Stories From: Biodiversity

Maligned through the ages for their association with witchcraft, disease, drug use and poisonings, the fungus kingdom is gaining due credit thanks to ecologists, photographers and foragers.

What do tea, samurai clans, William McArthur, Benjamin Franklin, Vietnam and the Botanic Gardens at Mount Tomah have in common? Read on to explore the way camellias and cultures are woven together and why it’s important we think about conserving biodiversity as a global project implemented at a local level.

Maligned through the ages for their association with witchcraft, disease, drug use and poisonings, the fungus kingdom is gaining due credit thanks to ecologists, photographers and foragers.

During COVID lockdowns, Merryl Watkins posted a new bird photo on social media every day. The Blaxland resident wanted to remind people there was still beauty in the world and joy to be found if you stop, look and listen.

While feral cats are considered one of the worst invasive species in Australia, free-roaming domestic cats are collectively responsible for the deaths of 323 million native animals each year. Learn about the impact of cats on our local wildlife and practical solutions and actions needed to keep cats and wildlife safe.

The first Blue Mountains Planetary Health Day was held on 24 February 2024 in Katoomba, and was a huge success with an estimated 600 attendees. With the goal of equipping people with the knowledge and resources to achieve their sustainability goals, the day featured workshops, stalls, activities and much more.

In August 2023, a mass kill of freshwater spiny crayfish took place in a tributary to Hazelbrook Creek. Belle Butler talked to Blue Mountains City Council Aquatic Systems Officers Amy St Lawrence and Alice Blackwood about the incident, how recovery is going and what we can do to protect this keystone species.

As our climate changes, bringing unseasonable weather events, we're more likely to find wildlife, like snakes, in unlikely places, including our home. Many greet snakes with fear, repulsion and sometimes violence. Local professional snake removalist Troy Hovenden wants to change the way we view these magnificent creatures, to help protect both human and snake residents of the Blue Mountains.

The Blue Mountains Perch may not be as adorable as a cuddly koala, but it is also an endangered animal in need of awareness and support. Populations of the freshwater fish have been hit hard by drought, fire and flooding over the past few years. A NSW fisheries study, while sobering reading, is helping experts develop a plan to save the fish.

What do an Archibald prize finalist, an industrial ruin and aquatic insects have in common? At Lake Pillans it was an opportunity to document the extraordinary world of our waterways, including a real time underwater survival challenge.