Maggi Barnard

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

Curious Creatures, Wild Minds

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Library staff dressed up as book characters (L-R) are Gillian Madden, Emma Brown, Dan Fredericks, Debbie Gould, Ainslee Austin, Kerryn Jones and Claire Cassell.

This week was Book Week and the Parkes Library celebrated this annual event during Storytime on Wednesday with the staff and kids getting dressed up as one of their favourite characters.

This year’s theme is ‘Curious Creatures, Wild Minds’, and on Wednesday a special guest came in to read to the kids.

Cr Bill Jayet first got the help from the kids to get out some special dress up gear from his treasure bag before he read Jungle Grumble, one of the books selected for this year’s celebration.

Each year since 1945 The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has brought children and books together across Australia through CBCA Book Week. During this time schools and public libraries celebrate books and Australian children’s authors and illustrators.

Princess Leia (Emma Brown) helped Cr Bill Jayet to get his special bow tie in place before he could read to the children.

Bill Jayet with a captive audience listening to Jungle Grumble.

One of the Storytime kids picked the book from Cr Bill’s special treasure bag.

CUC Parkes To Open Before End Of Year

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

CUC Parkes Chair, Tracie Robertson with newly appointed CUC Centre Manager Jacob Cass outside the newly renovated Parkes Library where the CUC will be located.

The Country Universities Centre (CUC) in Parkes has reached a significant milestone with the appointment of a centre manager earlier this month.

Jacob Cass was appointed by the board from more than 50 expressions of interest in the position.

CUC Parkes Chair, Tracie Robertson, said that the board was overwhelmed with interest in the advertised position and very happy with the outcome.

“There was no shortage of outstanding candidates. Jacob’s experience working as a business development manager and career transition assistance coordinator for OCTEC Training Services, which includes career guidance, teaching basic digital literacy and helping individuals choose and transition to employment or higher education, was a great fit and will prove extremely valuable in the role.”

Jacob said a significant motivator in applying for the position was the chance to give back to the community. “I pride myself on helping people realise and achieve their goals. I am excited by the prospect of help- ing community members succeed in higher education.”

Jacob is passionate about increasing the participation of students in higher education.“We think he will be an excellent fit, supporting students considering studying for the first time and working with high achieving students too,” said Tracie.

She added that Jacob also had a rich marketing background and experience in counselling which he hoped to assist students through stressful periods of study.

The CUC Parkes will be part of the newly renovated Parkes Library, which opened its doors last week. “We are excited to be a part of the precinct and expect to open the CUC Parkes’s doors to students before the end of the year. We’ll certainly be ready for semester one next year!”

Any students thinking about studying online next year can reach out and contact the CUC Parkes for assistance. Any interested students can speak to Jacob Cass at Jacob.Cass@cucparkes.edu.au

It’s A Pleasure

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

It’s a pleasure to look out on the day, All green and full of life,
Breathe it in and watch it play,
No longer taut with strife.
Wallow in the view,
Listen to its song,
See the blossoms burst on cue,
Enjoy as days grow long.
But don’t forget the recent past,
It wasn’t long ago,
We hid our eyes from summer’s blast
And prayed for the water to flow.
Rejoice in what we have right now,
The wounds were healed with drops,
Busy hands have steered the ploughs
And sown and grown the crops.
With mingled joy, relief and hopes,
Which is the human way,
Gaze upon the lush green slopes,
It’s a pleasure to look out on the day.

Kerrie Peden

Readers of The Parkes Phoenix are welcome to submit creative writing to this column for publication. Any writing form is welcome from poetry to prose to memoirs, preferably limited to about 300 words. Send submissions to editor@parkesphoenix.com.au.

Sustainable Greening

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes is looking particularly green at the moment and it is not just because of good rains.

With the completion of the Parkes Shire Council’s new Recycled Water Scheme (RWS) irrigated open spaces around Parkes have been connected with high quality recycled water.

The RWS not only strengthens the town’s water security by providing an additional source of water for non-potable (non-drinking) use, but also addresses recurring water shortages and builds drought resilience.

“The RWS reclaims 250ML of wastewater a year, avoiding the release of the same volume of effluent to the environment, and saving 185ML drinking water that would otherwise be used for municipal irrigation,” said Parkes Shire Council’s Director of Infrastructure Andrew Francis.

“By implementing the RWS, Council is ensuring public greenspaces can be maintained in prime condition – including during dry times – preserving amenity for residents and visitors.”

The RWS now comprises 16 end user sites, 12km of pipeline, three pump stations, a reservoir and is fed by a resource-efficient, fit-for-purpose water recycling facility. A full list of connected sites can be seen on Council’s website.

“While recycled water is safe for irrigation, it is not suitable for human consumption and residents are advised to avoid direct contact with sprinkler sprays,” said Andrew.

Best Selling Author Entertains Parkes Audience

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

A good COVID-safe crowd gathered for the first event in the newly renovated Parkes Library by best selling author Heather Morris last Thursday.

“My journey began because I love to be a storyteller.”

Thursday, 17th October was a wonderful author’s night at the Parkes Library with a full COVID safe audience of 20.

New Zealand born author Heather Norris told us of how she began her writing career four years ago with her debut historical fiction novel The Tattooist of Auschwitz via a video link. Her debut became one of the bestselling books of the 21st century.

“I am passionate about survival, which is the basis of my books,” she said introducing her third book, a non-fiction collection of stories of survival and hope called ‘Stories of Hope’.

“Listen to people’s stories – your children, the elderly and yourself. What does your heart/head say? Use as an end, an object or photo. Pick it up and ask: ‘what is this, where did this come from, is it a family treasure or heirloom? A good way to begin a story is by listening.”

“My mantra is a quote by the Dalai Lama: ‘When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.’”

A compelling and lively question and answer session followed Heather’s talk.

By Heather Veal

Call For Nominations

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

A large crowd usually gathers in Cooke Park for the Australia Day celebrations and awards presentation.

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Parkes Shire Council Community, Cultural, Environmental and Sports Awards, including the Ron Harrison Sports Bursary.

“This year it is particularly important to recognise the outstanding people and groups in our community who have positively contributed to the local culture, community and environment during the current pandemic,” said Parkes Shire Mayor, Cr Ken Keith OAM.

“The annual Australia Day awards are designed to publicly acknowledge and reward the marvellous contributions these citizens and groups make on a local level and encourage others to follow their lead.”

The awards cover the 2020 calendar year to-date and will be announced during the Australia Day Awards ceremony held in January next year.

This year all nominations must be made online via Council’s website https://www.parkes.nsw.gov.au/living-here/your-community/awards/. Please visit the Parkes Library if you require any assistance with your nomination form. Entries close on 30th November.

• Community Awards: Adult Citizen – over 25 years of age; Young Citizen – up to 25 years of age; Individuals or a Community Group for an event.

• Cultural Awards: Performance Award; Literary Award; Visual Arts Award; Cultural Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Environmental Awards: Recognises an individual or group contributing to our environmental preservation or advancing environmental awareness.

• Sports Awards: The eight categories are: Sportsperson of the Year; Junior Sportsperson of the Year; Team of the Year; Coach or Manager; Referee or Official; Senior Team or Sportsperson; Administrator; Long Service and Dedication Award

• Ron Harrison Sports Bursary: The $2,000 bursary is to: Provide financial assistance to Sportspersons of the Parkes Shire, particularly those at junior levels, who demonstrate the need for this assistance. As well as to perpetuate the memory of the late Ron Harrison, who died in February 1985, for his contribution to the community of Parkes and district.

Every Child Deserves The Best Possible Start To Life

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

FOR THE CHILDREN… After more than two years of hard work ‘The gentle women of Parkes’ launched Project Sprout on Wednesday. L-R are Colette Genet-Marks, Fiona Francis (coordinator), Sherree Rosser, Barbara Newton, Rochelle Smith, Sharon Scott and Anna Bowden (Head of Philanthropy, Corporate and Community Partnerships at Royal Far West).

A community-led initiative called Project Sprouts was officially launched on Wednesday. As part of the launch, Royal Far West’s Clinicians-in-Community program held free health and developmental screenings for children aged 3-5 this week.

The seeds for Project Sprouts were planted in 2018, when Royal Far West held a community meeting in Parkes to discuss the confronting findings from its ‘The Invisible Children’ report about the state of children’s developmental health in rural and remote Australia, through the lens of the Parkes Shire.

Serious concerns were raised by the community around the growing rates of mental health and developmental vulnerabilities in young children in the Parkes region, coupled by the lack of access to services, teacher training and support.

Determined that no child in Parkes would be an Invisible Child, Project Sprouts was formed following the meeting as childhood development lays a critical foundation for long-term outcomes. With representatives from local schools, preschools, government, business, and community organisations, the community is keen to create a working model to screen children for developmental health before they start school, to support parents and upskill local people to better identify children needing early intervention support.

“It is very exciting. I can’t believe it is finally happening,” said Deputy Mayor Barbara Newton, who is a founder of Project Sprouts.

“The Invisible Children report was very telling about what children miss out on in rural settings, and with Project Sprouts we want to make access to services better to enable children to have the best start to life available.”

“As a parent, I certainly understand the difficulties of navigating both the health care and education systems for a child with additional needs,” said Sharon Scott, one of five women who initiated the project.

“This is why I became involved. Our wonderful working party has worked hard to provide our community with a co-ordinator who will be there to assist and guide families through the challenges of navigating the health care system; the education system and the challenges of being able to access services in our community.”

“My hope is that the parents in our shire embrace the services that Project Sprouts will provide. I hope that each time we have wonderful services like Royal Far West in our community that our families will take the opportunity to use the service. I also hope that if any of our children do need further referrals, that the Project Sprouts Coordinator, Fiona Francis, will be able to connect them to a local service provider.”

“As the coordinator I am here to support parents accessing paediatric screening and therapy, either virtually or in person, for children across the Parkes Shire,” said Fiona.

“I attended the town hall meeting in 2018 as a parent. It was such a powerful experience to be part of, and to realise I wasn’t alone in the challenges of accessing assessment and support for our children.”

She said Royal Far West Clinicians in Community program would be visiting again in March and May 2021 offering free assessments that include a dental check, a speech and language assessment, a hearing test and a motor skill assessment to give children their best start at school.

Royal Far West will also provide training for teachers, parents and service providers to increase their understanding of child development, which in turn would develop the capacity of our community to be able to identify any developmental concerns and importantly seek out early intervention prior to children starting school.

At the moment Project Sprouts has enough funding to employ Fiona for 15 hours per week at least until June next year. “We will be seeking future sponsors and funding sources so we can continue as an ongoing project,” Fiona said.

“I think the families in our community are very lucky, we have the opportunity to make a difference, to see that our kids don’t become part of the statistics of “The Invisible Children,” said Sharon.

By Maggi Barnard

Help Count A Vulnerable Species

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Glossy Black Cockatoo

Community volunteers are needed to become “cockatoo counters” as part of the second Great Inland Glossy Count on 21 November. The count is organised by NSW Saving our Species program and anyone can be part of it. “Bird lovers, citizen scientists or anyone with an interest in this beautiful threatened species, are needed to survey Glossy Black Cockatoo populations at three key sites that includes Goobang National Park and surrounds,” said National Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Project Officer Adam Fawcett. The other two sites are Pilliga Forests and Goonoo National Park. “Listed as vulnerable in NSW, glossies are easily spotted with their distinctive red markings and this cockatoo count will help our scientists understand more about this threatened bird.”

This is the second year the Great Inland Glossy Count has occurred. In 2019 seventy volunteers participated and counted over 700 Glossy Black Cockatoos across inland NSW. “We are hoping to get 100 volunteers this year.” Volunteers will need to pre-register using the Department of Planning Industry and Environment’s

Volunteer Portal and will be required to follow COVID guidelines. “The only requirements are the ability to make your way to a dam allocated by the Saving our Species team and to bring a pair of binoculars, a comfy chair and a notepad.”

“It is a pretty amazing thing to see a threatened species in the wild and we love that we are able to give people this opportunity to get involved in threatened species conservation,” Adam said.

Snippets…

October 23, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

The Virtual Field Day credit card USBs are extremely popular and more will be released late October/early November in time for harvest.

Virtual Field Day Success: The recent Be Road Ready for Harvest Virtual Field Day, held via Zoom, was a sell-out. More than 90 people registered for the event. Attendees included a mixture of farmers, contract harvesters, transport companies, agricultural machinery retailers, government agencies, council staff and relevant associations. The event provided information about the current regulations for safely and legally moving agricultural vehicles and combinations on the road. Parkes Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer Melanie Suitor said it was great to see strong numbers as the region was expecting a good harvest for the first time in a number of years. The Virtual Field Day was recorded and can be accessed on the Forbes Shire Council’s YouTube channel or via this link: https://youtu.be/MIGBLuDVVF0 All attendees received a USB containing all relevant notices for moving agricultural machinery and combinations with other useful information.

Tullamore School Safety Boost: Tullamore Central School is one of 98 schools across the state preparing to welcome a new school crossing supervisor. The new supervisor will monitor children at the crossing on Hinkler Street as they walk to and from school. Recruitment for the position will open shortly. Of the 98 new positions, 38 of them will be in regional schools, including those that haven’t had a crossing supervisor before.

Harvest Ready Road Program: Parkes Shire Council is implementing a Harvest Priority Road Program to ensure the Shire’s rural road network will meet the demands of this year’s harvest season. The Rural Roads Advisory Group (RRAG) resolved to support the program and to redirect gravel re-sheeting funds to the program, along with allocating funds to address other unsealed roads post-harvest. “With what is expected to be a bumper harvest season following the drought, it is more important than ever to provide our transporters and producers safe and efficient road corridors,” said Parkes Mayor Ken Keith. Council’s roads team has commenced in the north west of the shire (near Yethra and Alagala) to ensure roads are in good condition for farmers to get grain to nearby silos. A team will also work in and around Peak Hill, and then work their way towards Trundle, Bogan Gate and the Parkes area to complete priority roads for harvest. Parkes Shire Council is responsible for over 2,000km of sealed and gravel roads.

Parkes Shire Council has started a harvest road program to ensure the Shire’s road network is ready for the harvest season.

What do you think of the new look Parkes Library?

October 16, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Pictured L-R: Sarah Knowling, Leah Knowling and Rebekah Knowling.

Sarah Knowling (8): It looks really nice and smells good too. There are lots of nice areas to play inside and outside. My favourite place is the seat in the wall where you can sit down.

Leah Knowling: It is very inviting and has a lot more space where different groups can sit and read, study or meet. They’ve done a fabulous job – to be able to reimagine the space and make something that seems so much bigger, while keeping more or less the same footprint. The space has been utilised so well. I really like it with all the little nooks.

Rebekah Knowling (11): It’s awesome! I am just flabbergasted and if I was a little girl I would’ve fallen on my back and looked at everything. I like the outside area, the big screen TV. I like everything. It smells like a new place too.

Maggi Barnard

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