Moving here

When you decide to move to Forbes you will be awestruck by the warmth and friendliness of the locals.

There will always be a warm hello – from the local butcher to the stranger on the street. When you move to Forbes you soon become a local. We are a proud town. Proud of our Wiradjuri elders past and present, proud of the pioneers that turned the soil, and extremely grateful to the generations of families who helped build Forbes into the glorious community it is today.

Forbes is a mix of cherished heritage buildings and contemporary public art creating an eclectic streetscape and attracting visitors from all corners of the world. Our Lake is the centrepiece of Forbes and the envy of communities across regional New South Wales. A haven for families and a meeting place for friends, Lake Forbes is a picturesque, tranquil space to relax.

The lifestyle in Forbes is balance at its best. When you live in Forbes you can own your own home, raise a family and forge a career. Our rural charm, our welcoming community and our striking waterways and landscapes make moving to Forbes an easy choice.

What can Forbes offer that you don't already have?

A family home that has enough opportunity to expand, excellent schools, and a two minute drive between dance class, football practice and the supermarket. The commute to work is minimal which means you have time to sit in a local cafe and have a fresh, locally roasted coffee before you arrive at work . There are no traffic jams, no rushing from platform to street, just easy, stress free living for the whole family.

Employment  

Our unemployment rate is below the state and national average and our strong agricultural sector provides attractive prospects to support jobs and career progression.

The greatest percentage of businesses in Forbes operate in the agricultural sector (17.45%) followed by the construction industry (13.58%) and finance and insurance services (11.15%). 17.41% of the Forbes workforce is engaged in agriculture, while 11.90% is in retail and 11.40% Education and Training.

Over 40% of Forbes’ workforce is employed in a professional or managerial capacity. Forbes is centrally located between Lake Cowal Mine, Cadia Mine and Northparkes Mine and only a short 20 minute drive to Parkes. Living in Forbes gives you the freedom to choose a place of work with the lifestyle you deserve.

Schools

Put your mind to rest when you decide to start a family or you choose to return to work with a choice of five childcare and preschool centres. The centres offer skilled, dedicated and welcoming staff to care for the emotional and educational needs of children from throughout the Shire. There are four public and independent primary schools offering Kindergarten to Year 6. Three are located in Forbes and the other in the village of Bedgerabong.

There are two high schools in Forbes offering Years 7 to 12. Forbes High School is set on 25 acres, with a commanding view of the town. It has a football and a second oval, an agricultural plot, Assembly Hall/indoor recreation facility and a new Learning Resource Centre for Special Education. There are more than 389 students studying a broad academic curriculum and extensive range of vocational courses. Red Bend Catholic College is a co-educational day and boarding school and boasts a swimming pool, Multi-Purpose Hall, Performing Arts Centre, and Design & Technology Centre. The College educates 740 students and offers 150 boarding places. All schools within the Shire are serviced daily by Forbes Buslines offering transfers from the town centre, throughout Forbes and along rural roads.

Our tertiary and adult education sectors are well catered for with a TAFE campus offering a wide variety of practical courses from carpentry and joinery, to primary industry and natural resource management options, as well as aged care, business, computing, hairdressing, retail and welding programs.

The Forbes College for Seniors has a full calendar of activities each year and offers a wide range of interesting courses and experiences to their members from Tai Chi to garden tours, musical concerts and educational lectures.

Health

Residents enjoy high quality health care with a hospital and a full range of general practice services, together with disability services, aged care and visiting specialists. The new $41 million hospital was opened in 2016 and consists of a state-of-the-art emergency department, Inpatient units, birthing suites, operating theatre, Pathology, Dental and Renal facilities as well as first class medical imaging services.

The Forbes Medical Centre is an amalgam of two surgeries. The modern centre, developed and funded by Forbes Shire Council, houses 18 consultation rooms, two treatment rooms, pathology services, general practitioners, nurse practitioners and other professionals. The Centre is housed within the Forbes Medical Precinct, containing the hospital, Community Health Centre, Ambulance Station and a permanent helipad with night landing capabilities. Upgraded ambulatory care includes Speech Pathology, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Dietetic services. Child and family services range from social workers and women’s health services, through to drug, alcohol and mental health services. Visiting specialists include Paediatricians, Urologists, Cardiologists, Ophthalmologists, Gynaecologists, Radiologists and General Surgeons. Forbes has an additional medical centre, two dental practices, a visiting Orthodontic service, Chiropractic services and Optometrists as well as great options for natural medicine and remedial therapies.

Yoorana Gunya is an Aboriginal Medical Service which delivers a range of health and welfare programs to both the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community. Forbes has health services, including pharmacies available 7 days a week. Home and aged care services in Forbes are provided through the local Home and Community Care Program and the local Jemalong Residential Village. The Village is a 91-place individual room facility incorporating 30 dementia beds. Plans are underway to expand this facility with an additional 36 aged care accommodation places and a refurbishment of activity spaces, dining areas, courtyard and chapel. Planning is also underway for the construction of an independent living village.

Leisure

Be spoilt for choice with more than 50 sporting, special interest and service clubs keen to welcome new members.

Forbes is blessed with a strong and cohesive community ready to reach out and welcome you. From traditional seasonal sports such as football, netball, hockey and athletics through to archery, croquet, pistol shooting and water sports, Forbes offers a great range of options. Forbes Shire Council’s Youth and Community Centre offers a large gym area and sporting equipment available for hire and is a regular space for dance, martial arts, play groups and school holiday programs. Skate-boarders and BMX riders can carve, skid and whip at our local skatepark or BMX track. Forbes offers a great range of service club and volunteer organisations including Rotary, Lions, Probus, and the Country Women’s Association just to name a few. The Forbes Men’s Shed has recently developed a new facility and the local Can Assist group is very active in the community. For the creative and musically talented, or those just willing to “give it a go”, Forbes hosts the Conservatorium of Music and the Forbes Country Music Club holds regular gigs. There is an Old Time and New Vogue dance group and garden clubs, arts groups and bridge clubs help create similar interest connections. For a full list of volunteer organisations, sporting and service groups collect a copy of the Forbes Business and Community Guide available from the Forbes Advocate in Lachlan Street.