent me home from hospital and said: ‘You‘ll feel better in a couple of days’,” Wright said.
“I ended up being unable to get out of bed for 14 months.”
One of five siblings, Tyler’s brothers Owen and Mikey are radical surfers in their own right reaching the professional ranks over the past decade.
13. Dr Michael Holland
Dr Michael Holland has lead a grassroots campaign for one new hospital to cater for all Eurobodalla residents.
The group attracted over 2700 members and an online petition received 937 signatures in one week.
A formal petition containing 2860 signatures was presented to Bega MP Andrew Constance in 2018 the NSW Government announced it had committed $150 million for a regional hospital.
Since then, the NSW Government has announced a further $50 million for the regional hospital with potential sites located just north or south of the Moruya river and CBD.
Dr Holland, who is based in Moruya, continues to lead the group as it pushes for a level four regional hospital, not just a replacement for the current facilities in Batemans Bay and Moruya.
The ONE – One New Eurobodalla hospital group supports the concept of equitable access to improved emergency, critical care, surgical and obstetric services. The group argues that improved service capability will also result in the attraction and maintenance of GPs, special services, nursing and allied health staff.
Dr Holland also continues to teach undergraduate students from the Australian National University Medical Faculty, John Flynn Scholarship students and students from various universities on elective rotation.
14. Noel Butler
Noel Butler is a man with an extreme depth of knowledge and wisdom about Aboriginal culture and sustainability.
A respected Budawang Elder of the Yuin Nation, he has worked in TAFE, as a mentor and cultural educator for more than 3 decades.
Born and raised in Ulladulla, Uncle Noel has conducted healing ceremonies at Auschwitz II-Birkenau, visited ancient peoples in India and spoken at the World Indigenous Conference.
Currently he and his wife Trish visit schools across Budawang country, teaching about language and customs to the next generation.
15. Karen Murphy
Karen Murphy’s illustrious career on the bowling green makes her one of Australia’s most decorated sportspeople.
The Shoalhaven Heads and Bomaderry High School product donned the green and gold for Australia a record 646 times and bowled at five Commonwealth Games.
Her glistening career included four world championships, one Commonwealth Games gold medal and three silver.
Since retiring in 2019, Murphy has been appointed to co-chair of Commonwealth Games Australia‘s athlete advisory group.
16. Kristy McBain
Former Bega Valley mayor Kristy McBain is now the voice for people in the Eden-Monaro.
The former Bega Valley Shire Councillor decided to step aside from the role as mayor when she nominated to run for Labor at the 2020 by-election.
Just this week, McBain has been officially declared as the Member for Eden-Monaro despite her opponents conceding weeks before. On Monday, the AEC said Ms McBain beat her Liberal rival Fiona Kotvojs by 766 votes.
Ms McBain becomes to the first woman to hold the seat of Eden-Monaro.
17. Liz Innes
Eurobodalla mayor Liz Innes comes from a well-known, community-minded local family who are active in the tourism and hospitality industries
She has lived in the Batemans Bay and surrounding district her whole life, before being elected to council in 2012.
Following a successful stint, Liz was re-elected in 2016 along with taking over as mayor of the Eurobodalla Shire Council from Lindsay Brown.
Liz is active on social media regularly giving updates to ratepayers in the wake of the bushfires and the regular council wrap ups.
18. Amanda Findley
Greens member Amanda Findley became the Shoalhaven mayor after defeating incumbent Joanna Gash on preferences at the 2016 election.
Prior to the election, Findley, born in Northern Ireland, had been an elected official for the past eight years.
Away from the council chambers she operated a family business, had a career in banking and now owns and operates a cattle farm in the Milton area.
19. Tony Rettke
Tony Rettke has been a familiar face wearing the yellow and red at Far South Coast beaches since he joined the surf life saving fraternity in 1982 as a 22 year old.
“I started in the surf club because it was across the road from the hotel we owned,” he said.
He’s been the Far South Coast Branch president for the past decade, but says it‘s the leaders that surround him that make the branch tick.
“As much as it’s a bit of work, I enjoy it, but I have an awesome group of directors around me.”
The Far South Coast Branch encompasses clubs from Batemans Bay to Pambula. Over the summer hundreds of lifesavers put their skills to work assisting authorities with evacuations and assistance over the ‘black summer’ bushfires.
Tony says he still enjoys patrols and recently gave up the title of patrol captain at Tathra.
“It was time blood someone new. We needed new people in charge. Bringing new people in is what I’m passionate about.”
But, what he loves to do is get there early for the Special Nippers of Same Wave program for people with disabilities.
“It’s the most fun I have,” he said.
“I don’t miss out. It’s just a s****load of fun.”
20. Michele Bootes
Bega Valley Shire Council’s 2020 citizen of the year has had a tremendous influence on training many of the Far South Coast’s life savers. While she has had an impact on the people who patrol our beaches, she’s also been a pillar for inclusiveness in the surf life saving community.
The Same Wave program, which provides an opportunity for disabled children and adults to experience the thrill of the ocean, is the brainchild of Pambula local Michele and her husband Peter.
Over the past 20 years Michele and Peter have assisted many clubs around Australia to commence their own programs and there are now more than 60 clubs Australia-wide running programs for people with disability.
In 2010 the program’s name changed from Special Nippers to Same Wave when the age range was extended to include adults as well.
Michele has also trained most of the Pambula Surf Life Saving Club’s current patrol captains and has trained, mentored and coached many more young cadets through their Surf Rescue Certificate, to Bronze Medallion and on to Silver Medallion.