This year's theme is Cosmic Paradise - a place of great happiness. Festival favourites including the McDonald's Bathurst Ice Rink and giant ferris wheel will be back, along with the popular two-storey carousel. There will also be markets, great food, wine, craft beer and illuminations.

This year the Winter Playground has been extended to include Keppel Street, where the food vendors will be located, while Church Street will feature a variety of carnival rides.

The McDonald's Bathurst Ice Rink, two-storey carousel and ferris wheel will run every day of the festival, with illumination running nightly from sundown to 10pm. For more information, visit www.bathurstwinterfestival.com.au.

Van visits Wattle Flat Public School

BATHURST Library has a mobile van that regularly visits schools in Sofala, Wattle Flat, Trunkey Creek, Rockley and Hill End.

This important service gives students access to a variety of resources, including books, magazines, graphic novels and DVDs to loan.

THE NSW Government's Active Kids program really is making a difference to children's participation in sport and active recreation in the Bathurst electorate - whether it is soccer, Scouts, AFL, rugby, netball, golf or volleyball.

Families across the region keep telling me how much the Active Kids vouchers help them manage the cost of living. I'm pleased that the NSW Government is helping parents keep even more money in their back pocket while their kids stay happy and healthy.

Parents of school-enrolled children can now access a second $100 Active Kids voucher to use towards registration and membership fees for sport and active recreation each year. For further information, visit www.sport.nsw.gov.au/activekids or call 13 13 02.

Your say on before and after school care

THE NSW Government is ramping up before and after school care to make it available to children at all government primary schools by 2021.

This government's $120 million investment in before and after school care includes $50 million for new equipment and facilities, $40 million for rental subsidies to reduce costs to parents and $20 million to help schools where a standalone service may not be viable, including smaller schools and rural and remote communities.

We will work closely with our schools, P and Cs, principals and parents - as well as the before and after school care sector - to develop flexible and creative solutions that offer parents support and choice.

Parents can now have their say on the NSW Government's before and after school care plan on the 'expressions of interest' page launched on Service NSW.

NAIDOC celebrations

NAIDOC Week is an important opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the tremendous achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples here in Bathurst and all across Australia.

Acknowledging and celebrating history and culture is at the cornerstone of NAIDOC Week each year and it is celebrated at all levels across the community. I encourage everyone to consider attending and participating in local events.

This year the government is supporting 127 NAIDOC events across NSW - more than any previous year. We are so lucky to live in such a culturally diverse community in NSW.

I wish all successful applicants the best of luck with their planned activities.

This year NAIDOC week will run from July 7-14. For more information about NAIDOC Week, visit www.naidoc.org.au.