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“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.

During Frog ID Week in late 2023, a record number of recordings were submitted to the Frog ID app. Join a group of froggers on a Frog ID outing in Lithgow to learn how to contribute to this important (and fun) citizen science project.

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.

In September each year, rural fire sheds across NSW host Get Ready days to help their communities prepare. We visited the Hartley brigade to learn what you can do to prepare your property and family for fire season.

In Lithgow, the once common call of the Gang Gang Cockatoo has become a rarity. On Threatened Species Day 2023, Lithgow and Oberon Landcare volunteers banded together at Farmers Creek to see what could be done to address their decline.

In the Black Summer of 2019/2020 many communities in regional and rural areas found out the hard way how vulnerable our communications systems are during disasters. The best way to mitigate this risk is to be prepared, as Lithgow Area residents found out at the recent Telecommunications Roadshow. Here’s what they learned.

During Summer 2022/23 Western Sydney University trained residents to use thermal imaging cameras to document surface temperatures in the local landscape as part of the Heat Detective project.  The images captured temperatures varying from 20°C to over 60°C, demonstrating both the urban heat island effect and simple solutions to reduce its impact.

Dr Megan Halcroft, from Hampton, is a leading educator on native bees. She's creating awareness around the critical role of our native bees in protecting biodiversity. She spoke with Planetary Health writer Tracie McMahon at Eskbank House earlier this year.