At the Crossroads Clean Up Australia The Society’s clean-up site The natural environment in the Blue Mountains is now on Clean Up Australia Day on entering its period of greatest threat. Sunday March 2 will be The flat land close to town centres is mostly used up, but the Katoomba Falls Reserve. pressure for more housing development continues, as more and Meet near Katoomba Falls more people try to escape the rat race in the city and relocate to Kiosk on Cliff Drive at 9 am. the Blue Mountains. (until about 1 pm). (Look for The result is that land previously passed over for house Ron Wheeler’s truck Annual General Meeting building because it was too far from town centres, or too steep, or decorated with our banner.) A new management too swampy, or too close to a watercourse, is now attracting Phone Christine on 87.7246 if committee will be elected at the development attention. you need to arrange a lift from AGM on Friday March 21. The increase in interest in the Blue Mountains has also caused Katoomba Station. Enclosed with this a number of tourist developments to emerge — with the potential Common Mynah Survey newsletter is a description of to bring noise and traffic to previously quiet areas. duties of each position on the We live in a beautiful part of the world, and it is only to be Please send in your survey forms, complete or incomplete, Management Committee. expected that others will want to share in it — either by living Please look carefully through here, or by visiting. However, we need to ensure that this interest to Bonnie Doon Fauna Study Group as soon as possible. If these and consider whether you in our part of the world does not become a vehicle for destroying are able to help the society in it! you would like to discuss any of your observations 82.2218. 1997/98 by nominating for What is your society doing about all this? office. We need a full, We review all Development Applications that come before Membership Renewals dedicated and enthusiastic Council, and comment on those that we feel are inappropriate. For members who joined the committee to continue our work We are currently involved with about a dozen applications that society after February 1996, to conserve the natural have negative environmental impacts. membership renewal falls due environment of our beautiful More importantly, we are focusing upon two umbrella matters on the anniversary of your Blue Mountains. which we believe have the potential to provide large scale joining. For other members, Enquiries to the Secretary environmental protection — namely, the proposal for declaring renewal occurs each February. Les Coyne on 57.3327. the Blue Mountains a World Heritage Area, and the BMCC Your Hut News envelope shows planning process known as EMP2. Bushcare your renewal month. The next workday for the The World Heritage Nomination has been talked about for a For a large number of Nature Track Bushcare Group long time, and many local people have almost given up on it, members, this issue of Hut will be Monday 17 February, believing that nothing is going to happen. Your society is News will contain a renewal actively lobbying in the Federal arena for an increase in notice. Please renew your 9-12. Meet at The Hut at 9 am. government effort to submit a nomination. We believe that a membership, and encourage Everyone welcome! Bring successful nomination will result in greater overall protection for your conservation-minded gardening gloves and morning the environment — that it will cultivate local and national pride friends to join, too. We now tea. Contact Jessica 57.2783. in the area, and develop a feeling of national responsibility to have nearly 500 members, but Thank you: protect the area. we need more. Our goal is to Council’s EMP2 process also seems to have gone on forever, To Lindeman Road have 1000! Bushcare Group for this and many have lost confidence in this, too. EMP2 (Environ- Just imagine the influence mental Management Plan, Stage 2) is a planning process that is month’s Weed of the Month that a membership of this size (Page 2). intended to provide a Plan of Management for certain lands in the could have - especially in our BMCC area — particularly many of the environmentally To Lloyd Jones for painting area, where elections are often the lovely bushland scenery on sensitive lands on township perimeters. decided on a handful of votes! Representatives from your society have addressed Council on the Society’s banner. two recent occasions, and have written to all Councillors on three “““Hut“Hut News” , the newsletter of the recent occasions — all with the same theme — to hasten the Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. EMP2 process, and to place a moratorium on development in P.O. Box 29, Wentworth Falls, 2782. areas that are covered by the EMP2 process. EMP2 featured President: Colin Williams 84-1899 extensively in discussions held recently with the BMCC General Vice- } Marion Hawley 84.1933 Presidents } Chris Hannocks 82.3164 Manager, Mr. Withers. Secretary: Les Coyne 57-3327 What can YOU do to help these society endeavours? Treasurer Barbie Wylie 84.1954 You can write to Senator Hill (Parliament House, Canberra Bushcare Jessica Yuille 57.2783 2600) or Kerry Bartlett (PO Box 376, Springwood 2777) to press Education: Joan Williams 57.3040 for more action with the World Heritage Nomination. Entertainment Vivian Hunter (063)55.1673 You can write or call BMCC Councillors to press for more Land Use Don Morison 87-6912 DONATIONS TO Macro Projects Sharon Sinclair-Hannocks 82.3164 action on EMP2 (Blue Mountains City Council will supply a full BLUE MOUNTAINS Membership: Ross Coster 59.1247 list of Councillors’ addresses, phone and fax numbers). CONSERVATION Nursery: David Coleby 84.1395 You can write to the Gazette to call for action on either or SOCIETY ARE TAX Publicity Linda Thomas 82.1291 both matters. We must act NOW. Bushwalks: Chris Woods 82.3419 DEDUCTIBLE. Editor: Christine Davies 87-7246 Hut News , No. 115, February, 1997 — Page 1. Land Use Spillway for Warragamba Dam Submissions are due by the end of February 1997. Below is a submission Yester Grange The proposal for a new side spillway to guide. (More information John Macris Council called for com- be built on Warragamba Dam is on public 02.95267363, Keith Muir 02.9241.2702.) ments just before Christmas display. This spillway will make the dam on a proposal to establish 18 100% secure in the largest probable flood. tourist units on two blocks of Unlike the previous proposal to raise land adjoining the Yester the dam wall by 23 metres, this structure Grange property. One block poses no threat to upstream wilderness Sample letter to: Reply Paid 166, also adjoins Blue Mountains National Park areas. At the same time floodplain Safeguarding Warragamba Dam, and the other overlooks the Darwin’s residents are not ignored, with a floodplain Sydney Water Corporation, PO Box Walk section of Jamison Creek. management strategy to be funded by the A248, SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 2000 The proposal to use Community Title State Government. I/we support the proposed would have a similar effect to subdividing The Hawkesbury River, currently not in Warragamba Dam Auxiliary Spillway the land and the application would run the best of health, will most likely be and urge the Government to proceed counter to the spirit of EMP2. spared from further residential with this proposal as rapidly as BMCS responded with a call for no development on the floodplain. possible. I/we strongly oppose the increase in the number of buildings on the If construction of this spillway can previous option of raising the dam wall blocks. We also alerted National Parks proceed during the current parliament to provide flood mitigation. and Wildlife Service of our concerns. (before March 1999) then the aims of the In addition to the construction of the Unfortunately, EMP2 cannot definitely “don’t raise the dam” campaign will have Auxiliary Spillway, the implementation stop such developments until it becomes a been finally achieved in full. of an adequate floodplain management draft Local Environment Plan. Kowmung Committee and Confeder- strategy will be essential to ensure the Watershed for Development Control ation of Bushwalking Clubs are seeking a safety of existing floodplain residents. A crucial period is looming in the bombardment of submissions to Sydney Elements of such a strategy should battle to stop suburbanisation and over Water supporting the side spillway option. include a halt to the increasing development of Blue Mountains towns. Every submission will count as there urbanisation of the floodplain, Council has established a firm timetable is a vocal pro dam raising group fueled by improved evacuation methods and allowing EMP2 to be exhibited as a draft Hawkesbury Councillors and perhaps a few investigation of flood insurance options Local Environmental Plan in July this of their associates in real estate. for those likely to be affected. (signed) year. State Planning Minister Craig Knowles has written to Council about development controls, expressing Weed of the Month concerns the Minister has been known to MONTBRETIA have for some time. (Presented by Lindeman Road Bushcare Group) But Council General Manager Ted The bright fresh green spear-shaped leaves Withers has warned a deputation from of Montbretia, Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora, are BMCS not to view the forthcoming Local now topped by long spikes of orange tubular Environment Plan as a cure-all for flowers. You will see it on roadsides and the environmental threats. disturbed edges of bushland, but it thrives along Ordinary citizens will have to make creeklines and the watercourses where it spreads their voices heard by Councillors, Council with great vigour, fed by nutrients in the stormwater, and competes staff, Minister Knowles and local member fiercely with all other plants, including other weeds.