Laughing Kookaburra (Alan Page)
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☆ Croc Park development
☆ Winter Magic stall
☆ Ready for Renewables Challenge
☆ Gardens of Stone Leases
☆ Consultation on GBMA values & area
☆ Planning & Development Resource Kit
See more on our Campaigns, Submissions and Events webpages.
About the proposed development
The proposed Blue Mountains Wildlife and Tourism Development is located at the foot of Bodington Hill, Wentworth Falls on the Great Western Highway.
In early 2021 a proposal for Blue Mountains Wildlife Park gained State Significant Development Status. This means that assessment of the proposal is taken out of Council’s hands. The proposal included a 56-room hotel.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Development Application (DA) was expected to be lodged by 30 June. But now, revised plans have been lodged with the Department of Planning.
The developer is requesting that the EIS requirements should now reflect a staged development where the first stage would consist of land clearing, site preparation and construction of internal roads for buildings (including the hotel) that are not yet approved. Approval for those buildings would be the subject of a later stage development application.
The major features of the revised plans include:
- Traffic lights that will allow vehicles travelling from both directions to enter and leave the site from the highway.
- Exhibits that include fresh- and salt-water crocodiles, dingoes, Tasmanian Devils, penguins, emus and cassowaries.
At this point in time the Society is just asking you to be aware of what is happening.
More information can be found on our Blue Mountains Wildlife Park webpages.
The 'Lost City' (Henry Gold)When the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area was announced on November 13, 2021, the NSW Government also announced an adventure theme park at Lost City and exclusive accommodation in association with a Great Walk.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service is seeking public comments on its intention to grant 20 year leases for these two proposals in parts of the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area. The period for comments is in the holiday period closing on 18 January. The parent company involved with these proposals is Experience Co (this is the same company that has plans to develop the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area).
Object to these leases that will privatise parts of this conservation reserve before the public has an opportunity to comment on the details of these developments.
The proposed locations and extent of the accommodation are only approximate and not clearly defined on the simple map provided. Likewise the location of “ziplines, via ferrata and suspension bridges” and other requirements for the Lost City Adventure Precinct. This means that the possible environmental impacts of the proposed lease are hard to identify, let alone avoid them and protect the area.
Ticking the consultation box without information is a sham process. Very limited information is available in the public exhibition of the notice to grant leases.
ACTION: Express your concerns about the development threat to this important Blue Mountains reserve before close of business, 18 January 2023.
For more information and assistance with making a submission, go to the gardensofstone.org.au website
Dam March June 2019 (Alan Page)If the dam wall is raised as proposed, 4,700 hectares of World Heritage listed National Parks and 1,800 hectares of declared Wilderness Areas will be forever scarred from sedimentation, erosion and invasion of exotic plants.
Raising Warragamba Dam will inundate 65 kilometres of Blue Mountain's wild rivers.
In October 2022 the NSW Government declared the proposal Critical State Significant Infrastructure.
A new consultation was commenced on 21 November 2022 in relation to the CSSI declaration. The comment period runs to Monday 12 December 2022.
View from Butterbox Point (Gary Humble)Support the plan to strengthen and expand the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. We need your help to ensure all the Greater Blue Mountains’ values and areas worthy of National and World Heritage listing are recognised.
In 2000, the Greater Blue Mountains Area was included on the World Heritage list for its outstanding universal natural vegetation and exceptional biodiversity values. Cultural (Indigenous and historic) and scenic values were also nominated by the NSW and Australian Governments, but given the nomination was prepared in just six weeks, time defeated the effective justification of these important values.
Since 2000 conservationists, ecologists, geologists and Aboriginal people have presented data and information on other values and adjacent high conservation value (HCV) natural areas that should be listed.
Public comment is now being sought on the Australian Heritage Council (AHC) assessment for the National Heritage listing as a first step toward World Heritage re-nomination on the increased areas and values.
The society has produced a submission guide. Please use that to assist you in writing a short submission to the AHC by 16 Nov 2022. This is a critical time for consolidation and strengthened conservation protection of the area and values of the magnificent Greater Blue Mountains.
Spring 2022
Braeside Bushcare, Govetts Leap Brook (Katy O’Neill)A Great Grose Weed Walk activity is your chance to join the many other caring and hardworking Blue Mountains Bushcare volunteers in their long term efforts to stop weeds invading the Grose Valley Wilderness Area.
Here's a brochure - which includes activities.
You'll find more information on the Great Grose Weed Walk webpage.
Great Grose weed walk, Blue Mountains National Park. (Vanessa Richardson/NPWS)
Look no further - the Society's Planning & Development Resource Kit may help you.
Mt. Airly (Ian Watson)The future of this beautiful conservation area containing two spectacular mesas at Airly and Genowlan is at risk of further damage. It was supposed to be protected from subsidence when a mining extension was approved there in 2016.
What happens here could also influence protection levels for any new mining under the recently announced Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area.
You can read more about the latest damage in the Guardian article here.
Centennial Coal representatives were reported to be meeting government regulators last week. The Society has written to the Minister for Planning calling for the mining company to be prosecuted and all steps taken to ensure any further damage does not occur. However, we are concerned that the law may not be strong enough.
You can help by writing to the Minister for Planning asking for every effort to be taken to ensure the "spectacular geodiversity with majestic cliffs and rock formations" in Mugii Murum-ban are protected from now on and any unlawful damage is penalised. This is the link to send a message to the NSW Minister for Planning.
The Society has also written to the Minister for Environment as National Parks and Wildlife Service own Mugii Murum-ban SCA.
- changes you can make -
(click the image to download the flyer)
Government and business action is crucial in addressing climate change, but our personal actions also make a difference.
The Society has prepared a Climate Action Now Flyer that details the changes you can make to -
- reduce energy use
- switch to ethical electricity
- go solar
- consider the impact of how you eat and shop
- consume less and reduce waste
- consider your travel options.
We also encourage you to Raise Your Voice On Climate Change by -
- joining a bush regeneration or Landcare group
- joining the Blue Mountains Conservation Society
- moving money out of fossil fuels
- helping stop more fossil fuel projects
- engaging politically
- communicating and advocate.
We acknowledge Katrina Shields, Zero Emissions Byron, who inspired production of this flyer.
– the Darug and Gundungurra people –
and pay respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.