All posts relating to grant funding and other opportunities

Nominate Today – 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards

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Wentworth Shire Council is proud to support the 2026 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards, hosted by The Centre for Volunteering – one of the largest annual celebrations of volunteering in Australia.

These Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals and teams across New South Wales.

There are 7 categories for the Awards. These include:

Young Volunteer of the Year24 years and under
Adult Volunteer of the Year25 to 64 years
Senior Volunteer of the Year65 years and over
Volunteer Team of the YearTwo individuals or over
Emergency Volunteer of the YearAn individual or teams volunteering in emergency prevention, preparation, response, or recovery efforts.
Volunteer Leader of the YearA designated volunteer manager, a team of volunteer managers or a registered not-for-profit organisation
Not-for-Profit Voluntary Governance AwardAn unpaid board of directors or individual board member, who exemplifies excellence in governance

The nomination form allows for two types of recognition for the volunteers of NSW. 

Nomination for Recognition  

This is the simplest way to acknowledge volunteers.  These nominations will not be judged; however, the nominee will be invited to their local regional ceremony (if their personal email address is provided, not the organisation’s or nominator’s email address).  The nominee will be presented with a certificate to acknowledge their contribution to the community.  This nomination requires you to complete four parts of the nomination form only. 

Nomination for Judging 

These nominees will be judged for the NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards in their appropriate category.  This nomination requires nominators to complete six parts (parts 1 to 6), all of which must be completed to be accepted by the judging committee. To be included in Judging, the nominee’s personal email address MUST be provided (ie. not the organisation’s or nominator’s email address). If this is not provided, the nomination will be moved into the Recognition section of the Awards.

📅 Nominations close Friday 29 May 2026.

🔗 Nominate now:
https://volunteering.formstack.com/forms/vnswa26_nom_form

For full award details, nomination tips, and eligibility guidelines, visit:
🌐 https://www.volunteering.com.au/awards/about-the-awards/

📧 If your organisation is submitting more than 20 nominations, contact the Awards Team for a Bulk Nomination spreadsheet: award@volunteering.com.au

Council Advocates for Inquiry into Regional Airfare Pricing

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Council Advocates for Inquiry into Regional Airfare Pricing

Wentworth Shire Council is calling on residents, ratepayers, and local tourism operators to provide feedback to the Australian Government Productivity Commission regarding the cost of regional air travel.

The Commission is currently undertaking an inquiry into the “Determinants of regional airfares” and will host a community engagement session in Mildura on Tuesday, 24 February 2026.

Impact on the Shire

Council recognises that while Mildura Airport is the primary aviation gateway for the Shire, pricing structures significantly impact the Wentworth Shire community.

  • Economic Development: Competitive airfares are essential to support the region’s transition toward a high-value visitor economy, encouraging interstate and international visitation to our local natural assets and major events.
  • Community Connectivity: The disparity between the cost of regional flights and the time required for rail or road transport places a disproportionate burden on regional residents.

Participation

Community members are encouraged to attend the session to discuss how airfare pricing affects their business operations and household budgets.

Event Details

  • Date: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
  • Time: 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
  • Location: Mildura Tourism (Benetook Room B), 190 Deakin Avenue, Mildura

For those unable to attend, formal submissions to the inquiry remain open until 15 March 2026.

For further information, please visit the Productivity Commission website.

Be Prepared: Rural Aid encourages farmers to register for support

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Wentworth Shire Council is encouraging local primary producers to register with Rural Aid to ensure they are prepared for future challenges.

Rural Aid provides critical support to rural communities during times of storm, bushfire, flood, and drought. While many in the region may already be connected with the organisation, Rural Aid is urging those who are not yet registered to do so now.

Registering ahead of time ensures faster access to support for farmers and their families when disaster strikes. It also strengthens the collective voice of the farming community, allowing Rural Aid to advocate for greater assistance.

Services available to registered farmers include direct assistance, recovery programs, and mental health and wellbeing support.

To register, visit https://faa.ruralaid.org.au/ or call 1300 327 624 for more information.

Recruitment Now Open for 2026 Census Roles

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Wentworth Shire Council advises that the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has commenced recruitment for the 2026 Census, which will take place on Tuesday 11 August 2026.

The ABS is hiring over 30,000 people for temporary positions. These roles range in duration from a few weeks to six months or longer, offering flexible hours to fit your schedule.

Current Vacancies (Open Now):

  • Field Manager: Leads Census work in the local area, recruiting and training Field Officers.
  • Mobile Field Representative: Travels within the state or interstate to support field teams, distribute forms, and promote online participation.
  • Local Engagement Officer: Manages a small team and coordinates information hubs to support diverse population groups.
  • Census Engagement Manager: Works with community groups to develop positive relationships and maximise participation.

Upcoming Opportunities:

  • Remote Area Management Team Leader & Member: Opens 23 February 2026. These roles focus on managing Census collection in remote regions, including mining camps and farming properties.
  • Field Officer: Opens 20 April 2026. Field Officers deliver and collect forms and follow up with households.
  • Community Field Officer: Opens 11 May 2026. These officers engage with the local community to support people who may face barriers to completing the Census.

Key Information for Applicants:

  • Experience: More than half of the jobs available do not require any prior experience.
  • Checks: A national police check may be required. A criminal history does not necessarily exclude you from employment.
  • Support: A Recruitment Support Line is available at 1300 100 557.

How to Apply: To view full position descriptions and submit an application, please visit the Census careers page: https://info.census.abs.gov.au/careers

Regional Tourism Forum Riverina Murray 2026

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Early bird tickets are now on-sale for the Regional Tourism Forum Riverina Murray 2026 🎟️

A cross-border first, this forum is being delivered in partnership with Murray Regional Tourism and Destination Riverina Murray, with support from Destination NSW, bringing together tourism industry stakeholders from across the Riverina Murray region.

📅 23 April 2026
📍 Tocumwal NSW
🎟️ Early bird tickets: $99

Designed for those working directly in tourism and destination development, the forum focuses on practical outcomes and real-world takeaways that can be applied immediately.

The full-day program includes:
• Industry keynotes and presentations
• Workshops and breakout sessions
• Panels, local case studies and facilitated discussions

Key topics include:
• Tourism planning pathways and approvals
• PR, storytelling and marketing opportunities
• Product development and experience design
• Riverina Murray visitor economy data and insights
• Future growth opportunities, including cultural tourism, wellness travel and agritourism

For more information visit: https://www.eventzilla.net/e/regional-tourism-forum-2026-2138678284

Promotional Flyer_Regional Tourism Forum Riverina Murray 2026Download

Free ATO Masterclass Series for Local Small Businesses

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Free ATO Masterclass Series for Local Small Businesses

Wentworth Shire Council is pleased to share a new initiative from the Australian Taxation Office designed to support the local business community.

Whether you are developing a new business idea or seeking to improve existing operations, the Essentials to Strengthen Your Small Business platform provides free, professional resources to help business owners understand their obligations and make informed decisions.

Online masterclass series

To complement the self-paced learning platform, the Australian Taxation Office is delivering a series of free online masterclasses over seven weeks. These webinars provide practical guidance on topics relevant to small business owners at all stages.

The session schedule is as follows:

  • Starting a small business – Tuesday 11 February 2026
  • Record keeping – Monday 17 February 2026
  • Claiming small business tax deductions – Wednesday 19 February 2026
  • Goods and Services Tax – Monday 24 February 2026
  • Cash flow for small business success – Tuesday 3 March 2026
  • Hiring and paying workers – Wednesday 11 March 2026
  • Super guarantee employer obligations – Tuesday 17 March 2026
  • eInvoicing – Wednesday 25 March 2026

How to register

The first session, Starting a Small Business, will be held on Tuesday 11 February 2026 from 12pm to 1pm AEST.

Registrations for this session and details of upcoming webinars are available via the Australian Taxation Office registration portal.

Self-paced learning

Business owners who are unable to attend the live webinars can still access more than 30 short online courses through the Essentials to Strengthen Your Small Business platform. Topics include cash flow management, tax deductions, superannuation and record keeping.

Visit the learning platform

Have your say: Help shape the future of transport in the Far West

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Have your say: Help shape the future of transport in the Far West

Transport in the Far West is entering an important new phase. Transport for New South Wales is developing a Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan (SRITP) for the Far West, to be finalised in early 2026.

Before drafting the Plan, feedback is being sought from communities across the region. Whether it is daily travel, access to essential services, freight movements or connectivity to neighbouring towns — community experience is vital.

Why input matters

  • Ensures the Plan reflects real needs, challenges and opportunities in the region
  • Helps guide where infrastructure and transport services should be prioritised
  • Provides the region with a voice in shaping future transport investments

How to contribute

  1. Visit the Have Your Say – Far West portal to drop a pin on the interactive map, comment on issues, or make a formal submission.
  2. To be involved in engagement activities (such as local workshops or briefings), email: engage.sritps@transport.nsw.gov.au.
  3. Subscribe on the portal to receive updates as the Plan progresses.

Key dates and process

  • Currently: Open for submissions and community input
  • Next phases: Reviewing submissions, drafting the Plan, public exhibition, and reporting back on what was heard

Residents, businesses, community groups and service providers across Wentworth Shire and the wider Far West are encouraged to contribute. This is an important opportunity to help ensure transport networks support connectivity, economic growth and community wellbeing.

Have Your Say – Far West Transport Plan

Green Waste Disposal Vouchers

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Council’s Financial Assistance Program is open for FY25/26

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Applications for the first round of funding for the 2025/26 financial year are now open.

Community groups, school groups, charitable and not-for-profit organisations within our Shire should consider their funding requests for the 2025/26 financial year.

To be considered at the 20 August Ordinary Council Meeting, applications must be submitted to Council by 5pm, Thursday 24 July.

For further information or to apply for financial assistance, visit https://www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/community/community-grants/

Event Funding Program 2025 now open

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Planning an event in Wentworth Shire? The Event Funding Program for 2025/2026 is now open.

Council is looking to support events that bring our community together and showcase our wonderful region.

Funding is available for major events (up to $30,000) and minor events (up to $5,000).

For further details, including the Event Funding Policy, Program Guidelines, and how to apply, visit the Wentworth Shire Council website: https://www.wentworth.nsw.gov.au/event-funding-program