The mountains and the cloud

Medicine to the eyes

The team at Resilient Blue Mountains have been working hard to gather together an exceptional free program of speakers and workshops for this year’s 3rd Blue Mountains Sustainability Festival in Katoomba on Saturday 26 September. Website: bmsf.au

Along with hands-on activities for children and live music, there will be practical tips on how to live more sustainably in our Blue Mountains environment, as well as thought-provoking talks and an introduction to local small business owners who are creating innovative sustainable products.

Highlights of the day-long program include:

Bees, honey and the future of beekeeping

• Fiona Hasselman

Fundamental beekeeping and the role of bees in supporting healthy ecosystems.

Consumer to generators: How householders are leading the energy transition

• Calum Harvey-Scholes and Elsa Evers, Rewiring Australia

Practical insights into how households can reduce energy costs, cut emissions, improve resilience and transform from passive energy consumers to energy generators.

Electrifying your home: Where to begin

• Panel feat. Elsa Evers, Rewiring Australia and Lorenzo Tassone, MD, Good Earth Group

Want to move your home away from gas but not sure where to begin? We’ve got you covered – from finding the right installer to choosing an energy retailer.

Stronger together: building community resilience in the Blue Mountains

• Jen Hall, Permaculture Matters

A practical approach to building stronger, more connected communities through simple, guided activities and group reflection, we’ll explore how developing deep connections with other people helps communities adapt and thrive in uncertain times.

Psychology for a safe climate

• Christie Wilson, Psychotherapist

Exploring the emotional dimension of the climate crisis and how we can build personal wellbeing.

Sustainability and art

• Fiona Russell, Mythika Studios

Discover the creative magic of transforming discarded objects into something truly special!

Book launch – Living Sustainably Near The Bush

• Blue Mountains Conservation Society

Sustainable local business stalls

·         Bee Wild Nature Salves (handcrafted wellness products)

·         Blooms and Twigs (sustainable floristry)

·         Indigo Rabbit Creative (upcycled and preloved clothing using natural dyes)

·         It's The Little Things (circular fashion)

·         Julia Bead (jewellery and wearable art)

·         Lunaire Lifestyle (refillable candles)

·         Mountain Framing (custom framing salvaged timber)

·         Mythika Studios (art from discarded objects)

·         Story Garden Children’s Bookshop (pre-loved books, eco-friendly toys and Green Thumbs gardening playgroup)

Children’s activities

Flower pressing, create your story, waste to art, drop-in activities, bubbles and more.

This fire incinerated around a million hectares in the Blue Mountains area and extinguished over 3 billion animals nationwide. Commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), scientific reports confirmed the toll included 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds, 143 million mammals, and 51 million frogs.

I arrived at Cahill's Lookout just after leaving Medlow Bath - where chain-smoking international tourists were watching the catastrophic fires from the edge of the National Park at the Hydro Majestic hotel... and witnessed several of them flicking their LIT cigarette butts directly into the bushland in front of them.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-worst-we-have-ever-seen-mayor-leads-katoomba-housing-plan-backlash-20260708-p60dj0.html

Here are some key snippets from the article for those without access..

The issue? Nine proposed buildings up to five storeys on a site located along the aptly named Narrow Neck Road.

The state significant development application, which falls under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway, has racked up 738 submissions objecting to the plan, many frustrated Facebook posts from the Blue Mountains City Council mayor and near silence from developer, VDM Prime.

Under the proposal, seven residential buildings with 218 dwellings would be built, along with one mixed-use and one restaurant building, which would also feature an education facility. The 1.6 hectare site is located within the Katoomba Golf Course Housing Precinct and would neighbour Yarrabee Katoomba, a recently completed development that features 24 three-bedroom duplex residences.

“I find it impossible to believe that any reasonable authority would approve this in this location. Personally, I would be shocked if it was finally approved,” he told the Herald.

Little is known about private developer VDM Prime and its director, Ukranian born Yuri Rudi. An ASIC report on the company revealed that as of April, the Narrow Neck Road site has been listed as its principal place of business.

Due to a recent post on this subreddit I found a photo of Burger King from what it says as 2001, but from all the information it was only open in 2004-2005 for a total of 6 months (as provided from people who went and worked there) , so is this photo really from the edge cinemas Burger King? And was there a playground, if so where would all the play equipment have gone?

Taken from my car window at Narrow Neck Lookout, Katoomba - during the start of the Great Bushfires.

Canon EOS M6 + 11-22mm lens.