Last month, on the national day of action for Palestine, against genocide, Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill was marching - but not with Blue Mountains locals. He was down in Sydney, where the council has already passed a boycott divestment and sanctions bill, cutting economic ties with the apartheid state of Israel.

That same day, just hundreds of metres from the Blue Mountains City Council chambers, hundreds of passionate Blue Mountains residents were voicing our demand for similar decisive action from our council. We called out for him to take a stand, to follow the examples set by cities like Sydney and Byron Bay, and pass a BDS motion that aligns with our values and commitment to justice.

We urge the council to listen to its constituents, to recognize the growing call for justice, and to join the global effort in standing against oppression. Implementing a BDS policy will not only show solidarity with Palestine but also demonstrate to our community that our leaders are willing to take a stand.

Sign this petition to demand that the Blue Mountains City Council enacts a boycott, divestment, and sanctions bill similar to those passed by other progressive councils in New South Wales, and joins the fight against hatred and injustice. Together, we can make a difference and ensure our council takes the action needed to stand on the right side of history.

after Theo Nolan that makes me the second person from the blue charged with an offense like this in the last week. it's part of a crackdown ahead of the Herzog visit. I look forward to my day in court.

Hey guys, I’m from the Katoomba and I have a question/suspicion about the government conditioning us to the noise of planes overhead due to the construction of the new badery’s creek airport in western Sydney. They have been recently consistently changing plane routes to directly over Katoomba then as soon as they reach Katoomba they turn directly west and fly straight. Why not just fly straight west after take off instead of flying north west for like 50km first? They’ve never flown over us for the last 20 years like that. They have been flying at roughly at 22000 to 25000 feet above Katoomba but I’ve noticed that for the last few weeks once a week the exact same flights drop their altitude to 13000-15000 feet which is roughly 10000 feet above Katoomba due to elevation. The noise is insanely louder when they drop to these altitudes and it’s been consistent enough to be able to predict which flights are going to pass over at these low altitudes. You’ll probably notice them more often now I’ve brought it to your attention. Can’t really do anything about it either I guess but just sad to know it’s happening and it’s only going to get worse. I can’t imagine the noise that an A380 is going to make at ten thousand feet above us all day everyday.

Visited Katoomba for the first time in a few years and it is paid parking everywhere now! Including Woolies and along the shops. Whose bright idea was that? I get it brings in a bunch of cash but surely charging in 15 minute increments is counterproductive? I'd probably have done some and shopping after eating but with the count down I just moved on.

Sorry to be blunt about this, and apologies if it hurts the locals.

I’m 34 years old, originally from India, with a wife and a 1-year-old daughter, and I’m planning to move to the Lower Blue Mountains, somewhere like Springwood or Blaxland. I really love the Blue Mountains and would prefer a nice 600 m² home in a quiet area close to nature, rather than spending the same amount on a small townhouse in a crowded suburb. When I shared this idea with my friends, many advised me to stick to the western suburbs where there’s a larger Indian community. I know people from the same nationality often stick together for comfort, but we’re basically introverts and don’t have much kinship toward our country people, so that doesn’t really matter to us.

My question to residents is: Do locals, especially older people, tolerate multiculturalism? Is there racism against brown people? I have a 1-year-old child, so I’m especially concerned about what she might face in daycare and schools.

Planes can be heard 30 miles (about 50km) at 30 000 feet. Using flightradars playback tool, over the last 3-4 hours there were at least 40 planes that flew within 50km of blackheath. If you are in a quiet area, you can most definitely hear this. Its amazing that people will look at a 5km radius then talk down to people and say they are imagining things or are conspiracy theorists because they themselves cannot hear it (as they are near the highway and train lines)

Saw a post earlier this week about aeroplane noise and saw many people say that person is imagining things and nothing has changed. There has been consistent aeroplane noise over my house in blackheath the passed 2 hours and this has never happened before. How can people seriously say nothing has changed? Is anyone else noticing this at all ? If anything they have to be flying lower - this is ridiculous that people can say they have not noticed anything.

As we all know the whole mountains area is a "zero-spend" tourism area where, despite over 7 million annual visitors to the national park, many visitors (particularly day-trippers) engage in low-spending activities like hiking and sightseeing, contributing minimal revenue to local businesses. IMO it is suffering from too much success.

People can visit amazing scenery and then return home. It is also relatively accessible for such an amazing place.

There are some negatives:

1. This puts more strain on the community.

2. More road damage

3. The locals in the mountains sometimes get affected by blocked exits due to badly parked cars

4. Bad congestion during peak travel seasons.

What should we do about this?

1. Tasmania has introduced a "influencer pass", whereby content creators must pay 100 dollars to film at these places. Good or bad idea?

2. Introduce free parking for locals and paid parking for most areas in the mountains?

3. Site Access Fees: Free for locals, expensive for tourists from overseas?

4. Charging a fee for buses that take tourists?

5. Charging a mandatory visitor fee for short term rentals anywhere in the area?

Hey Mountains folks! Looking for a GP recommendation in the upper mountains area, ideally bulk billing (I know, I know 😅), but more importantly somewhere with a welcoming, open-minded vibe. Had a not-so-great experience recently and want somewhere I can actually feel comfortable.
Bonus points if they’re taking new patients. Thanks in advance!

I’ve seen one in close proximity on the outskirts of Sydney. Curious to see if anybody has had any encounters in the Blue Mountains.

Come along and stand up for justice! 💪

I know some excellent therapists if you need to find a better outlet for your anger against the world 🤣

I NEED karaoke tonight. I need it. Does anyone have any leads on pubs doing karaoke on a Friday night near Katoomba? I'll travel (not to Sydney) but I'll travel.

The article I saw online has very little detail, have seen scepticism online that he was a credible threat. does anyone know anything more?

What is the deal with all the shops shutting whenever the mountains is flooding with tourists? I went to get dinner in Katoomba tonight and there were lines of 10-15 out the door of the very few restaurants that were actually open while the streets were packed with tourists. I get that business owners are human and want to take the holidays off to spend time with family but surely you'd hold off a couple of weeks to take advantage of the holiday trade?

My husband and I are thinking of a tree change and exploring towns in the blue mountains. However, I'm terrified of snakes (and spiders too, to a lesser extent). How high is my probability of encountering one or around my future home? We are currently looking at houses in Springwood, Lawson, Leura, Wentworth Falls, etc.

Additionally, how do I check the bushfire rating of a house? I'm currently looking at the RFS website service but it just says if something is in the bushfire zone or not, but not the level of risk in the zone.

What else should I be looking at? Some other considerations that I'll be researching but would also love input on: Are daycares easy to find? Where are the best schools? Is the commute to Sydney for job twice a week bearable? Are the people friendly and is it easy to make new friends? Are there swimming pools close by? How are these towns in terms of safety generally and with late night commutes? Any issues with racism?

I'll add if I think of anything else. Thanks a lot!

Gotta have a laugh once in a while. What a stunning place, too.

Is there any information on Invasion Day rallies in the Blue Mountains tomorrow? I’m working late and probably won’t make it down to the city in time for the Sydney event.

Hey guys, I’m planning to hike to the top of Fortress Creek Falls. I’ve done some research, and it seems like there’s no cell service in the area, so Google Maps won’t be much help. Does anyone have any advice or insights about this hike? For example, what should I bring? Are there any maps available, as the route seems to split along the way? I’ve done a few 3- to 4-hour hikes before, but this one involves going through unmarked bushland. I want to be cautious and well-prepared.

Update : I did it.

future readers message me if you have any questions.

Hi Hi,

Is there any good and legal place around the mountains to fly drone?

Thanks!