We were on holiday and my son is a keen aquarist , so of course we dropped in with little expectations . Wow . This might be a small store in relation to aquarium shops we visit in Sydney and other large centres , but they definitely had a range of fish to rival , as well as a large range of products. All of the tanks were well maintained , there was a good selection of tropical and saltwater fish . Prices were marginally higher than Sydney stores , but this is to be expected. The staff were really friendly and happy for us to browse . And, guess what my son spent all his holiday money , on products not fish .there was a range of products that were at least 50% off including a CO2 system , genuine bargains on great products . Just couldn't pass up the bargain . Definitely worth a look whether you are an enthusiast or just starting up . Drop by if you live up this way or are just passing through , you might just be surprised.

Both theatres here are fabulous spaces . The larger theatre usually showing bigger shows that are travelling around the country . Every year the Sydney Theatre Co. visits as does the Bangarra Dance company .We are so lucky to have such a fantastic facility here in the Illawarra . International acts regularly perform as well . IPAC also strongly supports the local theatre scene mentoring people in all aspects of theatre craft . I have been to dress rehearsals for a gold coin donation. Season tickets are very reasonable and much cheaper than Sydney . I have friends who are theatre lovers and they come down from Sydney , because it is easier than battling the Sydney traffic they love the theatre , and really enjoy the relaxed vibe . There is a bar and cafe and sometimes live music. The best way to know what is going on is to become friends of the IPAC you will get emailed about what's happening and there are sometimes early bird discounts. The annual Treasures From The Vault is always a cutting edge cabaret style show featuring some of our talented youth. Parking is usually available within walking distance , but arrive a bit earlier to soak up the vibe , have a drink and a quick nibble .

My son had fallen behind at school because of poor eyesight , which had been resolved with the help of a behavioural optometrist . But , he needed some extra tuition that he was just not getting at school. We went and saw Sally at Number works n words , she did an assessment on him at no cost , and was able to assess where he needed help . There was no pressure , we were shown examples of other students work and there progress over a few months. The cost is very good value for the attention your child gets. They work on computers in groups of max 4 students . A tutor is always there looking over there shoulder . Students are rewarded at regular intervals with a quick game . A portion of the lesson is one on one and the programme works with the current school syllabus including NAPLAN testing. Regular competitions are run with great prizes . There is a big emphasis on building students confidence . Once our son got his confidence back ,he excelled. He is now at high school and one of the top students in his year. Without the extra tutoring , I know he would not be where he is today . He was always happy to go to Number Works N Words . Sally is so warm and friendly and takes a real interest in not only each each student , but there family as well . There are all sorts of reasons that kids sometimes need a bit of extra help and unfortunately the school system both Public and Private doesn't always pick up on this. Sally hand picks her tutors who are often university students and the kids really respond to there youth and energy. If we need to get some extra help at sometime in the future , I wouldn't consider going anywhere else . If your curious it is well worth going along for the free assessment to see where your child is .

Joined this bank when we first moved to the area . Have an old fashioned passbook account that we purely use for small savings , unexpected bills and holidays. We really appreciate being able to bank the old fashioned way and not having an ATM card means we are not tempted to dip into the account unless we really need to . The staff are so friendly and it just makes us feel part of the community . My husband and I really appreciate the way the Bendigo puts money back into the communities there in . My young son also has an account without fees and is learning how to save . The staff always treat him as an individual with respect , even though he still needs my signature. It reminds me of how banking used to be , when we were all treated as respected customers and the tellers remember who you are . It is so important that we keep our banks in our communities . Thank you to all of the staff at Oak Flats for your smiles and service to me and my family and the wider community .

I would not pay for an item on the Internet any other way . I trust that all my banking details are safe , and are reassured by the insurance that covers each transaction . Did purchase an item on eBay that never turned up , PayPal resolved the matter with out any problems . I did used PayPal resolution service all communication was kept , a full refund was given without any problem and felt good knowing that PayPal would be taking further action with the seller so nobody else , would find themselves in the same predicament . When you use PayPal you get piece of mind . It has made me confident about my security when making purchases on the net . As far as I am concerned there is no other way to shop .

Have used Bevans for free valuations and advice . With there expertise we were able to sell our house at the right time and got a higher price than what we were expecting . They were great with suggestions on how to get the house ready for sale and someone was always available to take the time to listen to our queries . It felt like we had the whole team working for us , not just one agent concerned about there own commission. After one open house we had two offers on the table , got our asking price and everything progressed smoothly . The Bevans team took all the stress out of the process , professional and caring service . Unfortunately they did not have a house for us to buy and we ended up buying our next house with a nationwide chain , who just did not meet the same standards . Bevans staff always keep their appointments , let you know what's going on every step of the way , charge a fair honest rate and their advertising is top notch . Happy with where we are now , but if we do move they would be our number one choice . Highly recommended.

The only place I go buy meat from . Can buy a whole sirloin for around $50 - $60 , they will slice it to your desired thickness at no extra charge . Also , have every other cut . The prices are sometimes half what you would pay at another butchers . They obviously sell a high volume of produce for it to be this cheap . Have never had anything but the highest quality meat . You can have a barbecue and afford to serve up steak rather than just sausages . They do make there own sausages on the premises in a variety of flavours. I always get my Christmas ham here , they smoke it and you can get it the old fashioned way in the net. Illawarra Smallgoods also sell chicken , a range of pasta , juice , milk , eggs and you can even get a loaf of bread . Staff are really friendly and helpful . Really busy around Christmas and Easter , can buy whole lambs , will take orders . Open 6 days a week .

Not just the best tattooists in the Illawarra , but the Rand family are known as some of the best tattooists in Australia . Dave does really beautiful traditional Japanese sleeves , his son Chris can do just about anything and his colour work is amazing . Chris's wife is also a tattooist and did a really beautiful half sleeve for me , which I get compliments on everyday . They do great Tribal work as well as custom designs at no extra cost . Sue Rand is an amazing artist and does a lot of design and will spend a lot of time on research and coming up with the perfect piece of art for you . It can take a few months to get an appointment , but this just shows how popular they are . I would be suspicious of any tattooist that can you fit you in right away . This is a piece of art you will have on you for the rest of your life . They meet all the required health regulations for both tattooing and piercing . The environment is spotlessly clean , plenty of work to look at , and friendly service . Amazing tattooists without the attitude you often get in other places . I think because it is a family business it is a relaxed atmosphere , as well as being very professional . These guys are at the top of there game and people travel from all over Australia to get ink done here. You will often see there work in Tattoo magazines . The Rand family are all amazing . Not into piercings myself but cannot imagine that they would hire anyone that did not meet there standards .

Have a wide selection of gear for all types of fishing. Close to the lake which is a big bonus , if you are out fishing and need something. Always happy to share information and current local activity . Fresh , live bait available , much better than the frozen stuff from the servo . If you only want a few dollars worth that is what you get . Did I mention they also sell kayaks at reasonable prices. Once every year they run a competition where they tag a fish and the lucky angler wins a boat . Unfortunately , can't get any info out of the staff about where the fish was caught and tagged , will keep trying . Thanks Deans your a big part of fishing on Lake Illawarra and hope you will be around for years to come .

I don't even consider going anywhere else for a cake whether it's for a birthday , anniversary , baby shower or just because I feel like indulging . They also have a folder full of ideas for cakes for every celebration and size including wedding cakes . I have a nephew who is gluten intolerant and they do a gluten free chocolate cake that is divine . Besides the incredible cakes , they also do a number of savoury pies and quiches . There is also a small cafe so you can indulge in a coffee and a slice of cake or one of the slices or small cakes on offer . If this isn't enough there is an array of handmade chocolates . For the quality of the products I think Zweefers is very good value for money and because of this I have a number of friends and family in Sydney who get me to get cakes for them . No where in Sydney can beat the quality at there prices . Looking forward to the next birthday .