The Habitat Advocate

We have sadly learned about a governmental threat to evict a much valued local community volunteer-run nursery business in Katoomba, operating since before 1999.

We learned about this from the grapevine, else we would have otherwise known about this news development from the local Blue Mountains Gazette newspaper.  However, that valued weekly  newspaper informing locals about Blue Mountains goings-on has been denied us for some years, since it has not been distributed to our area since long before COVID.   So, unknown knowns.  We note the newspaper’s distribution statistics have been removed from this newspaper’s print  masthead for some time (see below) – a harbinger of pending closure?

So, a friend who informed us about the nursery news, then kindly dropped around his copy of the Gazette issue dated Wednesday 15th January 2025.  This is the front page with the legendary Blue Mountains Wildplant Rescue Service (‘Wildplant Rescue’) on the front  page:

 

This is that news story accompanying:

 

‘Eviction day looms for Wildplant Rescue nursery

January 15 2025 , by Jennie Curtin

 

Time is running out for the Wildplant Rescue nursery at Katoomba.

The volunteers have been told they have until the end of April to find a new home, after the owner, the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), cited maintenance costs and fire safety issues.  (Editor:  aka the landlord’s wanton neglect of this bushland site for decades, and a rubbish slack ulterior motive excuse to flog off the site for profit to a developer for housing – truth telling!)

The department wants to sell the site, which used to be the Clairvaux Children’s Home, and which is in need of major repairs.

The cost of setting up elsewhere is beyond the means of the volunteer-run nursery, which rescues local native species from building sites and propagates them as well as other rare and difficult natives.

It sells the plants to home gardeners as well as council, landscapers and Bushcare organisations, providing the income to keep going.

The volunteers are desperately hoping the department changes its mind and gives them a permanent lease on their small section of the site.

The only alternative, said president Verity Harris, is to find a benefactor with deep pockets.

“If there’s a good millionaire out there with a plot of land …” she said hopefully.

The group had talks with council about a possible site during the planning of the old Katoomba golf course precinct. But a spokeswoman for council said “a plant nursery is not a permissible use on this site under the current zoning, and an amendment to the LEP would be required to include this and other additional uses”.

That would be a lengthy process including making a submission to the state government and further public consultation.

The DCJ said it recognised the important service the nursery provides in protecting threatened species but a land condition audit of the site in 2020 found that it was not fit for purpose and was not safe for long-term use because of its fire zone.

“Tenants of the site were notified of the need to vacate the site in 2021 and since then almost all have relocated,” a spokeswoman said. “DCJ has not provided formal notification to the nursery to leave the site whilst we continue to assist them to find a new home.”

The nursery has operated at the site since 1998. Although it receives no funding, Ms Harris acknowledged that DCJ did not charge them for rent or for water and electricity.

One of the difficulties with an unknown future is that no forward decisions can be made. The group recently spent money on new benches for the plants but don’t want to install them in case they have to take them down. There is also a greenhouse which is lying unassembled for the same reason.

“The uncertainty is really quite crippling,” Ms Harris said.

Volunteer Frances Scarano said the group only propagates native plants from the Mountains to ensure genetic purity.

“We extend the diversity” of plants grown in Mountains gardens as well as giving wildlife more food and shelter sources,” she said.’

 

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This news item conveys more than a harbinger of pending closure; it is unjustified eviction of a reliable and much valued long-term community volunteer-run business tenant. 

This is yet another example of the NSW Government’s bureaucratic ongoing anti-social culture of destroying local small businesses for the greed of selling off public land (native bushland) that it controls on a entrusted custodial basic on behalf of the community.  Selfishly profiting its coffers from more bushland sales housing development is not good government.   

This closure threat to this unique endemic native plant nursery is unnecessary, unfair, contrary to the departmental landlord (DCJ’s) community focuses, and down right politically motivated by the incumbent NSW Minns Government bureaucracy and his politicians.  The NSW Government’s eviction threat is wrong and unjustifiable.

 

Relevant Background

The founder of The Habitat Advocate and Editor of this website, Steven Ridd, is a local of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains since 2001, so far here 24 years. 

Consistent with the conservation tenets of The Habitat Advocate, Steven has been an active member of Wildplant Rescue, situated at 14 oak Street Katoomba, on and off since 2009, initiating contact with Alison Hatfield in April 2028.   Steven’s association included joining the management committee, on and off as work and family priorities permitted such volunteering contributions.

 

Back on Thursday 26^th February 2009, Steven attended his first meeting of Wildplant Rescue’s Management Committee Meeting as a guest.   Minutes of the Management Committee Meeting of Thursday 26^th February 2009:

 

Steven’s association with Wildplant Rescue ended upon his initiated email letter of resignation from Wildplant Rescue to the committee and membership 1st July 2020 (full email correspondences retained).   The reasons are twofold and the President and Management Committee are well aware of the reasons expressed at the time.  One being the President’s prior knowledge of this eviction threat from at least her email to the Management Committee of before 8th May 2020.