Electric vehicles are the way of the future – local EV owner and prominent environmental advocate Jon Dee. (Photo: Gabiann Marin)
Story by Gabiann Marin
Electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity across Australia, but many people are still uncertain about their benefits, feasibility, and availability. To try and help local communities in the Lower Mountains have a better understanding of what EV’s can offer, local sustainability advocates, Parents for Climate are hosting an EV Showcase in Blaxland to help bust the EV myths and provide helpful, up-to-date and accessible information.
Key Points:
Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) is growing in the Blue Mountains.
There is a lot of misinformation about EVs, and people have concerns about battery life, cost, environmental impact, and ethical sourcing of materials.
An upcoming EV Showcase at Blaxland Community Centre, 33 Hope Street Blaxland between 10 am and 12.30 pm on Saturday July 27th2024 aims to address these concerns by providing a platform for people to learn about EVs from experts and owners in a non-commercial setting.
A little over a year ago, Blaxland was the second village in the Mountains to have public electric vehicle charging stations installed, demonstrating the rising demand for electric vehicle infrastructure across the region. In May 2023, six super charging stations were erected in Hope Street, adding to the four public charging stations already established in Lawson, and allowing more people to see the electric vehicle as a real transport option.
“EV numbers are expected to increase significantly in the next few years across Australia and are likely to become a mainstream transport choice,” Mayor Mark Greenhill stated during the opening of the Blaxland superchargers. “We need to be prepared for this technology so we can take part in this major technological transport shift.”
Blaxland was the second village to install public EV charging stations in May 2023, evidencing the Lower Mountains’ interest in this new technology. (Photo BMCC)
The demand for electric vehicles globally doubled over the 2021-2022 financial year and is expected to continue its growth in 2024. This year alone China is making over 3.5 million electric vehicles. Yet take up of these revolutionary new cars has been somewhat slower in Australia, with many people still not sure if an electric vehicle will really meet all their needs.
Concerns about length of battery charge, lack of knowledge about how to set up an EV charging station at home or where to find public electric charging stations, as well as worries about the ethical sourcing of parts and minerals for the manufacture of these vehicles, are just some of the reasons people give for hesitating when considering the purchase of an electric vehicle, despite the enthusiasm of current EV owners.
“Once I got my electric car I thought, wow why didn’t I do this years ago! It is so fantastic, there is no reason to ever consider buying a petrol or diesel powered car again,” Jenna Condie, a recent EV owner, enthuses as she talks about her own experiences moving to a fully electric vehicle.
Jenna Condie (second from left) with the other volunteers from Parents For Climate, who are hosting the Blaxland EV Showcase. (Photo courtesy Parents for Climate)
But, as much as she is fully on board with her choice, she acknowledges that for many the choice is not so straight forward.
“It can be so hard to get good information about electric vehicles,” Jenna says. “When I bought my car, I had to travel down to Darlinghurst. That was the closest place to see one. At a dealership.”
Jenna, who is also one of the leaders of the local climate action organisation Parents for Climate, realised that what was missing in the EV discussion more generally was low key and accessible opportunities for curious locals to engage with the vehicles and talk to EV owners, in situations where it wasn’t all about selling or promoting the car or particular brands.
Talking to other EV owners, Jenna could see how keen they were to share their experiences and, so, an idea was formed.
“We (Parents for Climate) thought why don’t we bring together people who already have an electric vehicle in the local area and let everyone see what they are like.”
Jenna and other members of Parents for Climate put this idea into action, hosting their first EV showcase in Lawson in the Mid Mountains in April this year.
The previous EV event, held in April in Lawson, was a huge success, offering curious locals an opportunity to see electric cars and hybrids in a no pressure non-sales environment. (Photo courtesy of Parents for Climate)
The event saw local EV owners and enthusiasts come together and answer questions about EV’s and how they could be a great alternative to petrol powered cars.
“It was great. Everyone who has an electric vehicle is super keen to explain how it works and what the benefits are. It was this great low pressure environment where you could just check out what an EV is, without having to have already decided you wanted to purchase one.”
The Lawson EV Showcase was a huge success, with attendees being fully engaged and asking all manner of questions. Their curiosity and interest going beyond just what the EV’s were, but into how they were made, what their real impacts on the environment were and even questions about supply chains and materials used in their construction.
‘We realised that some of the questions were bigger than those which could be answered by someone who just owned an EV,” Jenna reveals.
A Tesla at the Lawson EV event(Photo courtesy of Parents for Climate)
Luckily local environmental advocate and co-founder of Planet Ark, Jon Dee, himself an EV owner, was on hand at the Lawson event to answer a lot of the questions, and his expertise, thanks to his experience travelling across the world, visiting EV manufacturers and investigating supply chains, was hugely valuable to everyone who attended.
“A lot of the misinformation is coming from car manufacturers and oil companies who are invested in a fossil fuel and oil economy, so you have to really be careful about what you believe,” he explains, recalling some of the more curly questions from the Lawson event as he drives along the streets of Katoomba, demonstrating the power and quiet efficiency of his own EV, which he purchased after his extensive research into the manufacture and benefits of these cars.
He parks his whisper quiet vehicle next to a local nature reserve, where its sleek exterior reflects the overarching gums and picturesque blue sky.
“Nothing is going to be perfect, but even with the issues, an electric car is still going to be a better option than an oil based one,” he says, further explaining the key benefits of his BYD electric vehicle, which in itself busts a lot of the myths about EVs being smaller, less powerful and unreliable.
Jon Dee, pictured in his fully electric car, will be on the EV showcase panel, ready to answer questions about owning and running an electric vehicle within the Blue Mountains as well as sustainability and environmental aspects of EV ownership. (Photo G.Marin)
Jon’s EV is an impressive looking vehicle, with a space age interior and all the mod cons of a high-end European car: at a fraction of the price. Jon explains that this level of finish and quality is possible because it is manufactured in China by the same factory that supplies the batteries for the better known, and more expensive Tesla vehicles. “I drove all the way to Canberra recently and had 45% battery left once I arrived, which is excellent. This car has a non-cobalt battery as well,” Jon reveals, pleased to show that the latest EV models are taking ethical concerns seriously.
After experiencing the whisper quiet and extremely sporty performance of his BYD EV, I understood why Jon was such a passionate advocate for the electric vehicle, but Jenna wants to make it clear that the EV showcase events are not about simply promoting the cars.
“We aren’t car dealers, and we aren’t selling you anything,” Jenna explains. “That’s the beauty of an event like this. It is all about information and answering questions the community has, honestly and openly, while allowing people to see EVs for themselves.”
To further evidence this, the event has no involvement from any EV manufacturing brand or dealership to ensure that the information is purely that which reflects the real experience of owning and running an EV in the Blue Mountains.
For Jenna, Jon and the other organisers, the EV Showcase is all about education and information as well as facilitating community conversations around the bigger issues of transport, energy use and sustainability; and ways that transport in general can become more climate friendly and accessible for all sectors of the community.
“There is a lot of misinformation. A lot of conspiracy theories, and it’s important we address all of that as well,” Jenna adds.
Jon Dee agrees that the lack of good quality information is one of the biggest barriers to the uptake of electric vehicles in Australia and not everyone has the ability to do the kind of research Jon has done. For this reason he and Jenna both believe the EV showcase is a great opportunity to talk to a variety of people who not only own EVs, but have thoroughly investigated EV technology and infrastructure.
“This isn’t just about wanting to push electric vehicles as the solution to everything we need to change,” Jenna insists. “We are really aware of the concerns around the global supply chain, and we know that there are people who are concerned about the materials that go into the batteries and the vehicles and if any of these cars have been made with forced labour. Which is why we need to have an open conversation and talk about the broader issues as well, like transport and mobility, social equity and what true sustainability looks like, even with EVs.”
To ensure that the information and educational elements are professional, up to date and accurate, the upcoming Blaxland EV showcase will be held as part of a bigger community forum event where attendees will have the opportunity to ask larger questions to qualified experts around electric vehicles and sustainable transport more generally.
Event panellists include: (L to R) Natalie Thompson, Jon Dee, Rob Chan, Dr Sarah Redshaw, and moderator Nic Seton (Photos: various Creative Commons)
Jon Dee will again be one of the panellists, this time joined by other experts from a range of disciplines and experiences, who will make it possible for attendees to confidently ask a wide variety of questions.
On hand to answer any specific questions about the manufacture and importation of EVs, as well as concerns around ethical and environmental impacts of the EV supply chain will be Natalie Thompson, Senior Policy Manager for Electric Vehicles Council – Australia’s peak body for Electric vehicles. She’ll talk candidly not just about the benefits, but also the barriers to EV ownership in Australia and what needs to be addressed to make the uptake of this technology more accessible and feasible for everyday commuters.
Rob Chan, the Head of Strategy and Analytics for the world’s largest car sharing platform Turo, will use his experience and knowledge to answer questions and facilitate discussions around how we can rethink transport more generally and ensure there is more accessibility and social justice in the ways in which we own and operate cars across the world.
Dr Sarah Redshaw, a senior research fellow at Charles Sturt University and a local Councillor who has studied the importance of transport on sustainability and equity, will add a macro view of the bigger issues around car dominance and the social and cultural implications of sustainable transport policy more generally.
The panel will be moderated by Nic Seton, The CEO of Parents for Climate, who will bring a parents and family perspective to the discussion.
“What this event is going to do is create a space where people can come and look at some cool cars, talk to the owners and also get evidence-based information so they can go away and feel more confident in their understanding of what EVs can and can’t offer, helping them decide if EVs are the right choice for them,” Jenna says, suggesting that anyone who is even slightly curious about EVs will get a lot out of this event.
The Blaxland EV showcase offers a rare and valuable chance to get up close and inspect an EV, talk to owners and take part in a myth busting, interactive forum and community information event. All are welcome and the event is designed to be fully accessible and child friendly.
The EV showcase will be held at Blaxland Community Centre, 33 Hope Street Blaxland between 10 am and 12.30 pm on Saturday July 27th2024.
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.
How can we engage our hearing to connect more deeply to nature around us? Join us at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend on 28 February and 1st March to hear from one of the most inspiring and engaging presenters we’ve ever had at the Planetary Health Centre. Author and acoustic ecologist Andrew Skeoch will guide us into hearing the languages of nature. Learn how we can develop our auditory awareness, identify species by ear, recognise behaviours and repertoire, and find empathy with the voices of other beings. Andrew’s presentations are an immersive weaving of evocative recordings, fascinating spectrogram analysis and original ideas. You’ll hear the natural environment around you in a whole new way. Each morning at the Wellness Weekend Andrew will also lead Deep Listening Immersive Field Workshops demonstrating how to increase your sensitive auditory perceptions of the extraordinary natural world around us. Tickets available here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
This event has been made possible because of the generous support of Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and the Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank.
We are looking forward to this (Em)power(ing) tools presentation being delivered by Robyn Catchlove, Sherlie McMillan, Suzie van Opdorp and Teja Brooks Pribac at our Planetary Health Day on Sat 28 Feb. It`s free but you need to register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
This interactive presentation explores an unexpected but deeply empowering practice: using power tools. With the help of co-presenters and their favourite tools, the session demystifies DIY and shows how accessible practical skills really are. Beyond the satisfaction of building and repairing, working with power tools fosters confidence, patience, and problem-solving skills. It can also be financially empowering, reducing dependence on paid labour, and reinforces the belief that challenges—practical and personal alike—can be worked through with focus, persistence, and curiosity. This session invites participants to reconsider what empowerment can look like, and how hands-on making can translate into resilience in everyday life.
It`s one of many events during our Planetary Health Wellness Weekend at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba on 28 Feb and 1 March and has been organised in collaboration with Rotarians 4 Planetary Health and Greater Blue Mountains Rotary
Medicine and healthcare is changing. Join Dr Madhu Tamilarasan, a Lithgow based GP and sports medicine doctor on Sat 28 Feb at our Planetary Health Day and Wellness Weekend, for a conversation about Lifestyle Medicine. The tagline for her practice is "General practice done differently". The practice is encouraging physical activity in the community because research clearly shows that going from no exercise to just 10 minutes of physical activity per day is where the biggest health benefits come from. Any patient who attends an appointment by "active transport" - such as walking, running, cycling - instead of by motorised transport, receives a small discount on their consultation fee that day. Lifestyle medicine focuses on treating the root causes of disease rather than just managing symptoms. Register here to attend Dr Tamilarasan`s session to learn more about its benefits for individuals, community and globally (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Places are booking out quickly for the inspiring talks and workshops at the Planetary Health Wellness Weekend in Katoomba on Sat 28 Feb and Sun 1 March. View the full program and register to attend here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/planetary-health-wellness-weekend
Each morning, you have the chance to join Andrew Skeoch, renowned wildlife sound recordist and author of `Deep Listening to Nature`, for an immersive workshop and walk to hear the intricate conversations happening in the natural world around us.
There will also be: • nature journalling • mindfulness • creativity • (Em)power(ing) tools • Ikebana • Shared Reading • Tai Chi and Qigong • Chair Yoga • Mental Health First Aid • exercise, sleep and your health • how to share loss and grieving for and with animals • and a celebration of the many faith-based groups in the Blue Mountains focused on healing our land, healing ourselves.
A huge thank you to Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank for sponsoring this wonderful weekend.
We’d love you to join the Planetary Health Centre for an inspiring Planetary Health Wellness Weekend on Saturday 28 February and Sunday 1st March in Katoomba! We’ve collaborated with Rotarians 4 Planetary Health (part of Greater Blue Mountains Rotary) and the Blue Mountains Interfaith Group, to create a program focused on the many ways we can improve our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health in a weekend of community and nature connection, talks, workshops, stalls and delicious food.
The weekend kicks off with our third Planetary Health Day on Saturday and finishes with an Interfaith Gathering on Sunday.
Each morning, you have the chance to join Andrew Skeoch, renowned wildlife sound recordist and author of `Deep Listening to Nature`, for an immersive workshop and walk to hear the intricate conversations happening in the natural world around us.
View the full program and register to attend here (link in profile):
• Deep Listening immersive field workshops • Mental Health First Aid • nature journalling • mindfulness • creativity • (Em)power(ing) tools • Ikebana • Shared Reading • Tai Chi and Qigong • Chair Yoga • exercise, sleep and your health • how to share loss and grieving for and with animals • and a celebration of the many faith-based groups in the Blue Mountains focused on healing our land, healing ourselves.
A huge thank you to Greater Blue Mountains Rotary and Katoomba and Upper Blue Mountains Bendigo Community Bank for sponsoring this wonderful weekend.
We had a thoroughly enjoyable final Skill Share Saturday for the year yesterday with Qigong, Fashion Upcycling, Seed Saving and Bushcare! We shared seeds from local gardens and harvested carrots, as well as Mizuna, Broad Bean, Daikon and Land Cress seeds from the Planetary Health garden. We then packaged up (and shared) our first Upper Mountains Seed Savers packs for our fledgling Seed Bank. In Bushcare it`s very exciting to see whole new areas of the Planetary Health Precinct open up as we remove invasive weeds. It`s been a year of great progress as we`ve restored habitat for wildlife and given local native plants the opportunity to flourish and re-establish on the site.
Join the Planetary Health Centre this Sat 6 Dec for the last Skill Share Saturday of the year: Qigong at 9am, Seed Saving & Gardening Group at 10am, and Bushcare at 1.30pm. One perfect day with great company, great coffee and food, and great steps for living a healthy balanced life, while also contributing to the health of our planet for present and future generations. All ages welcome!
Registration links in profile and below.
Register for Qigong here: https://bit.ly/48wlHjD Register for Seed Saving & Gardening here: https://bit.ly/4prcRe7 Register for Bushcare here: https://bit.ly/4oAFDrz
We have a rare opportunity to learn about the newest and best possible ways to support family and community members struggling with mental health issues, at a free talk and afternoon tea provided by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 Nov. Hear from Peter Joseph AM, Chair of the Black Dog Institute, and Professor Helen Christensen AO, Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and former Executive Director and Chief Scientist at the Black Dog Institute. They`ll be in conversation with journalist Emma Rossi. Dr Christensen is a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
This Saturday Sherlie McMillan from Rotarians 4 Planetary Health will be running a workshop on How to use a sewing machine from 9am at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. Learn how to set up a machine, service it, troubleshoot when it`s not sewing correctly, and learn some basic sewing skills.
Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://events.humanitix.com/how-to-use-your-sewing-machine
NB. This class is a prerequisite for our very popular Fashion Upcycling classes held once a month.
We`re thrilled to announce that Professor Helen Christensen, a pioneer in using the internet to reach young people struggling with depression, will be joining the conversation with Peter Joseph AM from the Black Dog Institute and journalist Emma Rossi at the Planetary Health Centre at 2pm this Saturday 29 November. Helen was the Executive Director and Chief Scientist for the Black Dog Institute for 10 years and has now been elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Her digital mental health interventions are used by millions globally, delivering evidence-based therapy for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Her research uses data from smartphones and wearables – like movement, screen use, and sleep – to detect early signs of mental health issues. This free event is being co-hosted by Upper Blue Mountains Sunrise Rotary and the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative. Afternoon tea will be provided. Bookings essential here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4oOnYxz
Human composting is increasingly being legalised around the world. Read about it in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/legalising-human-composting/
If you’d like to see this option available in NSW you can now sign a live petition to the NSW Parliament here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/43QIHbz
Thanks to everyone who contributed to deliver a fantastic Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day yesterday. @mark_greenhill_mayor opened the event at which we celebrated the 13th birthday of Betty the Asbestos Education House; @firecoat_au demonstrated and launched its range of fire retardant products that can help protect homes, gardens and even electricity poles; the Bushfire Retrofit Toolkit was launched; Santa arrived and delighted young and old; and @plantinspired99 and Action for Animals fed us all with a delicious plant-based sausage sizzle. The day was filled with talks, workshops, stalls and the sharing of a huge amount of expertise to keep us, and the other species we share our planet with, safe and healthy! @southkatoomba.rfb @nswses @fireandrescuensw @nswrfs @redcrossleura @redcrossau @shelter.building.design @firehalo.au @asbestosawareness @amelie_ecology @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @handsheartfeet
Gabiann has worked as in-house writer/editor for Amnesty International, Greenpeace and Médecins Sans Frontières across Australia, Africa and the Asia Pacific. She is an award winning novelist and children’s book author, having won or been shortlisted for several Australian and international writing prizes. She was one of the key designers and the writer of the award-winning multimedia interactive narrative, Kids Together Now, which focuses on helping children deal with issues around bullying and racism.
Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre will host the Disaster Risk Awareness Expo and Family Day on Saturday, 22 November, offering a fun and informative day focused on building safer, healthier and more resilient communities.
