Stories From: Community

Aunty Carol Cooper is a humble woman with a big heart and an important message for humanity.

“At first, I thought this wouldn't have been my thing but that one day changed that. I encourage everyone to seriously give this a go and see what the outcome is.” Mikayla Chadwick

A trip to Newnes is unforgettable - from the locked gate ensuring safe egress down the newly constructed Donkey Steps to the extraordinary views and sounds of a landscape recovering from fire and flood.

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.

For two decades Claire Meijnderts of Blaxland has been a beacon of hope for children facing the challenges of having incarcerated parents. As a tireless volunteer leader of Camp for Kids, she has helped transform hundreds of lives and played a pivotal role in steering young people away from the justice system. While raising her family alongside husband Jeff, Claire has been a devoted foster Mum and has worn many other volunteer hats.

The Edible Garden Trail is on again in 2024, and local gardener and permaculture enthusiast Amanda Argent will open the gates of the Urban Farmer Blue Mountains to welcome the community into a garden designed around sustainability, community and creativity. 

Growing fruit and vegetables is immensely gratifying, but doing it consistently well is hard: and that’s where Community Gardens are an invaluable resource. Visit Mid Mountains Community Garden with Belle Butler to dig deeper.

Op shops, antique stores and other secondhand sellers in the lower Blue Mountains offer an eclectic mix of practical, fun and rare pre-loved items. We took a tour of the  treasure troves helping to boost the circular economy.

Micro-recycling options are accessible and feasible for anyone, offering profound and important opportunities for us all to be part of creating a more sustainable and less wasteful world.

The Black Summer bushfires were devastating in Lithgow. Where once there was birdsong and rustling eucalypts there was silence and sticks. Many asked, “What can we do to help?” Lithgow Environment Group was listening, and together with Lithgow Area Women’s Shed, they did something: they created habitat for endangered Eastern Pygmy Possums.