Aboriginal community members of western NSW are invited to put paint to canvas for the 2025 CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal Art Competition.

A total prize pool of $4000 is on offer for the best original works.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has launched the competition to discover and recognise emerging Aboriginal artists in western NSW.

Entries close on Monday March 31, 2025.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche said the organisation was pleased to hold the competition for the fourth time.

She is encouraging emerging Aboriginal artists living in the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, or in communities where its services are available, to enter.

“Each time we’ve held this competition, we’ve received some truly awesome and inspiring entries,” Ms Mioche said.

“We started this competition in 2019 because we knew there was unrecognised talent in our vast region, and we wanted to showcase these artists.

“In 2023 the competition attracted 14 entries from across our region, and two impressive artworks tied for first place.”

The competition offers the prize pool to encourage emerging Aboriginal artists to create and share meaningful artworks that show the rich Aboriginal culture and artistry in western NSW.

The winner of first prize will receive $2000, while second prize is $1500 and third prize is $500.

Previous winning artworks have subsequently featured in CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes branding and publications.

Ms Mioche said the competition was warmly embraced by her team.

“I always feel excitement at the arrival of new entries, and I know our team members do as well,” she said.

“We love viewing the artworks and learning the story behind them.”

The full information pack is available here.

Paintings (and completed entry forms) can be accepted at any of our CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes offices by the competition closing date Monday May 26, 2025.

Our offices are located in Bathurst, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cobar, Condobolin, Dubbo, Forbes, Lake Cargelligo, Narromine, Nyngan, Orange, Parkes, Warren and Wilcannia. Office addresses are available on www.ccwf.org.au.

If you require assistance to complete this form or for any questions relating to this competition, please call 1800 067 067 or email info@ccwf.org.au.

You can see the 2023 competition winners here.

Go to ‘See Publication’ for full information pack and the entry form.

Recent Year 12 graduates seeking to start a rewarding career are urged to apply for a new opportunity with CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes (CCWF).
The social support organisation is offering a Traineeship in Community Services, based at Forbes or Parkes.
During the 12-month traineeship, the successful applicant will undertake a Certificate IV in Community Services, gain on-the-job experience, receive mentoring, and make a difference in their community, as well as have the potential for ongoing employment.
CCWF chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche said the traineeship had been created as a step towards growing a much-needed workforce.
Data and research have revealed recruitment challenges in both regional areas and community services for a number of years.
In offering the traineeship, CCWF is proactively investing in people to work in the sector.
“A Certificate IV in Community Services opens so many career pathways and is a foundation for specialist work in family support, mental health, domestic and family violence or homelessness,” Ms Mioche said.
“We believe there are many young people who are looking for a career that gives them meaning and purpose, and community services is an avenue for them to fulfill that aim.
“We particularly encourage Aboriginal applicants.”
CCWF team member Kimeaka Bermingham started with the organisation as a Year 12 graduate in 2017 through a similar opportunity and is now a manager.
“I completed a Certificate IV in Community Services, with CCWF allowing me to complete my placement on the job, and I gained a lot of different experiences during this period,” she said.
Ms Bermingham continued to work with CCWF and completed a university degree.
She encouraged recent Year 12 graduates to consider the new traineeship.
“I love being part of an organisation that provides such critical services, fills needs and provides opportunities for our communities,” she said.
“CCWF is just as committed to team members as it is to clients and community; I have been fortunate to receive such an incredible amount of learning opportunities that I believe I would not have received elsewhere.”
Applications for the traineeship close at 5pm on Friday 10 January, 2025. To find out more, go to: https://ccwf.org.au/about-us/employment/

Families at Forbes and Trundle can enjoy a film event for free this month, thanks to CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes.

The organisation’s Family and Relationship Services team is hosting a movie night at Forbes on Friday September 6, and at Trundle on Friday September 20.

The events will feature a screening of the film, The Wolf and the Lion, as well as a free barbecue sausage sizzle and other activities for children, all at no charge to attendees.

It follows the success of similar events at Tullamore and Lake Cargelligo last month.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’s Family and Relationship Services team organised the four events to bring families together and add to the social experience for community members in these towns.

“Our community movie nights are an enjoyable night of entertainment for families that don’t break budgets,” Family and Relationship Services delivery leader Rebecca Lee said.

“They are a chance for children to make memories and they encourage strong positive bonds between family members, and between families in the community.”

Serving western NSW, CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes understands the needs of smaller rural communities.

“With time pressures, many families can’t take a day to travel to a bigger city for entertainment,” Ms Lee said.

“Furthermore, owing to inflation, many families may not be able to afford the fuel to travel away.

“Our community movie nights will be a highlight of the week and we encourage families to come along.”

• Forbes Community Movie Night, hosted by CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes, Friday September 6, 5pm-9pm, to be held at Forbes Public School. Bring chairs, rugs, dress warmly. Children are to be supervised by parents. No staff supervision available for children. This is a drug-free and alcohol-free event.
• Trundle Community Movie Night, hosted by CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes, Friday September 20, 5pm-9pm, to be held at St Patrick’s Catholic School. Bring chairs, rugs, dress warmly. Children are to be supervised by parents. No staff supervision available for children. This is a drug-free and alcohol-free event.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has been told by the NSW government it cannot compete for funds where it delivers DV services in the New Specialist – Family Domestic and Sexual Violence Workers tender because priority has been given to Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs).

This illogical decision will disadvantage women seeking assistance to flee DV.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes operates across 52% of NSW in Western and Far West NSW in places like Bourke, Cobar, Condobolin, and Wilcannia. The organisation is the main DV service provider in Forbes and Bourke and manages the women’s refuges in both towns.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche says the government’s approach is concerning.

“There are 148 positions in total, and 23 in our areas we should have been allowed to compete for, and the government is only allowing us to apply for two positions,” she said.

“Those two positions are in Cobar and Warren, and it feels like that is only because they could not find an ACCO to fill those jobs.

“Our service is really stretched especially in Forbes, Parkes and Condobolin where we have just renovated a convent that could house multiple women with children but we only have a part-time worker.

“I don’t know how we will manage. Our Forbes-Parkes service has for years provided services to twice as many women and children as we are funded to do, so this decision is a kick in the gut.

“We understand the government’s wish to boost the capacity of ACCOs and have no issue with the government pursuing this agenda, but this money was meant to be for organisations to get extra DV workers and that agenda has been diverted so they can boost the ACCOs workforce, not the general DV workforce.”

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has been operating for almost three decades, delivering positive outcomes for communities.

Ms Mioche said the rules for this tender – which closes on Friday – also created uncertainty for the future.

“I am worried the new $230 million package announced yesterday will go the same way and we will be prevented from competing for funds in the future as well,” Ms Mioche said.

“One of the priority areas for the NSW government is to get more Aboriginal workers in DV, which is appropriate in the regional and remote areas where we work.

“However, we already do this – for example in Forbes 43% of our team members and 44% of our clients identify as Aboriginal.

“In places like Bourke, in some of our programs 100% of our team members are Aboriginal. We cater to everyone in the community and have done this for years.

“It is very clear that the government’s agenda is to boost ACCO workforce capacity at the cost of DV organisations such as ours – never mind that we have been struggling on a shoestring budget for years and this money was intended to give us relief.

“To add insult to injury the government seems to have gone out of its way to knock us out of the competition, telling us we could compete in places such as the Snowy Valley LGA and the Warrumbungle. That’s hundreds of kilometres from our nearest offices.

“I enquired as to whether they had made a mistake and they insist we were offered the Snowy Valley after a ‘geographical analysis’.

“It is joke – the Snowy Valley is 900 kilometres from Bourke!

“They fund us, so they know exactly where we operate so this smells like dirty tricks.

“I am very worried about the future funding – will we continue to be barred from applying so the government can fulfill its agenda?

“Competition is healthy and it is clear the government will stop at nothing to stop high-performing organisations such as ours competing for funds.

“This is at the cost of women seeking assistance to escape domestic violence, so they should be ashamed and leads me to question how serious they are about cracking down on DV.”

Ends………………………………………………

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes (CCWF), the service responsible for assisting women fleeing domestic violence in Forbes NSW, has been barred by the NSW government from applying for additional funds to boost its domestic violence workforce in the town.

The NSW Department of Communities and Justice has issued an invitation to tender for the New Specialist – Family Domestic & Sexual Violence workers – National Partnership Agreement, which aims to boost the domestic violence workforce across NSW.

CCWF, which operates across 400,000 square kilometres in regional and remote Western NSW, will not be allowed to compete for these funds in the locations where it currently delivers domestic violence support to women and children fleeing violent situations.

These include the LGAs of Forbes, Parkes, Bourke and Lachlan where it currently delivers the existing Specialist Homelessness Services and Staying Home Leaving Violence programs.

This is despite the Forbes and Parkes services consistently assisting twice as many women and children as they are funded to do.

“This decision by the NSW government is so disappointing,” CCWF CEO Anne-Marie Mioche said.

“My team is constantly stretched, we really need those extra workers, the money has been made available by the Commonwealth government and yet we are told we cannot make a bid for it.

“We need those extra workers, and it isn’t an exaggeration to say women’s lives are at risk.

“We have sought an explanation for the decision, but the Department of Communities and Justice will not tell us and other concerned providers what the reasons behind their decision is until after they have allocated the funds, which will be too late to change anything.”

In a cruel twist the Department has told CCWF it can apply for funding in areas where it has no services and which are hundreds of kilometres from its closest domestic violence services locations.

“What I am puzzled about is whilst we are not allowed to compete for funds where we operate domestic violence services in places like Forbes and Bourke we have been given permission to apply for funds in places like the Snowy valley and Coonabarabran,” Ms Mioche said.

“How on earth are we going to be able to help these women when our two refuges are in Forbes and Bourke and our teams are as much as 900 kilometres away?”.

“We are not the only provider affected by this funding approach; I have been contacted by several other concerned services.

“It is a galling decision considering our footprint is already across 52 per cent of NSW that they have managed to ask us to bid for regions where we have no presence, and where there are no doubt very competent providers.

“They fund our current services how could they not know where we operate?

“I am hoping they have made a mistake, or that someone failed geography because I feel like I am in an episode of Yes Minister.

“I would like the minister to withdraw this tender and re-release it allowing all organisations that provide domestic violence services to be allowed to bid for funds in the areas where they operate domestic violence services.

“I feel sure she can’t possibly be aware of what a mess has been made of this funding.

“Working in this field is stressful and we are constantly negotiating red tape and juggling with the decisions of multiple agencies.

“In the areas where we operate providing domestic violence services can be pretty scary, rural areas have more access to guns and we have had situations where we have had to wait several hours for the police to come to an event as they are so under-resourced out west.

“We need to ensure the system works for women and children and there is much room for improvement as we are seeing every second day in the national news.”

Children from separated families are renewing bonds with the parent they don’t live with at the Broken Hill Children’s Contact Service (CCS).

The safe, nurturing and impartial centre launched by CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has marked 12 months of providing a much-needed service to the remote NSW city.

Prior to its opening, Broken Hill families wanting the help of a CCS either had to travel hundreds of kilometres, with the closest CCS being at Mildura, or they missed out.

The launch of the Broken Hill CCS in February 2023 has enabled children to stay connected with both parents and other significant people in their lives, in situations where separated families are unable to manage their own contact arrangements.

It provides a safe, neutral and nurturing place for children to spend time with the parent or family member they do not live with, in supervised visits, or for children to move from one parent to the other.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Healthy Relationships – CCS delivery leader Mark Braes says the child’s needs are the primary focus of the service.

“Children of separated parents deserve relationships with the family they do not live with and our Broken Hill CCS is delivering this outcome,” he said.

“We are seeing bonds between children and their parents being reestablished during visits.

“We have seen parents travel to Broken Hill from interstate for visits with their children.”

In its first 12 months the Broken Hill CCS has built up to steady service activity as the community’s awareness and understanding of what it offers has grown.

“We have seen an increase of court-referred visitation and are regularly offering video link visits,” Mr Braes said.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes senior child contact worker Kristy Parker said the Broken Hill CCS rooms were colourful and full of resources and toys, set up with children in mind.

“Our space has been very popular with the children who have used it,” Ms Parker said.

“We have something for everyone, and the children often don’t want to leave.”

The Broken Hill CCS offers supervised visits on both weekdays and weekends and to find out more, call 08 8087 3477.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes received $2 million in Australian government funding over four years to establish the Broken Hill Children’s Contact Service.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes delivered more hours of support and assisted more clients in 2022-23 as natural disasters and rising financial stress caused strong demand for social services.

A total of 4590 people across western NSW received support from the organisation in the 12 months to June 30, a 7.5 per cent increase from the previous year.

The hours of support delivered by CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes jumped by 14 per cent to 15,159 hours in the same period.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes serves the Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, which spans the western 52 per cent of NSW and 414,398 square kilometres.

Statistics demonstrating the organisation’s impact have been published in its latest annual report.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes mobilised to provide support in the wake of flooding at Eugowra and communities along the Lachlan catchment in late 2022 that caused great loss and hardship.

“With the unprecedented flood disaster, our financial counsellors met a new community need as events unfolded,” CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche said.

“During November and December 2022, we assisted 199 residents affected by flood, and in many cases, resulting trauma. Our disaster recovery support sessions at Eugowra and Forbes continue.”

The cost of living swelled[1] and the Reserve Bank of Australia lifted interest rates 10 times in the 12 months to June 30.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has seen increased financial stress across all demographics.

“Our financial counsellors negotiate and advocate on behalf of people who are experiencing financial hardship or are at financial risk,” Ms Mioche said.

“People who have never accessed our services before are reaching out for support.”

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes also launched new services to meet community needs.

“We established the Broken Hill Children’s Contact Service in February 2023, after securing funding from the Australian government,” Ms Mioche said.

“By April 2023, our Men’s Behaviour Change Program groups were meeting at Forbes, Parkes, Condobolin, Narromine and Bourke. This program works with men to develop strategies to help them be accountable for their actions, and work towards non-abusive relationships.”

Ms Mioche paid tribute to CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes team members.

“Our team is our strength,” she said.

“Our team members are the reason we are able to make such a positive difference for our clients.”

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Some highlights of the 2022-23 year:

• CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes’s Kids Youth Club at Bourke has been a great success. Kids Youth Club provides activities and support to young people aged 12-18 to help them develop a positive lifestyle at a crucial stage in their life. It engages, supports and provides nutritious meals to young people three evenings a week in a safe environment. In 2022-23, the Kids Youth Club was attended by 3060 young people and it provided almost 3000 meals and more than 400 hours of support. It is a collaborative venture and is held at the PCYC Bourke.
• We launched affordable hair salon Cooee Cuts at Wilcannia in September 2022. The social enterprise puts hairdressing within reach of the remote community. Cooee Cuts operates four days a month. An appointment at Cooee Cuts is as much about positive wellbeing, self-care and social connections as it is about a new hairstyle. We partnered with Mildura-based hairdresser and former Wilcannia resident Juliann Mutch to deliver the professional and affordable service.
• We deliver Specialist Homelessness Services to Parkes, Forbes, Cowra, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo, Cobar and Bourke. The program provides homelessness support for women, men, young people and families. This is done through a range of initiatives, among them a women’s refuge at Forbes and a women’s safe house at Bourke for women escaping domestic and family violence. In 2022-23, our Specialist Homelessness Services supported 591 women. Together our women’s refuge at Forbes and our women’s safe house at Bourke accommodated 110 clients.
• Through the Family and Carer Mental Health Program, we provide education, individual support, support groups and advocacy to people caring for someone with a mental illness or mental health challenges. The Family and Carer Mental Health Program covers all towns in the Western NSW and Far West Local Health Districts. In 2022-23 the Family and Carer Mental Health Program supported almost 400 participants, provided 1520 hours of support and held 16 community events.

[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics data, https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/cpi-rose-08-cent-june-2023-quarter

Two exquisite paintings have tied for first prize in the 2023 CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal Art Competition.

Artists Raymond Thorpe of Forbes and Pamela Bugmy of Dubbo have both been named winners and will each receive the $2000 first prize.

Mr Thorpe’s painting Trackers and Ms Bugmy’s painting God’s Country were two of 14 stunning entries this year.

The competition was judged by Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green, CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche and Red Bend Catholic College visual arts teacher Tracie Axton.

In the intricate God’s Country, Ms Bugmy depicted her hometown, Wilcannia.

Mr Thorpe’s Trackers is an impressive artwork of more than one square metre in area.

“The winners bring you out to another level, a spiritual level, they draw the viewer into both of those paintings, and that’s one of the things I think is really, really powerful that I’m not just an objective viewer, I get drawn into the actual artwork,” Bishop Macbeth-Green said.

The judges were impressed by the depth of talent displayed in the competition.

“The entries were so strong that we had to have two first place winners this year, and I think apart from the beauty of the actual paintings, the symbolism in both of those was really powerful,” Ms Mioche said.

“One is called God’s Country, and the symbolism, particularly the link between Aboriginal spirituality and Christianity in that painting is just amazing.

“Trackers is the six seasons and a father and son tracking during those six seasons, so that’s really beautiful as well, it teaches us something about Aboriginal culture.”

Ms Axton remarked on the use of colour and said she enjoyed the symbolism of the artwork.

“I can understand it’s trackers, because I can actually follow the journey that they’ve created in Trackers,” she said.

Second prize of $1500 was won by Carmen Hutchison of Cobar with Swim (Bambinya).

Third prize of $500 was won by Mark Curry of Wilcannia with Old Man Roo.

The judges awarded a special junior prize of $250 to Hannah Thorpe of Forbes for her painting, Seasons.

The 14 entries came from a diverse range of locations across the Catholic Diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes, which spans 52 per cent of NSW.

Residents of the small town of Wilcannia can now shop locally for affordable and stylish clothes at the town’s new recycled clothing store.
CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes has established the social enterprise within its branch office in Reid Street.
The Wilcannia fashion store Cooee Clothing had its first trading days earlier this month and attracted residents needing a wardrobe refresh.
The social enterprise stocks recycled clothing for women, children, and men, as well as a small selection of accessories and gift items.
CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche said the organisation had started the recycled fashion store to meet a community need.
“Clothing is an essential item but until now there’s been no local shop selling clothing,” Ms Mioche said.
“We have started this store within our branch to make quality clothing available at an affordable price.”
The recycled clothing store complements another CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Cooee social enterprise.
Cooee Cuts is an affordable hair salon that operates one week every month from the CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes branch office.
The Cooee social enterprises are funded by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Office for Women and Catholic charity Mary Ward International Australia.
The initiatives provide training for women and girls in the areas of life skills and job readiness, in communities that often lack those opportunities.
“In our first days of trade we have received great feedback about the quality, range and pricing of items for sale,” Ms Mioche said.
“Community members have also had the chance to say hello to our social enterprise assistant Merica, who has been recruited for the fashion store.”
Cooee Clothing is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10am to 4pm in normal weeks, and during the Cooee Cuts week of each month, Cooee Clothing will open four days a week.