This guide is about the interaction between people and the natural environment of the Blue Mountains.

The suggestions given here (1) offer ways of avoiding any unintentional damage to the natural environment, both within the Blue Mountains National Park and outside the Park boundaries, and (2) contribute to a sustainable balance between people and the natural world.

The website looks at:

• simple things that we can do to minimize damage to natural ecosystems
• activities that are restricted under various laws
• caring for Aboriginal and European heritage
• coping with emergencies
• our wider environmental responsibility (e.g., energy conservation, environmentally-friendly building materials and recycling)

"Spot" is a Spotted-tailed Quoll, a marsupial about as big as a large, domestic cat.

Also known as Tiger Quolls, Spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus) are found along the east coast of Australia in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and eastern South Australia. They usually have dark brown fur with white spots and they are the only quolls which have spotted tails.

Their numbers have declined since European settlement and they are regarded as a threatened species.

Quolls are meat-eating animals and can be very ferocious! In the early days of European settlement they were disliked because they used to plunder the settlers' poultry... given the chance, Spot will make a meal of your chooks even today!