Maggi Barnard

Maggi Barnard has been with the Parkes Phoenix since it was established in March 2016 and loves writing about her community.

Our Young Bloke – Victor Ilechukwu

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Vice Captain Holy Family Primary School – Victor Ilechukwu

How old are you? 11

Where do you go to school? Holy Family Parkes

What is your favourite after school activity? Gaming

What is your favourite food, movie and music? Burgers, Penguin Bloom, and Aviary Action respectively.

What do you want to do when you grow up? I want to be a psychiatrist.

If you could have a superpower what would it be? Teleportation

What makes you laugh the most? Ironic jokes.

If you were the ruler of your own country, what would be the first law you would introduce? Free healthcare.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. I was born on New Year’s Eve.

Cycle In Canowindra

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Whether you are hoping to explore the wonderful cycling routes Canowindra has to offer, or just want to spend a weekend away, Eddy’s of Canowindra has a lot to offer visitors.

Situated in an authentically restored 100-year-old historic convent building full of unique character and country charm, Eddy’s can cater for two to 32 people.

Eddy’s is the ideal base for small to larger groups. So whether you are looking for accommodation for a wedding or hen party, a cycling group or a company conference, call Eddy’s for pricing.

It is the perfect weekend retreat situated in a fantastic spot in Canowindra.

Bridge Banter

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Some of last week’s sharp brains (L-R) Louise Payne, Peter Quin, Rosemary Morris and Peter Deardon.

Have you ever thought about playing bridge? Why not join the Parkes Bridge Club! We can provide beginner or intermediate lessons and match you up with a friendly partner.

Bridge is a game of skill, fun and partnership. The goal of bridge is not simply to take the most tricks. The goal is to actually estimate the number of tricks you and your partner will take and then make your contract. The opposition can push you to over-bid, giving them the points, but by under-bidding you can miss out on making a good score. Great for keeping the brain sharp.

Sharpest brains the past week were: Tuesday, 23rd March – Bev Laing and Jill Peterson who scored equal first with Helen McQuie and Ingrid Stephenson; Thursday, 25th March north/south Louise Payne and Peter Quin; east/west Peter Deardon and Rosemary Morris; Monday, 29th March Gary Somers and Greig Ball.

We play Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm and Mondays at 6:30pm at the Lutheran Church Hall in Currajong Street (no bridge Easter Monday). Newcomers are always welcome.

Check out our webpage https://www.parkes.bridge-club.org or call Greig Ball 0429 621 712 or Bev Laing 0418 1148 26

By Beth Thomas

Mousecapades In The Bush

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

“I can see the funny side of it. It’s the only thing which has kept me going through all this.”

The mice moved in during the second week of my farm stay. Found mouse droppings on my bedside table. Sounded like they were having a party in my bedroom. I don’t keep food in my bedroom so they were out of luck! I remove two pillows on my bed and you guessed it! Mouse droppings on the edge of the sheet and mattress. I hear mice in my bedroom each night, turn the light on, bang the side of the bedside table scaring the mice away for a short time. All is quiet for a few hours and they start again.

I leave the TV on in my room to create white noise so I can’t hear the mice running around and doing what mice do. This morn-ing a mouse in the bathtub. Left him there, scrabbling, trying to get out. Later he had an accident with a shoe. The next night a frog was in the shower! Later a mouse bit my finger while I was asleep in bed. It means one part of me is still soft and juicy. I suppose that’s better than being old and crusty! I can see the funny side of it. It’s the only thing which has kept me going through all this.

Put party food out for the mice last night. Each night the mice partied on. I could hear them running around in my room, some fights and arguing, running along the wall near my bed. I swear there were baby mice in the room as I could hear their squeaks. A few times I felt mice on my bed which was a bit too close! I had party food in my bed-room and two traps loaded with peanut butter. Eventually I put food and traps at the entrance to my bedroom. I trap four mice in my bedroom. By this stage I wasn’t getting much sleep.

A mouse scoots between the TV and fire-place each night. Little bugger. BBQ has mouse droppings on it. I pour boiling water on the plate so I can use it. After use I clean it and put alfoil over it. Took them three days and they start chewing the alfoil. Party Central behind the TV last night. Then they had an after party in my room. Must be teenagers. Started about 11pm and went off and on till 6am. Little buggers! Not much sleep. Tonight, they are given more party food behind the TV; they eat the lot. Put packets of Ratsak in a bedroom and in the kitchen fireplace.

(To be continued…)

By Bush-Tales

Volunteer For Vinnies

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Vinnies is looking for locals wanting to give back to the Parkes community by volunteering at its Welcome Street shop.

Volunteering requires people to donate a few hours of their time each week to help with roles including customer service, sorting donations and maintaining the day-to-day running of the shop.

“We have a lovely group of volunteers who have been able to make a positive impact in the local community,” said Tanya Gooden, Vinnies NSW Regional Retail Manager.

“For a lot of people the events of the past year have highlighted the importance of community and looking out for people in need.

“There’s a great community of people within Vinnies shops, along with the knowledge that the sales are used to support people who fall on hard time.”

Vinnies operates 225 retail shops through-out NSW which offer a diverse range of pre-loved items for customers to purchase. Sales from Vinnies shops are used to fund support services offering food, clothing, financial aid, crisis accommodation and other assistance.

To learn more about volunteering with Vinnies Parkes, contact 6862 3383 or email Tanya.Godden@vinnies.org.au.

What’s on @ The Library

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Bookings are essential for all activities, as numbers are limited. Please call the Library on 6861 2309, or book in person.

ALAN ROBINSON AUTHOR TALK
Alan Robinson, author and illustrator of the children’s book series ‘Grandpa’s Farm’ will be in Parkes during Youth Week speaking on ‘Writing a Children’s Picture Book’ on Wednesday, 21st April, 6-8pm at Parkes Library for ages 12+

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
Activities for Kinder to Year 6 for each Wednesday and Friday morning at 10:30am with some space-themed fun and movies on the big screen! Wednesday activities $2 per child, Friday Flicks are free of charge.

BLUESCOPE YOUTH ORCHESTRA
Bluescope Youth Orchestra in a Baby Proms Concert, with an introduction to the orchestra, sections and instruments in a dynamic and engaging way on Thursday, 8th April, 10:30am at Parkes Library – All ages. Experience a classical music performance on Thursday, 8th April at 6pm at Parkes Library – All ages

FRIDAY FLICKS
Come along and enjoy an Australian comedy about four men who escape their retirement home in an attempt to fulfil their individual dreams. Friday, 9th April at pm at Parkes Library

(Due to licensing requirements, we are unable to advertise the title of the film, so for film details and to make a booking, please call the Library on 6861 2309.)

RB DIGITAL NOW LIBBY BY OVERDRIVE
All eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines content from RB Digital has moved to the Libby App. Download the free app, search for Parkes, select Central West Zone, then select Parkes Shire Libraries, login using your library card number and your date of birth (DDMMYYYY). You can also access Overdrive on your PC https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/parkes-shire-libraries/my-online-library/ Select Online Collections: Read + Listen + Watch

We Love Our ‘Dish’ All The Way To The Moon And Back!

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

GUIDE ME TO THE MOON… The iconic Parkes Radio Telescope has re-established its connection with the Moon with a new five-year agreement with Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines to support multiple lunar missions. INSET: Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander will deliver cargo and experiments to the lunar surface. (Photo: Intuitive Machines)

Just over 50 years ago the iconic Parkes Radio Telescope played a major role in the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and this year it will once again provide support for the first commercial lunar landings.

The Dish will help businesses to literally reach for the moon by providing ground station support for one of the first commercial lunar landings later this year.

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO who operates The Dish, has signed a new five-year agreement with Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines to support multiple lunar missions, including their first flight under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.

Operations Scientist at Parkes telescope, John Sarkissian said it was an exciting time. “Just as I and many others of my generation, were inspired by seeing astronauts walk on the Moon, I’m sure many young people today will be similarly inspired. I was six years old at the time of the Apollo 11 mission, and I still vividly recall watching the moonwalk live on TV at school. So, it’s especially thrilling for me to be involved in this exciting programme, at the very place that those historic TV images were received.

John said the Parkes telescope was valuable for spacecraft tracking due to its large dish surface and advanced data acquisition systems, which were used primarily for astronomy research.

The 64-metre telescope will be the largest and most sensitive receiving ground station for Intuitive Machines’ upcoming missions, maximising the return of the scientific and engineering data for the lunar exploration program.

Intuitive Machines will launch its Nova-C Moon lander on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket towards the end of this year, delivering commercial cargo and five NASA experiments to investigate the local geography and test technology required for future human exploration.

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative companies are responsible for all aspects of delivering their cargo to the moon, including spacecraft tracking and communication.

NASA urged CLPS providers to utilise ground station capabilities outside of NASA’s Deep Space Network, the ground station network supporting agency’s many interplanetary space missions.

Intuitive Machines Vice President for Control Centers Dr Troy LeBlanc said being the first commercial company to land on the moon was a huge communications challenge.

“We require the technical support and expertise of the team at CSIRO’s Parkes radio telescope to provide mission tracking and data downlink services.

“CSIRO’s Parkes telescope adds significant data downlink capability to Intuitive Machines’ robust Lunar Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network.

“The successful use of the network for these initial missions will underpin the return of humans to the moon and ultimately sustainable presence under the Artemis program.”

According to John the mission in November will be an unmanned mission. “It involves developing technologies that will help deliver payloads and services to future astronauts working on the moon, and will mainly be an engineering test flight. There will not be too much to see, but future missions will undoubtedly return more exciting visuals. All the information returned will be posted on the internet, so people will be able to follow the mission online.”

New Adventure Campaign Calls Visitors To Parkes Shire

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Explore the Parkes Shire this holiday and join the adventure campaign by collecting all 10 QR codes to stand a chance to win a prize.

A new tourism campaign over Easter and the school holidays is expected to drive visitation to the region and maximise patronage to local businesses in the Parkes Shire.

The ‘Start your adventure in Parkes’ campaign, launched by the Parkes Shire Council, builds on the appeal of the region’s key tourism attractions that offer safe, affordable and memorable holiday experiences within a 100 miles drive of Parkes.

“The Easter adventure campaign invites visitors on a scavenger hunt across our region to discover the many incredible local attractions we have to offer,” said Parkes Shire Mayor Cr Ken Keith OAM.

“The excitement of the challenge is further heightened with a prize of $1,000 in Parkes shopping dollars to be won. All you need to do is to collect all 10 QR codes from the identified locations on the map.

“From listening to the sounds of the universe at ‘The Dish’ to rocking back in time at the Henry Parkes Centre museums or wandering the awe-inspiring Peak Hill Gold Mine and public art trail, there is something to keep the whole family entertained this Easter.”

Other iconic experiences available within an hour’s drive from Parkes Shire include the Wellington Caves, Cowra’s Japanese Gardens and Dubbo’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Why Do We Love Burgers So Much?

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Left: Owner of the Roasted Kombi, Darrin Gibson, with one of his popular burgers. Right: Dianne Burger by BURGER Hub – a saucy favourite!

Burgers have been popular in Australia for some time, but it seems like burgers in Parkes are powerful. Just about every eating establishment in our town has at least one burger on its menu.

If you would walk around town asking people about burgers, most of them would not hesitate to name their favourite burger and where they get it in Parkes.

There are many reasons to love burg-ers, but it seems like a burger is like a good friend. You know it very well, and you like spending time with it.

“A burger is plain and simple food, and you can find them everywhere,” says my burger obsessed teenage son.

Apart from being cheap, burgers are also easy to eat, are some other testimonials from burgers lovers on the internet. “The meat is ground up, you don’t have to do much chewing. Because it’s served on a bun, it’s easy to eat. There’s no cutting, only lifting. And because burgers come with an array of sides, you can build yours to your own taste. That’s appealing too.”

The familiarity factor is a big one for some people. “Sometimes, when we go out to eat, we don’t want to be challenged. We want the taste of the familiar and nothing’s more familiar, than the taste of a burger.”

The seemingly endless variety of burg-ers available catering for every taste and many different diets, allergies and intolerances, also makes it a popular meal. While its base components – lettuce, tomato, ground meat, and bread – are simple and cheap, it has thrived because of how adaptable it is to change.

Burgers also seem to have fight off the rise of the foodie fitness and wellness trend, which has become very prominent in Australian culinary culture. Many cafes now serve kombucha, acai bowls, chia puddings, buckwheat noodles and well-ness smoothies because of its popularity.

“But salty, fatty and sugary burgers have stood up to that threat. They’re the ‘perfect cheat meal’ and really not that unhealthy, if made with top produce,” says one observer of the burger trend.

The burger has also kept up with the trend of photographing food, as it comes to the table in the perfect configuration to be photographed and put on social media.

All in all, burgers are popular because burgers are good. Burgers not only do the job of feeding us when we want to be fed, but can even serve as a comfort food when needed. And for that, we should all be grateful to the burger.

If you have a great burger memory, story or photo, why not share it with us. Send your contributions to editor@parkesphoenix.com.au

Bon Appetit!

By Maggi Barnard

Why do you volunteer at Vinnies?

April 1, 2021 By Maggi Barnard

Rita Carpenter: I enjoy serving customers and helping them. It is also enjoyable to talk to and joke with customers. I would definitely encourage others to do it. It is easy and enjoyable work with no stress. It is also a good option if you cannot find any other jobs.

Christine Curteis: I have been with Vinnies for 30 years and have worked in Parkes and Narromine. I just love it. I’ve made a lot of friends and met all sorts of people from all over the country and even from overseas, especially during the Elvis Festival time. It is a really good place to work.

Maree Mulligan: I started working at Vinnies with my mother and sister 25 years ago. I enjoy the company, talking to people and doing the sorting. I’m a jack of all trades around here. It would be wonderful if we can get more volunteers, especially younger people to come and help us out. It does not have to be a lot – one day a week will really make a difference.

Maggi Barnard

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