Once upon a time (or so the story goes …) Australians collected water in water tanks; grew their own food; sat on their front verandahs waving at passers-by; connected regularly in their neighbourhoods to share skills, resources and produce; got what they couldn’t grow at their corner store; and told themselves that they and their mates were strong and resilient. Then, …

  Do you ever ask yourself how Blackheath became such an extraordinarily friendly place? What accounts for all those smiling faces on the street, the small courtesies from strangers, the frequency with which a driver gives way to others or the way the village welcomes visitors? The climate and the beauty of the place are surely contributing factors but they …

  Blackheath businesses have been proactive in the ‘War on Waste’. In 2016, Blackheath became the world’s first town to agree to phase out plastic straws – still a ‘work in progress’. The community and businesses have also supported Boomerang Bags and are working to reduce the use of plastic bags. To tackle organic waste, the Wattle Cafe, Blackheath General …

To make a change in one’s life takes effort, but to make change in your community takes a certain kind of courage – the courage to stand for something, and to back up your stand with action. As viewers saw when War on Waste aired on the ABC, some actions are big, others not so much. The story of waste …

Set in one of the most coveted locations in the Blue Mountains, overlooking the magnificent Kanimbla Valley, Mountains Christian College is very conscious of its environmental impact. It was the first school in Blackheath to say no to plastic straws, and in November last year it installed a 99.84kW solar system. That’s 384 solar panels covering 627 square metres and …

  Lester Ives looks every part the bushman. He is gentle and softly spoken, yet something in his tall, lean frame reminds me of the eucalyptus trees he climbs for a living, in his work as an arborist. Maybe it’s the way he moves, each shift of his body the continuation of an earlier gesture, like a tree in wind. Behind …

After three decades pushing boundaries as a behavioural scientist, focused on what motivates people to change, Wentworth Falls resident Susanne Rix has now developed the first Blue Mountains Edible Garden Festival and Trail – from Little Hartley to Glenbrook. As one of the first in Australia to explore the positive impact of meditation in the workplace, she’s now focused on what it …

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. …

The most important thing that years of growing veggies in my backyard has taught me is that if I don’t feed the soil, the soil can’t feed me. Things finally came to a head last summer when everything I planted stopped growing at micro-veg stage. Suddenly I had a bonsai crop, not the abundant garden I’d been hoping for! Wanting to create the healthiest food …

“He who knows only his own side of a case, knows little of that” – John Stuart Mill The first time I meet Peter Baldwin we are at the Blackheath Philosophy Forum. It’s Saturday afternoon, on the lingering tail of a golden Blackheath autumn, and the community hall is packed. It’s thrilling, in a way, that hundreds of people are willing to give their weekend …