Tyler McPhee (4) and Charli-Kate Berry (4):
Tyler: My mum plays with me and my dog Lexi.
Charli-Kate: My mum paints with me, makes me dinner and gives me ice cream.
Macey Gaidzionis (4) and Liyana Basnayake (3):
Macey: I love my mum because she makes me breakfast.
Liyana: My mum plays Barbie dolls with me.
Max Francis (4) and Elijah Hearn (5):
Max: I love my mum because she gives me cuddles.
Elijah: My mum tucks me into bed every night and she makes me breakfast.
DEVELOPMENT… The Parkes SAP is located on 4,800 hectares of land ear-marked for a range of uses including freight and logistics, processing of food such as plant-based proteins, warehousing, plastic and e-waste recycling and cold chain storage.
The beginning of a new era for Parkes is due to start next month after the awarding of a multi-million dollar construction contract for the design and build of the Parkes Special Activation Precinct (SAP).
Fulton Hogan was announced last week as the successful tenderer for the $126 million contract. The NSW Government’s five Special Activation Precincts, of which Parkes is the first one, have a vision of economic growth and jobs through the creation of innovative business hubs.
“These precincts are going to be a huge boon for the bush,” said Regional Growth NSW Development Corporation CEO Brendan Nelson. “This is just the start – with up to 125 construction jobs coming online with this contract and up to 3,000 jobs being created in total within the precinct.”
Parkes Shire General Manager Kent Boyd PSM said this was a significant milestone in seeing the Parkes Special Activation Precinct come to life. “Our strategic vision for expanding the Parkes National Logistics Hub and creating long term economic prosperity for our community has been realised. The Parkes Special Activation Precinct will be a hub of innovation and enterprise, creating thousands of jobs for our community.
He said Council would work closely with the lead contractors to connect them with local suppliers and businesses that can contribute services and supplies during the construction phase to ensure maximum economic benefits for the community.
Fulton Hogan’s contract for initial works comprises an upgrade to Brolgan Road to incorporate a roundabout with the new Coopers Road, two bridges over the railway lines, a new 30MVa sub-station and all supporting utilities including sewer and water, electricity and gas, telecommunications and more than 7km of new roads. Work is expected to begin next month and will be completed by March 2023.
Once complete, the new infrastructure will open around 1,500 hectares for development.
The Parkes SAP is located on 4,800 hectares of land earmarked for a range of uses including freight and logistics, processing of food such as plant-based proteins, warehousing, plastic and e-waste recycling and cold chain storage.
In December last year Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, announced the Parkes SAP was one the sites earmarked for the implementation of its Plas-tics Mission. The Parkes SAP is destined to become an eco-industrial park as an Australian first to end plastic waste by reinventing the way plastic is made, processed and recycled.
The vision of the Parkes Shire Council for over 20 years came to fruition in July last year when the NSW Government committed $185.4 million the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.
Special Activation Precincts are being delivered by the Regional Growth NSW Development Corporation and funded by the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund. To follow the progress of the Parkes Special Activation Precinct, go to https://www.rgdc.nsw.gov.au/precincts/parkes
Neil Hamilton and Johnny Carey enjoying the fun at Red Bend.
Participants from NDIS providers from across the region attended the 40th annual OCTEC Forbes Special Sports Day, held annually at the Red Bend College, and operated by the founder Dianne Decker AM.
Jeanette Lovett with the trophy for Currajong Disability Services from Parkes.
Three of the members who received their years of membership certificates on Tuesday are Maureen Baille (30 years), Chris Curteis (10 years) and Maree Grant (10 years).
As the greens were too wet to play bowls this week our members enjoyed a social morning playing carpet bowls and other fun activities.
Certificates were presented for years of membership with Women’s Bowls NSW: Hilda McPherson 40 years; Maureen Baille 30 years; Audrey Jones 25 years; Cherie Frame 20 years; Chris Curteis 10 years; Maree Grant 10 years; Elaine Miller 10 years; and June Burgess 10 years.
District Open Fours will be held at Forbes next Monday, on Tuesday teams will beplaying, while Senior Fours will be played at Cowra next week. Good luck to all!
On Tuesday, 18th May a meeting will be held before bowls to vote on unification between men’s and women’s bowls. Please attend and vote.
Club Championship Pairs are now open for nominations.
To play social bowls please ring table selectors between 9 and 9:30am. Visitors and new members always welcome.
Twice a winner! Jennifer Calvert knows how to bid a contract.
Most Trusted Charity 2021: The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been announced as Australia’s ‘Most Trusted Charity’ based on Australian Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands’ survey of 2021. The RFDS is part of Australia’s broad national health system, and works closely with governments, industry, Aboriginal Medical Services, Primary Health Networks, Local Hospital Districts, GPs and rural and remote communities – to keep Aussies healthy and safe. The award is testament to these strong partnerships and relationships – particularly over the last 18 months (fraught with droughts, fires, floods and a global health pandemic). This also includes the wonderful ongoing efforts of first responders, local volunteers that clear and light dirt airstrips, long-serving custodians of medical chests, rural hosts for clinics, fundraisers and donors and much more. “We thank them all for their tireless work to keep Aussies safe,” said Frank Quinlan, RFDS Federation Executive Director.
Make Music Day: Local musicians, whose livelihoods were decimated during the pandemic, are invited to apply for a share of $90,000 as part of the annual Make Music Day event. The NSW Government is offering six grants worth $15,000 to coincide with Make Music Day on 21st June. Make Music Day originated in France in 1982 as the Fete de la Musique and now more than 1,000 cities around the world take part. Applications for the grants close on 16th May 2021.To apply visit: https://www.create.nsw.gov.au/funding-and-support/arts-and-cultural-funding-program/small-project-grants-make-music-day/
Free Fruit: To celebrate Woolworths’ milestone of 100 million pieces of free fruit given to kids in store, primary schools and early learning centres in the Parkes Shire can apply for the chance to receive free fruit for each of their students for a day. To apply, visit woolworths.com.au/fruitforschools.
Creative Kids: The NSW Creative Kids voucher can be used for Parkes Shire Con-cert Band membership or instrument hire. Membership is $30 per school term and instrument hire $25 per school term. PSCB is a registered Creative Kids provider. To apply for a NSW Government voucher for up to $100 per calendar year, go to https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher. PSCB rehearsals are on Tuesday from 7 to 9pm during school term above the Parkes Pool Complex in Dalton Street. Contact Duncan Clement, PSCB Music Director at duncanclement@hotmail.com or on 0405 035 164. The band plays at community events, fetes, Anzac Day, Elvis and ABBA festivals.
This week is International Compost Awareness Week and the new display case at the Parkes Library features Costa the Composter with examples of what you can compost at home.
NBN Local Manager Steven Bowman presented to Parkes Chamber of Commerce last week.
Parkes was recently named as one of 240 business fibre zone locations offering NBN Co’s premium business-grade fibre to more than 700 local Parkes businesses at the same wholesale price as capital cities centers.
Last Wednesday NBN Co-presented this opportunity to Parkes Chamber of Commerce members to help local businesses make the most of the new offering.
Enterprise Ethernet, as the new fibre is called, is NBN Co’s fastest symmetrical wholesale product and has options for prioritised traffic, high capacity and symmetrical upload and download wholesale speeds from 10Mbps to close to 1Gbps1, as well as enhanced 24/7 support.
NBN Local General Manager, Chris Cusack, said: “An estimated 717 Parkes businesses will have access to fast and reliable connectivity at a time when reliance on driving online presence, digital collaboration platforms and cloud-based tools has never been more significant for businesses.
“Meeting with the Parkes Chamber of Commerce is part of NBN Co’s ongoing commitment to educate communities and ensure local businesses are aware of the solutions available for continued resilience and growth.”
Parkes Business Chamber President, Geoff Rice, said the launch of the Business Fibre Initiative was an exciting investment for Parkes, provided a competitive edge for businesses looking to relocate, while also helping support local business innovation and competition into the digital age.
Did you know that NSW Creative Kids voucher can be used for PSCB membership or instrument hire? Membership is $30 per school term and instrument hire is $25 per school term. PSCB is a registered Creative Kids provider. Check out the link below to apply for a NSW Government voucher for up to $100 per calendar year for eligible school children towards these fees https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-creative-kids-voucher.
It does not matter at what level you can play or if you used to play an instrument or would like to learn, please come along and sit in on one of our rehearsals.
If you would like to be part of community music, rehearsals are on Tuesday from 7 to 9pm during school term above the Parkes Pool Complex in Dalton Street. Contact Duncan Clement, PSCB Music Director at duncanclement@hotmail.com or on 0405 035 164.
By Ellen Tom
Leading the Anzac march on Sunday were (L-R) ex-serviceman Darren Fisher, Sgt Craig Cole who is currently serving in the Australian Army Armoured Corp, and ex-Navy representative Roy Matthews. They represented the three arms of the Australian Defence Force.
The rest of the Anzac Day program was also highly successful with the biggest crowds ever showing up at both the Dawn Service and the march and commemorative service in Cooke Park. “There were about 1,800 people at Memorial Hill, and about the same number again in Cooke Park,” said Paul Thomas, commending the participation of the schools.
The highlight of the day was the flyover of a C-130J Hercules at 10am in celebration of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) centenary that coincided with Anzac Day.
Special guest Air Vice Marshall Leigh Gordon, who completed his schooling in Parkes, returned to his alma mater to meet with students as part of his program and delivered the special address on Sunday.
“He was absolutely superb,” said Paul, “and was absolutely focused on what he came to do.”
Geoff Stokes once again played the bagpipes, as he has for many years on Anzac Day in Parkes, and the Parkes Shire Concert Band led the march.
GOT YOUR TICKETS: Luke and Jesse Acheson are working overtime on Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival.
Australia’s Biggest Bogan Fest: The next edition of Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival will be held at the Bedgerabong Racecourse from 11th – 13th June featuring the crème de la crème of redneck royalty from Pauly Fenech of Housos and Fat Pizza, comedian Chris Franklin, the Noll Brothers and special guest, Hype Duo, Balls N All and more! MC on the night will be Benny Bogan. Organiser Luke Acheson said while there was plenty of fun in store for everyone, the committee had decided to donate all the cash from cans at the event to Bedgerabong Public School, and to make a donation to Little Learners. With tickets limited and already nearly sold-out punters are encouraged not to wait to avoid disappointment. Buses and camping packages are available and patrons are encouraged to dress in their Best Shazza and Dazza bogan gear to go in the running to be crowned Australia’s Biggest Bogan 2021! See more info on Australia’s Biggest Bogan Festival Facebook page, and buy tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/australias-biggest-bogan-festival-tickets
Free Arts Business Course: Artists and creatives across the NSW Central West are invited to join a free weekly course covering arts business and industry skills. Delivered by industry experts over 12 weeks the content covers the business side of being a professional artist. It runs Wednesday nights 6pm-7:30pm via Zoom and starts on Wednesday, 12th May. Content includes a look at the whole arts sector ecology with an arts-specific look at copyright, contracts, tax and finance, business planning plus how to price your work, artist statements and online profiles and marketing. Also sessions on funding, understanding and respecting Aboriginal culture, working in the arts and health area and wellbeing tools for artists.
The course is only open to people living in the NSW Central West, and artists who complete the course will get a free one-year membership of the industry website ArtsHub. Full course details and application form at: https://artsoutwest.org.au/pf/springboard/
Why Is There So Much Suffering? That is the question that popular Christian author and apologist, Kevin Simington, will be addressing in a seminar at St George’s Anglican Church on Wednesday, 5th May 5 at 7:15pm. “My seminar aims to help people come to grips with this issue in a way that is intellectually robust, biblically sound and emotionally sensitive,” said Kevin. Kevin has written extensively on this and similar topics over many years and is the author of 13 books. His website, SmartFaith.net, tackles similar profound questions. More information on the St George’s Facebook page or website: parkesanglican.org.
The junior winners in the Anzac Biscuit Cooking competition were (L-R) Quinn Kriedemann (encouragement award), Joan Carolan (winner) and Ella Jablowski (runner-up).
Bill Jayet as the Wizard with Hannah Symonds, the Wicked Witch of the West.
Bill Jayet proudly wears the label of veteran performer with the Parkes Musical and Dramatic Society.
He has been performing for over 56-years after he first trod the boards at age 18 in the Forbes M and D Society production of Dinnie and the Witches.
Amateur theatre has been in his blood ever since. His debut with Parkes M and D was as Ali Hakim in the 1981 production of Oklahoma. He is probably best remembered for his incredible portrayal of Fagin in the 1984 and 2009 productions of Oliver, for which he won a Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) award for Best Actor in a Musical. Rumour has it he was offered a role in professional theatre after the 1984 version, but turned it down.
Throw Bill a character role you can bet your bottom dollar he will bring it to life in his own unique, inimitable way. Bill was made a life member of Parkes M and D in 2018 for his dedication and commitment to productions over the decades and returns for (what he calls) his final hoorah in Wicked, as the Wizard.
We salute Bill, the gentleman he is, the roles he’s played, the quality of characterisation he achieves and the inspiration he provides to everyone involved in the society.
Do not miss Bill’s final performance with the opening of Wicked tomorrow until 23rd May. It is the first Parkes M & D production in 12 months. The society hopes to get back on its feet with this production after COVID has put its future financial viability at risk. Get your tickets online at www.parkesmandd.com.au or from Regional Business Supplies. Dine & Discover vouchers are accepted, email your ticket request with vouchers to parkesmandd2870@gmail.com.