Maggi Barnard

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

Framing Nature’s Shapes, Forms And Textures

February 28, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Julie Brown with the Australian Photography magazine featuring her entry with all the other winners.

Ten years ago Julie Brown was not interested in photography and only used a camera to get a picture she wanted to paint.

This month her black and white portfolio is featured in the Australian Photography magazine as she was placed eighth in the largest amateur photo competition in the Southern Hemisphere.

Julie entered four macro photos of the native Eremophila flower, that grows on their farm 20km east of Parkes, in the black and white category.

PHOTOGRAPHY AS ART… Julie Brown’s series of four of the Eremophila flower that she entered for the Photographer of the Year competition.

It is the third time she has entered the Photographer of the Year competition that receive thousands of entries every year. “I am very happy with the result,” said Julie, who loves taking photos of natural things around her like fungi, flowers and trees.

“I don’t do landscapes, as I focus on shapes, forms and textures. I want to create art and put it on a wall.”

That was why she took that photo ten years ago of the Murray River as she wanted to create art by painting it. “I could not believe what I had captured and when I wanted to enlarge the photograph, I was told the quality was not good enough.”

She had to get a better camera to get better quality photos and that was the end of her painting ambitions.

Julie’s favourite medium is black and white in its simplest form. “I believe there should only be three elements in a photo.” That is why her favourite image is Sunbaker, a 1937 black-and-white photograph by Australian modernist photographer Max Dupain depicting the head and shoulders of a man lying on a beach, taken from a low angle.

For her entry into the competition this year she used her camera on F4 when photographing the flowers to blur some of the image. (The f-stop on a camera determines the focal length of the lens.)

Julie says she enjoys entering competitions as the feedback always adds to her learning process. As a Parkes Camera Club member, she enjoys the interaction and monthly competitions with other members. “We all look at something differently.”

The Camera Club’s participation in the Parkes Elvis Festival is a fun challenge for Julie. “I love doing the festival as it gets me out of my comfort zone.” She enjoys trying out different angles and capturing special moments at the festival.

When the huge dust storm hit Parkes earlier this year, Julie seized the opportunity to do something special again.

“It was starting to look interesting so we closed all the windows in the house and went outside for a better look. We couldn’t believe what we saw! I ran to the middle of the paddock as I wanted the yellow box trees in the foreground for perspective.”

She did a 180-degree stitch of eight vertical photos to try and capture the enormity of what was coming towards her. When she showed the end result to her tutor of the certificate of photography she is doing, he said she should send it to the press.

Last Sunday the Good Weekend magazine in the Sydney Morning Herald printed her image in the Exposure section.

Ten years ago the click of a camera set a new course for Julie’s life and she still enjoys learning about photography every day.

– By Maggi Barnard

Our Young Bloke – Matty Price

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

How old are you? 13

How long have you lived in or around Parkes, and what do you like about living here? I have lived in Parkes for nine years. I like going to school and my friends at swimming club.

Where do you go to school and what year are you in? I go to Parkes High School and I’m in Year 8.

What is your favourite after school activity? Eating.

What is your favourite food and movie? Pasta of any sort, and my favourite movies are Titanic and 1917.

What music do you listen to? Michael Jackson.

What do you want to do when you grow up? I want to collect cars.

If you could have a super power what would it be? Super-sonic speed

Tell us an interesting fact about your-self. I like to learn everything I can about the Titanic.

Parkes East Eco Kids Turn Over A New Leaf On Waste

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

READY FOR ACTION… The Parkes East Primary School Eco Kids Group with the Return and Earn bin. Third row at the back are (L-R) Finley Roberts, Oscar Hendry, Alicia Rivett and their teacher Teegan Rodgers. In the middle row are Alec Gibson, Riley Hood, Sam Westcott, Zali Lovett, Amelia Layton and Dominic Frogley, In front are Abby Ewin, Marcus Hughes and George Miles. (Absent: Milo Anderson)

A group of dedicated and enthusiastic eco warriors at Parkes East Primary School are working hard to reduce the carbon footprint of their school.

The Eco Kids Group was started this year by Technology teacher and environmentalist Teegan Rodgers. “I am passionate about the environment and wanted to see our school do something.”

The group has 13 members, one student from each class in Years 1 to 6, and meet once per week to work on their goals.

The group has already implemented their very first project implementing a Return and Earn container deposit project for the school. They converted two wheelie bins, donated by JR Richards, into recycling bins with a wire front side to make it easier for the students to see which containers to put into the bin.

“We will take the contents to the depot every fortnight and use the money for more environmental projects at the school,” said Teegan.

The Eco Kids drive the project by monitoring the bins and taking responsibility for taking them in and out every day. “It is very hands on learning,” said Teegan.

Dominic Frogley (10) is one of the enthusiastic members of the Eco Kids Group at Parkes East.
“I wanted to join as I usually help my mum in the garden and wanted to learn more about gardening and the environment.”

The group members also tell the rest of the school about their project for the week at the Monday morning assembly. They demonstrated the Return and Earn project to the school to show everyone how it worked.

Last week the group was already working on their second project. They conducted a waste audit by emptying all the general waste bins at the school onto a large tarp and sorted the rubbish into five piles for landfill, recycling, Redcycle for soft plastics, Return and Earn and compost/worm food.

Although it was a smelly job, it was an eye opener to see that the Redcycle pile was the biggest consisting of all the food wrappers, chips packets and other soft plastics used on processed foods.

The next step for this project is to place two Redcycle bins on the playground for the students to further sort their rubbish. “We will take the plastics to the collection point at Woolworths when we do the containers for Return and Earn,” said Teegan.

There is no stopping the enthusiasm of the Eco Kids and this week they had a visit from Netwaste to teach them all about recycling, composting and worm farming. As the second biggest group of rubbish sorted during the waste audit was food waste, it was very handy to learn about composting and worm farms. The 3/4F class had a good experience learning to build a worm farm for the school.

According to Teegan the group has some big projects on the radar like putting in vegetable gardens for the school, starting a compost heap and giving the Wiradjuri garden a face lift.

At the same time she hopes the messages will filter to the students’ homes where some of the practical steps can be implemented.

She would also be very happy to challenge other schools in Parkes to do the same.

The enthusiasm of this small group of eco warriors can be an inspiration to all of us to look at our waste and what we do about it.

By Maggi Barnard

Join In The Fun And Feel Great!

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Neryl Jackson and other residents at an adult fitness class in Parkes last week. Make sure to sign up for the Neighbourhood Central Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Program.

The new Neighbourhood Central Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Program for older people is now up and running.

Clients have signed up to the 20-week program where they are enjoying a variety of relaxing and fun modified activities to increase health and wellbeing. We under- stand that each person is different, and we are accommodating to all levels of ability.

Activities are taking place in Parkes and Forbes, with some selected sessions in Peak Hill and Condobolin. Transport will be offered to selected events for people living in other areas such as Trundle and Tullamore.

Sessions include hydrotherapy, Tai Chi, yoga in a chair, older adults fitness group and music and singing groups. We are also holding information workshops that will help increase health awareness and promote falls strategies – all of which aim to prevent or delay further entry into the aged care system, make you feel good and keep you living in your home for longer.

It’s not too late to register! If you are aged over 65, or 50 for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, please call Louise 0409 372 742 or Rachel 0456 800 328. Alternatively drop in or call our Parkes office on 6862 3757.

A $20 registration fee applies to cover all activities – that’s only $1 per week! There are limited numbers for each session, so call now to join in the fun.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS PROGRAM

TAI CHI
Mondays 10:00-11:00am at the Parkes Pool

HYDROTHERAPY
Tuesdays 9:00-10:00am at the Parkes Pool

MODIFIED EXERCISES
Tuesdays 10:30-11:30am at Energise with Amy 370 Clarinda Street

STEPPING ON
Wednesdays 9:00-10:00am at Neighbourhood Central

YOGA IN A CHAIR
Thursdays 10:00-11:00am at Parkes Uniting Church Hall

MUSIC
Fridays 10:00-11:00am at Neighbourhood Central

Our Athlete – Faith Clarke

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Faith Clarke with her coach Helen Magill.

Faith was selected for the Central West 12 and Under Tennis team after trials in Bathurst last weekend. She will be playing the best girls in her age in the Jan O’Neill Cup in March.

How long have you been playing tennis? Eight years.

Which club do you play for? Parkes Tennis Club.

What do you like about the sport? I get to play with my friends and I can always improve my skills. I really like my coach Helen Magill. She is always very helpful and supportive. She helps me improve my skills and be a better person.

What is the most difficult aspect of your sport? When I play tough opponents, but it’s always a good way to improve my skills.

What is your ultimate goal? To keep improving my skills so I can compete at higher levels and to keep having fun.

What is your proudest moment so far? Playing and training hard to make it into the Western Team – we played for a week in Inverell. Also playing well enough in the Junior Development Squad to play in The NSW Juniors Closed Championships.

Do you have a fitness tip? To keep pushing yourself to do your best and never give up. Eat lots of good food to help your body.

What do you do to unwind or relax? I like to swim because it’s relaxing and soothes my muscles. I like to read and eat. I love to play with my pets, my dog Maisie and my cat Betsy.

Flooding And Mosquitoes

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

A warning has been issued to the public to take care against mosquito-borne viruses following recent heavy rains and associated flooding.

The increase in rain and flooding may result in an increase in mosquito breeding, particularly where there is pooled water, according to the Western NSW Local Health District.

Whilst being bitten is irritating, mosquitoes can carry disease such as Ross River, Barmah Forest Fever and Murray Valley Encephalitis. These infections can cause symptoms ranging from tiredness, rash, fever, and sore or swollen joints.

There has been no increase in the number of reported cases of mosquito-borne viruses so far. It is however important to take steps to eliminate the risk of mosquitoes breeding around the home.

Protect yourself by: Screening all windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out; Sleep under a mosquito net in an unscreened house or when camping; Take precautions outside at dusk and dawn using a repellent and/or wearing a loose fitting long sleeved shirt and trousers; When mosquitoes are inside the room, use spray, especially behind furniture and dark places; Air conditioning, fans and mosquito coils are also effective; If your septic tank was inundated with flood water, have it professionally pumped out; Ensure there are no containers around that store water; ensure mesh is in place on septic vents.

Parkes Shire Welcomes Eight New Citizens

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

CONGRATULATIONS… The eight new Australian citizens welcomed to the Parkes Shire on Tuesday are (L-R) David Serna Benavides, Jane Lee, Shuxin Wu, Maricel Smeaton, Mayor Ken Keith, Paulini Lagilagi, Sereima Corerega, Gina Hernandez Sastoque, Phil Donato MP and Eriberto Da Silva seated. He had the honour of cutting the beautifully decorated cake made by Kath Swansbra.

The friends and families of eight new Australian citizens packed the Parkes Shire Council chamber to capacity on Tuesday to witness a very special ceremony.

Parkes Mayor Ken Keith congratulated the shire residents on their decision to become citizens with each receiving a citizenship certificate and other commemorative items. The new citizens, who came to Australia from six different countries, were also welcomed by Member for Orange, Phil Donato who attended the ceremony.

The ceremony included a special treat this time with Councillor Neil Westcott playing the National Anthem on his guitar.

Councillor Neil Westcott, who is also a talented musician, brought his guitar along on Tuesday to play the National Anthem for the new citizens.

The new citizens are:

Eriberto da Silva, or Beto as he is known to his friends, is from Chile in Brazil and first arrived in Sydney in 2012 with his Australian partner (who is from Parkes) and their first child. Sydney proved to be too big and they moved to Parkes soon after arriving. Beto works as a gardener and is the owner of Parkes Gardening Services. He enjoys soccer, BBQs, fishing and camping.

Gina Alexandra Hernandez Sastoque is from Venezuela, Columbia in South America. She arrived in Australia in 2009 first living in Melbourne then Perth, and first moved to Condobolin in the Central West before settling in Parkes in 2018. Gina has a degree in electronics and a masters degree in secondary teaching and currently works as an office assistant. Gina enjoys table games with friends, running, exploring new places and volunteer work.

Sereima Dauvana Corerega is from Fiji and first moved to Australia in 2009 living in Sydney, and moving to Parkes in 2010. Sereima works as care staff at Parkes Nursing Home and has a certificate from Fiji Institute of Technology. She enjoys socialising, travelling, watching sports, gardening and going to church.

Paulini Taole Lagilagi is also from Fiji and first arrived in Australia in August 2012 moving to Parkes shortly afterwards. Paulini went to Parkes High school and works as a support officer with Currajong Disability Services and enjoys swimming, sports, sleeping as well as watching moves. Paulini recently got married in Fiji.

Maricel Amistoso Smeaton is from Baybay, Leyte in the Philippines. She arrived in Australia in 2007 moving to Parkes soon afterwards. Maricel works as an administrative officer having completed a Business Admin Certificate III at TAFE. She also has a Bachelor of Science and Agriculture Business Degree from Leyte University. Maricel enjoys cooking and growing her own organic vegetables and herbs, as well as playing sports particularly volleyball and badminton.

Shuxin Wu is from China and first arrived in Parkes in 2012. Shuxin is a student at Red Bend Catholic College in Forbes currently in year 11. She enjoys reading books, travelling and photography.

David Alfonso Serna Benavides is from Venezuela, Columbia and moved to Australia first living in Perth WA, arriving in Parkes in 2018. David is a senior mechanical engineer and enjoys running, technology, product design, bushwalking and in his spare time volunteers with the SES NSW.

Jane Lee is from Devon in England and first arrived in Australia in 1982. Jane moved to Peak Hill in 2001. She works as a sheep farmer and hospital assistant and enjoys wool classing and gardening.

Community Feedback Creates New Parkes Bypass Design

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

The new design of the Parkes Bypass now includes a bridge between Victoria Street and Back Trundle Road over the Newell Highway.

The design of the Parkes Bypass has been changed to include suggestions received from community feedback.

The project now includes a bridge between Victoria Street and Back Trundle Road over the Newell Highway for light vehicles, school buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

More than 100 members of the community made formal submissions about the design. The majority were concerned about the local traffic impacts between Victoria Street and Back Trundle Road for traffic going to the Parkes Christian School. There were also concerns about the potential economic impacts to the town.

Parkes Christian School (PCS) Principal Glen Westcott said on the school’s Facebook page this week: “We have received some exciting news regarding the Parkes Bypass. The announcement of this light vehicle and pedestrian/cyclist overpass is a wonderful step forward for our school in staying connected to the town of Parkes via a direct and safe access over the by- pass. It is also a huge vote of confidence in PCS by our local Council who have shown extraordinary support for our cause right from the beginning.”

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the new Parkes bypass will be a game changer for the region, reducing travel times, removing traffic from the centre of town and increasing safety.

“We want to make sure travellers still visit the town centre and spend money in local shops and cafés. That’s why the bypass will incorporate signage at the Condobolin Road roundabout encouraging motorists to stop in and see all the great things the town has to offer.

“The bypass will reduce travel time by up to 10 minutes compared to the existing route through town and increase safety by removing more than 1,200 trucks a day from local streets.”

It is expected shovels will hit the ground by mid-2021 to start the project. The proposed designs and videos of the concept are available online.

Snippets…

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

Beam me up Scotty! Thunderous weather made for dramatic sci-fi scenery on Tuesday with Beth Thomas capturing this moment from her home in Parkes.

Your Chance To Have A Say: The Western NSW Local Heath District (WNSWLHD) is calling for people to join its register of health consumer representatives. “The register will provide the WNSWLHD with a pool of people interested to be on an organisational committee or to simply provide comment to matters such service plans, policy documents, publications, quality and safety programs,” said WNSWLHD Community Engagement Manager, Illona Dunn. “We are looking for people who are passionate about improving health service quality and safety and who are willing to use their experience to represent the needs of all of our communities.” For more information email WNSWLHD-Volunteers@health.nsw.gov.au or contact Illona on 6378 6274.

Open Invitation To Farewell: Lindy Farrant, Parkes Early Childhood Centre Director of 30 years, is retiring and there is an open invitation to the public, including children, to her afternoon tea farewell at the Parkes Golf Club on Saturday, 7th March from 2 – 5pm. RSVP by Friday, 28th February to pecc@bigpond.net.au

New University Students Take Note: Central West students planning to start university this year are encouraged to lodge their claim for Youth Allowance or Austudy now to beat the queue. Youth Allowance provides financial assistance for eligible young people who pursue further study or an apprenticeship after leaving school.

Write To Remember Our ANZACS: Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is urging students to enter his 10th annual ANZAC writing competition. “It is imperative that we continue to build on the momentum gained during the centenary of ANZAC commemorations. This is why I produce an ANZAC Day booklet each year, which also contains ANZAC service times across the region and is distributed to every mailbox in the electorate. One of the highlights of the booklet is the publica- tion of the winning entries from the ANZAC writing competition.” Last year more than 800 entries from more than 35 different schools were received. Each winning and highly commended entry will receive a book prize with a signed commemorative label. Every student who enters will receive a signed certificate which will feature a watermark image oft his year’s cover. Entries need to be submitted by 5pm, on Friday, 28th February either by mail to the Wagga Wagga Electorate Office (Suite 2, 11-15 Fitzmaurice Street, Wagga Wagga 2650) or via email to michael.mccormack.mp@aph.gov.au.

Craig Dumesny, Human Resources Advisor at Parkes Shire Council, retired this week after 45 years of service. At his farewell were (L-R) Les Finn, Mayor Ken Keith, Craig and his wife Tracy and Kent Boyd.

A Power Of Attorney That Endures

February 21, 2020 By Maggi Barnard

An enduring power of attorney authorises another person chosen by you to make decisions for you on legal and financial matters. You give that person full authority to act on your behalf. An enduring power of attorney is that it remains valid even if you become mentally incompetent.

You can limit the powers that you give to your attorney in the document. You can also limit it in time, and it can be revoked at any time, provided that you are mentally competent to do so.

You can appoint one or more persons. If you choose more than one attorney, you must decide whether they can act ‘jointly’ or ‘severally’. Jointly means that they must act together. Severally means that each attorney can make decisions by themselves and bind all other appointed attorneys. There are no set rules on whom you can appoint.

Unlike a general power of attorney, an enduring power must be witnessed by a solicitor, barrister or the registrar of the local court. In each case the witness must not work for, or have any close connection with, the person appointed as the attorney.

The power of attorney lasts until:
• You die
• You cancel it (and you have to be mentally competent to do this) by tearing it up and notifying the attorney that it is cancelled
• You become bankrupt
• A court cancels it

This is a complex legal field. If we at Matthews Williams can help you on any legal matter, feel free to call us.

By Mark Olson

Maggi Barnard

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS PROGRAM

The new citizens are:

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