TAFE NSW Coomealla Courses for the first Semester of 2025
Please see below flyer for TAFE NSW Coomealla Campus, including courses on offer for the first Semester, 2025. Along with these course listings are hundreds of online and virtual courses available for those wishing to further their education at www.tafensw.edu.au.
PFAS Test Results for Wentworth Shire
What is PFAS?
Per and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer products for their resistance to heat, stains, grease and water. PFAS are termed “forever chemicals” due to their persistence and slow breakdown in the environment.
Drinking Water Guidelines on PFAS
The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines provide standards for safe drinking water. Current guidelines ensure water safety for PFAS, with future stricter limits under consultation.
The NSW Government rigorously assesses treated water to ensure water supplies comply with existing guidelines. For more details go to NSW Government PFAS page.
PFAS analysis for Wentworth Shire Council
Recent water testing by Wentworth Shire Council (December 2024) showed PFAS levels significantly below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines’ thresholds, confirming the water is safe for consumption.
Water testing occurred in all three of Wentworth Shire Council’s Filtered Water Supplies:
- Gol Gol (supplying Gol Gol, Buronga and Dareton)
- Wentworth
- Pooncarie
| Characteristic | Current ADWG value | Proposed ADWG value | Result for all sites | Meeting current ADWG value (%) |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | 0.560 µg/L | 0.2 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) | Sum of PFOS and PFHxS 0.07 µg/L | 0.004 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) | As above | 0.03 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) | No current guideline value | 1 µg/L | <0.001 µg/L | 100 |
These results align with the NSW Government’s findings that most water supplies, including regional ones, are well within acceptable PFAS levels.
Summary
Water test results indicate that PFAS concentration in all of Wentworth’s Filtered Water Supplies are far below both the current and proposed Australian Drinking Water Guidelines, ensuring compliance with environmental health standards and continued community confidence in drinking water quality.
For more information:
- WSAA Fact Sheet: PFAS and Drinking Water (October 2024)
- WSAA Frequently Asked Questions: PFAS and Drinking Water
- NSW Government Media Release: NSW Government welcomes NHMRC proposed guidelines on drinking water and PFAS (21 October 2024)
- NHMRC Proposed Guidelines
- PFAS and drinking water – information and updates – NSW Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water
- NSW EPA: PFAS Investigation Program – Contaminated Sites
Routes 950 & 951 – Saturday bus trial – Wentworth to Mildura CANCELLED
The Saturday bus trial from Wentworth to Mildura (Routes 950 and 951) has been cancelled by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) due to insufficient patronage numbers.
The trial started on 17 December 2022 and will conclude on Saturday 14 December 2024.
For any questions or further information, please contact TfNSW.
Opening: Wentworth Conference Room
Opening: Wentworth Conference Room
📅 When: Tuesday 10 December 2024, at 4:00pm
📍 Where: In the Wentworth Visitor Centre, 61 Darling Street
An invitation is extended to the community to attend the opening of the Wentworth Conference Room, located in the Wentworth Visitor Centre.
The Hon. Sussan Ley Member for Farrer and Deputy Leader of the Opposition will officiate the opening.
The facility was funded through the Federal Governments Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Program.
Road safety never takes a holiday
Road safety never takes a holiday
With the summer holiday countdown on and more people expected to be travelling on NSW roads, check out our top tips to keep safe.
In the lead up to these holidays, encourage your colleagues, communities and loved ones to take extra care on the roads.
Stay safe this summer
- Slow down to make sure you arrive safely at your destination
- Make sure everyone’s buckled up properly
- Take a break or swap drivers if you’re driving tired
- Prepare for the unexpected – keep a safe distance of at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front
- If you plan on drinking, have a Plan B
- Switch off for summer and put your mobile phone in the glovebox
- Check your lights, tyres and oil to make sure your car or motorcycle is road trip ready.
Between December 2023 to January 2024, 63 people were killed and 817 were seriously injured on NSW roads. Deaths rose by 14 from 29 and serious injuries rose by 127 from 690 in the same period in the year prior.
Remember to prepare and take care over the break because safety never takes a holiday.
Community Opening: Pooncarie-Menindee Road Upgrade
🚧 Community Opening: Pooncarie-Menindee Road Upgrade 🚧
📅 When: Tuesday 10 December 2024, from 11:30am
📍 Where: Pooncarie Town Hall, Tarcoola Street
This $9.2 million project, jointly funded by the Australian Government and NSW Government under the Growing Local Economies Fund, delivers 87.5 kilometres of bitumen sealing, providing a safer, faster, and more reliable journey for motorists.
The event will feature The Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, and The Hon. Sussan Ley, Federal Government Leader of the Opposition.
The upgrade includes 61 kilometres sealed through the Central Darling Shire and 26.5 kilometres through Wentworth Shire.
New weekly bus service from 18 November – Broken Hill to Mildura
Travel from Broken Hill to Mildura and back every Monday.
For more information, view the flyer below or visit: cdcbrokenhill.com.au
New food safety requirements apply soon
New food safety requirements apply soon
New food safety requirements apply to school canteens, childcare centres, supermarkets, coffee vendors selling food and boarding schools next month.
The national standard mandating staff training and risk management procedures was enforceable to most food businesses from 8 December 2023, however, some business types in NSW received a 12-month extension and now have just weeks left to prepare.
The rules only apply to businesses that sell or serve ready to eat unpackaged food that needs to be kept hot or cold to stay safe – packaged food, and products like confectionary and cakes, are generally not captured.
Most outlets need to arrange formal Food Safety Supervisor training for at least one person in the business and ensure all food handlers have general food safety skills and knowledge.
Higher-risk businesses must also be able to show they are managing key food safety risks.
Mr Ken Ross, General Manager of Wentworth Shire Council said the standard aimed to further prevent people becoming sick from eating unsafe food.
“Residents, visitors and workers in Wentworth Shire demand a high level of food safety at the places they eat at every day,” Mr Ross said.
“We know the vast majority of our local food businesses take food safety seriously. These new measures further strengthen practices and processes to ensure our consumers can continue to enjoy their food knowing it’s safe to eat.”
Mr Ross said council would take an educative approach with local businesses as they transitioned to the new requirements.
For more information, visit the NSW Food Authority website foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/safetytools
