Taking early education to the bush is helping communities bond

Someone recently phoned her concerned about funding for the Gwydir Mobile Children's Service, saying she was still so grateful for the teaching her daughter enjoyed there nearly 27 years ago. "That was special," Wendy says.

The funding fears though have been overcome. The NSW Government today announced the service will get two new troop-carrier Landcruisers to replace the ones that are reaching their limits.

It's part of a new $8 million boost announced by NSW Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell that will assist pre-school services in many areas of the state, from Moree down to Leeton.

For Wendy the extra funding will be a strong statement in the drought as many farmers she sees face a third year of not growing a crop or have been forced to sell special stock bred over the generations.

"As people start to count things up, we can say with certainty: 'we'll be here for you'," she says.

"We believe we can sow the seeds of education in the kids and the seeds of friendship in the parents. That has meant a lot during the drought. Those communities that have had special events such as lunches and races I find are helping each other get through."

There is one other teacher, Renae Cronin, often assisted by educators such as Ann, involved in the Gwydir service that visits remote places such as Boomi, where they often set up in 100-year-old halls.

The drought and the dust has taken everything back to their bare bones. In one old hall they didn't realise they were working under so many cobwebs, until they were 'lit up' by the dust. The dust in the last year has been almost a daily companion for the teachers. Their brightly painted vehicles stand out when they arrive.

"It's special, we are going to their place. Often we are setting up next to the primary school, so the younger children become friends with the older children, so when they go to school they know them.

"We've found the pre-school has at first made contact between parents, that sometimes grow into a friendship, and that's been very important in the drought."

But she said the continuing dust storms were "doing everyone's heads in".

"It's been very tough for some people they fell this great loss even failure as they sell off stock, they feel it's their fault, but it's not. But week after week they are letting something go.

"That's why I think these cars are important. It's saying 'we'll be here next year for you'. 'We will sit with you in the dust, and when it rains, we will sit there with you in the mud'. We like to think soon we be driving through a flood and have to wear snorkels, anyway that's what we tell the kids."

In a week the service goes out to remote towns around Moree including Bellata, Garah, Boomi, Croppa Creek, Gravesend, Mallawa, Bullarah, Tulloona and Pallamallawa.

Other grants announced by Ms Mitchell include $1.5 million for a new preschool at Cootamundra and $350,000 for a significant extension of Leeton Preschool. In total $8.3 million in grants will be given to expand and establish new services.

"No matter where your family lives, every child should have access to a top-quality early childhood education service, because we know how important the early years are for their social, cognitive and emotional development," Ms Mitchell said.

Ms Mitchell added that since 2018, the NSW Government has allocated $62.1 million to increase community preschool places in areas of high demand.

"Successful applicants can use this funding to support a variety of service improvements, including opening new centres, extending and renovating existing sites and in some cases, investing in new vehicles to support the continuation of mobile preschool services," she said.

"We implemented the Capital Works Grants in 2013, and since then we have expanded preschool capacity across the State by thousands of places.

"When it comes to early childhood education, I think families should have options that are accessible, affordable and high quality," Ms Mitchell said.