G-M Community Sustainable Times
Bringing Our Community Together To Build Sustainability
August 2026


News Items

Launch of Marys Mount Pilot Project on 24th July a Success

Subject to confirmation from the strata-title committee, at the end of this month, phase  two of the Marys Mount project will kick-off at the old Monastery on the Hill. 

There is significant opportunity for improvement in the apartments at  Monastery and further opportunity in the grounds.

The above is part of the much larger project across Marys Mount:- 
  • Growing vegetables 
  • Heat and flood mitigation 
  • A climate awareness public health program, ex the National Health Service UK and tailored for the situation across Marys Mount 

Next Briefing session covering the above is scheduled for the 27th August at the Soldiers Club,     
 
  1. Keep an "ear-out" for news bulletins on all of the radio stations in Gouilburn Mulwaree about how the work of the community sustainability hub is already benefitting the community.
  2. Find out why the G-M CSH initiative has attracted 600+ followers on LinkedIn Sustainability Professionals 



Testimonial From UK-based Leader in Sustainability:-

"This is a fantastic project and this is how all projects should be designed. The local community are the stewards of their land and have control over all aspects of the project development. Too often the local communities are an after-thought when they are the ones with the regions knowledge". ​

Vegetable Growing Training Program From The Community Gardens 

How Much Money Can A  Household Save On Energy?  Click here to get a copy of the Energy Breakdown  spreadsheet

N.B. The figures are based on houses of the stated size and those figures should be to reflect the size of the houses being scoped for improvement. 

Rectifying Common Building Faults at Marys Mount

We know that some 75 percent of houses, built to the prior BASIX standard, have faults such as air leaks in the roof, most of which can be fixed at minimal cost.

For more information on the Marys Mount project see file downlaoded from this link. 

Marys Mount Pilot: "We Just Want To Have Fun"

Here's how residents of the pilot homes can have fun and get discounts whilst staying In Control, Also prizes for all participants. The achievement of each household will be added to the total achievement, such as saving on energy bills, emissions reductions and so much more, see this example map and plan of savings:-    Also for those with school age childrren, there will be an aoportunity to lonk with their school's program.


Rehydrating the Warragamba Dam Cathcment Area

The Goulburn Mulwaree LGA is a key part of the water catchment area for the Warragamba Dam
  • OSGM's program of work, in particular but not only at Marys Mount, will build on the tree planting to improve the soil that will hold more moisture  with clean water flowing into the local creek and from there into the Wollondilly river. The project will help in times of drought. 
For More Information See Below
  • Cool the Country, see: https://www.coolthecountry.com, defines a strategy to cool Australia, starting with the Warragmaba Dam and its catchment area. The proposal, employs the original submissions from the ICER prosposal, https://www.coolthecountry.com/_files/ugd/4b00a9_666af934bd154bdab8ccccfa459f4ee7.pdf and was not adopted by the Labor Government.  OSGM was party to the proposal in as a Landcare group.  


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Saprophytic fungi At Marys Mount Tree Planting

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Mycorrhizal Fungi Latest News 

Sustainable Schools
Preparing our school-aged youth for  careers in building a sustainable future for our community and other communities. NB This is in line with the local council's long time plan to boost employment 

This program would build on the existing school sustainability program from the NSW Education Authority.

​Boosting Local Production of Vegetables using Hugelkultur

Substandard Home Battery Installation - check that yours is safe!

​Launch Of The G-M Community Sustainability Hub
  • 1st August at the G-M Workers Club Auditorium
  • A Major Community Event To about building a  Sustainable Future.

The above event is a dinner dance where an overview of the overarching G-M LGA sustainability program will be presented and its key projects.

The professional M.C. will inject humour into the evening, using their skills as a Comedian. Bookings open soon. 

Community Sustainability Festival Day 6th February 2027 At the Goulburn Showgrounds

The above will be a significant event that will further Goulburn Mulwaree's claim as SE NSW's leading sustainable community and economy.
 
Be A Business Sponsor of the dinner and an exhibitor of the Sustainability Event in February, more details soon.

Ecosystem Plans 

​The G-M Ecosystem plan is a high-level view of the key characteristics of a sustainable LGA, including its economy. The plan was developed using the internationally adopted One Planet Living framework. that is supported by the OnePlanet app. See this link. 

Benefits of growing hemp on marginal farm land:- An article by our Melbourne-based committee member Chris White.

Sir David Attenborough
Urgent Action Required on the Climate Crises Now 
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Marys Mount Planting Latest Status Report

Mycorrhizal fungi at Marys Mount tree planting behind Green Valley Road has been found to be Saprophytic  fungi that inidicates the likelihood of the prescence of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, that will enrich the soil through the sequestration of carbon. See this Video, see also this page on our website.
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Good News from in OSGM's Landscape Architect Raina Emerson's  latest report on the health of the trees planted at Marys Mount.  Read all about it here.

Your Sustainable Property
We would love to hear about what you are doing to improve the sustainability of your ptoperty in Marys Mount and we will publish it, in full or in summary. Please send the details to:-
[email protected]

Growing More Veggies in Goulburn Mulwaree
See this draft plan 

In response to the war with Iran and the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, a project to build sustainability with vegetables is starting up now.  We are working with a partner in the GSM Hub, Sustain. 

The GM CSH is now on LinkedIn (currently under Bob Philipson's name) with some 500 followers). Website visit stats are up significantly since OGSM's joined LinkedIn. Goulburn Mulwaree is getting international airplay. 


OSGM Committee Member Leonie Martin qualifies as a Systems Connector with OnePlanet.com where she joins Bob Philipson.​
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Content Of prior newsletters

PRIOR NEWSLETTER

Please donate to fund Research by  WhaleX into the impact of decreasing levels of Phytoplankton on Whales. NB If the planton go, WE WILL BE NEXT.

Understanding Your FOOTPRINT  - what is your personal impact on your community and on the planet  
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Building A Tiny Forest - It's easy!!!

Climate Emergency Briefing from "Break Through  Online"

Article from LinkedIn - Bending the curve of agricultural expansion offers a new era for biodiversity and climate

Film - 8 Billion Angels - How can we all fit on the planet with the resources left on/in the Earth  

UK Government Announces Climate Armegeddon by 2030 - No Word From Albanese

TED Talk - Systems Thinking For Regenerative Agriculture

Building a Johnson-Su Bioreactor In your Rubbish Bin! 
See this video on building your own J-Su Bioreactor in a plastic rubbish bin!

More  Useful Information On The Wood Wide Web and how it works

Excellent Videos On the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the mittigation of the Growing Climate Impacts   From Chris White Our Committee Member In Melbourne

With serious climate events increasing due to polar winds from the South Pole being pushed north, the time left to take climate action is running out. NB OSGM is using a similar soil biostimulant to the one mentioned in Chris' video, from "TM Agriculture" see: bestfarmigmingsystems.com.au/tm-agricultural-biostimulant/. 

Also:-
  • buiding a farm-sized Johnson-Su Biorector on this page.
  • how to promote the growth of mycorrhizal fungi on your property on this page
  • mycorrhizal fungi project in Uworra Close, Goulburn on this page.

This Great Graphic Shows What A Zero Waste To Zero Emissions Transition Looks Like
Zero Emissions and Waste are a very important part of bringing pollution and emissions under control, then there are the other actions required to restore urban and rural landscapes through planting and restoring carbon in the soil.     

International Treaty To Protect Our Oceans
This highly important treaty requires that nations collaborate to protect our oceans from overfishing and deep sea mining. The author of the article Luke McMillan, is a tireless campaigner for the protection of our oceans as the largest sequester of carbon, and one that is still not well understood. 

Excellent Video About One Planet Living
See this excellent video about One Planet Living, a framework that is used worldwide, including by Our Sustainable Goulburn Mulwaree 

13th January 2026
Climate Emergency Impacts On National Security

9th January 2026
The Crucial Role Of Tree-Bark In Climate Mitigation - Article from the Conversation 

8th January 2026
Potential Solution to Waste Recycling That Does NOT Involve Burning It!!
With the  so called Waste To Energy solution back on the the table for Tarago, this looks to be a much better solution! 

6th January 2026
Climate Impact Mitigation For New Urban Developments
Below is an a link to an ABC news item on planting in a new Melbourne suburb to mitigate urban heat.
Tree by tree, this new suburb is dodging baking heat in summer
Thousands of young trees dot the streets and front gardens of this outer Melbourne suburb as part of a neighbourhood-wide push to create more shade and curb the urban heat island effect. Read the full story
This is what needs to be happening at Marys Mount. 

Climate Council - Greg Mullins Warns Of Fire Risk 
An important part  of OSGM's work is flood and fire mitigation and is part of what has already been started at Marys Mount with the tree planting and will extend into the suburb itself:- Flood and Fire Mitigation
Advice from the Climate Council - Invest heavily in disaster preparation and community resilience at all levels of government so we’re as prepared as possible for the worsening fire risks we already face.​ The report covers fire risk and not other climate mitigation such as urban and broad-acre landscape regeneration.  A such carbon reduction is covered but not sequestration.
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4th January 2026
Measure YOUR Carbon Footprint

​3rd January 2026
Marys Mount Sustainable Pilot Home Mindmap - Carbon Reduction (draft)
See this link

Climate Water Project 2025 Review
Report - a list of the great articles published in 2025 including the must read article: "The Forest-Water Connection" by Douglas Sheil

UK Equivalent Of G-M/SE NSW  Community Sustainability Hub Plan

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One Planet Living Framework Submitted To The UK Government's Cabinet Office For As A National Strategy


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Official Climate Outlook For Australia
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  • If you blinked, you might have missed the recent and much delayed release of Australia's terrifying climate future. We can make a difference at the LGA level and by networking that action across SE NSW. This is what OSGM's work and that of the Community Sustainability Hub is all about. That work is supported by the use of the widely adopted One Planet Living Framework and app. We have five (5) years left to stop the temperature rising to 5 degrees above the benchmark ​
  
Federal MP For Eden Monaro. Minister Kristy McBain Joins OSGM 's Fb Group

  • OSGM welcomes the Minister's participation in OSGM's activities across G-M and into Eden Monaro in building its social and economic sustainability   
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Contact Made With The Southern NSW Local Health Department 
  •  Contact is awaited now from Goulburn Base Hospital in respedct of the benefits that OSGM's program delivers
  
Email From Rotary International On Plantings Advertised in September Newsletter

  • From Adrian Polhill of Rotary International 
  • Yesterday (11th October) , we planted 1000 trees at Charlie Massy's farm near Berridale. A wonderful group of 38 volunteers worked very hard ...including Greg and Heather from Landcare Goulburn and Southern Highlands . Thank you for promoting this event and the one in Crookwell. 
  • Regards Adrian (Polhill)
  • rotary_planring_1_img-20251012-wa0001.jpg
  • rotary_planting_2_img-20251012-wa0000.jpg
 
  • Looking for help with planting trees on Farm Land, you can contact Adrian Polhill on 0424 478 498
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GMC Cycle Path Program
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  • The Council's cycle path initative, the latest being around Victoria Park is most welcome and can only with eco-tourism. And linking that track up to the riverside walking/cycling track would be useful, in particular if  the available shade along that track can be increased, as is already happening over the creek from Warrigal, behind Green Valley Road. Such a program could complement the Rail Trail initiative, but more immediately.       ​
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  • Information From Chris White On The Significant Sequestration Potential of Mycorrhizal Fungi
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News August 2025
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  • Rotary Adopt A Tree 're-greening' Spring Events​
    • September 27  Crookwell, Maia and Phillip Gould (previously planting 2024).
    • October 11        Berridale, Charlie and Fiona Massy (previous plantings 2022, 2024).  
    • Please consider bringing your family and friends, and staying an extra day or two to enjoy some other activities e.g. cycling country roads around Crookwell, or walking in the Kosciusko National Park. For those volunteers coming to the planting at Charlie Massy's property, rooms in a lodge in Jindabyne are available. If anyone has a question contact Adrian Polhill at 0424 478 498

      Happy planters can register via
      https://rotaryadoptatree.org.au/upcoming-plantings 

      https://www.trybooking.com/eventlist/treeplanting
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  • Ecologist for Hire 
    • ​​Dan Florance formerly of ANU Sustainable Farms and now of Woodlands Ecosystems is looking for suitable work in respect of:-
    • direct seeding, revegetation design, landscape planning and ecological consultancy
    • Contact details are:- 0448 704 189, [email protected], woodlandecosystems.com.au
    • NB Dan is a member of the Goulburn Mulwaree/SE NSW Community Sustainability Hub
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CSH Newsletter May 2025

Help Fight The Tarago Waste Incinerator
ABC Lifeline Episode That Includes An Item on Beneficial Soil Bacteria

OSGM Bulletin Re Opposition to Extension of Woodside Project
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Water NSW/Mulloon Institute Sydney Water Riverine Restoration Program

Report On Building a Passive House in Tarago NSW

Report On AELA Conference: Ethical Futures For People and The Planet - May 2025  

SE NSW Emissions Fact Sheets From ZeroSE - May 2025

Progress Report & Next Planting Event At Marys Mount - May 2025

Mycorrhizal Fungi Planting Project - May 2025

One Planet Living - May 2025
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CSH Newsletter February  2025​

CSH Newsletter August 2024 V2
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CSH Newsletter June 2024

CSH Bulletin Regional NSW Drought Resilience Plan 19-05-24

CSH Newsletter May 2024

CSH Newsletter February 2024 V2

CSH Newsletter 24-12-2023
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CSH Newsletter 1-12-2023

CSH Newsletter Tarago Toxic Waste Incinerator Petition 27-10-23

CSH Newsletter 15-10-23 Regional Development NSW & GMC Community Sustainability Event 20th September Old Goulburn Brewery
  • This an event notice of which I had missed some time back and that it make sense we align with as far as possible.  There is no recognition in that event of the work carried out by OSGM already 
Our Sustainable Goulburn Mulwaree |  P.O. Box 1350 | Goulburn NSW 2580
Copyright Our Sustainable Goulburn Mulwaree
0418 138 004 | ​[email protected]​.au
Photo from jkiscycling