Maggi Barnard

Member for Orange, Phil Donato MP (left) handed over $28,050 in funding to Tim Watts of the PCYC last Friday
from the 2018 Community Building Partnership Program. The funding will go towards renovation of the foyer to ensure it complies with current workplace safety regulations, while the PCYC team are also modernising the space
to give it a more ‘youth friendly’ feel. “The PCYC is a fantastic place for young people to learn new skills, get fit
and make new friends,” said Phil. Councillor Ken McGrath (right) was also at the handover.

Team Parkes came home with the inaugural school trophy from the Birdman Rally held in Melbourne last weekend.
The impressive flight of 10m piloted by Year 12 Parkes Christian School student Jesse Magill was even more of a victory after the huge disappointment of the Parkes High School team not being able to participate due to the inherent risk to the pilot.

Parkes Christian School very generously welcomed the Parkes High students into the newly formed Team Parkes, and was happy to share the medals with their new team mates.

The 14 engineering students from Parkes were the only entries from outside Victoria. They worked tirelessly for five months perfecting their plane designs to get the longest flight leaping from a four-metre wharf into the Yarra River.

Thousands of spectators lined the banks of the Yarra to watch 19 pilots leap off the platform and raise money for charity. Parkes Christian School won the Flying Class section in 2017 and was very excited to come away with another win for their fourth year of participation. It was the first time students from Parkes High School had participated.

The restoration of the second longest hotel balcony in Australia was marked last Friday at the 100-year-old iconic Trundle Hotel. The hotel received $100,000 last year to restore its balcony under the Government’s Heritage Near Me Activation Grants Program.

Nationals candidate for Orange Kate Hazelton and Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless were in Trundle last Friday to mark the completion of restoration work on the balcony.

“Grants such as these go a long way. They support locals and businesses, bring more visitors to the area and boost community morale,” said Rick.

“These grants acknowledge and support the vital role owners and managers of locally listed heritage items play in protecting our local heritage,” said Kate.

The funding went towards restoring the remaining 60 metres of the 90-metre balcony and renovating a derelict unit on the first floor to be used for an artist in residency program.

Peter Kelly, Chair of the Trundle Progress Association, said it all started in 2012. “We held a fundraising ball raising a few thousand dollars. We welcomed the grant with open arms as we really needed it to get this project up and running.”

Community members have also given more than 1,500 hours of their time over six years to help give the town a face lift. So far 75% of the shop fronts have been repainted, every verandah repaired, original signage repainted and other extensive work carried out on the Trundle Hotel, a great initiative for a small community.

“This is a very strong result for a small community of 750 residents,” said Andrew Rawsthorne, Volunteer Grants Officer from Trundle Progress Association. “The hotel now looks a million bucks. We’re over the moon, and I know the whole community is thrilled and grateful.”