John and Elizabeth Gould’s Birds of Australia on display at the Springwood Library
The Birds of Australia STORYBOX interactive exhibit at the Springwood Hub showcases John and Elizabeth Gould’s bird illustrations and First Nations knowledge. It highlights the threats to Australian birds, promotes conservation efforts, and is complemented by the Planetary Health Centre’s bird photography exhibition.
Key Points:
The Blue Mountains is home to a significant portion of Australia’s bird species, but these populations are under threat from climate change, habitat loss, and feral predators.
The Birds of Australia STORYBOX exhibit at the Springwood Theatre and Community Hub, featuring John and Elizabeth Gould’s illustrations and First Nations knowledge, aims to raise awareness about the fragility of Australian birdlife and inspire conservation efforts.
The exhibit highlights the historical significance of the Gould’s work, their reliance on First Nations expertise, and the ongoing efforts of Blue Mountains City Council to protect local bird species through various environmental initiatives.
The Blue Mountains is home to 265 native birds; a staggering one third of Australia’s total bird species. But, as Mayor Mark Greenhill pointed out when he launched the Birds of Australia STORYBOX at the Springwood Theatre and Community Hub on Saturday, 15 February, “bird populations are being decimated by climate change, habitat loss and predation by feral species … Shamefully almost one in six Australian birds are threatened by extinction today.”
The Birds of Australia STORYBOX is an interactive storytelling cube bringing to life the iconic bird illustrations of John and Elizabeth Gould, together with First Nations storytelling and knowledge.
It aims to both draw the community’s attention to the wonder and fragility of our unique bird life, and to focus our attention on what we can do to protect them.
Mayor Mark Greenhill launching the Australian Museum’s STORYBOX at the Springwood Theatre and Community Hub on Saturday 15 February 2025.
The Mayor spoke about John and Elizabeth Gould travelling across Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia in the 1800s, “on one of the most significant birding expeditions in history, helping inform contemporary knowledge and conservation of Australian birds. Their journey resulted in the publication The Birds of Australia, the first comprehensive scientific study of Australian birdlife. Its seven volumes include descriptions of 681 species, 328 of which were new to Western science.
“Even John Gould, himself an active participant in colonial science, decried the loss of birdlife caused by the arrival of Europeans. His diary contains an entry observing the decreasing number of magpie goose on the Hawkesbury River and laments the detrimental effect colonisation has on wildlife.”
The Goulds could never have undertaken their expedition without the knowledge and expertise of the First Nations guides upon whom they relied, not only for survival and navigation, but for their knowledge of bird habitat and behaviours. This sophisticated knowledge was shared in First Nations Songlines and now informs contemporary conservation efforts.
Unfortunately, only 250 editions of The Birds of Australia were produced, but a replica is now on display at the Springwood Library until 27 April. The pages of the book will be turned weekly so it’s worth planning a visit each week over the next two months!
Karen Majoros at Springwood Library with the Birds of Australia by John and Elizabeth Gould.
The book contains 680 exquisite lithographs and the page depicting Bowerbirds was on display on February 15.
At the launch the Mayor went on to highlight that, as the first Council and government entity in Australia to commit to integrating the Rights of Nature, Blue Mountains City Council is being proactive in protecting our native and threatened species with initiatives like “Bushcare, Swampcare, Bush Backyards, Healthy Waterways, The Blue Mountains Fauna Project, the Wildlife Recovery Mayoral Reference Group, advocating against the Warragamba Dam wall raising and community education and awareness-raising programs”.
The Planetary Health Centre was one of several Council services working to protect our biodiversity that had stalls at the launch. The Centre will be featuring a Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition at its upcoming Planetary Health Day on 1 March.
The Planetary Health Centre’s World Animal Day exhibition of bird photographs, by Holly Kent, Warren Hinder and Merryl Watkins is also now on display at the Springwood Theatre and Community Hub to complement the Australian Museum’s STORYBOX.
The Planetary Health Centre’s World Animal Day exhibition of bird photographs at the Springwood Theatre & Community Hub
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.
Join us at 6pm this Mon 22 Sep when we launch Rotarians 4 Planetary Health at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. We`re building on the collaborative work that Rotary and Planetary Health have done over the last three years with our workshops on how to use tools and upcycle fashion, the Pollinator Program and local storytelling. We`ll meet every Monday evening, with a different focus each week: from expanding our local Skill Share program, to prioritising strategies for disaster risk reduction, to learning communication skills and expanding community media. Refreshments will be available to purchase from the Planetary Health ‘Cafe’. Please register at this link to help us with catering (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/rotarians-4-planetary-health
It`s been just over a month since the Blue Mountains Peace Symposium and the Blue Mountains Peace Collective will be meeting again at 10am this Saturday 20 Sep at the Planetary Health Centre (33-39 Acacia St Katoomba) to discuss urgent further actions for peace. All welcome. You can read the Collective`s summary of the Symposium in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/taking-action-to-prevent-nuclear-war
Biodiversity is the incredible variety of all life on earth. Find out what you can do to protect it, especially our threatened species here in the Blue Mountains, at Biodiversity Discovery Day this Saturday 20 Sep at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre. We`ll be there to share what you can do, and there will be stalls, talks and activities for the whole family. Learn about platypus and koala research, about bees, trees and protecting the Blue Mountains Perch! View the program here (link in profile): https://www.facebook.com/events/1139700614680645/
We are `raising the bar for nature` on World Animal Day with a night of poetry and celebration, including an open mic and delicious plant based food. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4migZuD
On World Animal Day (Sat 4 Oct), join us at a very special event as we celebrate the life of Christine Townend, cofounder of Animal Liberation in 1976, and Animals Australia in 1980. Christine spent two decades helping animals in India where she and her husband Jeremy also founded two animal shelters. In 2019 she was awarded the Order of Australia for her contributions to animal protection. A resident of Leura, Christine died on 15 August 2025. Raising the Bar for Nature, at the Planetary Health Centre, will be a night of poetry, art and celebration with delicious plant based food. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4migZuD
Early bird registrations and call for submissions are now open for our groundbreaking conference and community expo bringing together the Australian Bushfire Building Conference and the Asbestos & Hazardous Materials Management Conference from the 20-22 November. Visit the Full Cycle 2025 website to purchase your ticket, or register your interest in partnering, speaking, sharing research, exhibiting or running workshops (link in profile): https://www.fullcycleconference.com.au/
Katoomba`s Against the Grain compresses sawdust into briquettes. They`re heating homes across the Blue Mountains and dramatically reducing landfill waste. Read more in our Katoomba Area Local News (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/turning-sawdust-into-gold/
What a glorious Spring day! We spent most of it outside: enjoying Tai Chi in the sunshine; with an outdoor stall at the Sustainability Festival; and at Bushcare - where we welcomed new members to the group, and finally cleared our way through what once seemed like an impenetrable wall of weed.
We`re excited about tomorrow: Tai Chi at 8am Book here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/47WI2YO, the @bluemtns_sustainability_fest from 10am at the Cultural Centre and throughout Katoomba and Leura, and Bushcare from 1.30pm (link in profile): https://bit.ly/420ofE4 (NB. Lis will be heading straight to Planetary Health Bushcare after her talk!)
Check out how Blue Mountains City Council`s environment team worked with students from Kindlehill School at the Planetary Health Centre to demonstrate how to stop erosion on a slope using natural materials. This technique slows stormwater flows, builds soil and reduces water pollution downstream. Our `How to Do Cool Things` playlist on our YouTube channel has lots of other helpful videos too! (link in profile) #erosion #stormwater #repair #regeneration #erosioncontrol #planetaryhealth #watermanagement...
There is a little bit of magic happening on Wednesdays at the Planetary Health Centre as young volunteers from @kindlehill_high_school, and Council staff, work together to create a demonstration site for the wider community. This hands-on program is inspiring all involved, including teacher Sarah Daniel. In her reflection on their Bushcare session, reprinted here, she was reminded of Arundhati Roy’s words that ‘another world is not only possible, she is on her way.’
Read more in Katoomba Area Local News (Link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/another-world-is-possible/
If you`re feeling overwhelmed, this Saturday offers inspiring opportunities to `re-set` mind, body and spirit with morning Tai Chi, Qigong and breakfast at the Planetary Health Centre at 8am; the Sustainability Festival at the Cultural Centre from 10am; and Planetary Health Bushcare to fully reconnect with nature and help regenerate habitat for wildlife at 1.30pm. Reserve your spot for Tai Chi here: https://bit.ly/47WI2YO and Bushcare here: https://bit.ly/420ofE4
Lis Bastian is the Senior Lead for Blue Mountains City Council’s Planetary Health Initiative. She is the editor of the Local News Platforms and has been a writer, editor, news presenter and teacher/lecturer covering both cultural and environmental issues for over 30 years. She has been pioneering Solutions/Constructive Journalism in Australia since 2012.
There is an army of hard-working environmental warriors all around us: in soil, on plants, in the air and in the water. Insects are our hidden allies. They protect, develop and maintain our natural environments, and yet their contribution is so often misunderstood, ignored or actively maligned.
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