BCFN host grassroots events in our community to celebrate children and families. Our child-safe, child-friendly events are free and fun for the whole family. To stay informed about upcoming events and activities visit our homepage regularly or Like us on Facebook. We hope to see you at one of our events soon!
Our Events
Bathurst Family Fun Day
Bathurst Family Fun Day (BFFD) is a FREE annual community festival held on the third Saturday in May from 11am – 2pm at the Macquarie River Bicentennial (Peace) Park during National Families Week. Everything is FREE! Games, activities, entertainment, BBQ, jumping castle, prizes and more… plus join the cardboard box parade!
The Bathurst Family Fun Day is held during National Families Week to celebrate and acknowledge the important role that families play in our community.
The BFFD is the proud winner of the 2017 Community Event of the Year Award.
Kids Play
Kids Play provides free fun early learning activities in the community for young children under school age (0-6 yrs) held fortnightly on Thursday mornings during school term from 9.30am-10.30am. Kids Play is held at Bathurst Chase Shopping Centre opposite Cotton On. Free, fun learning activities include: art, craft, games, story time, music and more….come and join the fun! Stay updated on Facebook here to find out more.
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
Teddy Bear’s Picnic provides free fun activities in Machattie Park on George Street at the end of each school term and on special occasions. Teddy Bear’s Picnics are held as part of Kids Play and children can bring their teddy and have fun, games and stories in the park. Stay updated on Facebook here to find out more.
Transition to School
School Starters Picnic
The Bathurst Child and Family Network Transition to School (T2S) Group host the annual School Starters Picnic on Friday in November from 4.30pm-6.30pm at the Adventure Playground, corner of Durham & Hope Streets Bathurst. All children starting big school and their families are invited to celebrate this important milestone in the Bathurst community. Bring your own picnic and rug. Enjoy FREE games, activities, entertainment, prizes & more! Each kindergarten school starter will receive a certificate. The first 100 kindergarten school starters to register at the picnic will be presented with a FREE gift!
School Starters Drawing Display
The School Starters Drawing Display showcases children’s artwork celebrating their milestone of starting big school next year. The drawings are displayed in the local Bathurst library and/or local shop windows for two weeks during November.
Meet and Greet Networking Night
Transition to School Meet and Greet Networking Nights for professionals are held during the school year from 5.30pm-7pm to provide an informal opportunity for teachers, educators and other professionals to connect and get to know each other. It continues to receive positive feedback from those that attend e.g. “I loved having the opportunity to connect one-to-one with kindergarten teachers and principals of different schools, especially as I didn’t previously know who they were”; “I love the informality of it and that conversations began as soon as each person arrived”; “Great chance to network and mingle with people and hear about the what they’re doing in their school/service”.
BCFN ‘building child-safe, child-friendly communities’ initiative that underpins our approach to all BCFN events and activities. It is an ongoing approach toward Bathurst becoming a child-friendly city where children’s voices are heard and valued and where they are involved in decisions that affect them.
Follow us on Facebook and check our website regularly for timely updates regarding events.
2017 Inclusive projects
Children, community and culture
‘Children and community: celebrating Wiradyuri culture’ was a BCFN initiative to promote and celebrate our local Wiradyuri culture and the importance of place. School children, under the guidance of local Wiradyuri artist Nyree Reynolds painted an aerial view of Flat Rock as an important place in the story of Biladurang (platypus) because it’s the resting place of Biladurang’s mother, Burang-guwing (black duck). The painting also features a range of Aboriginal symbols, mimi spirits animal footprints and a large transparent image of Biladurang. It was made possible with thanks to a Community Art Support Project (CASP) grant from Arts NSW, managed by Arts OutWest and Regional Arts NSW.
How would you like to play?
BCFN believe it’s important that all voices are heard in our community, so we led an initiative to install child-friendly signs that help children and adults to communicate their needs through play related non-verbal communication and Auslan. The signs are installed in the Adventure Playground and Macquarie River Bicentennial (Peace) Park and were unveiled on 7th September 2017. They empower children, and the whole community, to learn, use and share Auslan to convey their wishes, make choices and communicate their needs. The project was made possible with a FundAbility grant for the purchase of the signs and frames and was supported by Bathurst Regional Council by providing the posts and installing the signs. FundAbility is brought to you by Northcott and funded by the NSW Department of Family and Community Services.
Past Events
Bathurst’s Big Banter
Bathurst’s Big Banter “what’s wrong right for kids today?” was held on Thursday 5th March 2015 and was the first of many events and activities led by the BCFN during 2015. Keynote speaker Megan Mitchell, National Children’s Commissioner said “our task is to grow capable, informed children who have good relationships with adults” and that as adults we need to “take what we are already doing a little bit further to become true child’s rights champions…..think about the opportunities we have to make the Bathurst community more child-centred….by listening and speaking up for children’s rights, we will make a difference”.
The story of Biladurang
‘The story of Biladurang the platypus and Yindyamarra (respect)’ occured at the 2014 Bathurst Family Fun Day(BFFD). Two Wiradyuri artists Nyree Reynolds and Lewis Burns painted the story of Biladurang on two poles surrounding the play equipment in Peace Park during the BFFD to promote positive connections between people and place to promote a sense of shared history and belonging for all. Children were invited to paint a canvas that was later used as the background for the BCFN collage featuring children’s drawings to decorate the harmony day people template. t was made possible with thanks to a Community Art Support Project (CASP) grant from Arts NSW, managed by Arts OutWest and Regional Arts NSW.
Hearing Children’s Voices
‘Hearing children’s voices’ (2016) drama and circus (hoops) workshops and performance where children created and told their own story about what it might be like if they had no voice and weren’t listened to. Children aged 8 – 13 years old participated in a series of workshops and performed at the Bathurst Family Fun Day on Saturday 21st May 2016. This project was made possible with thanks to a Community Art Support Project (CASP) grant from Arts NSW, managed by Arts OutWest and Regional Arts NSW. During the workshops, children were interviewed to gain a better understanding of how they feel about being heard – this helped them to develop their understanding in preparation for their performance.
Click on the recordings below to hear some insights from the children.
What if you had no voice?
Why is it important to listen to children?
What message do you have for adults?
