Upcoming activities and events in Sutherland Shire

The Bee Garden and Clubhouse is located behind Sutherland Basketball Stadium, in Eton Street south.

There will be information sessions, kids corner, honey tasting and sales, a sausage sizzle and opportunities to suit up and get close to the bees.

President of Illawarra Beekeepers, Neal Robinson, said protective suits were available for people of all ages, from toddlers to adults.

"We get a lot of inquiries about keeping bees in the backyard, and this is a good opportunity to see what's involved and have questions answered," he said.

Mr Robinson estimates there are about 200 backyard bee keepers in Sutherland Shire and St George.

"Private beekeepers are most important for the bees," he said.

"There's a bit more involved these days with things like Varroa mite, but that's like a lot of things in life such as what's required in having a dog compared with the past."

The Family Co is hosting its annual fundraising dinner on October 13 to raise much needed funds for vulnerable families and children.

The Family Co has been helping families, women and children in Sutherland Shire for more than 36 years, with parenting support and education, child development and attachment, family communication and conflict, and domestic violence support.

Assisting more than 15,000 people each year across the shire and St George, The Family Co is calling on the community and businesses to get behind its gala, which will be held at Founders Room, Cronulla.

"Over the last few years we've had unprecedented demand for our services, and with government funding only partially covering our operating costs, we rely on community and local business support and donations to be able to continue the high level of community and family support and care we provide," The Family Co Chief Executive Ashleigh Daines, said.

"We are delighted that Southern Waters Legal has come on board as our platinum sponsor for this gala event, and welcome them to The Family Co family. For this event, we also have several other sponsorship packages available for any businesses who would like to follow their lead and get involved."

All funds raised through the evening support The Family Co.'s impactful programs and initiatives.

Details call 9528 2933.

Stardust Circus has received approval to use Miranda Park for 21 days annually for the next five years.

This year's shows will run from Friday September 22 to Sunday October 8.

Sutherland Shire Local Planning Panel, which gave approval, said a circus had been operating at the site under a prior development consent for the past 5 years during a similar time of year without complaint.

Police submitted a letter of non-objection and there were no objections from the public.

A range of conditions, which are normal for such events, including repairing any damage to the site, were attached to the consent.

Mondo Rock bassist Paul Christie (Party Boys and Kevin Borich Express) came up with the idea of calling his Mondo bandmates to discuss his desire to revisit the songs that they all recorded back in the 80s and play them live on stage again.

It was for no other reason than it had simply been too long since these three musicians have had the opportunity to perform together.

The response to the idea was a unanimous yes from Mondo guitarist Eric McCusker (Captain Matchbox) who wrote most of the hits for Mondo Rock and 60 per cent of the Chemistry album, and keyboard player James Black (Men At Work, Black Sorrows, Rockwiz) was also excited to create a show with a difference with his old friends and bandmates.

One of the differences is they will be without Mondo Rock singer, Ross Wilson, who has a very busy solo career. After a few phone calls The Chemistry was conceived.

"The idea of revisiting the time when we made the Chemistry album at the start of the 80s and talking about what happened behind the scenes in the studio really appeals to me and I am happy to get on board to do it," Black said.

"The 70s was a great time in Australian music and in our lives. The collection of musicians that came together to make that album was special. The chemistry was right. It was a time of tape machines and weeks in the studio trying to create something new and distinctive and uniquely Australian.

"At the time we didn't know It was actually the end of an era. Synthesizers were brand new. It was the time before drum machines, auto tune, computers and home recording took over. It was magically exciting to go into the studio. There were always other bands in the studios at the same time and we listened to their records and they listened to ours. Everyone was trying to make good music and to make hits. I remember the time as a great time for us."

"Mondo Rock came together in an unusual way," McCusker said. "Within a year of us all being thrown together we had a hit single and within two years we had four hit singles and a platinum album. It was like a chemical reaction."

Joining the group on drums will be solo performer on The Voice, the Lozz Benson. They will be performing on November 10 at the Brass Monkey Cronulla.