The Friends of Katoomba Falls Creek Valley Inc.
August 10th, 2022
Neil Stuart [1937-2016] the founder and inspirational community leader of The Friends of Katoomba Falls Creek Valley Inc. (The Gully). Neil was also oft the group’s lead environmental activist, bushcare volunteer, bi-monthly meeting chairperson, campaign organiser, volunteer on Clean Up Australia Day in The Gully, organisation administrator, letter writer to the obstinate Council, organisation archivist, and renown jam maker for The Friends fundraising street stalls (shown here), etc, etc.
The Friends of Katoomba Falls Creek Valley Inc. was a legendary, yet little known, grassroots volunteer group of local residents of The Gully Water Catchment (creek valley) situated on the western fridge of the rural bushland township of Katoomba in the central Upper Blue Mountains plateau, 100km west of Sydney.
Conveniently and affectionately shortened to ‘The Friends’ by its members, the group formed and functioned to respect and rehabilitate the natural values and ecology of this creek valley (including The Gully) as informal ecological custodians and to challenge the many damaging threats to it by various vested outside interests between the years 1989 and 2016; some 27 years.
Some former members of The Friends of Katoomba Falls Creek Valley Inc. at their final fundraising street stall on Katoomba Street on Saturday 26th July 2014. Observe the home-made jam jars on sale on the two trestles. The Friends founder Neil Stuart (second from right) made both the jams and the trestle tables. [Photo by John Rule]
The editor of The Habitat Advocate was an active former member of The Friends between 2002 and 2007, after which The Gully (Gundungurra) Traditional Owners usurped management control of The Gully.
(more details to follow)
