Maggi Barnard

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

Joy For Parkes Dragons

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes women’s team came third in the 200m women’s race.

Parkes Endeavour Dragons took part in the second Forbes Dragon Boat Club Invitational Regatta on Sunday.

They joined paddlers from nine other Western region teams from Forbes, Lithgow, Dubbo, Orange Colour City, Orange Pinnacles, Bathurst, Wagga, Mudgee and Blue Mountains.

The Parkes team included seven paddlers brand new to racing, and combined with four paddlers from Lithgow. “The delight on the faces of all crew, especially the first-timers Angela Wang, Shaodong Wen, Anita Beddowes, Karolina Kosmicki, Jay Smith, Christine Fyfe and Rachel Samuels, was a testament to the joy of the day for Parkes,” said coach Beth Thomas. Two of the new paddlers, Jay and Anita, took on stroke positions to lead the timing of the boat.

Apart from bringing home a bronze in the women’s race, Parkes sweep Dave Potts completed the requirements necessary to attain his Level 3 Sweep accreditation.

“We thank the Forbes Dragon Boat Club for organising the day which allowed such great opportunities to our crew,” said president Bill Thomas.

Parkes is looking forward to its Fourth Anniversary 6km challenge on Sunday, 15th May.

Speedway Exhibit A Car Lover’s Dream

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles owner Peter Champion with the VE-VC 30th anniversary vehicle that will be on show at the Speedway Exhibition.

Car enthusiasts cannot afford to miss this year’s Speedway Exhibition at the Parkes Elvis Festival featuring 40 iconic and prestigious cars at the former Broderick’s car yard in Clarinda Street.

Inspired by this year’s Speedway theme, a diverse blend of unique cars have been brought together for the first time ever. Sharing the showroom floor will be a rare collection of Holden Dealer Team (HDT) special vehicles, special Commodore builds, the Anniversary Edition Commodores together with group A cars and a 1980 Peter Brock Marlborough Holden Dealer Team race car.

The exhibition will also see the official unveiling of the 2015VF “Blue Meanies” in sedan, wagon and ute configuration based on the 1985 HDT VK Commodore SS Group A ‘Blue Meanie’ released by Peter Brock and the HDT.

The range racing cars will include the 1977 Brian Burt and 1978 Everlast Ford XC Coupes, an Alan Moffat Tribute Ford Mustang and Peter O Donnell’s BMW 335i which has completed more laps of the famous Bathurst track than any other car.

The list also includes a Porsche 911 GT3, MK1 Ford GT40 and 1965 Shelby Cobra along with NASCARs and a range of speedway cars. As if that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, the feast of horsepower continues with a 327 HK Bathurst Monaro, a VL Walkenshaw Commodore and other powerful cars to get your motor revving.

To further enhance the racing experience, a state-of-the-art virtual reality racing car simulator, as used by professional drivers around the world, will get your adrenaline pumping as you try to be the King of the track.

The display will also include racing memorabilia such as bonnets from various racing cars, racing suits and a diverse selection of intriguing and fascinating collectables.

The Speedway Exhibition official launch at 11am on Wednesday, 20th April is open to everybody where you’ll hear from owner of Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles, Peter Champion who will share some thoughts on the cars and launch of the Blue Meanie Trilogy.

Exhibit Includes Official Unveiling Of Blue Meanies

The HDT VC race car will also be on display at the Speedway Exhibition at this year’s Parkes Elvis Festival. The exhibition, to be held in the former Broderick’s car yard in Clarinda Street, is sponsored by the Bogan Gate Pub, and funded by the NSW Government. The exhibition will run from Wednesday, 20th April to Sunday, 24th April from 9am to 5pm with free entry. Everyone is invited to attend the official launch at 11am on Wednesday, 20th April where you’ll hear from owner of Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles, Peter Champion. He will share some thoughts on the cars and launch of the Blue Meanie Tril-

Massive Sink Hole Stops Trains Over Blue Mountains

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A 16-metre-deep sink hole is being filled in as part of works to repair and reopen the critical western rail freight line.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway visited Leura on Tuesday for an update on repair works.

“The Blue Mountains rail line is a critical freight corridor linking east with west so the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) team has been working 24/7 to get the line reopened,” Sam said.

“The extent of weather damage across hundreds of metres of track, culminating in the 16-metre sink hole, is staggering.Ballast and the track base underneath was washed away, and a culvert was damaged close to the Great Western Highway.”

“TfNSW and Sydney Trains have had to effectively rebuild the entire section of track, while filling in the sink hole and ensuring the area is stable for trains to run on.

More than 500 tonnes of debris have been removed with almost 200 staff using 53 items of heavy machinery. The line is expected to open to freight tomorrow, and to limited diesel-powered regional passenger trains such as the XPT, Bathurst Bullet, Dubbo and Broken Hill services on Monday, 28th March.

“As the electrical services are still out, the intercity fleet are expected to be back online on Friday, 8th April.”

“I have been meeting frequently with the freight industry and know how critical this route is as part of their supply chains to deliver the primary products like food, minerals and coal to the industries that rely on them.

“I thank the freight industry for its patience and collaboration during this difficult time,” Sam said.

The Blue Mountains Line is currently closed between Emu Plains and Lithgow.

Club Championships At Men’s Bowls

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Club Major Triples event is up and running and two games were played on Saturday and both resulted in fairly convincing wins.

Mick Went, Mark Dwyer and Greg Townsend got away to a flying start, winning the first six ends to lead 8 – 0. Brian Hampton, Ian Simpson and Steve Ryan eventually got on the board but had no answer to the class of Team Went, who won 28 – 9.

Wilbur Harris, Steve Turner and Guy Ellery came up against Joe Davies and Mike and Jo Simpson. Team Davies had the better of the early ends but in the end Team Harris won 35 – 18.

Social Bowls, Thursday, 17th March: Twenty Bowlers turned out for 5 games of Pairs. Steve Turner/Bernie Mitchell vs Col Mudie/Bob Freeman 20 – 19; John Ward/Ron Hornery vs George Boatswain/Rob Irving 18 – 14; Ian Simpson/Gordon Dickson vs Jim Blake/Alan Affleck 23 – 13; Graham Dixon/John Carr beat Steve Ryan/John Niddrie; Gary McPhee/Ray Jones beat Rob Tinker/Maureen Baillie

Saturday, 19th March 19: Warwick Parker/Ray Jones beat Col Mudie/Gordon Dickson; Martin Tighe/John Ward vs Col Hayward/John Carr 23 – 16; Rob Tinker/Jim Blake/George Bradley vs Graham Dixon/Bruce Orr/Bob Freeman 19 – 10.

By Col Miller

Lots Of Dragon Boat Races In Forbes On Sunday

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

DRAGON BOAT ACTION… There will be lots of activity on Lake Forbes on Sunday with over 100 paddlers racing in the second invitational regatta hosted by the Forbes Dragon Boat Club. The communities from surrounding towns are invited to come and watch the action and cheer for their teams.

Over 100 dragons from all over the Central West and further afield will descend on Forbes this Sunday, 20th March for the second invitational regatta hosted by the Forbes Dragon Boat Club at Lake Forbes.

Teams from Parkes, Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and Wagga Wagga along with paddlers from Mudgee, Lithgow and the newly formed Blue Mountains Club will be participating in what promises to be an exciting day with some serious racing and lots of fun.

The day’s program starts at 9am with women’s, opens and mixed heats getting underway. “The events will continue through the morning with the finals, novelty events and the iconic Bridge to Bridge classic following soon after,” said Chris Favelle of the Forbes Dragon Boat Club. He said it would be an excellent day to bring a chair and picnic rug to experience the thrill of dragon boat racing. A coffee van will be on-site, while CanAssist will be providing a barbeque.

Volunteers and officials from across the western region along with the local State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service will be there to ensure the day is a great success.

‘Rally’ Behind Cars In Support Of Prostate Cancer Regional Nurses

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Warren Briggs in his Ford Mustang taking part in a previous rally. The Mustang will be on display in Clarinda Street next Friday. (Photo: Classic Outback Trial website)

Parkes is going to be the focal point of the 2022 Classic Outback Rally with about 60 cars rolling into town from Thursday next week with plenty of opportunities for the public the view the cars.

Not only will the seven-day rally officially start in Parkes, but the participants will support the Parkes Prostate Cancer Awareness and Support Group (PPCASG) to help them bring a dedicated prostate cancer nurse to Parkes and the region.

The support group members will be outside Discount Dave’s most of next week raising funds, and on Friday the Ford Mustang of famous rally driver Warren Briggs will be parked in Clarinda Street from 10am to 2pm. Members of the public making a donation will go in the draw to be a passenger in the Ford Mustang with Warren Briggs or Matt Dillon behind the wheel for a spin around Parkes on Saturday afternoon.

Chairperson of PPCASG Michael Lynch said the prostate care nurses helped to diagnose and provide expert information and support for the whole family. “At the moment we have to travel to see one of these nurses.”

On Saturday, 26th March the competitors will line up in Short Street beside Cooke Park from 11:30am. After a drivers briefing at 12pm in the Leagues Club, Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keity will flag them off at 1pm for a test run outside Parkes before the official start of the rally on Sunday morning at 8am from Church Street at the corner with Clarinda Street.

Pete O’Donnel from Spinifex Recruiting will be making a donation to the PPCASG, and in turn the group will make a donation to the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Jim Lloyd, who will be in Parkes for the event.

This is a great opportunity to experience what might be the last Classic Outback Rally, and to support a good cause.

Men’s Bowls

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Major Triples draw is on the board and the first game has been completed. Team Grant (Tom Furey, Brian Townsend, Maree Grant) took on Team Tighe (John Ward, Bernie Mitchell, Martin Tighe). Team Tighe started well winning the first end but not to be out done Team Grant took control and by the 8th end were leading 12 to 5. Team Tighe tried to fight back but Team Grant kept the pressure on and by the 15th end were leading 19 to 12. Team Grant continued and ran out winners 31 to 12.

Social bowls Thursday: John Carr, Geoff Freeman defeated Mike Valentine, Rob Irving. Johno Johnson, Jim Blake, John Wright defeated Ron Hornery Bob Freeman, Tony Riordan. Gordon Dickson, Guy Ellery defeated Chris Harrison, Col Mudie. Col Woods, Garry McPhee defeated Ray Jones, Col Hayward. Col Miller, Rob Tinker defeated Arthur Corbett, John Ward.

Saturday: John Carr, Rob Irving defeated Wes Westcott, Ray Jones. Ron Hornery, John Wright defeated Trevor Harvey, Maureen Miller. Col Hayward, Col Miller defeated Warwick Parker, Lorraine Baker. Bernie Mitchell, Tom Furey defeated Chris Harrison, Gary McPhee. John Ward, Gordon Dickson, Martin Tighe defeated Col Woods, Bob Freeman, Geoff Freeman. Tony Riordan, Steve Turner defeated Ian Simpson, Brian Townsend.

By Col Miller

Women’s Bowls

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

On Tuesday, six members motored across to Canowindra to help celebrate 80 years of their Women’s Club, while our No 3 Pennants teams have packed their bags and are off to the State Play-offs in Forster. Nominations for Club Championship Pairs are now open. Find a partner and have a go!

The Easter Trading Table will be held on on 29th March.

You’re invited to put your name down for the Blackman/Whiteman invitation at Bathurst on 2nd June. The District Match Committee will choose six teams of triples from our district to play.

By Lea Orr

Art Inspired By Sounds Of Central West

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A still image of Stephan de Wit’s animation. He did a 3D scan of himself for the animation.

A digital artist from Parkes has been included in the Arts OutWest showcase of some of the Central West’s most exciting visual artists as they each responded to the sounds of the region.

Stephan de Wit created a 40 second animation loop for the song ‘Not together, just breathe’ on the compilation album called While the World Waits commissioned by Arts OutWest last year.

Fifteen Central West songwriters, including Gracey Denham-Jones from Parkes, each wrote a track reflecting their experiences of 2020 for the album. “Then we opened the conversation up to visual artists to see what they were feeling,” said exhibition curator, Arts OutWest’s Steven Cavanagh.

Stephan started his career as a music composer and sound designer, creating songs and film scores. He has won many international awards for his work including best original score at the IWFF awards in Montana, USA. Expanding into visual art in 2017, he now works on audio visual projects using site responsive projection mapping to create interactive digital art.

“The last two years have been tough and loss of work ran right across all artforms. We wanted to help by creating opportunities for those most affected,” said Steven.

The first leg of a 12-month regional tour for the While the World Waits Exhibition opens in Bathurst tomorrow, and it will come to Parkes in March next year.

The exhibition includes works across all mediums from painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, moving image, animation, photography to glass and textiles. The other artists are: Bridget Thomas, Gemma Clipsham, Heather Dunn, Timothy Seager and Henry Simmons and the River Yarners from Bathurst, Heather Vallance, Hugh McKinnon and Jane Tonks from Orange, Cate McCarthy (Yetholme), Gus Armstrong (Rylstone), Harrie Fasher (Portland), Helen Carpenter (Grenfell), Laura Baker (Blayney), Lise Edwards (Lithgow), Robert Hirschmann (Portland), Shani Nottingham (Cowra), Aleshia Lonsdale (Mudgee), Steven Cavanagh (Hill End) and Christine McMillan (Kandos).

Our Bloke – Tyler Warren

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Tyler Warren

Where were you born? Cessnock

Were you named after anyone? My great great grandfather – he was an inventor.

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of? Getting into the housing market and my renovations I have done.

What historical moment stands out most in your memory? The Holden plant shutting down.

What’s the single best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Success is not an accident.

What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken? Moving to Parkes from Sydney six years ago, but it has paid off. I love it here!

What are the three things you would take to a deserted island? A carton of Great Northern and my pet cockatoo.

If you had to spend $10,000 today, how would you spend it? A holiday to the UK.

When are you happiest? When I am at work or at the pub.

Maggi Barnard

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