Educators/Researchers

Hamish Dunlop talks to the Bush Fire Resilience Team at Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd. to find out how they have been assisting people to overcome 'preparedness fatigue'.

Lawson writer and publisher Sharon Baldwin has written a series of children’s books based on the unique subject matter of permaculture. Read her story here.

A Blue Mountains program called Connect at Home started during COVID to support early childhood language development. Through the program families access high quality storybooks and are guided on how to optimise learning at home.

As a child, Beth Healy loved reading The Secret Garden. When she became a mum, Beth created her own outdoor treasure trove at her Blaxland home. 'Dirt Mum' is passionate about spreading her love of nature and its bounties to her 9 and 11-year-old daughters and Lower Mountains school children.

“Wherever I go, bookstores are still the closest thing to a town square.” – Gloria Steinem. Founder of Good Earth Bookshop Mary Coin talks about the importance of community connection and the enduring power of books.

Kindlehill School has launched its new senior school program with a thought-provoking documentary exploring ideas of home and healing that reflect Australia’s past and future.

Joe and his partner Jo are the cogs behind Urbavore Micro Farm. They sell veggies, quail eggs and mushrooms from their suburban Springwood block.

While Blue Mountains residents are all too familiar with the more visible impacts of climate change such as floods, droughts and fires, another lesser known impact of extreme weather is urban forest decline and tree death.

  When you first meet Sherlie McMillan you’re instantly bowled over by her disarming warmth, infectious laughter and wicked sense of humour.   During the last Covid restrictions, when only 10 were allowed into the Rotary meeting room at the Blackheath Golf and Community Club, Sherlie’s laughter rang out from ‘the naughty table’ that met outside in the dining room. …

  In March this year, Japanese journalist Harumi Hayakawa wrote a piece for the Japanese publication Asahi Weekly in which she explained why the terrifying Australian fires of December 2019 actually made her like the Blue Mountains even more.     In her article she described the many ways the community came together during and after the fires and how, …