A treasure trove of hundreds of toys is back for children to explore, helping family budgets stretch further.
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Orana Toy Library reopened on Saturday for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak started in August.
It's back to offer "new toys without the price tag - for you or the planet".
President and mum Jane Donald says the not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers is an asset for the city's families, catering for children aged zero to eight years.
"The toy library has over 800 toys, recently because of funding this year we've been to local toy sellers and have purchased a lot of new toys and we will continue to do that," she said.
"It is a great way to meet people, over the years there's a lot of people who have been new to Dubbo and have found it a great resource to meet people who have got the same aged children and the toy library's a great resource to reduce the war on waste because you're not going and buying toys all the time."
Members can borrow from the toy library throughout the year, paying a reduced membership fee if they volunteer their time for two hours, once a school term - eight hours for the whole year.
Those who prefer not to do a duty can pay a fee instead.
The temporarily closure during the COVID outbreak had been necessary but not easy, Mrs Donald said.
"Kids... quickly lose interest in toys so if you've got a very affordable resource where you've got hundreds and hundreds of toys at your disposal, you can go and keep swapping them every couple of weeks," she said.
"So to not have that resource during lockdown was really hard, and it was really disappointing too, when the members needed it most, that we couldn't be open, but that's just the way it is."
Mrs Donald said due to COVID-19, the organisation was looking for new members, and grandparents and family day care providers were also welcome to sign up.
"It's a great, people like the lifestyle on Saturday, they'll go to the farmer's markets, then drop into the toy library, swap over their toys, grab a coffee... then come home for a relaxing Saturday and the kids have got their new toys," she said.
The toy library has some special offers to mark its reopening.
Mrs Donald said people who were unsure what it was all about were welcome to visit on Tuesdays and Saturdays between 10am and midday at the premises, located under Macquarie Regional Library.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
