Local Conservation Issues
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New Tourism Law Poses National Park Threat
New legislation just passed by the NSW Parliament brings new tourism developments to Blue Mountains national parks.
Find out more
Our Blue Mountains Gazette
advertisement - 7th July, 2010.
Download the 'Seeing the Gardens'
report about the tourism and recreation potential of the GoS2 Park proposal (12MB pdf)
Click HERE for a smaller summary.
Click on the pictures below for some views of the GoS2 Park (in a new frame) photos by Andrew Valja
How to protect Wildlife from Domestic Animals
Read the Garnaut Reports (commissioned by the Rudd Government) on Garnaut Climate Change Review
as they are issued
Read the authoritative Stern Report on Climate Change
Read the BMCS Views on recycling/saving water
Read the BMCS Views on Groundwater, the Metropolitan Water Plan and Desalination
How much does Bottled Water cost you?
Severe environmental impacts in NSW of Long Wall Coal Mining
The 2006 Metropolitan Water Plan - A Critical Review
Local species are under threat!
Australian coal mining is damaging the Local and World Environment! Find out more and what YOU can do about it
The World Heritage Area is being threatened by
Sand Mining On the Newnes Plateau
Sub-surface water extraction (bores) are damaging our swamps and streams.
Natural features, Flora and Fauna
Weeds and Weed Control
Check out Council's Development Applications in your local area
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Welcome to the Blue Mountains Conservation Society.
This voluntary group of about one thousand members is helping to conserve the
World Heritage Blue Mountains region in Eastern Australia.
We hope you enjoy your visit to this site.
| Latest News and Events |
Read the July 2010 edition of the Society's Newsletter 'Hut News' (827 KB PDF)
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The June edition of 'Strobos'
is now available for download (235 KB PDF).
Strobos is published 'by and for High School Students in the Blue Mountains' on behalf of the Society.
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The next Monthly Meeting will be held on Friday July 30th 2010, at the Conservation Hut,
Fletcher St, (far western end) Wentworth Falls starting at 7.30 pm.
[NB the August Monthly Meeting will be on a Saturday morning.]
'Sustainability and Biofuels: Aromatic Emissions?'
Our guest speaker at the monthly meeting on Friday 30 July is
Philip Dolan. Philip is a sustainability consultant, with a
background in education / training, most notably designing and
training for the Green Loans / Household Sustainability
Assessment course. He is a member of the Blue Mountains
Building Designers Association with his best effort being the
design of a 10 Star Energy Efficient straw bale house after 10
years of doing energy ratings. He designs non-utility water and
energy systems for domestic application.
His talk will cover the three aspects of sustainability: financial,
social and environmental, related to the production of biofuels.
He will talk about his journey with straight used vegetable oil and
biodiesel. Most of the pictures are his own, and he has been
doing it for nearly 10 years on a variety of vehicles, so he can
speak with some authority.
He will have jars of the products for the making of biodiesel, so
people can see, smell and touch biodiesel.
Philip is happy for people to ask questions and challenge him
throughout the talk. It will be a humorous, serious, frustrating,
bewildering and hopefully enlightening and inspiring session.
All are welcome
ADVANCE NOTICE
Saturday 28 August, 9.30 am. AN OUTBACK EVENT.
Our August monthly meeting will be held on a Saturday
morning at the Wentworth Falls School of Arts. Carol Probets
and Jill Dark will speak and show photos from their recent
visits to central Australia to witness the phenomenal bird
breeding event during the inland floods. The meeting will start
at 9.30 am.
Sunday 26 September, 11 am to 3 pm. BMCS PICNIC
DAY. Our annual picnic will again be held at Wilson Park,
Wentworth Falls. Bring along your family and a picnic lunch.
There will be tug-a-war and sack races, good company, music
from the Gang Gang Bush Orchestra, and lots of fun. Make a
note in your diary.
November. BUSH DANCE Dance to the music of the Gang
Gang Bush Orchestra and celebrate 10 years of Blue Mountains
World Heritage. Date to be announced.
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Sydney Morning Herald June 18, 2009
Ben Cubby Environment Reporter
Catchment river poisoned ... a coal-fired power station near Lithgow is discharging pollutants which is killing marine life.
HEAVY metals and poisons such as arsenic, copper and boron are leaching out of a coal-fired power station near Lithgow,
wiping out marine life in a river that feeds Sydney's drinking water supply.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change has known about the discharge from Wallerawang power station since last year,
but has done nothing to stop it, although it said last night that it was reviewing the evidence.
Independent research exposes serious gaps in the environmental licensing system used by the NSW Government, with implications
for other industrial sites around the state.
The licence conditions of the power station's operator, Delta Electricity, do not put specific limits on many kinds of heavy metal pollution.
"[The department] is satisfied that current licence conditions at Delta are appropriate but acknowledges there may be room for improvement,"
a spokeswoman said. The department said it maintains "strong regulatory control" over Delta's operations.
But it took tests from a University of Western Sydney researcher to show that water flowing into the Coxs River was laced with high levels of
copper, boron (a naturally occurring chemical), and other metals at many times the levels found upstream of the power station,
exceeding recommended guidelines many times over.
High arsenic levels were found downstream from the plant "indicating the large and unnatural increase above
natural background arsenic levels in the upper Coxs River catchment", according to a report by the researcher, Ian Wright.
The arsenic is diluted downstream and is not thought to pose a human health risk.
Copper was measured close to the power station at between 30 and 50 times natural levels, and boron levels were 25 times higher than upstream,
while fluoride levels meant water in the Coxs River on public land did not meet drinking water guidelines.
The water was 17 to 50 times as salty downstream from the power station, at levels "likely to be toxic to aquatic ecosystems", according to Dr Wright.
His research will be used for a case to be put before the NSW Land and Environment Court, which will argue that
Delta Electricity is polluting the Coxs River and should be made to stop.
The Blue Mountains Conservation Society, with the backing of the Environmental Defender's Office of NSW,
is hoping for a limit to be put on potential costs before it can seek a court hearing.
The group also intends to challenge the statewide system of environmental licences.
"These licences are just licences to pollute," the society's president, Tara Cameron, said.
"They are just allowing the status quo and making people feel good without actually protecting the environment."
The Department of Environment and Climate Change said it had been watching Delta Electricity closely.
"In February 2009 the [department] prosecuted Delta in the Land and Environment Court for a breach of its licence for
Wallerawang power station. The court fined Delta $45,000 for not controlling dust on its ash disposal area," the spokeswoman said.
A review of heavy metal concentrations in the Upper Coxs River catchment area was under way, she said.
Under the terms of its licence, Delta Electricity is required to test water up- and downstream of the power station
for selenium, boron, manganese, iron fluoride and sulphate, as well as turbidity and a measure of water-borne particles
described as "total suspended solids".
The results of the company's own measurements were lodged with the Department of Water and Energy annually, a spokeswoman for Delta Electricity said.
"The water quality in this area of the river is affected by a number of factors outside power station operation,
including urbanisation, mining (current and historic) and very old former mine site rehabilitation activities,"
the spokeswoman said. However, Dr Wright's report and tests by volunteers strongly suggest the elevated levels of heavy metals in the river come from the power station.
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Read the President's (Ms Tara Cameron)
Annual Report
This was presented at the 2010 Annual General Meeting
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Do you like the work of the Society and would you like to support us? You can
make a donation
which is tax-deductible.
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The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on Friday 26th March, 2010
at the Conservation Hut, Wentworth Falls.
Most, but not all positions on the Management Committee were filled at this meeting,
but the Committee can always use help in fulfilling its duties and you are encouraged to get actively involved.
This is a very effective and worth-while organisation which is primarily concerned with environmental issues
in the Blue Mountains and surrounds. It relies totally upon voluntary effort.
As such, it is worthy of YOUR contribution. Please consider lending a hand.
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Publications and Activities
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Welcome to the Blue Mountains Conservation Society Bushwalking Group.
Come out and enjoy the bush - have a look at :
Andy Gardiner's Bushwalk Photos
Phil Turnedge's Bushwalk Photos
Join a local Bushcare Group; find the one closest to you
Plants for sale and information at the BMCS NURSERY
You can find the latest and past editions of the Society's newsletter 'Hut News' and magazine 'Strobos'
HERE
The CSIRO publishes an excellent online and printed environmental Magazine - Ecos
Put your comments (and read the comments of others) on environmental matters on the Green's Blog Site
The 'Ground Water' Booklet written by Dr. Brian Marshall (past President of BMCS)
explains how groundwater is essential to the health of the Blue Mountains vegetation,
streams and swamps. Read this HERE
The 'Sustainability' Booklet (now updated) arose from a series of sustainability workshops given by Craig Linn.
Read about this very important subject HERE
Home heating contributes to Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Compare the various home heating methods
See, be continuously informed and get involved in local and regional environmental activities - subscribe to the Shiny Halo Blog
To be notified about further upcoming Swampcare events or biodiversity events and information
please let me know you would like to be on the email distribution list by contacting:
Michael Hensen
Biodiversity Conservation Officer
Blue Mountains City Council
Locked Bag 1005, Katoomba 2780
Telephone: 02 4780 5471
Fax: 02 4780 5562
Email:mhensen@bmcc.nsw.gov.au
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