Katoomba Leura Online

Sacred Waters: The Story of the Blue Mountains Gully Traditional Owners has won a 2008 Premiers’ History award. The book was written by local resident Dianne Johnson in collaboration with the residents of the Gully and their descendants. It chronicles the experiences of local indigenous people following the flooding of traditional lands to form Warragamba Dam, and the impact of white Australia on traditional indigenous culture through a local view. The $15,000 award recognises outstanding achievement in the Community and Regional History category.

Mt Boyce recorded a 1°C minimum, snow fell across the upper mountains (and hail and sleet) and produce crops across the central tablelands (and in my garden) will be at risk of frost damage. Yeah, just spring in the mountains! OK, it was the coldest October day for a few years, and records for cold are usually set in the first few days of the month, not the 22nd. SMH reports that it has snowed in October only 5 times in the last 50 years.

The media is reporting the lack of an anaesthetist should a woman in advanced labour require surgery prompted Katoomba maternity staff to insist the woman be transferred to Nepean.

Apparently, her contractions were only a minute apart when the call to make the hour long transfer was made. The baby was born near Glenbrook, and fortunately both mother and baby are healthy.

It seems that the government has decided this is a reasonable outcome, as it still has not adequately staffed the Katoomba maternity ward, despite repeated earlier promises.