Some of the staff at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre – Back Row: Tish, Ingrid, Janelle, Danielle; Front Row: Sonda, Rachael, Pauline and Sian (Photo: Kerin Pollock)
Story by Belle Butler
Tucked into a leafy nook in Lawson, the Belong Blue Mountains Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre is a delightful place to have a quiet break, learn a new skill, do an exercise class, participate in a social group, or take the kids to playgroup. It also offers resources and services essential to a thriving community.
Key Points:
Neighbourhood and community centres are central hubs for community connection, relationship building, learning and belonging. They provide essential resources and services that strengthen social cohesion, well-being and community resilience.
Belong Blue Mountains run three community centres in the Blue Mountains LGA – Blaxland, Lawson and Katoomba. Each centre strives to meet shared and distinct community needs.
Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre in Lawson offers a vast array of activities, resources and services tailored to suit a range of ages and diverse needs.
From May 13-19 2024, the nation celebrates Neighbourhood Centre Week with the theme ‘Stronger Together’ – an apt slogan for our Blue Mountains centres that listen closely to the pulse of our community and work hard to keep it healthy and strong.
When I moved to Lawson pregnant with my first child, I experienced first-hand the social benefits of getting involved with my local neighbourhood centre. Starting fresh in a new place with a newborn can be isolating, but the usual challenges of building a social network were abbreviated for me by the existence of a few invaluable community services.
One such service was the Kookaburra Playgroup held at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre every Monday from 9:30 – 11am. I took my bub, Leo, with me every single week before he could even benefit from the toys or social engagement himself, because at that point, the outing was my dose of connection with other adults and other parents.
Leo loving the leaves during Kookaburra Playgroup at Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, 2016(Photo: Belle Butler)
The playgroup provided participating adults with a chance to chat about the joys and dramas of parenthood, to make new friends (some of which have remained my closest companions), to gain insight into the quirks of babies and toddlers, and to seek advice when things were rough. Once our kids were old enough, playgroup provided them with the invaluable experience of social interaction. This is where they first started to learn about making friends, sharing, being gentle, and (hopefully) about not eating the sand in the sandpit.
Still friends – Leo, Frankie and Addie used to hang out together at Kookaburra Playgroup back in 2016 – now they do backyard-fire-nights and movies.(Photo: Belle Butler)
Kookaburra Playgroup is still held on Monday mornings, 9:30-11 during school term, and remains one of many opportunities for social engagement accessible to the community at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre. The Centre in Lawson is one of three community centres run by Belong Blue Mountains, with the other two located in Blaxland and Katoomba.
Belong Blue Mountains prides itself on the organisational values of being inclusive, collaborative, agile, principled and person-centred, while creating an environment that fosters mutual respect, empathy and social justice. “Our centres play a vital role in promoting equity and social justice within our local communities,” said Danielle Wilding-Forbes, Community Engagement Manager Belong Blue Mountains.
“By offering targeted services and support to marginalised populations, such as low-income families, older and isolated community members, and individuals experiencing homelessness, these centres help to address systemic inequalities and empower individuals to overcome barriers to social and economic advancement.”
With centres in the lower, mid and upper Blue Mountains they provide a broad range of services across the LGA. These services include information and referral, social support, community development, practical assistance such as phone, printing and digital support, child and family services, emergency relief, and auspice support for community groups.
Attendees at the MYST ‘Battle of the Bands’ event held at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre 2023.(Photo: Belle Butler)
While shared community needs are noted across the LGA, Belong Blue Mountains acknowledges distinct differences in each centre. In order to ensure flexibility and responsiveness to community needs, centres are staffed five days a week with experienced community workers in Admin and Community support roles.
Danielle noted that one of the key benefits of neighbourhood centres is their ability to provide personalised support and assistance to residents in need. “Skilled workers at these centres can offer one-on-one guidance, helping individuals access the resources and support they need to address specific challenges, such as navigating the NDIS or My Aged Care intake, accessing social support groups, accessing healthcare services, or addressing mental health issues,” Danielle said.
Dedicated volunteers also help the centres run smoothly. Sue in reception has been volunteering one day a week at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre for the last four years. “I feel it’s important to support my local community,” she said. “I enjoy the reception work, meeting new people and developing a connection with the clients. The staff are all very supportive and appreciative, and they make me feel welcome too.”
Danielle echoes Sue’s sentiment: “I love that we are person-centred and respect the lived experience. The passion of my colleagues to see that we all do better for our most vulnerable spurs me on.”
Andrew Solomon from the Blue Mountains Conservation Society at an event at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, 2023.(Photo: Belle Butler)
Something for Everyone
The Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre, like its sister centres, is a central hub that fosters community engagement while providing essential services and cultural enrichment opportunities to a range of ages and differing needs. Acting as a scaffold for connection, relationship building, learning and belonging, it plays a vital role in strengthening social cohesion, wellbeing and community resilience.
“These centres serve as a hub for community engagement and collaboration,” said Danielle. “By bringing together residents, community organisations, and local businesses, these centres facilitate networking and partnership opportunities that can support community development and promote social cohesion. This sense of community connectedness can lead to increased civic engagement and collective action, fostering a more vibrant and cohesive neighbourhood.”
Danielle noted that many of their most popular programs started with an individual popping in and simply asking for support of an idea.
Activities and services on offer
Below are some examples of what’s on offer, but for a comprehensive peek you can peruse the full list on the Belong Blue Mountains website.
Chess Club for All Ages and Abilities – Wednesdays from 3:30. This is a relaxed social chess club for players of all ages and experience levels with hosts Steve and Bill.
I can personally attest to the value of Chess Club having taken my son, Leo, there for many months. There are few opportunities for mixed ages to come together and share something they love – this provided that unique experience and allowed my son to gain knowledge and skills from other kids and adults in the community. While we now have a basketball clash with this activity, Leo still hopes to return: “Chess is fun! I learnt the king and castle swap move at Chess Club. I look forward to going back.”
Participants at Chess Club. (Photos: Kerin Pollock)
Community Café – Thursdays 10-12. Come along and meet some new faces while you enjoy a cuppa and a light snack in this friendly social group.
“I really enjoy volunteering at the café. It’s great to spend time sharing stories and I love the conversation and the humour.” – Lyn, volunteer at Community Café.
Tech ‘n’ Connect – Tuesdays 10-12. Learn to better use your digital device, email, photo, zoom and more.
Standing Strong Classes – Tuesdays, in 10 week blocks. Group exercise classes for over-65s to improve strength, balance and mobility.
Allied Health for eligible over-65s, which aims to: keep people safe & active whilst living at home, build capacity and resilience, support wellness, and provide re-ablement and restorative care for older people within the Blue Mountains community;
The ‘Be Ready’ program, aimed at ensuring community members are ‘aware, capable and prepared’ in the event of an emergency.
These are just a few of the activities and services available to the community. Please contact the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre on 02 4759 2592 or visit their website for more information about services, activities and resources.
And as if that wasn’t enough… remember you can also hire a room at the Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre for your next group activity or birthday party!
Take Action:
Check out the Belong Blue Mountains website and get involved – The Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre has something for everyone.
Come and celebrate Belong Blue Mountains during Neighbourhood Centre Week at a BBQ at Katoomba Neighbourhood Centre on May 15 from 10am-12pm.
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.
Our newsletter is now out! Read about how you can contribute to @bluemountainscitycouncil`s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy; watch our video on Falling in Love with Glossy Black Cockatoos; see the new photos of the rare Northern Heath Frog; watch how the Bushcare Seed Collectors cook banksias to release their seeds; learn more about Tai Chi and Qigong, the Chinese medicine movement practices; and take part in our next workshop on Designing Your Future Home with Passive House Designer Karina Rafailov from @earthy_haus
Read it here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/40e4GHr
Our video on Falling In Love With Glossy Black Cockatoos is now up on our Planetary Health YouTube channel (sorry, it`s too big to share here but there`s a link in our profile).
Jayden Gunn finishes his presentation by saying:
"Care is like a snowball. The more people you tell the bigger the snowball gets, and the further it goes. And the more we know, the more we care. And the more we know, the more we`re able to help."
The video is of our fabulous Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, and includes presentations by Jayden Gunn, BirdLife Australia, Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, and STEM teacher Samantha Bowden from Glenbrook Public School. There`s a link with the video on how to register for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong on 5 July (and it`s also in our profile). Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCERdF21Ud0&t=13s
Today we`re enjoying eating ripe medlars! Medlars are attractive cold climate fruit trees that were popular in Medieval gardens. They`re one of the few fruits that can be harvested in late Autumn and eaten in early Winter when they`re fully ripe. This is a great time of year to plant them for a future harvest. Check out our short video on how to eat them! #coldclimategardens #ediblegardens #medlars #growyourown #planetaryhealth #bluemountains...
We`re thrilled to share that last night @BlueMountainsCityCouncil`s Planetary Health Centre won the Innovative Leadership Award (Population Under 150K) in the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. What a great end to World Environment Day! 🌏 This award celebrates how local government can lead transformative change for a more sustainable future. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard with us to make our vision a reality. You can read more about what we`re doing at our website (link in profile): http://www.bluemountainsplanetaryhealth.com.au/ @ph_alliance #planetaryhealth #worldenvironmentday #localgovernmentleadership #nswlocalgovernmentexcellenceawards...
Blocking out a couple of hours a week to step off the treadmill and give ourselves time to nurture our relationship with the earth and ourselves, is one way to keep our creative spirit and ‘lust for life’ alive. If you haven’t done so yet, one opportunity over the next week is to spend some ‘slow’ time in the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre before it closes on 15 June. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/the-2024-wynne-prize/ @bluemountainsculturalcentre @artgalleryofnsw #wynneprize #landscapes #bluemountains #katoomba #artexhibition #planetaryhealth...
Recognising how violence and war impact the health of the planet, the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative has become a member of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective. On Sunday 25th May, we attended a presentation by Dr Keith Suter on Making Peace in the World Today at the Leura Uniting Church. In this powerful presentation Dr Suter questions why we learn about war rather than successful peace negotiations! View the video of his presentation below and read our full story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/3Fl4WgQ (link in profile)
With an extra day up your sleeve this long weekend, it`s a great opportunity to give nature a hand to regenerate and provide more habitat for our fellow species! Join our fabulous all ages Planetary Health Bushcare Group from 1.30pm and then participate in the Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm, followed by drinks and nibblies! You can also start the day with a fabulous Tai Chi session at 8am. Visit our Planetary Health Pluriversity website to book in and learn more (link in profile): https://bmpluriversity.org/program/
Or ring 0407 437 553 for more information. #planetaryhealth #bushcare #katoomba #bluemountains #glossyblackcockatoos #landcare #biodiversity #habitat #wearenature #togetherwecan...
In this inspiring interview with Medlow Bath resident Amanda Foxon-Hill she talks about her work with Mid Lachlan Landcare, why Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo is so important, and why she loves her work so much! Read the full story in Blackheath Area Local News here: https://blackheathnews.com/connecting-landscapes-for-glossy-black-cockatoos/
Book in for the Growing Connected Landscapes Forum at 4pm this Saturday 7 June here: https://events.humanitix.com/growing-connected-landscapes-for-the-glossy-black-cockatoo Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong here: https://events.humanitix.com/glossy-black-cockatoo-community-tree-planting-5
In a world that increasingly feels out of balance, we’re thrilled to be offering Saturday morning Tai Chi and Qigong at 8am this Saturday 7 June (and the first Saturday of every month on our Skill Share Saturdays). Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art and moving meditation for body, mind and spirit. It is ideal for learning to keep calm amidst chaos but also has health benefits to increase longevity. Harvard Medical School has reported that this gentle form of exercise can help maintain strength, flexibility, and balance, and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life. It`s particularly popular in Hong Kong, where residents have one of the highest life expectancies in the world! T`ai-Chi has also been found to improve brain function (like memory and mental flexibility) faster than other exercise and, in a recent study, comparing T`aiChi to brisk walking, the martial art was found to be significantly better at reducing blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease, like blood sugar levels and cholesterol. If you’d like to try it out, you can reserve your spot here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3FxWPgR
Learn how to Grow Connected Landscapes for the magnificent Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm on Saturday 7th June. In our first Planetary Health Forum we’ll be hearing from Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, Jayden Gunn from Birdlife Australia and Samantha (Pongi) Bowden from Glenbrook Public School, to learn more about the Glossy and how we can all help improve its habit from the Lower Mountains to Central NSW. We’re also launching a Community Tree Planting Day on 5 July in Goologong (near Cowra) to which we’re hoping we’ll get a large group of volunteers to help make a difference for this beautiful bird (and lots of other species as well!)
Habitat connectivity is essential if species are to adapt and overcome the challenges posed by our changing climate.
Join us as we imagine life as a Glossy Black Cockatoo. We`ll make our way through the temperate eucalypt forests of Dharug & Gundungurra land here in the Blue Mountains before leaving the Great Dividing Range for the Wheat & Sheep belt of the Central Tablelands. Our journey ends on Wiradjuri Land, North West of Cowra in the dry scleropyhyll forests of the Conimbla & Nangar National Parks, the start of the Western Woodland Way
Jayden Gunn is an adept wildlife photographer, ecologist, and environmental educator, with a deep passion for Australian birdlife. Through his lens, he captures Australia`s unique wildlife, using digital storytelling to connect people with nature in meaningful ways.
Links in profile to book in.
Book for the Forum here: https://bit.ly/43FzamP
Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day here: https://bit.ly/3HwYHa5
Watch an interview with Amanda here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77y2jrCzINo&t=52s
Read more about Glenbrook Public Schools work for the Glossy Black here: https://lowermtnslocalnews.com/glossy-black-cockatoos/
Our newsletter is now out! View our video of Dr Keith Suter on "Making Peace in the World Today” and read about Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo and the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Cultural Centre. You can also book in for our Mushroom Cultivation and Tai Chi workshops, and our Planetary Health Bushcare on Skill Share Saturday, 7 June. And PS. We’re a finalist in the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. Read the newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4dEFL5u
Yesterday a delegation from the University of Sydney and the Razak School of Government in Malaysia visited the Planetary Health Centre to exchange experiences on the challenges all our local governments are facing, including adapting to climate change, managing ageing populations, and finding economic opportunities for small councils to support their community`s needs. @rsog_insta #localgovernment #planetaryhealth #disasterriskreduction #systemicchange #councils #malaysia #exchange...
Belle Butler is a writer, musician and occasional photographer. She likes mix-and-matching these artforms and often explores the same themes through each of them. Her short fiction has been published in numerous Australian literary journals and she recently received a WestWords Fellowship and Mentorship with Delia Falconer for her novel manuscript, ‘River.’ Hopefully it will be published one day.
Our native wildlife is in crisis. With dwindling tree hollows, which are essential homes for countless species, the Blue Mountains' unique ecosystem is under threat. Discover how you can make a real difference. Learn about practical solutions, community initiatives, and the upcoming event dedicated to restoring vital habitats.
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