Blue Mountains, NSW

Blue Mountains, NSW Business Mentorship Program supports local resiliency after challenging years

The one-year program connects up to 40 local businesses with mentoring by industry veterans. Customized plans guide participants through short-term challenges and toward long-term success. Twenty spots are dedicated to tourism operators in response to a revenue loss of $118 million due to the pandemic and natural disasters. Council officials offer the program for free after receiving grants from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund and the Building Better Regions Fund 5.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia

Blue Mountains, NSW shares its Asbestos Management Toolkit with neighboring councils

The 60-page guide offers a five-step process for minimizing staff exposure to asbestos. These steps include registers of buildings with asbestos and auditing council mitigation efforts. Each step offers templates, relevant legislation, and tools that are helpful in implementing the guide. Blue Mountains sent copies to every council in the state and published the guide online for any local government in need of assistance.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia

Blue Mountains, NSW protects the area's natural assets with the Planetary Health Initiative

Council leaders approved the Initiative to ensure the long-term health of the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage Site. An advisory committee will work with local residents and partners on a sustainable action plan. The proposed Planetary Health Centre at the former Katoomba Golf Course enables environmental science and sustainability research. Citizen science events like the weeklong Wild Pollinator Count generate data on ecological health and engage residents in the project.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia

Blue Mountains, NSW supercharges net-zero emissions effort with solar project at sports facility

The Katoomba Sports & Aquatic Centre now houses a 226-panel rooftop system with a capacity of 90.4 kilowatts. Solar energy at the facility reduces annual emissions by 313 tons, equivalent to the emissions created by 45 homes. This project is the largest of a five-site solar initiative that includes two waste management facilities, a theatre, and another aquatic centre. Blue Mountains City Council invested in this initiative to reach a net-zero emission goal by 2025.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia

Blue Mountains, NSW considers electrification of council fleet with all-electric waste truck pilot

The plug-in collection truck can travel up to 190 kilometers per full charge. Regenerative braking with each stoppage supports this range estimate. The council's Fleet Services and Waste Services teams can recharge the vehicle from empty in eight hours. Local leaders are evaluating the truck's long-term performance in the challenging terrain of the Blue Mountains. A successful pilot could lead to additional low-noise, low-emission vehicles for the council's 300-unit fleet.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia

Blue Mountains, NSW streamlines its bulk waste services using a single online form

The council's waste services team previously divided household waste and yard waste chipping into separate channels. The new form allows every household to easily claim two bulky collections across all categories per year. Residents note metal, plastic, and electronics in bulky waste that can be recycled when requesting service. The streamlined process improves yard waste collections and reduces available fuel for wildfires.

BM

Blue Mountains, NSW

Australia