The Forest that Inspired Conservation turns 94 September 2nd 2026
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Grand Cooee Chorus October 10th 2026
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Join the 'Wild Pride' WhatsApp group to celebrate the Blue Gum Forest and other natural ares.

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Large blue gum by Alan Rigby 1930
Blue Gums in 1930
The Blue Gum and Bushwalkers
Scouts camping in the forest in 1965
Original bushwalkers in the Blue Gum Forest
About the Blue Mountains Gum
History of Blue Mountains Reserves
Dunphy primitive areas map
An original Myles Dunphy primitive areas map
The warrior tree, large burnt tree, with Katoomba High students
Students from Katoomba High at the warrior tree
The Blue Gum Study
The saving of the Blue Gum Forest. 1930-1932
Webb and Whitehouse in the valley in 1916
In 1930 a group of bushwalkers saved the Blue Gum Forest from a logging proposal, preserving it in perpetuity
Prompted the start of the National Parks movement in Australia

Resources

  • "Back from the Brink: Blue Gum Forest and the Grose Wilderness” by Andy Macqueen, available from Blue Mountains bookshops and www.andymacqueenauthor.com

The blue gum forest cradle of conservation
The blue gum forest saved from the axe
Blue gum forest in the heart of the Grose valley
Blue Gum forest trees
Country of the Darug people
Sketch from 1835
Blue gum forest engineers track
Blue Gum Forest and Banks Wall 1859
Royal Engineers camp 1859
Royal Engineers at the Blue Gum Forest in 1859
1875 Du Faur party
The Grose River in 1875
Artists camp by Govetts Creek 1875
The Grose River upstream from Blue Gum
Webb and Whitehouse in the valley in 1916
Pierce in 1930
1931 Sydney Bush Walkers and Trails clubs
Camped in the forest in 1931
Camped in the forest in 1931
Forest scene in 1931
Hungerford and Pierce in the Forest
Hungerford plans to cut down the blue gums
Negotiation day in 1931
Hungerford sold the lease for 130 pounds
Cleary provides the money as a loan
Hungerford gave up the lease on 2nd September 1932
Prompted the start of the National Parks movement in Australia
Bushwalker Myles Dunphy
Bushwalkers in the 1930s
Bushwalkers in the 1930s
The coast and mountain walkers in 1944
Delaney family camp in 1968
Scouts camping in the forest in 1965
The 1946 track from Perrys Lookdown
Katoomba High year 11
In 1992 the Friends of the Blue Gum was formed
Friends of the Blue Gum weeding program
Ian Partridge weeding
Weeding in 2018
Too many bushfires
Ecology under threat
Recovery from the fires and floods of 2019-2022
Challenges in the face of climate change
Celebrating special place with Wyn Jones
Bushwalkers crossing on a log. Ranger Tony Horwood carrying David Gliddeon
60th anniversary gathering
Dot Butler
65th anniversary with a 1930s Paddy Pallin tent
75th annivesary
75th anniversary celebration
Re-enacting the 1930s at the 75th anniversary
A leaf of little tents
The 90th annivesary
Acknowledgements
Songlines banner with the hands
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