All 31 primary health networks in Australia achieved a rate of at least 90 percent with the MLHD's 96 percent among the best and the North Coast’s 90.6 percent the worst.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare analysis revealed nationally 93.5 percent of all five-year-old children were fully immunised in 2016/2017. 

More than 97 percent of indigenous five-year-old children in the MLHD were fully immunised in 2016/17. The national average was 95.7 percent.

The institute reported that 95.9 percent of one, two and five-year-old children in Harden-Murrumburrah were fully immunised in 2016/17, only seven two-year-old children in the 2587 postcode area were not fully immunised.

MLHD’s public health director Tracey Oakman said the figures are a credit to local parents and health professionals.

“Obviously local parents, GP’s and our community health services realise the importance of vaccination. It is lovely to see that our region has embraced vaccination as a way to protect their children in such high numbers,” she said.

Mrs Oakman said the figures show that regular vaccinations are on parents’ agendas. “I know that NSW Health has worked hard to make it easier for people, to remember to be vaccinated and that there is a timeliness around vaccinating children,” she said.

“There are immunisation apps that parents can download that send a reminder to parents when their children get to a certain age for vaccination. The timeliness factor is what is really critical and that is reflected in these figures, but we need to remain vigilant.”

Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke expects immunisation rates to improve with laws preventing children attending pre-school unless immunised coming into effect on January 1.

She said the impressive rates of immunisation were due to strategies like working with GPs and families to arrange catch-up vaccinations.

“Parents and kids in the Cootamundra electorate are leading the nation, taking that little sting in their stride and helping reduce the spread of disease,” Ms Cooke said.

“Protecting children from potentially deadly diseases is a key priority for our networks and we will continue to focus on boosting immunity coverage in our community, particularly as we head into winter.”