A former Parkes resident received a singular honour last month becoming only the third musician to be awarded an honorary doctorate from one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Europe.

Gary McPherson received an Artium Doctorem Honoris Causa from Lund University in Sweden based on his international reputation as a leading researcher and music educator. Gary is regarded as a great inspirer with a long and multidisciplinary inter-national career.

He watched the formal ceremony via a live stream on Friday, 15th May from the Lund Cathedral (ca 1145) with the ceremony conducted in Latin. Established in 1666 Lund University has only awarded the honour to musicians on two previous occasions: 2010 to George Martin, Beatles producer; and in 2015 to Nina Stemme, Swedish dramatic soprano.

Gary is the brother of Cheryl Thompson and Dennis McPherson from Parkes, Roslyn Dean now living in Brisbane, and the son of George and Lorna McPherson of Close Street Parkes (now deceased).

Gary was born and bred in Parkes and played in the Parkes Shire Concert Band. He won various regional, state and national awards on the soprano cornet, and went on to study and gain academic qualifications from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Indiana University, Trinity College (London) and the University of Sydney.

Gary performed professionally on the trumpet for many years and has had a long, illustrious career as an academic with well over 250 publications including 12 edited or authored books for Oxford University Press. He has also held professorial positions at major universities in Australia, Hong Kong and the United States, and during the last 12 years, the Ormond Chair of Music at the University of Melbourne where he served for 10 years as the Director of the Conservatorium.

During the ceremony Gary was bestowed with the insignia; a hat, gold ring and diploma. The doctor’s hat symbolises freedom and power and is covered with black, pleated fabric. The ring is made of gold and symbolises loyalty to science. The diploma (in Latin) is the written confirmation of the rights awarded to honorary doctors.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils have become Yellow Ribbon Councils for their long-time support of National Road Safety Week.

Safer Australian Roads and Highways (SARAH) President Peter Frazer presented the Councils’ representatives with their certificates during National Road Safety Week.

“It has been fantastic to have local government demonstrating how they can actively protect their own community. With this in mind we welcome Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ leadership in joining as Yellow Ribbon Road Safety Councils.”

Mayor of Parkes Shire Cr Ken Keith OAM and Forbes Shire Council’s Director of Corporate Services Stefan Murru accepted the certificates. Lachlan Shire Council’s certificate was presented to General Manager Greg Tory earlier this week.

‘We are all touched by road trauma, which echoes through our community and is felt by so many others – family and friends, work colleagues, community groups, emergency service workers and local communities,” said the Parkes Mayor.

“We’ve been participating, supporting and promoting National Road Safety Week since 2017. Our staff wear yellow lapel ribbons, our vehicles are fitted with the yellow vehicle stickers and our email signature displays the National Road Safety Week artwork.

“This year we had lapel ribbons and vehicle stickers available for the local community to collect for free and there are still some available.”

The Parkes Shire has seen eight vandalism incidents over the past few months costing the Council $5,000 in repairs to fix the damage caused. “I was incredibly disappointed to see the damage caused to the turf at the Parkes Skate Park, which has been ripped up by a motor vehicle last week,” said Parkes Shire Mayor Cr Ken Keith. Other reports of vandalism were at Harrison Park, with damage to the fencing and sprinklers and at Keast Park, with damage to the pick-et fencing, as well a 100-metre strip of turf being ripped up.

Two fashion lovers from Sydney will be this year’s judges for Fashions on the Field at the Parkes Picnic Races on Saturday, 12th June.

Elizabeth Pakchung and Dixie Coulton are both lawyers, and met and became friends through their mutual love of fashion. They have attended many fashion events together.

Elizabeth was born and raised in Sydney. She learnt to sew at school, and loved making her own clothes as a teenager, and reading her mother’s Vogue magazines. She studied Economics/Law at Sydney University and became a corporate lawyer. She is a keen racegoer and was the proud part-owner of “Crows Before Dawn” which won a number of city and country races.

Dixie was born in Goondiwindi, Queens-land and grew up on a rural property. She attended university in Sydney completing Arts /Law in 1982 and has been practicing law in Sydney and New York City. Dixie has a wide range of interests including the arts, community affairs, urban design and of course fashion.

Elizabeth and Dixie will be judging the four categories of Millinery, Elegant Lady, Stylish Man and Best Dressed Couple looking for modern cutting-edge style and originality, discreet elegance and fine craftsmanship, attention to detail with accessories, excellent grooming and deportment and an understanding of current fashion trends for winter.