Who We Are

In the year 2000, 76,000 of us live in and call the Blue Mountains home. Some of us are Aboriginal descendants of the people who first inhabited this beautiful part of the world many thousands of years ago.

We are different ages and at different stages of our lives. We live on our own, in partnerships and as part of families, in neighbourhoods, in towns and villages and rural areas. We have a history of being a "City of the Arts" where creative and artistic talent has been nurtured and enjoyed. With our different interests and skills, we all contribute in different ways to a rich, distinctive Blue Mountains culture and diverse community.

Many hundreds of Blue Mountains people work as volunteers for our local organisations, religious and community groups. Several thousand of us have established businesses in the Blue Mountains and are contributing to the economic future of the area.

A few of us give our time and commitment to serve as Councillors and make decisions on behalf of the community that influence our City now and in the future. Over 500 of us work in the Blue Mountains City Council and have special roles and responsibilities in providing services to Blue Mountains people. There are those who, in Federal and State governments, influence the provision of services and infrastructure for Blue Mountains residents and visitors. Many of us, for example our police, our teachers, our health and community workers, work amongst the Blue Mountains community providing services that support our quality of life locally.

Some of us, while not living in the Blue Mountains, build and maintain our Blue Mountains infrastructure; for example our transport infrastructure, our water and sewerage systems, our schools and our hospitals.

There are millions of us who visit the Blue Mountains each year to experience and enjoy our internationally recognised City in a World Heritage National Park.

Many of us have, and still are, taking action to leave the Blue Mountains a better place for our children and their children.

What we value?

In the Community Survey conducted in 2000, the things that Blue Mountains residents liked and valued the most were:

• The Blue Mountains natural environment
• Clean air and a healthy lifestyle
• Strong connected communities
• The uniqueness of the Blue Mountains
• The Mountains village character and lifestyle
• Peace and quiet
• The right to have a say and be involved

In the Community Survey conducted in 2007, Blue Mountains residents were again asked what they most valued about living in the Blue Mountains. The top reasons were:

• The Blue Mountains natural environment
• Community spirit and community values
• The Mountains atmosphere
• Fresh air
• Peace, quiet and tranquility
• Low density and lack of pollution
• The climate
• The Mountains lifestyle

The Community Survey Report for 2007 is available on the Blue Mountains City Council website. Click here to access the report.