Maggi Barnard

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

Question of the Week?

March 22, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

What do you like about Easter?

Mary Gray (5) and Eleanor Wyllie (5): Mary: I love finding eggs in my forest in Maquire Road.
Eleanor: I just love chocolate and getting Easter eggs.

Walter Smeaton (9): I like waking up early and going on a big adventure to look for Easter Eggs inside and outside my home.

Elizabeth Smeaton (7) and Ella Jablonskis (10):
Elizabeth: I love seeing the Easter Bunny at school and getting Easter eggs.
Ella: Getting heaps of chocolate and waking up to find Easter eggs in my room.

Parkes Hockey Wins Award

March 22, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Hockey Inc won the Community Event of the Year Award at the Hockey NSW Annual Awards Night in Campbelltown last Saturday for hosting the inaugural Kookaburra 8’s U11 Carnival in Parkes in April 2017. The event will again be hosted by Parkes on 28th and 29th April. At the ceremony were (L-R) Kurt Lovett (Hockey NSW), Glenn Johnstone and Cherie Johnstone (Junior Directors, Parkes Hockey Inc), Mandy Westcott (Women’s Director), Ian Westcott (T2 Project Manager) and David Thompson (Hockey NSW CEO).

Mayoral Notes…

March 22, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

This week we celebrated a number of significant milestones and projects. On Wednesday The Hon. Troy Grant MP visited Parkes to officially open our new state-of-the-art water infrastructure renewal projects, including the Water and Sewage Treatment Plants, Lachlan Pump Station and Bore 8 refurbishment. These project represent the largest capital works Council has ever undertaken, and I thank the NSW Government for the significant contributions towards the projects. The Community Open Day to these sites is tomorrow between 10am and 2pm. For more information, visit www.parkes.nsw.gov.au.

While in town, Minister Grant also announced the NSW Government had purchased land in Hill Street for the construction of a new Parkes Fire Station. This means local firefighters will be provided with the latest equipment and resources to effectively respond to emergencies. The new site is located directly behind the existing Fire and Rescue NSW station.

I was delighted to officially launch the new Parkes Shire Destination Guide at the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope. The new guide aims to promote the Parkes region as a place to ‘be out there’, explore, and see first-hand what makes the Parkes region all add up as an appealing tourist destination. Copies are available at the Parkes and Peak Hill Visitor Information Centres or view online at www.visitparkes.com.au.

Yours Faithfully, Cr Ken Keith OAM
Mayor of Parkes Shire

Footy Tipping Results – Round 2

March 20, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Win Easter Show Tickets

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

The 2018 Sydney Royal Easter Show from Friday, 23rd March to Tuesday, 3rd April will have many new attractions this year including the likes of Paw Patrol, Despicable Me 3 and Shimmer and Shine for children. The Outback Stockman Arena will have Sheep Shearing, the Bonnie Yard Dogs and the Dairy Farmers Milking Barn. The show also offers the latest in fashion and technology. See our competition in What’s Hot to win tickets to this year’s show!

Braving The Shave For Cancer

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

It is time for the Leukaemia Foundation’s World’s Greatest Shave and one Parkes resident is going to need a lot of support today.

Trilbie Bermingham from Currajong Disability Services will be shaving her head at the Parkes Hotel at 6pm today to help raise vital funds for Leukaemia and cancer research.

The World’s Greatest Shave, now in it’s 20th year, is well supported by locals each year, and a big turn-out will be on hand to watch Trilbie lose her locks tonight. “So far I have managed to raise $570,” said Trilbie. “I am hoping to add to that. There will be raffles on the night,” she said.

Blood cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in Australia with 35 people diagnosed every day.
For more information on how to donate or get involved go to www.worldsgreatestshave.com Good luck Trilbie! We are all very proud of you!

By Dane Millerd

Students Gain Top Flight In Experience

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Christian School might not have defended their title at the Moomba Birdman Rally successfully, but they raised lots of money for a good cause and came back rich in experience.

In blustery, unpredictable conditions in Melbourne on Sunday, the title for the longest flight became a virtual lottery, however the Parkes Christian School crew did well to manage five metres from a standing start into the Yarra River.

Design and Technology teacher Jason Wynstra said this distance was short of what the students were hoping for, “however it is the experience that really mattered”. “The flight of our craft, the Parkes Flyer 2, was forced into a stall by a gust of wind, and although we lost momentum, it levelled off and gently descended into the Yarra performing exceptionally well. With our charity points added we achieved a respectable 14 metres.”

Pilot Phil Seeley was very impressed with the construction of the Parkes Flyer 2. Another great achievement for the team was raising $1,400 for Currajong Disability Services (CDS). “We are absolutely over the moon,” said Dane Millerd, Communications and Marketing Co-ordinator of CDS. “It is often these unheralded acts of generosity that make the Parkes community such a special place.”

Trundle Flying High In Paragliding World

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Trundle might be best known for its annual ABBA Festival, but it is expected to become synonymous with paragliding after the highly successful and first ever ground towing competition in Australia held there this week.

The Wings Out West Competition saw a total of 35 pilots took to the abundance of air space over the four-day event with Paul Kimber from NSW claiming the first place. He was followed by Dave Gibbs from Queensland and in third place was Stephen Noble from NSW. Erica Caro from New Zealand took out the women’s category.

“It was a great event for pilots new to competition, as well as a challenge for the more experienced pilots,” said organiser John Brassil.

Pilots flew over 7,000km with many setting personal records in tremendous flyingconditions. According to co-organiser Phillip Mansell from Dubbo, they were overwhelmed with how many pilots either recorded their highest, furthest or longest flight.

For many of the pilots it was their first experience of Central West NSW and doing ground tow paragliding. “Most competitions start with a foot launch from a hill,” said Phillip. “We’ve had such positive feedback that we are definitely looking into making it an annual event.”

John thanked the local community for “their unbelievable hospitality, especially the assistance from the Kelly family”. He said the dinner and bush dance hosted by the Trundle community was a highlight. “The hit dance was Winds of Trundle, a variation on the popular Waves of Bondi.”

By Maggi Barnard

Proud Westies At National Event

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

The Western NSW Squad were proud participants at the recent National Dragon Boat Championships on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Although the squad, consisting of Warren and Donna Edwards, Bill and Beth Thomas, and Rochelle Smith of Parkes, and Claire Davis and Chris Favelle of Forbes, did not win any medals the experience of paddling 500m races in a highly esteemed national event was an amazing achievement in its own right.

Other accomplishments were personal best (PB) times in every single race category, including women’s, mixed and open, with a fourth place as the best placing, and one PB by 15 seconds.

“It was a fabulous day on Lake Kawana,” said state coach Deb Clarke. Assistant coach Lou Linke agreed, congratulating the team on a great campaign: “You did Regional NSW proud!”

If there were prizes for mutual respect and team camaraderie then no-one could have achieved a higher rating. For team member Rochelle Smith it was all about the bond they share: “Thanks to everyone for being so fun and respectful of each other.”

The Westies, as they were known, included teammates from Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, Lithgow and Wagga Wagga.

By Beth Thomas

CDS Does It For Sixth Time

March 15, 2018 By Maggi Barnard

Currajong Disability Services (CDS) took out overall honours in the Western Region Annual Swimming Carnival for the sixth time in seven years at Parkes Swimming Pool recently. The event saw a strong field of 105 entrants from as far afield as Temora and Cowra, the 2017 defending champions. Yet it was Currajong, lead admirably by Ian
“Thorpedo” Kaupke, and Condo CDS representative Tim McDonald who dominated early, with some impressive performances from Jamie Cook also.

Chris Spicer, Jaime Porter, Tara Dennis and Jay Crouch put in some strong performances and Kyal Sauer and Thomas Davis were competitive.

“CDS went very well and competed in the right spirit,” said Activity Co-ordinator and carnival organiser, Currajong’s Indigo Kriedemann. “Each year we see fantastic friendships and relationships develop and we were delighted to continue that with the other organisations and clients again this year,” said Indigo.

The carnival, one of the flagship events on the regional calendar, also featured novelty events and a relay. “Everyone had a go, which is all you can ask from competitors to volunteers,” said Indigo.

“We can’t thank everyone enough, especially our CDS volunteers.”

By Dane Millerd

Maggi Barnard

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