Local Sustainability Groups and Organisations
There are many Blue Mountains community groups and organisations working towards sustainability. If you are based in the Blue Mountains and would like your group or organisation listed here please e-mail your details to
Australian Plant Society, Blue Mountains Group www.apsbluemtnsgroup.org
The Australian Plant Society Blue Mountains Group maintain the Glenbrook Native Plant reserve, 2 hectares of lower Blue Mountains native vegetation that includes a heritage species – Baeckia diosmiifolia. A small nursery in the reserve is maintained by volunteers. It specialises in Australian plants and plants indigenous to the Blue Mountains in particular. Every August a seminar on some aspect of the Australian flora is organised and every September there is a Spring Fair displaying native flora.
Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC) Blue Mountains Group
Mission and Vision: The Australian Youth Climate Coalition is building a generation-wide movement to solve climate change. Our alliance combines our forces, leveraging our collective power to create change for a clean, efficient, just and renewable energy future. We inspire, educate, empower and mobilise young Australians to take action on climate change through short-term political impact and long-term cultural change. The Blue Mountains 6 Month Vision:
- To build a large constituency of young people to take part in local and national campaigns and projects.
- To include a diversity of young people from High Schools, Universities, Young professionals and other youth.
- To establish a core group of 8 dedicated organisers.
- To provide education to about climate change and renewable energy to schools and the broader community.
E-mail contact: Phone contact: 0420 652 546
BIZNET www.biznet.org.au
Our Vision - to encourage, support and promote business in the region. To be the 'voice of business' to represent regional interests to government and industry at all levels. E-mail contact:
Blackheath Highway Action Group
The Blackheath Highway Action Group (BAG) - formed to fight against the turning of the Great Western Highway into a heavy freight transport corridor and destroying the economies and environment of the Blue Mountains communities. E-mail contact:
Blue Mountains Aboriginal Cultural and Resource Centre
Offers indigenous people of the Blue Mountains a chance to come together and take part in Koori culture, a place to teach indigenous children their culture and be proud of it, and offers indigenous people a chance to become aware of their culture and 40,000+ year history. It also aims to play a big part in the reconciliation process. Phone contact: 4782 6569
Blue Mountains Bird Observers www.bmbirding.com.au/bmbo/index.html
Blue Mountains Bird Observers is a community group open to all who are interested in the bird life of the Blue Mountains, NSW. We have more than a hundred members, including some expert bird watchers and bird photographers from whom we all learn. E-mail contact:
Blue Mountains Bushcare www.weedsbluemountains.org.au
Bushcare's aim is to promote ecologically sound management of bushland within the City of Blue Mountains by fostering a sense of community responsibility for the natural environment and by supporting the community to enable program objectives to be met.
Blue Mountains Commuters and Transport Users Association www.infobluemountains.net.au/commuters/index.shtml
The Blue Mountains Commuters and Transport Users Association Inc. was reformed in 1983 to represent the needs of commuters in the mountains. We are advocates for all public transport users in the Mountains. We have been active in representing the needs of commuters using all modes of transport.
Blue Mountains Conservation Society www.bluemountains.org.au
This voluntary group of around 880 members is helping to conserve the World Heritage Blue Mountains region in eastern Australia. E-mail contact:
Blue Mountains Food Co-op www.bluemtnsfood.asn.au/home.htm
Provides the community with good quality wholesome food. We aim towards environmental sustainability.
Blue Mountains Fruit and Nut Tree Network http://bmfruitandnuttreenetwork.blogspot.com/
This informal (non-monetary) economy network connects growers and consumers of local fruits and nuts in the Blue Mountains ('Lapstone to Lithgow', NSW, Australia).
Blue Mountains Organic Community Gardens bluemountainscommunitygardens.org
The community garden hosts a local group with a global perspective growing and nurturing earth, plants and people. We aim for ecological and psychological sustainability.
Blue Mountains People for Reconciliation www.nswreconciliation.org.au/sydney-and-surrounds/blue-mountains-people-for-reconciliation
Blue Mountains People for Reconciliation/Blue Moutains ANTaR is a combined group of Mountains residents who support the "Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre" and the "Gundungurra Tribal Council" in the area. E-mail contact: or
Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute www.bluemountainspermacultureinstitute.com.au
The Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute is co-ordinated by Rosemary Morrow and Lis Bastian. It aims to stretch the boundaries of Permaculture to address the needs of a rapidly changing world and to help equip communities with the skills and understandings necessary to adapt to these changes.
Blue Mountains School Environment Network www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/sustainableliving/environmentalinformation/schoolnetwork
The Blue Mountains School Environment Network was launched in Term 3 2005 as a joint initiative of the Sustainable Schools program and the Education for Sustainability program of Blue Mountains City Council. The network meets on the third Wednesday of each term and provides teachers and council with opportunities for staff development and networking on environmental issues. E-mail contact: (Winmalee Public School)
Blue Mountains Sustainable Food Group bmsustainablefood.wikispaces.com/
Our vision is food sustainability in the Blue Mountains without damage to our sensitive World Heritage Area.
Blue Mountains Sustainable Transport Alliance bluemountainstransport.wikispaces.com/
The Blue Mountains Sustainable Transport Alliance was formed in June 2007. It consists of individuals and transport groups who are interested in supporting initiatives that assist the Blue Mountains to have more sustainable, socially just transport. The Alliance is supported by the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre.
Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute www.bmwhi.org.au
An independent, not-for-profit organisation that brings together research, local communities, and government agencies to support the conservation of the natural and cultural resources of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and the surrounding Sydney basin region. E-mail contact:
Citizens Climate Campaign www.climatecampaign.info/
The aim of the Citizens Climate Campaign is to make it so easy for Australian citizens to take effective political action on this issue that thousands will do it. The Citizens Climate Campaign Committee is a small group of people, all members of the Blue Mountains Conservation Society www.bluemountains.org.au and all with long histories of significant environmental and social activism. E-mail contact:
Cittaslow Katoomba, Blue Mountains www.cittaslow.org.au
Cittaslow (pronounced 'CHITTA-slow') is an Italian idea developed from the Slow Food movement. Cittaslow towns take the time to identify what is important and special about that town and its surrounding area and put in place strategies to preserve their unique qualities, making life better for everyone.
The 'Global Village' may have created unparalleled opportunities for the exchange of goods and ideas, however it can also lead to the proliferation of uniformity which stifles individuality and creativity at the local level. A Cittaslow is one where the community chooses to nurture the distinctive features of that town or city and its surrounding area, focuses on recycling & recovery; puts in place infrastructure with environmentally-friendly use of land; preserves the history of a region, the important buildings and historical locations and making sure they are identified, protected and maintained; encourages the use of technology that will improve the quality of air and life in the city; supports the production and consumption of organic foodstuffs; protects and promotes products which have their roots in tradition and reflect a local way of doing things; encourages learning about food and where it comes from; encourages a spirit of genuine hospitality towards guests of the town or city. Email contact: Paul Payten ask@geeni.net
Crop and Swap www.cropandswap.blogspot.com
The aim is to get as many local Blue Mountains residents as possible to join in the fun and to bring their local, home-grown produce to swap with their neighbours.
Friends of the Colo www.friendsofthecolo.org.au
Friends of the Colo is a community based conservation group, formed initially to treat and eradicate willows from the Colo River within Wollemi National Park. E-mail contact:
Friends of the Earth Blue Mountains
Friends of the Earth (FoE) Australia is a federation of independent local groups working for a socially equitable and environmentally sustainable future. E-mail contact:
Katoomba Area Climate Action Now Inc www.katoombacan.org
Our vision is a community educated and mobilised on these issues and working towards a clean energies future. E-mail contact:
Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers midbluemountainseedsavers.wikispaces.com/
We are a group of people who are enthusiastic about growing our own fruit and vegetables and involving our children, families and communities as well. Saving seed is central to preservation of local varieties that will do well in our local area, and for which there is local experience. E-mail contact:
Mid Mountains Community Gardens http://mmcgbm.wordpress.com/
Are you interested in — growing and sharing food, building community, making new friends, learning new skills, being more sustainable in your life; then the Mid Mountains Community Gardens is the community group for you!
Mountains Community Resource Network www.mcrn.org.au
Mountains Community Resource Network is the peak body for Blue Mountains community organisations. We work with funded and unfunded groups and disadvantaged communities developing social justice collaborative networks and infrastructure. We represent the Mountains on local and regional projects. E-mail contact:
Permaculture Blue Mountains www.permaculturebluemountains.net
Putting principles into action. We are a community group whose objectives include:
- Incorporate Permaculture ethics and design principles when planning and implementing projects and activities.
- Develop projects and activities to promote sustainability using the design principles of Permaculture.
- Support strategies for food, energy and water security in the Blue Mountains.
- Build connections and partnerships with individuals and other groups across the greater Blue Mountains and beyond to promote sustainable living.
Email contact: info@permaculturebluemountains.net
Slow Food Blue Mountains www.cittaslow.org.au/page.asp?id=31
Slow Food is an international non profit organisation linking ethics with pleasure, or ecology and gastronomy - ecogastronomy. E-mail contact:
The Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) Blue Mountains www.bluemountains.wires.org.au
The NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) - wherever we may live, we share our environment with other creatures – native animals which have had to adapt to human habitation. Unfortunately, some animals have been injured or orphaned when they come into contact with our way of life. WIRES - Blue Mountains Branch is the first full-time co-ordinated network, established to assist in such situations on a day to day basis.
Transition Katoomba transitionbluemountains.org.au/
Peak oil and climate change will revolutionise our way of life. But the future can be bright if we plan ahead. Around the world, hundreds of communities are forming Transition Towns to plan for a better future without cheap oil. Katoomba was designated an official Transition Town in July 2008 by the UK-based Transition Network. Transition Katoomba covers the towns of Katoomba, Wentworth Falls, Leura and Medlow Bath. E-mail contact: info@transitionkatoomba.org.au
