Australia celebrates National Carers Week with community events and grants

National Carers Week, running from October 11 to 17, is being marked by various initiatives across Australia to recognize the contributions of unpaid family and friend carers. In New South Wales, the government is supporting 125 events through the NSW National Carers Week Grants Program, distributing nearly $215,000 to community groups and organizations. These funded activities include wellness retreats, educational workshops, and cultural events designed to reach over 8,200 carers.

Local councils are also hosting specific programming. The Port Macquarie-Hastings Council has organized free events, including short film sessions at the Port Macquarie Library and a morning tea at the Glasshouse, to help local carers connect and access support. This year’s theme, ‘Care for a Carer’, emphasizes the importance of community support for those providing care.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates that there are more than 958,500 unpaid carers in NSW, contributing to an estimated 2.2 billion hours of unpaid work annually across Australia, valued at approximately $77.9 billion.