Along with Lady Cosgrove, Sir Peter met a number of Shoalhaven residents at a community morning tea at the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre hosted by Mayor Amanda Findley.

Among those to gain a mention was Mollymook Surf Lifesaving Club legend and life member Ivan Johnson.

Mr Johnson has been a surf lifesaving member for 63 years, 60 of them with the Mollymook Club.

“I started at Black Head on the North Coast before moving south to Mollymook in 1960,” he said.

“I’ve stayed and been a patrolling member ever since.

“It was lovely to meet Sir Peter. It was very good and delightful to meet him in the flesh. He was interested to hear how we were going.

“He was a bit surprised when I told him we have more than 220 members making us one of the strongest country clubs in NSW.”

Sir Peter and Lady Cosgrove also met local student representatives including Takesa Frank and Jacob Webb from Ulladulla High School.

The couple revealed their nephew lives in Ulladulla and had recently played a role as a Rural Fire Service volunteer in the Ulladulla bushfires.

“This area also does not forget Craig Dunn and Danny Lewis whose lives were cut short in the Bali bombings at which time I was Chief of Defence Force,” he said.

“The way they have been honored with a foundation in their names and the youth centre under construction in Ulladulla is superb.”

He also touched on the recent death of helicopter bushfire pilot Allan Tull which he described as “a tragedy” and paid respect to elder Fred Carriage, “who did some marvellous reconciliation work”, who recently passed away.

Mollymook’s Monica Mudge, project manager of the Take 3 For The Sea presented the Governor General with a T-shirt promoting the group. 

Following the civic reception they headed to HMAS Albatross to mark the bases 70th birthday before heading south where they were to enjoy lunch at the Shoalhaven Business of the Year Cupitts Winery before also visiting the Murramarang Men’s Shed.

Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley said it was great to host the Governor General and Lady Cosgrove and was a “fantastic opportunity for so many of our community to meet them.”