There was a lot happening at the first ever Planetary Health Day in Katoomba (Video: Kalani Gacon)
Story by Linda Moon
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.
Key Points:
The Blue Mountains’ first Planetary Health Day was held on 24 February, 2024 at the Planetary Health Precinct in Katoomba.
An uplifting, informative and community-focused day of sharing and caring about the planet, it centred on ways to make our sustainable goals become reality.
With the event a success, it’s hoped Planetary Health Day can be a regular event.
It was that trademark misty, drizzly day in the mountains. But the rain didn’t stop the locals from turning up to the Blue Mountains’ first ever Planetary Health Day.
The day featured fun stalls, free workshops, talks, exhibits and activities designed to help us tick off our personal sustainability goals and support the health of the planet.
Mayor Mark Greenhill opened the event, followed by a stirring ‘Welcome to Country’ by Chris Tobin (on behalf of the Dharug traditional custodians) and Kelsie King (on behalf of Gundungurra).
Despite the wet weather the Planetary Health Precinct (the former Katoomba Golf Course) catered for over 30 activities throughout the day in the gardens, the main building and in a large marquee.(Photo: Linda Moon)
The opening of the event by Mayor Mark Greenhill (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Our relationship to Country
Chris explained that beginning with a Welcome to Country was highly appropriate to the occasion as it trains us to acknowledge our relationship to Country. He said: “It [Country] extends beyond our property to all creatures, our old people, generations beyond us, the people waiting in earth for their time. It is not a resource for us to gobble up, not a commodity, but a home for us and generations after us.”
In her speech Kelsie said: “A healthy Country means healthy people.”
Chris Tobin and Kelsie King. Their ‘Welcome to Country’ encourages us to deepen our relationship to the land and help preserve it for future generations.(Photo: Linda Moon)
Following the Welcome to Country the Wagana dancers put on a stirring performance in the mist.
The Wagana Dancers helped open the event.(Photo: Linda Moon)
One-stop shop for sustainable goals
Organiser and Senior Program Lead for the Planetary Health Initiative, Lis Bastian, described the event as a “one-day, one-stop shop” for our sustainability goals. “We understand that most people are overloaded,” she said. “We often can’t get to doing all the things we feel we could or should do because life is so busy and stressful. We’re hoping to make it easier by bringing a lot of options together in one spot at one time.”
Encouraging collaborative action at the local level, she said: “We’re trying to create a swarm for planetary health, emulating the way that birds and bees all start to work together in unison: people feeling the need for change in their whole being. And we need to change and act quickly together. That’s what we’re trying to achieve here, by bringing everyone together to see how enjoyable it can be and how we can all support one another to move together to a better way of living for ourselves and the planet.”
A chance to connect with community groups, practical skills, experts and businesses in the sustainability space. Pictured: Permaculture Blue Mountains(Photo: Linda Moon)
Stalls, talks and workshops
Over 30 participants providing stalls, workshops and talks, focused on ways to save money, reduce disaster risk and reduce our environmental footprint. Many diverse topics were covered: from how to use your waste bins properly and what to consider when installing solar panels, to learning about Home Energy Efficiency Assessments from MKC Building Design, to learning about Hempcrete (a fire resistant building material) with Kirstie Wulf from Shelter Building Design.
Carly Cura from Council’s Waste and Sustainability Team (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Blue Mountains Solar provided advice on installing solar panels (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Kirstie Wulf from Shelter Building Design had a stall and gave a comprehensive presentation on Fire-Resistant Building with Hempcrete. (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Talks commenced with a Drip Irrigation presentation, followed by Chris Tobin’s presentation on Dharug Culture.
Chris Tobin’s presentation on Dharug Culture (Photo: Lis Bastian)
There was the chance to get a discount on a water tank through a Community Water Tank Bulk Buy and more.
Parents exchanged clothing and smiles at a Kid’s Clothing and Toy Swap organised by Blue Mountains Parents For Climate.(Photo: Linda Moon)
There were activities for all ages, with Sarah Daniel from Kindle Hill engaging very young people in claywork (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Other young people participated in the Upcycling Fashion Workshop and in learning how to sew their own Boomerang Bags. (Photo: Maria de Luca)
Meet the celebs and experts
‘Off-grid Chippendale Sustainable House guy’, Michael Mobbs installed a ‘Cool Seat’ at the Precinct with Ian Collins of WaterUps. A Cool Seat, as Mobbs put it, is “a seat, garden bed and compost in one.”
Designed with wicking garden beds below composting baskets, it can hold 150 litres of food waste. According to Mobbs, it can transform food waste into compost within three weeks. Other advantages include minimal watering, worms and compost juice. The structure also keeps rats out.
The wicking design, an Aussie creation by Ian Collins and Vince Hunt of WaterUps, recently won the prestigious Groene Sector Innovation Award in the Netherlands.
Michael Mobbs (L) and Ian Collins (R) installing a ‘Cool Seat’ on the site.(Photo: Lis Bastian)
Eat the weeds
The public had the chance to sample unique dishes, like the delicious Three Weed Salsa Verde on crackers and Wild Fennel Seed Cookies, from the Eat Weeds book by mushroom and foraging expert Diego Bonetto.
Stylist, forager and foodie, Marnee Fox (Diego’s partner the other half of Forage to Feast), showcased numerous examples of edible weeds and fungi, and enthralled many.
Photo: Marnee Fox manning the popular ‘Eat Weeds’ stall.(Photo: Lis Bastian)
Permaculture educator and grower, Rhiannon Phillips of Mountains Gourmet, led a well-attended workshop on drip irrigation.
Rhiannon Phillips from Mountains Gourmet demonstrating how to install drip irrigation after her presentation (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Gardeners were also able to inspect examples of waterwise gardening (drip irrigation and wicking beds) constructed on the site, plus a demonstration pond.
Growing your own organic food – a fun way to help the planet and yourself.(Photo: Linda Moon)
Sustainable food
Shopping locally and eating fewer animal products are some of the easiest ways to reduce our environmental impact on the planet. To help showcase plant-based food, tasty locally-produced vegan and vegetarian foods were available for sale. Dishes included pakoras and lentil dahl using hand-blended spices supplied by Bibi’s Kitchen.
“Growing lentils actually helps the planet,” Lis said. “Lentils put nitrogen into the soil, they’re low cost and one of the healthiest things you can eat.”
Lentil and vegetarian dishes from Bibi’s Kitchen: great for people and planet.(Photo: Linda Moon)
Roasters With Altitude did a busy trade in sustainable, fair-trade coffee. They also tempted the crowds with their vegan hot dog, sweet treats and cakes.
Roasters with Altitude supporting the Timor Learning Centre (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Attendees also had a chance to taste-test vegan cheeses, and partake in a vegan ‘how-to-make-your-own-cheese’ demonstration by Teya Brooks Pribac.
Vegan cheese-making workshop by Teya Brooks Pribac, author of Not Just Another Vegan Cookbook. (Photo: Linda Moon)
Electric vehicles
EV owner Alan Wardrop turned up on the day to share the how-to of having an electric vehicle with interested members of the public. He was joined by some of Blue Mountains City Council’s EV fleet drivers willing to share their everyday experience of driving an electric car in the Blue Mountains.
Electric car owners generously gave their time to chat to the public.(Photo: Linda Moon)
Volunteering
“Volunteering with others in the wider community trying to make a difference is another way to support the planet”, Lis said.
Blue Mountains Bushcare encouraging more people to engage with nature and protect our bushland. (Photo: Lis Bastian)
WIRES: Helping wildlife is critical to the health of the planet.(Photo: Lis Bastian)
Exhibits, art and culture
The local arts community also got in on the act. Blackheath Art Society and local artist Julie Paterson of Cloth hosted a big, collaborative drawing workshop called “Everyone Can Draw”.
Collaborating on art. Planetary health requires working together! (Photo: Linda Moon)
Visitors also enjoyed the onsite ‘Water For Life’ exhibition.
Geoffrey Smith from Council’s Healthy Waterways Team explained how our actions affect water throughout the catchment in theWater for Life Exhibition (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Ending the day, the internationally acclaimed Bowerbird Collective enchanted listeners with a live performance and helped everyone experience that they were part of nature.
The Bowerbird Collective gave a stunning and interactive musical and visual art peformance. (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Support for Planetary Health Day comes from a Disaster Risk Reduction Fund jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments.
With the event dubbed a success by everyone involved, it’s hoped that Planetary Health Day can become a regular event in the Blue Mountains calendar.
Take Action:
Connect to local businesses and organisations from Planetary Health Day and find out how you can volunteer and contribute.
Plant some seeds or seedlings and start growing your own food.
Tick off three or more items on your sustainability list – like reducing your waste, growing some veggies, eating more plant-based food or upcycling secondhand clothing.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Join Andris Heks, Yogic Psychotherapist, winner Best Actor, Blue Mountains, for his workshop to laugh as you never laughed before, as part of a movement to globalise people-bonding cheerfulness through kookaburra laughter contagion as an antidote to distressing world divisiveness.
Purchase your ticket here: https://events.humanitix.com/kookaburra-laughter-workshop
View the trailer and the GoFundMe page here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/globalise-unconditional-love-through-kookaburra-laughter
Key event information: - When? 10:15AM - 2:30PM, Sunday 4 October 2026 (1st day of Daylight Saving - 1 hour forward) - Where? Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre, 33-39 Acacia St, Katoomba, NSW, 2780 - Fee? $60 or what you can afford - Note: please bring your own lunch
What to expect: - Learn how to stay cheerful for good - Learning the funny, human emulated, communal kookaburra laughter and meditation - How communal kookaburra laughter promotes bonding even amongst strangers - The awesome native treasure of the laughing kookaburra phenomenon - Why Kookaburra Yoga is the ‘most excellent of Yogas` - How communal kookaburra laughter contagion boosts the subtle and gross national product - How you could contribute to the kookaburra laughter contagion
This event is supported by Blue Mountains Planetary Health.
Purchase your ticket here: https://events.humanitix.com/kookaburra-laughter-workshop...
Come along to the Planetary Health Centre this Saturday for the next Skill Share Saturdays event!
This weekend`s agenda:
8:30AM - 10AM | Learn how to use your sewing machine class with Sherlie McMillan
8:30AM | Planetary Health Cafe open, serving Good Fat Pastry and Whisk and Pin
9AM - 10AM | Tai Chi and Qigong class with Virginia Field
10AM - 12PM | Learn how to grow WITH the Upper Blue Mountain permaculture workshop with Leni from Alchemy Farms
10AM - 3PM | Fashion Upcycling Workshop with Sherlie McMillan
10:30AM - 12PM | Learn to make focaccia from scratch with Laura Zucchetti (no experience needed)
1:30PM - 4:30PM | Planetary Health Bushcare with Karen Hising
For more information and to purchase a ticket, please visit the website: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre...
Plate to Planet: Blue Mountains Food Security Fair 2026
📣HEADLINE SPEAKER📣
Our headline speaker is Julian Cribb AM – a renowned Australian science writer, journalist and author who has spent more than 50 years communicating science, agriculture, climate and global sustainability issues. He is the author of several influential books, including The Coming Famine (2010), Food or War (2019) and How to Fix a Broken Planet (2023), which explore the future of food systems, planetary health and humanity`s long-term survival.
He is widely recognised as one of Australia`s leading voices on global food security and sustainable development.
To register for his talk, and view the rest of the program, visit the website: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-2026-food-security-fair...
At our next Skill Share Saturdays event on Saturday 5th September, join Laura Zucchetti at 10:30am to learn how to make focaccia from scratch!
Come along for a 90 min class where you`ll mix, rest and stretch your own focaccia dough from start to finish, guided every step of the way. You’ll take home your dough to bake on the day in your own oven.
Sign up to this session, and view the other offerings on the day via this link: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre...
Plate to Planet: Blue Mountains Food Security Fair 2026
We are pleased to announce that the program and registration for Plate to Planet: Blue Mountains Food Security Fair 2026 is now live!
Follow this link to view the program and register your place: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-2026-food-security-fair
Key information:
When? Saturday 10 October, 9AM - 4PM
Where? Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre, Katoomba
Who is it for? Families, gardeners, enthusiasts, community groups and businesses, anyone looking to learn about how to be more resilient through local and sustainable food systems.
What to expect? Talks, workshops, demos, market stalls, family activities, music, food
Is there a cost? Entry to the Fair and Markets is free. Talks and workshops are ticketed (both free and paid) and have limited capacity, so please register in advance.
Program highlights:
🌏Headline talk: The age of renewable Food – Julian Cribb AM 🎋Wild edibles foraging workshops – Diego Bonetto, Eat More Weeds 🏞️The importance of bioregions in uncertain times – Rowe Morrow, Permaculture Matters 🥒Home canning and food preservation workshop – Kirsty Berté, Permaculture Hawkesbury Valley 🏡Designing your own Permaculture Property – Leni Nyssen, Alchemy Farms 🍃Utilising what’s in front of you – Uncle Lex, The Ganya Shed 🪱How to worm farm - BMCC 🎸Live music by Olivia Dustmann 🌾Community crop and seed swap
Tickets are limited so please register your place now: https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-2026-food-security-fair
We are also seeking stallholders for the event. If you are a grower, retailer, community organisation or business that would like to get involved, please reach out to [email protected]!...
Thank you to everyone that joined us at the Planetary Health Centre on Saturday for the first of our Skill Share Saturdays program!
The Centre was a hive of activity all day, and we heard from @alchemyfarms_permaculture, the @ediblegardentrailbluemountains team and Andy Mann. Also thanks to Sherlie McMillan from Greater Blue Mountains Rotary for teaching the Fashion Upcycling workshop, and Virginia Field for the Tai Chi and Qigong class.
The next event will be held on Saturday 1st August - you can register your place here: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre
🖐Get involved!
Do you have a skill, program or interest that promotes planetary health that you`d be willing to share with members of the local community? We are looking for more workshop and session hosts for our future events.
Join us at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on the first Saturday of every month for Skill Share Saturdays!
Our July program includes: - What to grow in a Blue Mountains climate - Eating for Earth - Tai Chi and Qigong - Fashion upcycling and clothing reuse workshop - How to get involved with the Edible Garden Trail
You are also welcome to bring any surplus seeds or produce for our Crop Swap, or wind down in the Planetary Health Cafe (until 2pm).
If you have a skill that you want to share, or any questions or queries, please contact [email protected]
Visit the website to view the full program of events and register your place.
Join Andy Mann, a 23 year old Lawson local, for their Eating for Earth session 🌏
Eating for Earth is a judgement-free plant-based educational workshop that all types of eaters are encouraged to attend. There will be a presentation about the environmental impact of diets, a discussion section, and best of all, food! The food will be fully plant-based.
Andy wants to help inform our passionate community about how we can better reduce dietary environmental impact.
The session will run from 11AM - 12PM on Saturday 4th July.
Other sessions include: - What to grow in a Blue Mountains Climate - Fashion Upcycling - Tai Chi and Qigong - Bushcare on the Planetary Health site - How to get involved with the Edible Garden Trail
To register your place, visit our website: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre...
We’re excited to announce the second Blue Mountains Food Security Fair, taking place in Katoomba in October 2026.
This annual event will bring together growers, thinkers, makers, and community members to explore one of the most important challenges of our time: how we grow, share, and sustain food in a changing world.
Across the weekend, we’ll be exploring themes including: - Healthy soil and regenerative systems - Food and human health - Plant-based food futures - Home and community food resilience - Water-sensitive and climate-adapted growing - Indigenous food knowledge and systems - School food systems - Australia’s food procurement - Global food security challenges Expect a dynamic program of inspiring speakers, practical workshops, and hands-on experiences designed to leave you informed, empowered, and connected.
Key information Date: Weekend of 10th October 2026 Location: Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre, Katoomba, NSW We’ll be announcing speakers and program details soon.
We are also inviting expressions of interest from individuals and organisations who would like to contribute to the program, host workshops, run a stall or partner with us.
Do you struggle making the most of your veggie garden all year round?
Join Leni from @alchemyfarms_permaculture on Saturday 4th July for her Permaculture Workshop: Learn how to grow WITH the Upper Blue Mountains seasons, rather than battling against them.
During the two-hour session, you`ll cover crop selection for different seasons, what to grow from seeds vs seedlings, frost and wind protection, and nurturing your soil with a seasonal cycle.
Register for this and other sessions as part of our Skill Share Saturdays program via this link: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre...
From Saturday 4 July, we are opening up the Planetary Health Centre for our monthly Skill Share Saturdays program: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre
Throughout each day, you can expect to find a variety of sessions focused on restoring the health of the planet, in terms of the environment, community and economy.
Sessions at the first event include:
- What to grow in a Blue Mountains climate - Plant-based eating - Tai Chi and Qigong - Fashion Upcycling and clothing reuse workshop
You are also welcome to bring any surplus seeds or produce for our Crop Swap, or wind down in the Planetary Health Cafe (until 2pm).
Visit the website to view the full program of events and register your place: https://events.humanitix.com/skill-share-saturdays-at-the-planetary-health-centre
Registrations essential.
We are also inviting expressions of interest from individuals and organisations who would like to contribute to the program - please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested!...
Linda Moon has lived in the upper Blue Mountains since childhood and is a freelance writer for Australian media. A qualified naturopath, permaculture designer, mother and former student of social work, her passion is building local community, gardening, mental, emotional, social, housing and environmental health – all of which are linked!
In Katoomba, a grassroots litter-picking group tackles rubbish before it reaches our water supply. Their story shows how local environmental action, fueled by community connection, can drive meaningful change for planetary health.
Support the Future of Solutions-Focused Neighbourhood News
