A more sustainable Blue Mountains—environmentally, socially and economically.

In 2025, we live in vibrant, healthy communities. Our towns and villages are distinctive and contained. We have maintained the bush between our settlements and protected the World Heritage environment that surrounds us.

Our local economy is strong and diversified, providing employment, educational and learning opportunities appropriate to our location, in a World Heritage environmental area.

We promote safe, accessible and environmentally responsible ways for people to get to where they need to go. We use our available resources wisely, ensuring their fair distribution.

Caring for each other, we sustain our communities. We recognise all Blue Mountains people, especially our children and young people in whom we inspire the values that create a more sustainable future.

We celebrate the rich creativity, culture and heritage of the Blue Mountains. People of all cultures and backgrounds are respected and enjoy equal rights. We acknowledge Aboriginal communities in the Blue Mountains, past and present.

We have enhanced our Blue Mountains identity while forging strong regional partnerships. Our civic and community leadership and governance are inspirational, at one with the community.

The Blue Mountains is recognised nationally and internationally as a centre for learning about sustainable communities.

Guiding Principles

Improving our decision-making

If we are to achieve a more sustainable Blue Mountains, our decision-making at every level – individual, household, town, city, regional and global – needs to promote sustainability. Improving the decision-making of the Council, other levels of government and of the community, is therefore an essential driver for achieving more sustainable action.

Strengthening our assets

It is important that the actions taken strengthen, and not erode, the condition of the natural, built and human capital and assets supporting our quality of life. Understanding the impact of our actions is important in tracking our progress towards becoming a more sustainable City.

A partnership approach

Taking action in partnership with other stakeholders is critical to the achievement of a more sustainable Blue Mountains. Not only do such partnerships achieve a shared vision and goals, they also enable more effective and efficient use of limited resources and provide a means of distributing the costs involved in taking action.

Social justice

Social justice means that the rights of all people in our community are considered in a fair and equitable manner. While equal opportunity targets everyone in the community, social justice targets groups of people who are marginalised and disadvantaged.

Sustainability

Taking action to improve our quality of life supports the achievement of a sustainable city which is environmentally responsible, uses resources wisely, contributes to the creation of liveable, vibrant communities with a sense of place and belonging and is fair and equitable to others – including our children’s, children.