Weekly wrap: Rain, spiders, bridges, vaccines and dining out. What a week!

I hope you have managed to get through the past week or so unscathed.

Australia is a beautiful country, and I'd not want to live anywhere else, but bloody hell, do we get some bad weather!

I experienced flood first hand in Brisbane in 2010-11 and 2013 and as a child in 1974.

One thing as Aussies we pride ourselves on is our determination to help each other in times of crisis.

I'll never forget neighbours, SES volunteers and even the prime minister at the time (Kevin Rudd) knee-deep in mud and helping people out who needed it.

Murray Trembath tells us a Sutherland Shire SES flood rescue team helped evacuate 25 dogs and four people from a breeding kennel during this week's crisis in north-western Sydney. What a great effort and all SES members deserve our thanks.

Arachnophobes take cover.

Last week it was snakes, now it is spiders.

Due to the wet weather, spiders and especially funnel-webs are expected to be on the move in the coming weeks. Merryn Porter has the creepy tale.

Labor is keeping up the pressure on the state government to fulfil the promise to duplicate the Heathcote Road bridge at Engadine. This week, the opposition leader was in our region, amping up the pressure on local Liberal Party MPs.

It's been a difficult time for hospitality businesses in the past year - but luckily, they are about to receive a boost thanks to The Liberal/National NSW government's much-hyped Dine and Discover voucher system.

It is an excellent stimulus program and we should all take advantage of the vouchers. Let me know where you intend to spend the vouchers. I might find a new favourite place to take the bride out for a meal.

In health news, more than 6 million people are eligible to receive their first COVID - 19 vaccinations after Phase 1B of Australia's coronavirus vaccination program began on Monday.

Barton MP Linda Burney, along with Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt, received their first COVID-19 vaccinations in Canberra on Wednesday. They encourage all of us to get the immunisation when we are eligible.

Need a laugh? Here is a brilliant David Pope cartoon from this week.

We added another 50 new subscribers this week, so welcome to our newbies and thank you for subscribing to the Leader weekly wrap newsletter.

Thank you also to those who are long time subscribers. It is lovely to know you are here to write to you each week.

Enjoy your Sunday reads and I'll chat with you next week.