Local networking website for families launches

Orange’s Woman of the Year launches website for Australian families.

When Fiona Rossiter moved her family from Scotland to Orange in NSW 14 years ago, she found being new to a town was a big challenge, especially with young children and no immediate family close by.

To help others make an easier move, the mother of five, nurse, local councillor and member of many local community groups has launched the great information exchange website, Australian Family Matters.

In a similar way to the Narribri women we mentioned earlier in the month, The Orange Electorate-Woman of the Year for 2006 set up the not-for-profit website as:

• providing a network for families living in Orange
• a directory of cost effective places for families to visit including business, local parks, walking tracks and swimming areas
• a place where families, no matter where they live, can share tips and stories on issues like parenting and the environment that directly affect them

So far Australian Family Matters mostly centres on the town of Orange but Fiona sees an reason why she can’t include other towns in the site.

Who knows, with more towns on board, the site and Australian Family Matters as a network could become massive!