Families across NSW are able to enjoy a new website – Family Project – that provides fun COVID safe ideas for families to connect during lockdown including rock art, backyard movies, building herb gardens, creating chalk art and meditation. The safe online portal will provide a new project daily to help support the mental and physical wellbeing of NSW families.

Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said COVID-19 is extremely challenging for both parents and children who may feel overwhelmed by the demands of remote learning, working from home and the juggling of competing expectations.

“Families are under pressure in lock-down, Family Project will be the place they can go to find simple COVID-safe ideas to do within their local area, practical tips to support emotional and physical wellbeing and advice on home schooling,” Mrs Taylor said.

“Family Project is designed to provide inspirational daily activities – everything from parents and kids meditation to creating a street library for the neighbourhood.”

A NSW Government initiative, the Family Project is a collaboration between Gidget Foundation Australia and parenting organisation Tresillian.

Examples of future Family Projects include: wellbeing tips for the family, how to create your own worm farm, Brickman’s school holiday Lego challenge, parents and kids meditation, building a simple herb garden, creating chalk art with kids to connect community and making a Street Library for your neighbourhood

For more information go to familyproject.org.au

When three businesses burnt down (including Lachlan Laundry) at the end of 2020, Lachlan Laundry owner Michele Clifton was already fielding questions about when she would open again. Nine months later and Michele has reopened Lachlan Laundry at the other end of Rankin Street next to Job Link Plus – 19 Rankin Street.

“I wanted to keep working and I really enjoyed the social aspect and interactions that come with the business,” said Michele. “The support from the community since we reopened has been incredible and I am very grateful”.

Lachlan Laundry will open five days a week (Monday to Friday) from 9am to 5pm and the laundromat can handle residential and commercial jobs.

Michele admits that as tough as the fire was, COVID didn’t help either, delaying the reopening due to lockdowns and restrictions. Yet despite the disruptions it never once dampened her resolve or that of staff member Jayne Hurford.

“One step at a time and don’t look back – what’s happened has happened,” she said. “Big thanks to Angela as well and the family – you’ve all been great and a tremendous help. I couldn’t have done it without you all”.

The Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) is currently piloting COVID-19 surveillance testing in a number of communities where there are circumstances that could be explained by more wide-spread testing.

“Surveillance testing is different from what we’ve been doing previously in that we want to test as many people as possible, regardless of whether they have symptoms or not,” said WNSWLHD Chief Executive Scott McLachlan.

“People who aren’t close contacts or who don’t have any symptoms themselves or in anyone else in their household are then not required to self-isolate until they get their results. We’re going to pilot that approach in a number of communities where we have questions that could be resolved by widespread testing”.

Mr McLachlan said those issues might include:
• detections in sewage testing where there aren’t any known cases (Forbes);
• significant community transmission (Bathurst);
• known cases where contact tracing hasn’t been able to determine the likely source of transmission (Brewarrina).

“Initially we’re offering surveillance testing in places (like Forbes) because of sewage detections with no known cases locally. Testing is available in all these communities and we want to encourage people to come forward to make a contribution to the surveillance testing”.

“We obviously still need people who have symptoms, or who are identified as close contacts, to be tested”.

Mr McLachlan said the response to surveillance testing in those locations would be monitored to determine how it could be rolled out across the whole of the Local Health District. Other towns aside from Forbes also included among other towns in the Western NSW Lachlan Health District were Trangie and Lightning Ridge.

The NSW Government last week launched the NSW Water Strategy, a 20-year blueprint to deliver resilient and sustainable water resources to communities across the state ensuring NSW is leading the charge when it comes to innovation.

The strategy coincides with the launch of the Water Project Map, a new tool for people to access information about all water infrastructure projects across NSW.

Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the Strategy is NSW’s first-ever platform for the long-term management of water, which will guide future water planning and policy, and how, where and when water infrastructure investments are made.

“This strategy, underpinned by cutting-edge climate modelling, will help our state work towards becoming a world leader in water innovation and efficiency,” Mrs Pavey said.

“In the next 12 months we’ll refocus our efforts on water conservation and leakage reduction in our cities, towns and regional centers, and deliver a state-wide water efficiency framework.

“We’ll also look for opportunities to invest in research and development, and new technologies, including recycled water opportunities for industrial and agricultural uses.”

The Government will investigate and invest in supply options including stormwater harvesting and water reuse, and look at developing a consistent approach to water restrictions.

“We’re exploring a range of options, including boosting water recycling across communities for watering crops and gardens, fighting fires, flushing toilets and reducing pollution in our waterways,” Mrs Pavey said.

“People living in NSW make up more than a third of Australia’s population, and over the next 20 years, our state will grow by 2.8 million. We need the right infrastructure in place to enable this growth, knowing the challenges we face with a changing climate,” Mrs Pavey said.

All HSC students will get the opportunity to complete their studies in 2021, with the full complement of HSC exams to go ahead from November 9, 2021. Students will be able to sit their HSC exams and receive their results in time for university offers to be made.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has issued a revised timetable, with 110 exams taking place over 19 days, ending on December 3.

Students will receive their ATARs on January 20, 2022, with their HSC results released on January 24.

Strict COVID safe protocols supported by NSW Health will be in place to protect students, exam supervisors and school staff when HSC exams commence.

The protocols for a COVID-safe HSC require exam supervisors to be fully vaccinated and strongly encourage eligible HSC students to receive two vaccine doses before exams start.
68,710 students are on track to receive the HSC in 2021, according to the HSC Enrolment Snapshot which was released on Monday by NESA.

View the 2021 HSC exam timetable: https://www.educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/key-dates-exam-timetables/hsc-written-exam-timetable
View COVID-safe exam protocols: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/covid-19-advice