L-R: NSW Department of Education Secretary – Murat Dizdar, Forbes High School Students – Indigo, Payton, Adelaide, Jamal and Forbes High School Principal – Kathleen Maksymczuk.

Forbes High School hosted more than 80 principals and school leaders from across Central West NSW as part of the 2026 Schools Roadshow, on Tuesday May 19. 

The NSW Department of Education’s an­nual roadshow is travelling across the state, serving as a key platform to engage directly with school leaders and bring the NSW Plan for Public Education to life in every commu­nity.  

Leaders from Forbes to Canowindra and Cowra to Cudal all came together to share insights from their unique school contexts ensuring local voices shape the future of public education in NSW.  

NSW Department of Education Secretary, Murat Dizdar, said the roadshow plays a critical role in strengthening the system by listening to those closest to students.  

“It’s inspiring to see so many school lead­ers coming together with a shared purpose to improve outcomes for every student,” he said.  

“When we listen to the experiences of principals and leaders on the ground, we build policies that are more responsive, more effective, and more deeply connected to the communities we serve.”  

The department’s senior executive team attends each roadshow stop to engage directly with principals and deepen under­standing of local opportunities and chal­lenges.  

“This is about genuine partnership. We listen, we learn, and we lead together,” Mr Dizdar said.  

At the Forbes event, Mr Dizdar highlighted key achievements made across NSW public schools, including strong student growth in NAPLAN and the successful expansion of the Inspire program for high potential and gifted students.  

“We are committed to ensuring every stu­dent-regardless of their postcode or back­ground-has access to a world-class public education,” he said.  

“Bringing leaders together like this strengthens professional networks and builds a more connected, resilient public education system.”

Vinnies Central & Far West NSW sends a huge thank you to the students and staff at Red Bend Catholic College for their incred­ible $1,000 donation to the Vinnies Winter Appeal. The 40+ students involved spent many hours fundraising, through activities such as Zooper Dooper sales at the swim­ming carnival, the mega easter egg raffle, Thursday bacon and egg roll sales and their ongoing Friday lolly shop.

Through their fundraising efforts, the school’s Youth Conference is making a real difference for people doing it tough this winter, and earning their first Bronze Award in the Vinnies Service Medallion Program along the way!The Vinnies Service Medallion (VSM) is an initiative developed by the St Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Society NSW which caters for secondary students. The VSM enhances students’ knowledge regarding key social justice issues and provides practical oppor­tunities through volunteering that align to meet the needs of their community.

Does your local high school participate in the Service Medallion Program? Get in touch with Vinnies today to learn how your students can make a difference in their community at: www.vinnies.org.au/nsw/get-involved/vinnies-service-medallion

Royal Far West riders took on their final leg – riding through Eugowra, with a special stop to connect with the local com­munity. Pictured with Eugowra Public School kids who are proud of their partnership with Royal Far West and we are appreciative of the support they provide.

Royal Far West’s Ride for Country Kids made its way from Parkes to Forbes, tak­ing 64 cyclists on a journey. They started in Parkes, and then traveled through Trundle and Eugowra, before finishing in Forbes.

At 12pm on Tuesday 19 May, on their 3rd and final day of riding, the cyclists vis­ited the Eugowra Community Hall to meet Raewyn Molloy and her team, and the local schools being supported by Royal Far West.

Raewyn Molloy knows all too well about needing the services of Royal Far West, as she herself required their assistance when she was just five years of age, after a grass seed shot into her ear and began to grow. An operation that followed caused her to lose the ability to speak clearly. The Sunshine Club at Parkes supported her to travel from Eugowra to Royal Far West in Manly for treatment, where she spent one year undertaking speech therapy. On her re­turn to Eugowra, she changed schools and repeated kindergarten and was well on her way to succeeding.

Royal Far West’s vision is to improve the health and wellbeing of children living in ru­ral and remote communities. In FY25, we supported 512 children, 302 parents and carers and 496 educators across 29 pri­mary schools and 5 early childhood centres in Western and Far West NSW – delivering services including speech pathology, oc­cupational therapy, psychology, and social work.

Each year, cyclists head out on a threeday ride across regional NSW as part of Royal Far West’s Ride for Country Kids. The annual event raises vital funds and aware­ness for developmental, behavioural and mental health services, to help transform the lives of Australia’s country children. For more information visit www.royalfarwest.org.au

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) has partnered with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to offer funding to Local Aboriginal Land Coun­cils (LALCs) from across the State through a new grant program called Together on Country.

The Together on Country grants are aimed at supporting LALCs across NSW in managing their land holdings. This includes improving waste management and caring for Country within their local communities.

NSWALC Chairperson, Dr Raymond Kelly, said the Together on Country grant program will help Aboriginal communities safely dispose of waste, care for Country and support Aboriginal participation in the circular economy.

Through this program, LALCs are encour­aged to apply for up to $150,000 per project to improve waste management and sustain­able practices within their communities.

The grant funding is available to all LA­LCs; successful projects should address a specific waste issue and provide sustain­able, long-term solutions.

Further details are available at https://alc.org.au/t-o-c-grant/.

All proceeds from Maddy’s recent Trivia Night will go towards supporting a village community in the Philippines, helping provide essential resources, education and daily necessities.Inset: Maddy Morrison.

In July this year, 16 year old, Maddy Mor­rison will be travelling to the Philippines as part of an international volunteer pro­gram for teenagers, (www.volunteerhq.org) where she will be volunteering in Tigman Village, alongside other young volunteers, helping with community projects and sup­porting local families and children. Maddy attends Red Bend Catholic College and is also a member of the Forbes Youth Action Team.

“Volunteering overseas is something I have dreamt of since I was little and it is so surreal that it is all coming together. I’ve always hoped to make a meaningful differ­ence while learning more about another culture and day to day life. I am extremely grateful and excited for the opportunity to contribute to the community and gain valu­able life experiences.”

So far, Maddy has organised various fun­draising activities, with the support of local businesses, family, friends and the wider community. Recently, hosting a Trivia Night at the Forbes Town Hall, which was an amazing success. There were around 130 attendees, across 13 tables and together they raised approximately $3,400. The night included five rounds of trivia, raffles and games.

“I would especially like to thank every­one who attended the Trivia Night, donated prizes, bought raffle tickets or helped in any way. The support from the local business­es and community members has already made a huge difference in my fundraising,” said Maddy.

There are still multiple ways individuals and businesses can support future fund­raising efforts, whether it be through do­nations, sponsorships or simply attending events and spreading awareness. Maddy is currently in the process of setting up a donation portal, but for now she can be con­tacted via her email maddymrr@gmail.com