Hut News Issue no. 392 June 2021 Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc. HUT NEWS June 2021 The Blue Mountains is not just another suburb of Sydney From the Land Use Subcommittee Following the profile of the Society’s Land Use Increasing development on the ridge tops puts Subcommittee in last month’s Hut News, members more stress on already overstretched infrastructure might be asking “why does the Blue Mountains and adds to the cumulative impacts of human Conservation Society concern itself with urban activity on the natural environment we live in and development and housing issues? Don’t we need on which our local tourist economy depends. This more housing in the mountains? Isn’t this just a is why the Blue Mountains Local Environmental NIMBY issue? And what’s this got to do with the Plan contains stringent planning controls and environment anyway”? development standards for housing and other development. Debates over a perceived lack of housing and housing diversity in the mountains regularly erupt State government policies like the new Low Rise in the pages of the Blue Mountains Gazette. Housing Diversity Code undermine these Certainly, access to housing is an issue and housing protections. This Code, now in force in the Blue supply is just one factor among many. But what is Mountains, allows fast-track approval for medium often lost in these debates is the recognition that the density housing which meets state-wide ‘one size Blue Mountains is not just another suburb of fits all’ development standards. Developments Sydney. It is a unique place, one of only two cities under the Code are not sensitive to local in the world located in a World Heritage Area. conditions, bypass Council development standards and approval, and neighbours have no say. Council A substantial threat to the health of our World continues its negotiations with the State Heritage Area is its proximity to urban areas. Government to have the Blue Mountains exempted Unlike other World Heritage Areas there is no from the Code. buffer between developed areas and the National Park. Everything we do on the ridge tops impacts In the lead-up to the Council elections in on the National Park and the World Heritage Area September, we’re likely to start hearing again from downhill. Pollutant, sediment and weed-laden real estate agents, developers, chambers of stormwater from the town centres, development commerce and some candidates talking up the sites, industrial areas, tips, roads, residential areas need for more housing and development in the and sporting fields has to go somewhere. It runs mountains. They may suggest cutting ‘green tape’ downhill, impacting on the quality of water in our Local Environmental Plan and opening up flowing into the World Heritage Area and, from the large-lot ‘leafy green streets’ of Glenbrook, some parts of the mountains, into Sydney’s Wentworth Falls, Leura and Blackheath to drinking water supply. Sewage from the nearly subdivision and more intensive forms of housing 80,000 residents in the Blue Mountains has to go development. somewhere – into the Nepean River and the water supply for Richmond and Windsor. When you hear these ideas, think about the impacts on our built character and the World Heritage Area and ‘vote for the environment’. Printed on Australian made 100% recycled paper 1 Hut News Issue no. 392 June 2021 Report on the Report on the Management Members’ Workshop Committee of 1 May, 2021 monthly meeting on 22 May, 2021 The following were matters for discussion or decisions by the committee: • Report on the members’ workshop. • The Society’s 60th birthday will be celebrated in October this year and a lunch will be held at a venue yet to be determined. The history of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area and conservation in the Mountains will be launched at the event. • Management Committee Planning Day to be held on 3 July. It will include ideas from the members’ workshop. • Don Morison attended part of the meeting and All eyes are on Tara Cameron, President as she speaks at the workshop. spoke to his proposal for a group to help the Pip Walsh was the facilitator in the foreground. Society campaign against the raising of the Photo: Madi Maclean Warragamba Dam wall. The group would work through the Protected Areas subcommittee and There were 24 attendees, including 10 management the Colong Foundation. committee members, at the members’ workshop • Hut News editing. A style sheet and editing held at the Mechanics Institute Hall in Lawson. protocol will be prepared and a survey conducted to find out more about members’ Members chose from a list of topics based on the views about Hut News. current plan guiding the management committee • The Landuse subcommittee is developing a and priority was given to the following: submission about the Southern Escarpment Master Plan and is keen to have members • Bushfire involved. • Climate Change and Sustainability • The committee approved further expenditure on • Communication the Katoomba airfield campaign and ongoing • Governance and Capacity actions. • The Society will cohost a conversation about the The discussion about each of these topics was use of 1080 to be held on 8 June at Wentworth summarised and sent to participants. It is available Falls School of Arts. on request from Susan Crick (see page 12). • National Parks and Wildlife Service will be holding consultation workshops about the Recommendations for action will contribute to the Kanangra Boyd and Blue Mountains National management committee’s planning day to be held Parks on 4 and 6 June and an information session on 3 July. about Govetts Leap on 30 May. We will send representatives. Note from the editor • Council elections - see page 8. One of the requests from the workshop was for • The Society is beginning the process of engaging more reporting on Society activities. This will be a person to compile a history of the Society oral done to the extent that space in Hut News allows. accounts. Printed on Australian made 100% recycled paper 2 Hut News Issue no. 392 June 2021 Gardens of Stone The campaign to protect this spectacular area as a state conservation area Madi Maclean May has been a busy month. Exhibition Pagoda at Lithgow’s Gang Gang The Gallery’s Exhibition Pagoda features Anne Gallery Graham’s installation, ‘Gardens of Stone’, The Pagoda Journey Forum on Saturday 15 May surrounded by photos and watercolour works attracted a full house at Lithgow’s Gang Gang capturing some of its extraordinary landscapes. It Gallery. The gallery is currently hosting Exhibition runs until 20 June. Pagoda, an Australian Heritage Festival Event, celebrating the spectacular pagoda landscape near Other gallery talks are “Gardens of Stone for Lithgow. Beginners”, a talk and walk led by Yuri Bolotin of the Bush Explorers (5 June) and “How Lithgow There was a range of talks about art and nature, the could be an environmental hub’ from author inspiration and spectacular landscape of the Michael Keats, Bush Explorers) (12 June). For more Gardens of Stone and Lithgow’s potential. see: https://gggallery.com.au/news-exhibitions/ Renowned environmentalist, Dr Haydn Washington (Colo Committee), talked about his MPs supporting Gardens of Stone protection long association with the Gardens of Stone and the A Gardens of Stone field trip for Parliamentary wonder of this unique landscape. Haydn recounted Friends of the Environment on 28 April showcased where the term “Gardens of Stone” came from, his the amazing Lost City pagodas and other areas to memory of this moment jogged by one of the demonstrate why the area should be protected. photos on the gallery’s wall. He also launched the This led to a major media story on Destination Destination Pagoda economic report. Pagoda and strong statements of support for protection from the visiting Members of Parliament The Society spoke about the Destination Pagoda (MPs) in local media and state parliament. The plan. This plan shows how visitors and activities four MPs were Catherine Cusack MLC, Justin Field in a Gardens of Stone state conservation area could MLC, Rose Jackson, MLC and Jo Haylen, MLA. be managed and help make Lithgow a new eco- Nature Conservation Council organised the visit, tourism destination. Lithgow’s potential lies in the assisted by Lithgow Environment Group and Blue Gardens of Stone area on its doorstep together with Mountains Conservation Society. Lithgow’s proximity to Western Sydney and to Australia’s most visited national park (Blue Mountains National Park). Attracting even a small percentage of the Blue Mountains’ visitors would be a boost to Lithgow’s economy. You can read the full Destination Pagoda plan here: https:// www.destinationpagoda.com.au/files/page/ 2021-05/final_destination_pagoda-300319_web.pdf Lithgow Environment Group, the Gang Gang Gallery and Lithgow branch of the National Trust have done an amazing job in hosting and promoting the exhibition and talks. At the Gang Gang Gallery Printed on Australian made 100% recycled paper 3 Hut News Issue no. 392 June 2021 You can be part of Australia’s Largest Frog Count Jordann Crawford-Ash Research Assistant and FrogID Validator at the Australian Museum You can directly contribute to the conservation of land-use decisions. Through the dedication of users Australia’s frogs using only your smartphone. over the past three years, the Museum has received over 380,700 records of frogs, and 204 out of the 240 Jordann Crawford-Ash from the Australian known frog species in Australia have been Museum told a group of 27 members of the identified. That is over 80% of our frog species community about an app called Frog ID. The event, recorded by our wonderful citizen scientists. held on May 8, was organised by the Society and held at the Sharon Burridge Hall in Blaxland.