HUT NEWS February 2015 “Nature Conservation Saves for Tomorrow”
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Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. Issue No. 322 HUT NEWS February 2015 “Nature Conservation Saves for Tomorrow” SUNSET GET-TOGETHER Thursday 19 February, 7.00 pm at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls Members and friends are again invited to get together over a cuppa and share one of the best sunset views to be had in our glorious Blue Mountains. This event last VOTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT year was a great success, despite the clouds on the NSW State Election, 28 March 1915 www.bluemountains.org.au night. This is an opportunity to meet old and new friends, meet *** Reminder *** some of the Society’s management committee and find March 2015 State Election out what they have been doing over the past year. Meet the Candidates Meeting - hosted by Have you joined the Society recently and would like Blue Mountains Conservation Society to meet other members? Just a few weeks before the State Election the Society Are you a long-standing member who would like to will be hosting its Meet the Candidates meeting, so get to know and exchange ideas with some of our come along and stay well informed. All candidates newer recruits? have been invited to present their environmental Are you thinking about joining the Society, but would policies and positions, and there will be an audience like to know more about it? Q&A after the candidates' talks. Details are as follows: Then this special evening is for you. Come along and Date: Sunday 1st March 2015 discuss with other like-minded people what your Meeting Time: 2 PM concerns are, your special interests, and maybe how you (An informal pre-meeting cuppa will be available could get more involved. from just after 1.00 PM) There will be some songs from Jim Low and Alan Foster. Venue: Mid Mountains Community Centre, 7 New Jim Low is a singer-songwriter, author and Street, Lawson historian. He lives in the Blue Mountains and has This is a public meeting and all are very been performing and writing about Australia, its history and people for many years. Alan Foster lives welcome. in the Blue Mountains and writes and sings topical BMCS Vote for the Environment Campaign Team Aussie songs with a quirky sense of humour. The Conservation Hut is in the Blue Mountains National DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Park at the end of Fletcher Street, Wentworth Falls. Sunday, 15 Feb: ELECTION FORUM AND Q&A. Hosted by Stop Coal Seam Gas Blue Mountains. 2pm- Find out the facts on Coal Seam Gas before you vote! 4pm, Wentworth Falls School of Arts. (page 1) Election Forum and Q&A Thursday, 19 Feb: SUNSET GET-TOGETHER. Sunday 15 February, 2pm – 4pm A chance for members and friends to get together over a Wentworth Falls School of Arts cuppa and find out more about our Society. 7pm, Speakers: Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls. (page 1) Sharyn Munro, Author, Rich Land, Wasteland Sunday, 1 March: MEET THE CANDIDATES — Mark Ogge, Researcher and Public Engagement hosted by Blue Mountains Conservation Society. 2pm, Officer at the Australia Institute Mid Mountains Community Centre, Lawson. (page 1) Jess Moore, Spokesperson for Stop CSG Illawarra Friday 20 March: BAT NIGHT. Mark Greenhill, Mayor, Blue Mountains City Council Lots of fun activities for the kids and a Local candidates and the relevant state politicians from chance to observe and find out all about the main parties have been invited. these furry little creatures, the Micro Entertainment by Ecopella environmental choir Bats, with NPWS Discovery Rangers. Refreshments served after the event 6.30 pm, NPWS Heritage Centre, Blackheath, and it’s FREE. A popular annual event! More information in Presented by March Hut News. Stop Coal Seam Gas Blue Mountains Thursday 26 March: BMCS ANNUAL GENERAL stopcsgbm.net.au MEETING, 7.30pm, Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls. [email protected] Printed on Australian-made 100% Recycled Paper Hut News, No. 322, February 2015— Page 1. “Hut News”, the newsletter of Nursery News Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. P.O. Box 29, Wentworth Falls, 2782 On New Year’s Day the Phone 4757 1872 (leave message) Nursery lost its oldest and Email: [email protected] longest serving volunteer, Web page: www.bluemountains.org.au Imre Gahl. He will be President:: Alan Page 4784 1704 greatly missed at [email protected] Blackheath where he was Senior Vice President: Tara Cameron always to be found 0419 824 974 [email protected] carefully weeding the Second Vice President: Don Morison seedlings and kept up his 8230 2116 [email protected] Treasurer: Bart Beech 4739 9947 good work right up until a [email protected] month or so before he Administration Officer: Jeanette Robertson died. His wife, Joan, has [email protected] been dedicated to the Bushcare Officer: Paul Vale Nursery for the same 4787 8080 0429 014 454 period and will continue [email protected] helping us at Blackheath. Lomatia silaifolia. Photo by Alan Page. Environmental Educatlion Officer: VACANT The volunteers have had a one month break over the Christmas period but Landuse Officer: Angela Langdon are now back and the Nursery is again open for sales. Sales at the markets 0417 004 722 recommence in February. [email protected] Meetings Secretary: Heather Hull The plants have put on lots of growth over the summer and we will have a 4739 1493 [email protected] good range to choose from including Correas, Acacias, Grevilleas and our Membership Secretary: Ross Coster plant of the month- Lomatia silaifolia. Its common name is Crinkle Bush. 4739 2987 0418 462 576 You will see this in many places at the moment, its tall, creamy flower [email protected] spikes really stand out. The bush fires of October 2013 have promoted a General Meetings Convenor: particularly good flush of growth. We have plenty of tube stock available. Brendan Doyle 4757 2197 [email protected] Sue Nicol, Nursery Manager ([email protected] 4787 8887) National Parks/World Heritage Officer: Brian Marshall 4784.1148 [email protected] BMCS NURSERY PLANT SALES Newsletter Editor: Christine Davies Our nursery offers the home gardener, landscaper or large contractor a big 4787 7246 variety of quality local native plants at economical prices. [email protected] Plant Nursery Manager: Sue Nicol Lawson Nursery, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 9am to noon. 4787.8887 [email protected] The nursery is located in the Lawson Industrial Area on the corner of Park Publicity Officer: VACANT and Cascade Streets, opposite Federation Building Materials - see map on [email protected] our website www.bluemountains.org.au). Sustainable Population and Climate st Change Officer: Peter Green 4751 9474 Blackheath Community Market, 1 Sunday of the month at Blackheath [email protected] Public School, 9am to 1pm. Threatened Species Officer: Nakia Belmer Tube stock $3. Larger pots available. 0414 344 741 [email protected] Discounts for bulk orders and large contracts. Website Officer: Alan Page 4784 1704 [email protected] Enquiries Sue Nicol 4787 8887, [email protected] Walks Convenor: Maurice Kerkham 4739 4942 [email protected] Remember this? Project Officer-Events: Rob Baigent 4759 3104 [email protected] An old fashioned garbage bin, made of Project Officer: Craig Linn metal. The household would put it out once [email protected] a week and, in the early morning hours, Bushfire Representative: Hugh Paterson men would run beside the garbage truck, 4751.2303, mob 0427 512 303 hoist the bin to a shoulder and empty it into [email protected] the truck. Where I grew up in Hornsby the “garbos” were often rugby league players. DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT The job gave them a good training workout ISSUE OF HUT NEWS IS in the morning and the rest of the day free. 18 FEBRUARY 2015 Dad composted vegetable matter for the [email protected] garden. The dog ate the meat scraps. The PO Box 29, Wentworth Falls 2782 children collected empty drink bottles and took them to the shop for a refund. Old newspapers were bundled and sold to the fish and chip shop MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES for wrapping. Our family (eventually seven children, but probably three or Ross Coster four at the time I am thinking of) had an incinerator in the back yard where 02 4739 2987 0418 462 576 [email protected] other paper rubbish was burnt. I don’t remember there being plastic … or write to Christine. PO Box 29, Wentworth Falls 2782 Printed on Australian-made 100% Recycled Paper Hut News, No. 322, February 2015— Page 2. Western Sydney Airport: A major threat to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area Alan Page, Society President Although not opposing a second Sydney airport, Blue Mountains Conservation Society is strongly opposed to anything that impacts the environment of the Greater Blue Mountains and its world heritage listing. In April 2014, the Australian Government announced that Badgerys Creek would be the site for a Western Sydney airport. The airport site is 50km west of Sydney's central business district and 8km from the eastern edge of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. The airport would operate 24 hours a day and handle up to 70 million passengers per year. (The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development website). On 4th December 2014, the proposed Western Sydney Qantas A380 - photo by Andrzej Kostrzewa Airport was referred to the Federal Government under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity After a brief extension, submissions closed on December Conservation Act (EPBC Act). 22. On the following day, the Federal Dept. of Environment decided that an Environmental Impact The Referral document stated that – Statement was required.