Left to Right: LEG members Chris Jonkers, Thomas Ebersoll, Erica Cavanagh, Julie Favell, Chris Oddie (Photo: Lis Bastian)
Story by Quintin Handley
Key Points:
Lithgow Environmental Group (LEG) hosted a screening of Tim Flannery’s documentary ‘Climate Changers’ at the Maldhan Ngurr Ngurra Lithgow Transformation Hub. It focused on investigating responsible climate leadership.
Equally as inspiring as the leadership shown in the documentary was the story of LEG’s twenty-year-long championing of the local environment.
“It’s not a film to be enjoyed, but I hope it will inspire us.”
These were the words with which Thomas Ebersoll of Lithgow Environment Group finished his opening speech before the showing of Tim Flannery’s film: ‘Climate Changers’. The film was shown in the Maldhan Ngurr Ngurra Lithgow Transformation Hub and focused on what role leadership plays in facing the climate crisis. It featured interviews with a variety of leaders, from politicians such as former PM Malcom Turnbull, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean, and 45th American vice-president Al Gore, to Polynesian chieftains and climate activists.
More salient than the examples of leadership displayed in the documentary however, was the living example shown by those presenting the documentary in that small auditorium in Lithgow. The story of Lithgow Environment Group, or LEG as its members call it, is a saga spanning nearly two decades. It is a story of their heroic struggle against fire, local habitat destruction, weak government legislation and in particular, irresponsible mining practices.
LEG was founded in 2005 when concerned members of the public contacted one of the founding members about reports of asbestos in the Lidsdale area. The first meeting was held in 2006 in Lithgow. and identified their primary concern for the local area was the water supply. Soon they had established over thirty water quality monitoring stations throughout the Coxs River, Farmers Creek, and other local watercourses.
Members of LEG checking water quality as part of their ‘Streamwatch’ Program’ (Photo: LEG)
LEG’s most notable achievement came in 2011 when, after two years of litigation, they collaborated with Blue Mountains Conservation Society to stop the pollution of the Coxs River with wastewater from the Wallerawang power station. Read more here
One of the founding members, Julie Favell, stated that “Everywhere I look I see weak legislation. That’s what’s got to change.” Still, they are undaunted in their struggle to preserve their local environment. Erica Cavanagh, another member of LEG, linked this to Tim Flannery’s documentary, saying of Julie “It’s not the collective, it’s individuals who are speaking out, leaders. It takes determination and a certain courage.”
Indeed, the words determination and courage characterise the members of LEG, and the attitude they hold to the endless work required, of just a handful of key members, in monitoring the endless square kilometres of bushland and waterways surrounding Lithgow. “It takes a long time to collect all that data, it’s a lot of fieldwork,” said Julie Favell of the thousands of aggregate hours she and Chris Jonkers have spent trekking the bush and meticulously recording water quality and local biodiversity.
Additional projects of LEG over the years have included monitoring local swamps for potential signs of damage that could occur from mining on the Newnes Plateau, an area now listed as a NSW Endangered Ecological Community. Julie Favell said, “Those swamps have been there for twelve thousand years, and they’re a natural filtering system. If you destroy them it’s not only destroying the local habitat for fauna and flora, but drastically reducing environmental flow, the local water quality, and Sydney’s drinking water. Without water, nothing lives, retainment of water quantity and quality is paramount for all to survive.”
Left: The pristine Farmer’s Creek swamp Right: Chris Jonkers in the East Wolgan Swamp, damaged by mining operations draining the swamp (Photos: LEG)
In wake of the destruction of much animal habitat during the Black Summer Bushfires, LEG has organised a community-driven project to provide artificial nesting hollows, or ‘possum tubes’, for vulnerable species such as the Eastern Pygmy Possum throughout the Ben Bullen State Forest. With materials donated by Lithgow Bunnings, initial design training by Fauna Ecologist Andrew Lothian, the nest boxes constructed by the local Lithgow Women’s Shed, and then installed by concerned local volunteers and LEG members, the project stands as a testament to the ability of a few motivated individuals to organise and rally community effort to step up and do something for the environment.
On May 24th the group organised their 4th Annual Eastern Pygmy Possum and Nature Walk to monitor the progress of the project. Local fauna expert Andrew Lothian led a group in opening up the hollows and cataloguing the inhabitants. Seventeen volunteers inspected 15 nest tubes, and two happy residents were unearthed, a female eastern pygmy possum and a male feathertail glider, both in good health and enjoying the shelter provided by the plastic piping filled with soft doona stuffing.
Left: An Eastern Pygmy Possum blinks in the sun
Middle: The beautiful feather tail of the Feathertail Glider
Right: The Feathertail Glider being carefully held by local expert Andrew Lothian (Photos: Julie Favell)
Though their work may be inspiring, the future of the Lithgow Environment Group is uncertain. After twenty years of dedication its members are worried that in ten or fifteen years there may be no one remaining in Lithgow to carry on walking the trails, documenting, and supporting the local environment. As such the LEG is calling for new members from the Lithgow/Blue Mountains area. Julie Favell says they’re “seeking volunteers to join and learn, we want to educate and pass on our knowledge.” Any interested persons can find the LEG website and email address at the end of this article.
Any who make that step will find themselves welcomed with open arms and warm smiles into a small but committed community of local heroes passionate about their local environment, as I was for a brief but happy time when I stepped into the Lithgow Transformation Hub and tripped over the story of these true ‘climate changers’. Their existence answers in the affirmative to the overarching question in Tim Flannery’s documentary: do we still have those leaders out there with the determination and courage to stand up and rally us against climate change.
LEG members Julie Favell and Chris Jonkers at the screening of ‘Climate Changers’(Photo: Lis Bastian)
‘Think locally, act locally, I think we really have made a difference in this little town’ – Chris Jonkers
Take Action:
Join! “If you have the passion, we welcome anyone, there’s no person we wouldn’t include if their passion was to learn more about the environment. The environment always needs passionate people and you can do it.”
If Lithgow is too far, start your own group “Don’t feel that you don’t have the knowledge, you’ve got to start somewhere, LEG started with very little knowledge, you’ve got to start somewhere”
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.
The KTOWN pickers - Katoombans Taking On Waste Now - are clearing litter from local tracks and streets and stopping it from entering our waterways and eventually our water supply. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/ktown-katoombans-taking-on-waste-now/
This Saturday will be the first meeting of the Upper Mountains Seed Saving and Gardening Group at the Planetary Health Centre, starting at 10am. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3LalNFy
It will be followed by the Planetary Health Bushcare group at 1.30pm. Register your interest here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo
Global poisoning by a tsunami of toxins that are flooding the planet is fast becoming the biggest threat to life on earth. Extreme weather events like fire and flood accelerate this chemical pollution. To address this the Planetary Health Centre`s Full Cycle 2025 conference from 20-22 Nov is bringing together leading experts in managing extreme weather events as well as those who are working on reducing the risk of hazardous materials like asbestos and PFAS. According to keynote speaker Julian Cribb:
"The poisoning of our planet through human chemical emissions is arguably the largest human impact of all upon the Earth. In volume, it is four to five times greater than our climate emissions (which are a part of it), and three times more lethal than the estimated climate death-toll. It is the mega-threat least understood by society, monitored by science or regulated by government. It has mainly occurred over the last 50 years, due to a massive global surge in chemical use and materials extraction.
Scientific assessment has identified more than 350,000 man-made chemicals. The US Department of Health estimates 2000 new chemicals go on the market every year and the Smithsonian says 1000 new compounds are now being synthesised every hour. The UN Environment Program warns about a third of these “are persistent, able to accumulate in humans and animals and are toxic”.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 13.7 million people — one in every four — die each year from diseases caused by “air, water and soil pollution, chemical exposures, climate change and ultraviolet radiation”, caused by human activity.
Human chemical emissions are thus responsible for the largest mass killing in history.
Learn more and register for the conference here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
There will be a free community expo on Saturday 22 November at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba.
Conference volunteers receive free registration. Email planetaryhealthevents@bmcc.nsw.gov.au if you’d like to volunteer at this critically important event.
T`ai-chi and Qigong routines can increase mobility and strength, improve immunity and help build an inner calm. To get the greatest health impact you need to practice them on a regular basis, so we`re thrilled to now be offering a 6-week block of classes to take you into summer starting 9am this Saturday 1 November and running until Sat 6 December. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4qrw4Nx This Saturday, 1 November, the activity is also the first in a full day of Skill Share activities at the Centre that includes Seed Saving and Gardening from 10am, and Planetary Health Bushcare from 1.30pm. You can book in for Bushcare here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/49k8PPo Contact Lis on 0407 437 553 for more information.
Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be meeting again at the Planetary Health Centre at 6pm on Monday 27 October. Register at this link if you`d like to attend! (link in profile) https://events.humanitix.com/rotarians-4-planetary-health-l7bb4qhr?
Thank you to everyone who popped by for the @ediblegardentrailbluemountains today! It was a great day discussing gardens, ponds, frogs, seeds, composting seats, wicking beds and how to restore the hydrological cycle! Next Saturday will be our Skill Share Saturday. We`ll be kickstarting a 6-week block of Tai Chi & Qigong at 9am, launching our Seed Saving and Gardening Group at 10am and running our monthly Bushcare Group at 1.30pm. You can book in for Tai Chi here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/tai-chi-and-qigong-six-week-block-spring-2025-qaw2ts2v and to Bushcare here (link also in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-bushcare-spring-summer-2025
The Planetary Health Centre is on the Edible Garden Trail today! Last week we launched the Upper Mountains Seed Savers and Gardening Group. Come along to learn more, enjoy a coffee in our garden, and pick up a free Vegetable and Flower Sowing Guide. We`re open from 10am. You can find us at 33-39 Acacia St Katoomba. Tickets for the Edible Garden Trail available here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/blue-mountains-edible-garden-trail-2025
The Planetary Health newsletter is now out. Read about three days of innovation at the upcoming Full Cycle Conference in Nov, the Edible Garden Trail this weekend, and a six week block of Tai Chi and Qigong classes at the Planetary Health Centre (link in profile): https://bit.ly/47jbFBz
Today is an Extreme Bushfire Danger Day! Have you heard about the extraordinary fire resistant paint developed by Professor Yeoh and his team at UNSW? Professor Yeoh will be presenting at our Full Cycle Conference on Thurs 20 November. He is world renowned in the field of fire safety and his innovations are helping to keep people and property safe. Importantly among these innovations has been the development and commercialisation of FSA FIRECOAT paint (sold at Bunnings), which creates a protective insulating ‘char’ on a building when it’s exposed to flames. It is water based and non toxic. Watch it in action in this video (link in profile): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkA1RlxMjWQ
Join us at the Conference to learn more about Professor Yeoh’s work during three days of innovation and exploration in which leading speakers from around Australia will share how we can reduce the risks of natural hazards and hazardous materials. Places are limited so register here now (link in profile): https://www.fullcycleconference.com.au/
With new modelling suggesting a hot summer with increasing fire risk it`s worth making time now to learn more about how we can reduce the risk of disaster by registering to attend the Full Cycle Conference that`s bringing together the Bushfire Building and Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conferences in Katoomba on 20-22nd Nov. Group discounts apply if you register now here (link in profile): www.fullcycleconference.com.au
• Emma Whale from the NSW Reconstruction Authority will discuss how state-wide and place-based disaster adaptation planning is helping reduce risk;
• David Sanderson, the inaugural Judith Neilson Chair in Architecture at UNSW, will share the results of a landmark enquiry on how our response to disasters requires a change in housing policy and local government empowerment;
• Owen Price, Director of The Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at UOW will compare the patterns of housing loss in the NSW and Californian wildfires;
• Guan Heng Yeoh from UNSW will share how he developed the award winning FIRECOAT fire resistant paint;
• Everson Kandare from RMIT University will discuss the development of fireproof cladding made from molasses-cultured mycelium - a fungal biomass;
• Alan Green from the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre UOW will introduce Heatwave and Multi-Hazard Resilience Star Rating Tools for retrofitting houses;
• Emma Bacon from Sweltering Cities and Dr Kim Loo from Doctors for the Environment will discuss heat waves and social justice;
• Andrew Bovis from Integrated Water Solutions will discuss the potential use of treated blackwater as an independent water source for landscape hydration and fire fighting;
• Sara Jane Wilkinson from UTS will launch the Bushfire Retrofitting Toolkit for older Australians and do a session on green roofs and walls to reduce disaster risk and increase biodiversity;
• Melissa Knothe Tate will discuss research on tackling PFAS contamination;
Thank you to everyone who participated in our inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair today. It was an inspiring and thought provoking day with lots learnt, many connections made, amazing food consumed and stunning weather! We look forward to doing it again next year!
The inaugural Blue Mountains Food Security Fair kicks off at 9am today at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Pop in to listen to a talk, watch a demo, grab a coffee and sweet treat from Good Fat Pastry, a delicious lunch from Bibi`s Kitchen, fresh mushrooms from EarthRising Mushroom Farm, locally acclimatised vegetable seeds from Mid Blue Mountains Seed Savers, and edible native plants from Muru Mittigar Ltd You can view the full program here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4nOSJle The Planetary Health Centre is at 33-39 Acacia St (former Katoomba Golf Course).
The Fair is a World Animal Day event and has been supported by a sEEd grant from the Australian Association of Environmental Educators.
Quintin is a student studying history at the University of Sydney and a graduate of Penrith High School. He is currently writing for the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative’s Local News and wishes to pursue a career in journalism.
Chris Oddie is a passionate member of the Lithgow Environment Group (LEG). With other members of LEG, she became increasingly concerned about the growing number of invasive Indian Myna birds proliferating in Lithgow. Mynas are listed among 100 of the world's worst invasive species by the World Conservation Union.
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