I'm a High school PDHPE teacher in NSW. I am currently on part time mat leave and about to return to full time leave after a term of 3 days per week, to take advantage of the second year of extended leave and casual teach close to home. (I've found a 2 yo and 10 month old, getting to childcare by 7am and an hour drive to school to start by 8 all too much for all of us!)

I will explain what I know about NSW award. I have just been through weeks of phone calls and frustration to find out what our rights are under this new award. (they are still calling it new even thought it's now been in for over a year and expires in less than a year - then we will need to strike again!!) - Yes, after being passed around for weeks and not getting answers I am cynical and ****ed off! Call both Federation and the Department to get answers. If you call Newcastle for leave advice, a good person to talk to is Kathleen (not sure of her last name). She seems to know stuff.

You now can work up to your due date, prior to Jan last year it was 34 weeks. I worked to 34-35 weeks with both of mine and felt I could have worked longer, but my leave coincided nicely with terms so did it that way even with the new award. It really depends on how you are feeling. If you put in your leave for close to EDD and couldn't make it you could take sick leave or maybe change your mat leave if time. (After learning stuff - I would take sick leave, we have a pretty generous amount.)

We now get 14 weeks full pay (used to be 6 weeks full to cover the 6 weeks they made you take prior and 6 weeks half pay after the birth). You can take this as a lump sum, full pay for 14 weeks or (I think) half pay for 28 weeks. You need to state this on your mat leave form though. You can have 12 months mat leave and, with approval, extend this for another 12 months if you wish, with right of return to your current school. When you go back you can do part time with your Principal's approval up until your child is of school age. (have a good casual organised, that is happy to job share and does a good job - it makes it hard for your Principal to say no. It also helps if you are not timetabled to teach seniors - this is a common argument for not allowing it.)

My advice - talk to other new mums at school if there are any (our school must have fertility drugs in the water - 10 babies in the last year!), ask Federation for the fact sheets they have on Mat leave and email Teacher's Leave your questions and they will respond back via email - you then have answers in writing. I have found this the best as the answer you get depends on who you talk to and then next time nobody knows anything about it - if you have an email you have proof (and there is a policy that they must respond within 24 hours, so you get a quick answer). I emailed and finally got a (DRAFT) copy of the award provisions, so I can make informed decisions.

Good luck. If you need any help I can tell you as much as I know if you contact me. I'm not sure how you can contact me without me posting my email address - it's do-able I think. Otherwise, post asking me to contact you and I will try and find a way.
I am so cranky about the struggle to find info I'm writing letters complaining to both Federation and DET.

By the way - to get around the not sitting at your desk thing - sit on it. You can still see them and have an intimidation factor, but get a bit of rest too. My little ferals would have swung off the fans if I sat down (and they were nicer to me when I was pregnant than normally).

Best wishes.