Beyond the Range Lithgow - Beyond the Range

About Lithgow

Lithgow’s proximity to Sydney, its enterprising spirit, relaxed lifestyle, well-serviced towns and available workforce make it the perfect place to live and do business.

The local economy continues to grow with enterprising specialist and micro businesses in tourism, primary production and creative industries. After mining, the health sector is the second highest employer in the Lithgow region.

Lithgow is just two hour’s drive from Sydney and has direct City rail links. It is also well connected within the region, and is an established regional centre with a potential catchment of over 230,000 people. Lithgow boasts a range of commercial, industrial, educational and professional services, making it an attractive investment prospect.

The establishment of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Western Sydney campuses in Lithgow provide great opportunities for health and education services.

Useful Links

Lithgow Council

Lithgow Tourism

Invest NSW Central West

Incentives for health professionals

Lithgow is classified as MMM4 under the Department of Health’s new “Modified Monash Model” classification system that categorises areas according to both geographical remoteness and town size. The system was developed to recognise the challenges in attracting health workers to more remote and smaller communities. Medical professionals moving from major city areas to Lithgow may be entitled to relocation and retention benefits from the General Practice Rural Incentives Program.

Click here for more information on the General Practice Rural Incentives Program.

Council Contact
Mr Andrew Muir
Acting General Manager
council@lithgow.nsw.gov.au
02 6354 9999

The Health Community

The Lithgow Health Service

The Lithgow Health Service consists of a 46 bed public hospital, a comprehensive community health centre. Also located on the campus are Lithgow Health Service Community Private Hospital, Three Tree Lodge and Lithgow Health Service Specialist Medical Centre.

The Hospital provides 24 hour emergency department supported by on call medical services.

The area is serviced by a number of General Manager Practitioners.

Nepean Hospital (part of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District) at Penrith is the referral centre and is 75 minutes by road.

Bathurst Hospital (part of the Western NSW Local Health District) is 50 minutes west by road.

Click here for further information on the Lithgow Hospital.

Portland Tabulam Health Centre

Portland is well placed to take advantage of employment opportunities in Mining and Power generating industries. It is about 15 to 30 minutes from the major centre of Lithgow and Bathurst.

Portland Tabulam Health Centre provides residential aged care to 22 residents, 4 sub-acute care beds, general medicine, community health services including chronic and complex care, and a range of visiting allied health services outreached from Lithgow Health Service.

There is also a co-located GP practice.

The Lithgow Rural Clinical School

The Lithgow Rural Clinical School of the University of Notre Dame Australia is located beside Lithgow Hospital. Medical students at Lithgow Rural Clinical School are immersed in all aspects of Hospital and Community Medicine, including prison health at the nearby maximum security Lithgow Correctional Centre. Students are able to explore the multifaceted dimensions of rural medicine with dedicated teachers who have made rural medicine their passion, as they participate in daily ward rounds, General Practice attachments, palliative care, surgery, anesthetics and maternity care.

Westfund

Lithgow is the proud home of Australia’s largest regional private health fund. Established in 1929 to co-ordinate fundamental health services for the region’s miners, Westfund is the embodiment of the Australian spirit of hard work and a fair go for all. Today, Westfund provides national coverage for over 100,000 people across a network of 10 branches, making it the 8^th largest open fund in Australia.

Culture and Lifestyle

There is no excuse to be bored or lonely in lively Lithgow, with hundreds of events, activities and clubs available to suit every personality. For links to events, cinemas, halls and meeting spaces, parks, picnic areas and sporting clubs, please refer to the excellent Lithgow Community Guide

The Lithgow Community Facebook page

With over 6,500 followers, is a dynamic, up-to-date source of activities and events in and around Lithgow

The Arts & Theatre

An extension of the famed Blue Mountains artistic community, there are a number or galleries and groups in Lithgow to cater for the arts lover.

Lithgow Ironfest

Lithgow Ironfest is an arts festival with a metal edge, featuring art exhibitions, stalls, live music, street performance, historical re-enactments, (including St George’s Day Jousting and a Napoleonic battle re-enactment entitled ‘The Battle of Lithgow’ featuring infantry, cannons and cavalry!), blacksmithing demonstrations, workshops, busking competitions, automotive displays, educational, historical and technological displays. A truly unique regional festival!

Clubs and social organisations

For a full listing of business and progress associations, licenced and Service clubs, please refer to the community guide.

Sporting Clubs

For an extensive listing and contact details of the many diverse sporting clubs operating in the Lithgow area, including hockey, mountain biking, bowling, croquet, speedway, taekwondo, athletics, basketball, golf, soccer, tennis, rugby league, sailing and even line-dancing, please refer to the community guide.

Lithgow Aquatic Centre

Churches and worship

For an extensive list of churches and worship groups in the region, please refer to the community guide.

Lithgow Stories

Dr John Dearin, University of Notre Dame

Rural practice is always very interesting, never boring and professionally very satisfying... READ MORE
Lithgow Rural Clinical School

The Rural Clinical School has been wonderfully received by the people of Lithgow who have felt justly proud... READ MORE
Westfund – from adversity to strength

Our mutual community support remains our strength and provides the opportunity to fill gaps in health services through the communities we serve. READ MORE
Zelda Doyle, Rural Epidemiologist

Things that will make a difference to communities should come from the communities. Grass roots stuff. READ MORE

Your Children

There are a number of Primary Schools in the Lithgow region including;

Lithgow Public School www.lithgow-p.schools.nsw.edu.a
Cooerwull Public School www.cooerwull-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
St Patrick’s Primary School www.stpatslithgow.catholic.edu.au
Wallerawang Public School www.wallerawan-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
Portland Central School www.portland-c.schools.nsw.edu.au

High Schools in the Lithgow region;

Lithgow High School www.lithgow-h.schools.nsw.edu.au
La Salle Academy www.lasallelithgow.com.au
Portland Central School www.portland-c.schools.nsw.edu.au

For additional information on schools in the area, please refer to the community guide.

More private schools with boarding facilities are located in Bathurst and Orange to the west, and the Blue Mountains and Sydney to the east. Click here for a list of Private Boarding Schools in regional NSW.

Sporting clubs are very popular with children in country towns, from the social Swim Club get together at the local pool on lazy summer Friday evenings, to the rugby union, rugby league, soccer, netball, hockey and cricket teams for all ages. Click here for more information.

Lithgow Aquatic Centre council.lithgow.com/aquatic-centre

Lithgow has a range of quality child and family services.

www.community.lithgow.com

Your Spouse

Where you live and work is just as important to your spouse as it is to you. We are here to help you and your spouse feel welcomed into our community. We will do all we can to help your spouse settle in to the community, to find employment, to find new friends and to find the right information about schools, training, clubs, activities to suit his or her lifestyle.

Please speak to Lithgow Council’s Economic Development Officer regarding employment opportunities and contacts to assist your spouse to find the perfect job and lifestyle in Lithgow.