Community Groups

In a moving call for peace on Anzac Day, over 80 people gathered in the golden afternoon light at Peace Park in Katoomba to reflect on war and ask the hard questions about its grim reality. The day was interspersed with reflections, poetry, a minute of silence, and songs by The Bearded Ladies Choir.

Visiting the Blue Mountains Zine Fair was exhilarating! On Saturday 29th March it was a grey wet day in Katoomba, but from the moment we stepped out of the lift at the Cultural Centre, we felt as though we’d been hit by an explosion of creativity, warmth, joy and proof that ‘the resistance’ to the destructive forces at play in our world is alive, well and spreading infectiously.

Skill Share Saturdays, held at the Planetary Health Centre on the first Saturday of every month, are a way to re-set and put aside a few hours each month to have some fun and learn something new: from Tai’chi to fashion upcycling, bushcare and more.

A 97-year-old nun, Sister Jacinta Shailer, urged attendees at the Blue Mountains Interfaith Gathering to create "heroic communities" focused on compassion, justice, and environmental care. The event, held at the Planetary Health Centre, brought together diverse faith traditions to address global anxieties and promote interconnectedness with nature.

Healthier for us and better for the planet and purse, plant-based food is trending. A local expert can show you how to turn plant foods into mouth-watering creations. 

Do you baulk at killing garden pests? Chris McDonald, Principal Gardener at the Brahma Kumaris Retreat Centre, Leura, shares tips for keeping the pests at bay without killing anything, harming the environment or ourselves.

Taken for granted, the night sky is integral to the health of the whole natural world, including our own health and wellbeing. Local Blue Mountains astronomy groups are helping us rediscover and protect it from light pollution.

A passionate birder for over 40 years, Carol Probets shares the joys of birdwatching, while revealing the changes to the prevailing birds of the Blue Mountains and why they matter.

Leura’s Harvest Festival made a joyful return this year after three years of reluctant hibernation. Volunteer Adele Cannella tells us how the event brings the community together and showcases the Blue Mountains.

“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.