Event held at Bathurst Library to welcome Paint The Town Read program to Bathurst

The egg featured in a story read to children at Bathurst Library on Wednesday as the Paint The Town Read program was introduced.

"Paint The Town Read is a collective impact, community building strategy that encourages everyone to read, talk, sing and rhyme with children from birth so they will be ready for reading and writing at school," Goodstart Bathurst centre director Emma Kentwell said.

"Goodstart Bathurst first came across this initiative on a trip to Walgett where the Lightning Ridge Preschool had it embedded as part of the program and the benefits for children were fantastic."

Ms Kentwell said Goodstart Bathurst wanted to get the whole Bathurst community involved and so joined with Bathurst Children's Services, Bathurst Library and Centacare for Wednesday's event.

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A story - in which the goanna egg starred - that was written by Toni-Lee Scott of Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council was read to the children at the library by one of the teachers from Goodstart Bathurst.

The story culminated with the egg hatching and a "googa" (the Wiradyuri name for the goanna, the totem animal of Bathurst) being drawn from it, which the assembled children had the chance to name.

Suggestions included "Buzzy", "Batman", "Rainbow" and (from an adult Parramatta Eels fan) "Gutho".

Wednesday's event also included face-painting, rock-painting and all things red.

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