
Val, Ngaire and Frances making everyone feel welcome at the Market.
Story and photos by Lis Bastian
Take a tour of the Gang Gang Farmers Market in Lithgow, meet some stallholders and whet your appetite for their Spring re-opening.
Key Points:
- Lithgow’s Gang Gang Farmers Market supports local producers to provide quality fresh food direct to the community.
- The Markets are plastic-free thanks to the support of Lithgow Boomerang Bags
- The Markets will be closed over winter and will re-open in Spring
I could have kicked myself for arriving late on my first visit to the Gang Gang Farmers Market in Lithgow. Over winter, the Market had been starting earlier, but I underestimated how popular it was and how locals came every week to stock up on the incredible variety of quality locally grown and produced food: mushrooms, sourdough, eggs, meats, cheeses, chutneys and relishes, fresh seasonal fruit and veg, olive oils, honey, warm soups and chai, cakes, alcohol, and lots more.
Nestled in to the side of Lithgow’s Gang Gang Gallery in James St, the Market squeezes a lot into a small space, and felt much bigger than it actually is. As well as the 17 stalls, there was a buzz in the air: a combination of the live music, laughter and many friendly conversations.
I’ve now missed my chance to visit again this winter, because they’ve closed over the bleak months, but they’ll re-open in Spring and I’ve already marked the date in my diary! You can keep track of opening times via the Gang Gang Farmers Market Facebook page.

Sharon Howard (Gang Gang Gallery) and Steve McCulloch (Lithgow Valley Mushrooms)
Sharon Howard, from Gang Gang Gallery, started the Market nearly 8 months ago:
“There’s a large group of Lithgow people that have wanted to have their own Farmers Market for some time,” she told me. With her daughter Ngaire’s help, she began asking around and was surprised at the positive reception from everyone. “The stallholders themselves are really embracing the market. Everyone’s really happy with it.”
The first people she asked to participate were Steve McCulloch and his wife from Lithgow Valley Mushrooms. They are now stalwarts of the market, with Steve making warm soup for visitors over the cooler months.

Lithgow Valley Mushrooms
By the time I arrived at the Market, all the fresh mushrooms had been sold but you could still buy mushroom growing kits and powders.

Locally grown chokoes, potatoes and kohlrabi.
Ngaire Howard says the Market is the highlight of her week: “Every place should have a Farmers’ Market because it’s so good for the community on so many levels.”
She’s particularly proud that they’re a plastic-free market, with carry bags provided by Boomerang Bags. She encourages people to join the members of Boomerang Bags, who meet and sew reusable shopping bags on Fridays from 10.30am to 2.30pm at LINC (Lithgow Information & Neighbourhood Centre).

Karen Purser, from the Lithgow Transformation Hub, tells me she comes to the Market every week: “I love that it’s a great community social space and I like buying direct from the producers.”

Karen Purser from the Lithgow Transformation Hub does her shopping every week at the Market.

Aaron from Harvest Farms at the end of the day.
Aaron from Harvest Farms sees a real demand in Lithgow for organic local produce because there aren’t many other options available. He chats to avid local gardeners who are keen to get advice on growing veg and, he says, “There are a lot of good cooks here! I buy from everyone here too. It’s part of growing a local circular economy instead of just giving money to large shopping chains.”
The Market supports local producers and is held on a Thursday to allow for the stallholders to do markets further afield on the weekend.

Elderflower Mist from Widdenbrook Farm
Darren Baguley from Widdenbrook Farm on Nullo Mountain, Lithgow talked about how he and his wife started Elderflower Mist, which they’re now selling across Australia:
You can sample a wide range of other artisanal produce:

Wilson Family Olive Oil

Rusty Gate Honey

Maria from South Bowenfels specialises in delicious Greek sweets
Take a tip from me. If you want some of the delicious locally baked Greek sweets created by Maria from Delixious Bites get to the market early!
And here’s just a sample of some of the other great stalls:





I’m looking forward to the Market being on again in September.
Take Action:
- Visit the Gang Gang Farmers Markets in Spring.
- Take your own bags and consider joining Boomerang Bags Lithgow to reduce textile waste.
- Follow the Gang Gang Markets on Facebook
Share this article:
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.

News From Around The Region
Timber is one of our most valuable resources but too often, when a tree comes down, people only think of turning it into wood chip or firewood instead of much higher value timber products that can last as long as the tree took to grow! Come along to Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1st March and be inspired by how Michael Trickett can bring his mobile sawmill to you and produce high value timber for building or furniture making. Reserve your spot for Planetary Health Day here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/planetary-health-day-tickets-1235611640679
#timber #mobilesawmill #planetaryhealth #trees #morethanwoodchip #morethanfirewood #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains
Have you been hearing frogs in your yard or neighbourhood? One of the highlights of our upcoming Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March is our exhibition of Frogs of the Blue Mountains. We`ll have photos of all the known frogs of the Blue Mountains with links to their calls and we`re thrilled that Britt Mitchell from the @australianmuseum will share her experience as a frog call validator for the Museum`s FrogID project. She will discuss how FrogID has assisted her PhD research: “Australia’s frog species in the Anthropocene – habitat loss, climate change, behaviour, and disease”, the positive impact FrogID is making and how to get involved with this Citizen Science project. If you`d like to hear Britt speak you can reserve a place here (link in profile): https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/frogid-people-powered-frog-conservation-tickets-1235831287649
The photo of the frog below is by Holly Kent and features in the exhibition.
@frogidaus #frogs #treefrogs #frogsofthebluemountains #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #citizenscience #katoomba #bluemountains #familyday
Planetary Health Day is coming up on 1 March. SAVE THE DATE! We all need a Planetary Health Day where we can connect with community, have fun, get inspired, buy fresh local produce and learn ways to work together to restore the health of our planet and prepare for a more challenging future.
Check out our program and book to come along here (link in profile):
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/planetary-health-day-tickets-1235611640679
#planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #community #beprepared #conservation #restoration #repair #localproduce #mobilesawmill #frogID #plantbased #bushfire #disasterriskreduction #firehalo
To counter the increasingly disturbing news from around the world we`re having another fun and inspiring Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March! (link in profile) We`re also holding a Morning Tea at 10am this Saturday 8 February for anyone interested in joining our growing Planetary Health Volunteer Community. Whether you`re looking for a new career path and need to gain some work experience, whether you have skills you`re keen to share, or whether you`d just like to join a great group of like-minded people keen to make a difference, we have opportunities to be involved in Planetary Health Gardening and Site Works, Media and Storytelling, Skillshare, Events and Fundraising, and Guiding (eg. we currently have a frog exhibition and we`ve built a Water Demonstration Site). We also have a Bushcare Group! Reserve your place via the link in our profile, or if you can`t make it tomorrow email planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or ring 0407 437 553
https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/how-to-join-the-planetary-health-volunteer-community-tickets-1236696415269
#volunteer #planetaryhealth #dontquit #dontgiveup #dontdespair #community #action #togetherwecan
If you spent your summer break sorting out your wardrobe and found old favourites that need a new zip or are falling apart in some way, or if you went op-shopping and found something you loved that needs an adjustment or a remodel, bring it along to our free Fashion Upcycling workshop this Saturday 1 February from 9am to 3pm at the Planetary Health Centre. Places are limited so book here (link in profile) or ring 0407 437 553: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/free-fashion-upcycling-program-on-skillshare-saturdays-tickets-1110992892649?aff=oddtdtcreator
Margaret Mead once said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it`s the only thing that ever has.”
As the world roils with change and the survival of many species is being threatened, the Planetary Health Bushcare group started the year by working together on Saturday 4 January to restore habitat at the Planetary Health site. It was an afternoon of great conversations, amazing cloud formations, and impressive progress as we tackled the invasive weed choking the beautiful native plants on site. If you’re keen to help us restore the Planetary Health site; if looking for a way to shut out the news, contribute, connect to others and the natural world, learn and possibly even explore a different career pathway, you can join us this Saturday from 1.30 to 4.30. There’s always great food, great conversation and great satisfaction to be had! NB. There may even be plum and apple chutney and chocolate zucchini cake this Saturday!
If you`d like to join our Bushcare Group contact Karen Hising at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623
For more information about the Planetary Health Centre contact the Planetary Health office on 0407 437 553
#planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthcentre #bushcare #habitatrestoration #restoringhabitat #margaretmead #theantidote #newyear #satisfaction #greatcompany❤️
Some of the most popular activities we`ve run over the last year have been our plant-based cooking demonstrations. If you`d like to learn more about how to prepare meals that are cheaper, healthier and better for the planet, Teja Brooks Pribac from PlantInspired will be demonstrating how to use pantry essentials to create delicious and healthy plant-based meals tomorrow: Friday 6 December at Junction 142 in Katoomba. Ph. 0434 691 496
#plantbased #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthdiet #cookingclass #katoomba #bluemountains
If you`ve heard about how inspiring and fun our Skillshare Saturdays are with our free Upcycling Fashion workshop from 9am to 3pm, our Wildlife Exhibition from 9am to 1pm, and our Bushcare to regenerate the Planetary Health Precinct at 1.30pm, there`s still one more opportunity in 2024 to come along and join in, this Saturday 7 December. Well be having some delicious Christmas nibbles to celebrate the end of a very productive year and all are welcome. The Planetary Health Centre is at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Bookings for Upcycling essential (link in profile). To find out more about joining Bushcare ring 0407 437553 #upcyclingfashion #bushcare #planetaryhealth #learntosew #patternmaking #katoomba #bluemountains #natureconnection #wildlifeexhibition #birdphotos #wires
The inspiring Lyrebird Festival kicks off in the Megalong Valley this evening and runs until Sunday 17th November. Enjoy a weekend of music, art, food, wine, talks and nature walks as The Bowerbird Collective brings together art, science, conservation and world class music performances. All events can be booked separately or together with a Festival pass. Pricing includes a `Pay what you can` option.
The Lyrebird can be heard in the Megalong Valley imitating the calls of hundreds of other species, as well as producing their own thrilling sounds. The festival also includes a very special film screening of The Message of the Lyrebird on Sunday afternoon.
Tickets available here: https://bit.ly/3AON8In
(or at link in profile)
#megalongvalley #lyrebirds #lyrebirdfestival #bowerbirdcollective #bluemountains #planetaryhealth
In April 2021 Blue Mountains City Council became the first local government in Australia to adopt a motion to integrate Rights of Nature principles into its operations and practices. Today the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative, the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute and lawyer Kingsley Liu, had the great pleasure of workshopping further ways to implement Rights of Nature with this inspiring group of Law students from the University of New South Wales.
#rightsofnature #UNSW #lawstudents #planetaryhealth #bluemountains
At our World Animal Day event we launched the Community Supporting Community Program with a plant based cheese degustation. Teja Brooks Pribac from PlantInspired is now offering interactive classes in which you can have fun learning new techniques for using vegetables to create delicious meals that are good for your health and the health of the planet. Small groups: 6-8 people. $65.50pp. Bookings essential.
Classes currently on offer:
Plant-based cheese making & demo
Saturday 9 Nov, 1-3pm. Lawson NSW: https://www.facebook.com/events/1274663973560691
[DATE CHANGE!] The Tastemaster: how to turn your average vegetable into a mouthwatering masterpiece
Sunday 17 November, 11am-2pm. Katoomba: https://www.facebook.com/events/517611447925601
End of year special: plant-based cooking essentials 2-class bundle
Saturday 30 November, Sunday 1 December, 11am-2pm. Katoomba NSW: https://www.facebook.com/events/1116156823213312
Cooking with seitan
Saturday 7 December, 11am-2pm. Katoomba NSW. https://www.facebook.com/events/1553960262666738
PlantInspired is also offering interactive plant-based cooking classes and demos for individual clients, private groups and businesses. Choose from a range of preset classes or get in touch to tailor your own.
All profits utilised to help vulnerable members of the community through the Community Supporting Community program. Check the website for more info: www.plantinspired.com.au (link in profile)
#plantinspired #plantbasedcooking #vegan #community #planetaryhealth
Skillshare Saturdays literally offer a `breath of fresh air` at the Planetary Health Centre on the first Saturday of the month! At our free Upcycling Fashion workshop this month you can learn more about all types of zips and how to do basic pockets and pocket flaps. You can bring your own sewing machine or use one of ours. And at Bushcare in the afternoon, you can immerse yourself in the bush at the Planetary Health Precinct as you help restore habitat and protect biodiversity (while meeting some great people and enjoying time in nature). Bookings essential for Upcycling Fashion at Eventbrite here: https://bit.ly/4dZWUoM (link in profile)
If you`d like to join our Bushcare Group contact Karen Hising at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623
#upcyclingfashion #skillshare #planetaryhealth #bushcare #community #togetherwecan #zerowaste #regeneration #circulareconomy