Tag Archives: Drought

The 2013 fires damaged much of Andy Stevenson's property on the Darling Causeway in Mount Victoria. Andy was determined to survive the next fire, while also creating a beautiful haven for family, guests and wildlife. Read his story here.

Conservation Volunteers Australia recently facilitated a workshop in Blackheath where volunteers, citizen scientists and experts came together to share knowledge, survey bird populations and monitor nest boxes installed to support antechinus, glider and possum populations.

Planetary Health Initiative writer Hamish Dunlop talks to Amy St Lawrence from Blue Mountains City Council’s Healthy Waterways Team. Amy explains what she’s doing at her home to collect and use water. She also talks about how her rain garden reduces run-off during and after rainfall.

Hamish Dunlop interviews Deborah Wells in the Blackheath Campbell Rhododendron Gardens. She shares how a group of passionate and dedicated volunteers have created a community space that is a haven for all species, and how they've helped it recover from drought, fire, flood and pandemic.

Blue Mountains City Council has been recognised by an internationally renowned Rights of Nature law firm and advocacy group for innovation in Rights of Nature policies.

Blue Mountains waterways are some of the most beautiful, iconic and highly valued in Australia. They also supply drinking water to over five million people. ​​What is Council doing to protect our waterways? Find out here.

  In March this year, Japanese journalist Harumi Hayakawa wrote a piece for the Japanese publication Asahi Weekly in which she explained why the terrifying Australian fires of December 2019 actually made her like the Blue Mountains even more.     In her article she described the many ways the community came together during and after the fires and how, …

After devastation, the restorative forces of nature begin the process of healing. On the 22nd December 2019, Australia’s biggest forest fire, which had already destroyed an area seven times the size of Singapore, raced up the gully below Clarence St and burnt to within 10m of Eva and Bill Johnstone’s property, just above Pope’s Glen in Blackheath. It burnt all …

On January 8 The Big Fix visited renowned wildlife carer Margaret Gough at Mt Victoria in the Blue Mountains. We were thrilled that some of the wallaroos and birds that had disappeared when the fires came, were alive and healthy and starting to return. Margaret demonstrated what we can do to help provide the food and water they so desperately need …

In our rather cynical age, people frequently ask: “Is there really anything left to explore or discover … hasn’t it all been done before?” Spend some time with Blackheath ecologist Wyn Jones and you’ll soon have your answer … you’ll begin to feel the welling up of curiosity, excitement and anticipation that must have driven explorers, from the beginning of time, to head out into the unknown. …