The first round of the Club Championship Fours start on 19th September. Kim Evans and Lorraine Baker will represent the club and district at the Taber Shield at Mudgee on 12th September. On 16th and 17th September, 14 women members are needed to play against the travelling bowlers from Cardiff. Play starts at 1pm on both days.
The Jones Trophy will be played at Condobolin on 14th September, and the Jones Shield on 28th September.
By Rosemary Mitchell
Congratulations to the District Show Societies for another successful show circuit. Residents of Tullamore, Trundle, Peak Hill, Parkes and surrounds took advantage of the public holiday to support the shows. Council’s impressive CAT500B Road Reclaimer at the Parkes Show proved to be a big drawcard for residents wanting to know more about our roads program. The show circuit was capped off with an impressive fireworks display seen all across town.
To date, local procurement on the Advanced Water Recycling Facility is at 94%, with Council partnering with local suppliers and operators to deliver this project for our community. Combined with the new Water and Sewage Treatment Plants, local content equates to 36% of the total work complete across the project sites.
Curiosity and Wonder kicks off at Parkes Shire Library this month, celebrating literacy, science, art and creative play. The annual event offers a range of activities for residents and visitors of all ages. To view what’s on, visit www.parkes.nsw.gov.au. Trundle Bush Tucker Day returns for its 31st year with a stellar line up of activities
planned for tomorrow. Last year Bush Tucker Day went ahead despite the major flooding that swept the region, however road closures upset the travel plans of many visitors.
I encourage everyone to support this terrific event to make it the biggest and best one yet. For all the details head to www.visitparkes.com.au.
Enjoy your weekend.
Yours Faithfully,
Cr Ken Keith OAM
Mayor of Parkes Shire
Pricing Masterclass: Ever wondered how successful companies set their prices? A free Pricing Your Products Masterclass will be held on 6th September from 11:40am to 2:30pm at the Hart Bar, The Railway Hotel. The intricacies of pricing and how to develop a pricing mindset will be discussed, how a consumer determines the price is
right, why price discrimination is not a dirty word, legal aspects of pricing, tactics to compete, pricing considerations and options and much more. Presenters are John Burke and Bruce Buchanan. Refreshments provided.
Sue Larkey in Parkes!: The Currajong Autism & Special Needs Group presents Teaching Strategies & Behaviour Support Workshop with Sue Larkey at the Parkes Services Club on Monday, 11th September from 9.30am-3.00pm. The workshop on autism and Asperger’s Syndrome is for teachers, teacher assistants, families, service providers, therapists and anyone who wants to learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sue Larkey is a highly qualified
special educator. She has authored several books and collections of resource materials. Cost: parents $100 ($80 early bird); professionals $130 ($110 early bird) – includes morning tea and lunch. Book online at http://www.parkesservicesclub.com.au/
Parkes Business Shines: Local beauty and skin clinic La Bella Medispa was named finalists in two categories at the Australian Beauty Industry Awards on Sunday night. Salon owners Rebecca Miller and Jess Galvin travelled to Sydney for the announcement of the 2017 winners. Rebecca said: “This is the first year we have entered. With over 250 entries in the awards, we were thrilled to be finalists in two categories, Business Director/Owner of the Year and Customer Care.” The Australian Beauty Industry Awards (ABIA) is the only national business awards in the beauty industry and seen as the true benchmark of excellence.
Over 50s: The Central West is one of five trial sites for a new employment program aimed at helping prepare mature aged Australians for new jobs. The Career Transition Assistance Program trial include West Wyalong, Forbes and Parkes areas, including Ungarie, Condobolin and Trundle to create more opportunities for over 50s to re-skill and re-enter the workforce. According to Member for Riverina and Small Business Minister, Michael McCormack
24.1% of those looking for work in the Central West were aged at least 50 and in NSW there were 37,100 mature aged workers in NSW looking for a job.
Hundreds of people flocked to the 2017 Parkes Show this week to continue making it a true community event for the 137th year! “Well done Parkes!” said Member for Riverina and Minister for Small Business, Michael McCormack at the official opening on Tuesday. “To reach 137 is truly amazing! A show like this brings out the best in people.”
For Maisie Morrow, 2017 The Land NSW Showgirl and judge in the Showgirl competition, “shows let communities shine, and Parkes is a wonderful example”. She was very impressed and delighted by the encouragement young people received to be part of the show.
Show President Gary O’Brien attributed the show’s continued success to its “passionate committee and volunteers who work together to ensure all the elements come together seamlessly”.
What is the highlight of the Parkes Show for you?
Josie, Bruce and William Watson: William: The dodgem cars; Josie: I love the horses; Bruce: The fireworks of course.
Joseph, Jamie, Christine and Lilly Holmes: Christine: Because I have little children, we spend lots of time at the tractors and headers. My son Joseph (4) can spend more than an hour looking at them.
Sandi and Ross Bailey: Sandi: The pavilion and the craft – I love the tea cosies made by the Craft Corner members. I am inspired to enter next year.
More than 500 high school students were emotionally challenged with the realities of what happens in a serious car crash during the staging of a mock crash at the PCYC Parkes last week. “I am still shaken by it,” said Kian Schembri,
a Year 10 student from Parkes Christian School of the annual event staged for the ninth time this year.
The aim of the confronting mock crash is to bring home the message of drinking and driving. The demonstration by the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils is the corner stone of the NOT A STATISTIC! Youth Driver Education Program.
Four youth actors, Krystle-Lee McMurray and Maddison Collits from Forbes and Jack McGrath and Faith Hanstock from Parkes, took the audience on a moving, tragic and at times upsetting ride from a care free birthday party to the horrors of a car crash and its long-term after effects. “It is a really good way to teach us a lesson,” said Wally Campbell from Forbes High School, one of seven high schools attending.
“It will remain with me as a reminder not to drink and drive, and to think before getting into a car with someone who’s been drinking.” For Ella Richards from Parkes Christian School it was “really good and very confronting” as she has friends who had been in a crash. “I will definitely not drink and drive.” Melanie Suitor, Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, said it was hard to gauge the effect of the annual event, but in the Central West 25% of accidents involved young people, while the state average was 32%.
Local young drivers were involved in 207 crashes across the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Council areas over four years from 2011, resulting in three fatalities and 228 injuries.
By Maggi Barnard
AgriFutures Australia is the new trading name for Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation (RIRDC).
Building on the strong foundation set by RIRDC, AgriFutures Australia is forging a bold new path for Australia’s rural industries. RIRDC has made an important contribution to Australian agriculture over the past 25 years. The new identity is a culmination of hard work from past directors, employees, farmers and partners.
With new headquarters in regional NSW, the AgriFutures Australia team has come up with a ‘clear and unyielding mandate’ to grow the long-term prosperity of Australian rural industries through research and innovation. According to AgriFutures Australia Chair, Kay Hull AM, it is more than just a name change, it represents the organisation’s renewed purpose and direction.
“Our new name signals a distinct path for our organisation. We have upended our thinking to be proactive in the face of a rapidly changing environment, and to harness the many opportunities this presents our organisation and the sector,” said Kay.
AgriFutures Australia invests in research, leadership, innovation and learning to enhance the long-term prosperity of rural industries and communities across Australia.
Not many 23-year-olds have a facility named after them, but last Saturday the privilege befell Parkes’ international hockey star Mariah Williams when the second synthetic hockey turf was named in her honour. “I could not think of anyone more worthy,” said Parkes Hockey Inc Executive Director, Aaron Huppatz.
NSW Minister for Racing Paul Toole congratulated the club and Parkes Shire Council on the fantastic facility and the number of tournaments it had already attracted that support the local economy. “Mariah is an incredibly talented young woman. She is a product of this region and every time she plays Parkes and the whole Central West follow her.”
For the Parkes Mayor the naming of the field signified a great day for the community and for hockey. “We are standing on the shoulders of giants here today with many life members also in attendance. Mariah is an inspiration to all junior players who might be dreaming of being an Olympian one day too.”
Mariah responded to all the accolades saying she was very honoured. “There is a lot of history here as I grew up only 100m away from the fields and spent so much time here.” She said although she had lived in many different places, she would always call Parkes home.
The synthetic turf was jointly funded by the NSW Government’s ClubGrants Program, Parkes Shire Council and Parkes Hockey Inc totalling over $1.5M. The international standard surfaces available in Parkes had attracted three major hockey tournaments so far this year, with another three big events booked for next year.
By Maggi Barnard
CMOC-Northparkes Mine and the Parkes Sports Council have announced the successful applicants from the last round of the current Sports Grants Funding Program. A total of $15,000 were granted to the following successful applicants: Parkes Gun Club $3,050; Parkes Railway Bowling Club $3,110; Parkes Rugby Union Club $1,500; Parkes Australian Rules Football Club $437.60; Parkes Hockey Inc. $2,049; Parkes PCYC $2,853.40.
This was the last round under the current funding agreement which has distributed $150,000 over the past five years. A new agreement is currently under negotiation and an announcement will be made soon.