Wonwin, or where shells lie

A suburban outing, of getting the marketing and groceries done on a lazy weekend afternoon, turned out to be special in Shellharbour on the South Coast Coast of New South Wales.

I aimed to buy prawns and salmon, followed by some fruits like mandarins and plums, and then come home fast. I planned to spend the least time as posible on clearing what was seen as shopping chore and was more looking forward to clear my garage of stored stuff and get the evening cooking done. Then I saw the extraordinary cuts of chicken fillets, the bright orangy salmon streaks and the extra friendly air of shop assistants who need not be so cheerful on this Sunday afternoon.

Wonwin, the Aboriginal name for Shellharbour, has a seafront and an inland shopping centre nestled amongst the houses built on hilly slopes overlooking the ocean. The coastal views offer sea kelp on its rocky outcrops and sandy beaches, apart from the abundance of shells that give the place its English name. The inland shopping precinct offers medium sized retail outlets without a department store to dominate. The variety of servicess and products offered retain a possibly village atmosphere without the overbearing impersonalness of some Sydney shopping malls.

There is no parking problem, whether by the coast with its cafes and surf lifestyle, or in the compact shopping centre inland. You can get deep fried chicken wings from an Amercian fast food chain as easily as ponder over whether you should get that article from a homewares shop. There are multiple-hall cinemas, a lively food court and two mainstream grocery chain outlets.

I bumped into a dear ex-colleague, one who has provided the right balance of inspiration and challenge at work, even when I thought he had moved on to Canberra, three hours drive away.
And yes, I did get the seafood and fruits on my shopping list. There was no sense of impacting crowdedness, and when I drove out of Shellharbour to go home, there were wide open skies, vistas of green slopes, mountains in the horizon and the whiff of ocean breeze. And I could not be bothered to clear my garage when I got home that Sunday evening.