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ANZAC Day Operating Hours
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All Council locations including our Civic Centre, community centres, libraries, Beverley Recycling and Waste Centre and our Immunisation Clinic will be closed on ANZAC Day, Thursday 25 April.

Kerbside waste and recycling collections will continue as normal.

You can call our afterhours emergency line on 8408 1111 for assistance with non life-threatening emergencies at any time.

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Paint the Westside REaD

Paint the Westside REaD and Lizzie the Literacy Lizard

Lizzie intro

Paint the Westside REaD (PTWR) is part of the national Paint the Town REaD program, an early literacy (0-5 years) community scheme that encourages the whole community to read, talk, sing, play and rhyme with children from birth, so that they are ready for reading and writing at school.

In 2017, children across our community grew an egg by reading, singing, talking and dancing with it in our preschools, children’s centres and community spaces. From this egg hatched Lizzie the Literacy Lizard.

Lizzie is the program mascot whose role is to promote the importance of reading, talking, singing, rhyming and playing with children every day from birth. The story of Lizzie hatching from her egg has even been made into the book Help Me Hatch, written by Cheryll Johns.

Lizzie shares monthly messages about ways families and educators can support children’s literacy development, and also will be featuring in our brand new video series - Read, sing, play with Lizzie!

For more information on PTWR and early literacy programs, please check out our Helpful Resources.

This is a community based early literacy program in the City of Charles Sturt, being led by local pre-schools, children's centres and schools in collaboration with the City of Charles Sturt Council, Library Service and Uniting SA.

Importance of PTWR

It has been found that children whose parents read with their child in the early years of life show markedly better performance in school. The lasting advantage is evident regardless of background.

When parents share books with children, they also promote children’s understanding of the world, their emotional wellbeing and their social skills.

Early literacy makes such a difference to children’s lives that we need everyone in the community to get involved.

Paint the Town REaD does this in 2 main ways:

  1. An annual Reading Day out in the local community through either a shopping centre or local park, celebrating reading with fun activities and offering the chance for children under 5 to be read to by community personalities such as the Mayor or local identities.
  2. Year-round work encouraging the community to think smarter about supporting children’s literacy from birth – whether its reading corners in the library, children’s centres or community centres.

The program has been running for 16 years across Australia, in communities ranging from one-stoplight outback towns to the most diverse and multicultural suburbs of Western Sydney with great success.



Dancing together everyday helps my brain to grow

Lizzie's Monthly Message

Each month, Lizzie has a special message for everyone as well as a series of recommended books for you and your child to borrow. There are 12 messages in total.

This month, Lizzie says 'Dancing together every day helps my brain to grow.'

How does it help your brain to grow?

  • Dancing to music helps you learn to coordinate your body movements and build motor skills.
  • It’s a fun way to express yourself and you can do it on your own or with others!
  • Following the rhythm and actions of a song can help with listening and understanding language.

Access the latest Book List



Read, sing, play with Lizzie!

Check out these episodes featuring Lizzie the Literacy Lizard and our Library Children's Literacy Officers, who you might recognise from our weekly Babytime, Toddlertime and Storytime sessions.


Episode 1 - Help me hatch

Welcome to our first episode featuring everyone's favourite reading mascot, Lizzie the Literacy Lizard and our children's literacy officers Julia and Kerryn!

In this episode:

  • Julia chats with Lizzie about how we can make our brains grow by reading
  • we sing a couple of our favourite songs
  • Kerryn reads 'Help me hatch', by Cheryll Johns, and
  • Lizzie visits one of our libraries to borrow some books. Can you guess which library?

Episode 2 - Storytelling

Welcome back to our next instalment featuring everyone's favourite reading mascot, Lizzie the Literacy Lizard and our children's literacy officers Julia and Kerryn!

In this episode:

  • Poet Manuela Akot joins us to re-tell an African folktale called 'Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky,'
  • Kerryn and Lizzie visit Adelaide Miethke Kindergarten to see children storytelling with puppets and dress-ups
  • Julia chats to Manuela and Lizzie about how storytelling everyday is another great way to help our brains grow.

Episode 3 - Dancing Together

Welcome back to our third instalment featuring everyone's favourite reading mascot, Lizzie the Literacy Lizard and our children's literacy officers Julia and Kerryn!

In this episode:

  • Tony from Cool4Kids joins us for a dance party!
  • Author Jayne Dance joins Lizzie to read her book ‘Dancing with Ruby’ - a book about creating a healthy mind through movement.

Episode 4 - Reading Together

Welcome back to our forth instalment featuring everyone's favourite reading mascot, Lizzie the Literacy Lizard and our children's literacy officers Julia and Kerryn!

In this episode:

  • Author Katrina Germein reads "Shoo You Crocodile!"
  • Lizzie joins her friends singing some fun animal songs and doing the actions
  • Lizzie tries out some different ways to read. Who do you like to read with?


Lizzie book form

Join the Library

One of the best ways to access unlimited reading material is to join your local library.

Joining is free and can be done at any of our libraries or online via our catalogue.

As a member you can borrow items and even access some great online resources from the comfort of your own home with our digital library.

Our pre-school events - Babytime, Toddlertime and Storytime are run weekly during school term, and each session features a variety of activities including reading, singing, dancing and playing. Visit our Pre-school events page to book your spot.

We also host a special reading program for children aged 0-5 years called 1001 Books Before School. Register online then record the books your child reads. For each milestone met, your child wins a small prize including a Lizzie the Literacy book bag!