Parkes photographer Marc Payne was out on the weekend and managed to capture the moment when the sun broke through the cloud cover and lit up the sky and the side of the Tichborne wheat silos. “The silos are a strong subject when you get the right conditions,” he said. If you have an iconic or local image for Closing Shot send it to the editor@parkesphoenix.com.au.
Her eyes lit up when she saw him, and his heart skipped a beat. She was beautiful with her cloud of dark curly hair and her laughing red lips. She ran into his arms and he hugged her, lifting her from the ground and swinging her around, ignorant of the passing crowd. He’d written her a poem and “The Bulletin” had published it, declaring his love to the world.
It was January 1942 and he’d proposed to her on the bridge which spanned the railway line at Stanmore. Then he was posted to Darwin with the 14th Ack Ack to help defend Australia’s ‘front door’ against invasion.
She wrote regularly, sending him her copies of the ‘Women’s Weekly’ and he waited anxiously for every delivery. At the post office, parcel in hand, he chatted to the postmaster and it was then he heard the approaching storm. Several people ran in from the street crying out in terror that the planes were shooting at them. He hurried outside intending to return to his base.
There were planes overhead, guns firing at the houses and people, and bombs were exploding all over the place. As he reached the street, a bomb fell on the post office, destroying the building and killing all the ten people who had sought refuge in the bunker. The blast punched the wind out of him and hurled him across the street, sending agonising pain through his back, as it slammed him to the ground.
Having never been under fire, he and his contemporaries were ill prepared when the Japanese attacked. The same force which hit Pearl Harbour just two months before, had decimated the small coastal town of Darwin.
They were married that same year on 19th September whilst he was on leave and she became pregnant immediately. His immediate feeling was one of euphoria and it gave him a sense of belonging which he’d not experienced before.
By Margaret Irwin
Norma Garment: I’m torn between golf and crocheting as they both make me feel I’m achieving something, and I gain a lot from the social side of both being able to mix with people and having a good chat.
Frances Thornton: I enjoy scrapbooking and card making, crocheting and photography. It not only fills in time and keeps me awake, but I also enjoy making items for Ronald McDonald House.
Daphne Tindall: I like knitting and gardening. I enjoy being outside getting my hands in the dirt, and I knit every night. It helps a lot to relieve stress.
ALL FIRED UP… Vicki Williams is looking forward to the challenge of being the first female Group Captain of the Rural Fire Service Mid Lachlan Valley Team.
When her four daughters and husband joined the Rural Fire Service ten years ago Vicki Williams did not want to miss out and followed them with no real desire to be active.
It did not take long for her to learn volunteering involved a lot more than just putting out fires, and at the beginning of October she became the first female Group Captain of the Mid Lachlan Valley Team.
“I was a little shocked to get a phone call to ask me if I’d like to do it. I did have a lot of questions, but in the end I thought it would be good to gain some experience just for the year and see how I go.”
A group captain is usually elected by the brigades within the group for a period of three years. Vicki was appointed by her district manager for the final year of the previous group captain, Scott Baker’s term, as he took up employment with the RFS and could not do both roles.
Although she has been a deputy captain and captain, she feels being the first woman in the top role puts extra pressure on her.
Vicki will be responsible for five brigades and aims to focus on the role of women in the RFS by giving them a bigger voice. “Sometimes people are stuck in their ways. Women are still in the minority at 20% in the Mid Lachlan Valley Team. I would like to get more women involved.”
Vicki feels many women probably think volunteering is not for them, “but there are many more roles than just firefighting. There is a role for everybody, and it could include communication, training, community engagement, catering and many more. You don’t have to go and fight fires.”
Vicki has chosen to do it all and can still clearly remember the first fire she attended. “It was a caravan fire, and I was put on the end of the hose. It was scary, but the training that I’ve had really helped in what I did.”
The most memorable fire she fought was on deployment to the State Mine fire in the Blue Mountains in 2013 for three days. “I had a strike team leader that was more involved in firefighting so I actually ran his job in a sense. That put me up a level, but I was still there to help out at the fires. We were on a cliff and the fire was coming straight up so I had to order a helicopter to come and help us out.”
When Vicki is not working her day time job at Parkes Pharmacy, or taking on a fire fighting role, she really enjoys working with the juniors doing their training, going to championships and doing school cadets.
Vicki would also like to encourage more women to join up. “We have a role for everyone, and there is always somebody to help you.” As for how much time volunteering required, Vicki said it depended on every individual on how much they wanted to put in.
The Parkes Headquarters Brigade trains every Tuesday night, and then there is the option to go away and do training to get qualifications.
After ten years in the service, Vicki can’t imagine her life without the RFS. She sees herself volunteering forever hoping to carry on as long as their oldest member at the moment who is 74.
“We are one big family group and we really love seeing everyone thrive.”
By Maggi Barnard
The new Parkes Bridge Club committee are (L-R) Dawn Phipps, Beryl Twardy, Rosemary Morris, Peter Dearden, Suzie McNamara, Jill Peterson and Kevin Robinson. (Absent: Nancye Blatch and Bev Laing.)
We are back at the bridge tables! Albeit in masks, with chairs pushed back from the table to maintain reasonable distance, which can be tricky when you need your glasses to read the bidding sheet from that distance, but your mask keeps your glasses fogged up. But despite everything COVID, it’s great to be back.
We have a change of guard on the club committee. We thank Greig Ball for his work as past president as the role passes to Kevin Robinson who is applying himself to the position with the rest of the committee who are keeping the Parkes Bridge Club in good hands.
Winners over the past week were Bev Laing and Joan Reilly on Tuesday, 28th September, Louise Payne with Peter Quin, and Jill Peterson with Lee McCabe on Thursday, 30th September, and Rosemary Morris and Anne Berkeley on Monday, 4th October.
Newcomers are welcome. We play Tues-days and Thursdays at 1pm and Mondays at 6:30pm at the Lutheran Church Hall.
Check our website www.parkes.bridge-club.org or call Kevin Robinson 0429 621 712 for more information.
By Beth Thomas
Two online workshops for parents and supervisors of learner drivers in the Parkes Shire will provide practical advice and information about completing the 120 hours of supervised driving.
The free ‘Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers’ work-shops are scheduled for Wednesday, 13th October and Wednesday, 27th October from 5:30pm.
“It’s unfortunate that the COVID-19 restrictions haven’t allowed us to deliver the workshops as we usually would face to face, however the online delivery will hopefully make it more easily accessible for participants to attend,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Council’s Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor.
“Parents and supervisors of learner drivers have a crucial role to play in making our roads safer. That is why we have teamed up with Transport for NSW and other councils across the Western region to hold another one of these workshops via Zoom.”
Participants can attend from the safety and comfort of their own home. The estimated run time is around 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The workshop covers the licencing system, how to use the Learner Driver Logbook including the use of digital logbooks, licence conditions for learner and P-plate drivers, the benefits of on-road driving sessions, tips on supervising a learner driver and more.
“Parents and supervisors who have attended this workshop in the past have found that it boosted their confidence, helped them better plan driving sessions and allowed them to share their experiences with other parents and supervisors,” Melanie said.
Bookings are essential and can be made online via Eventbrite, through the Councils’ Facebook pages or by calling Melanie on 6861 2364.
THE BIGGEST… NSW Blues players Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Liam Hatcher are encouraging everyone to join in NSW’s Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket tomorrow.
With lockdowns set to lift and the cricket season on its way, Cricket NSW is encouraging households across the state to take part in NSW’s Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket tomorrow, 9th October.
It is a chance for everyone – families, flatmates and even singletons – to get active, have a laugh and experience a form of the sport which everyone can play, even if you don’t have access to a cricket bat, stumps or a ball.
Leading the charge for NSW’s Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket is NSW and Australian star Nathan Lyon, who along with NSW Blues housemates Liam Hatcher and Daniel Hughes, has been enjoying some backyard cricket during the winter months.
“The best thing about backyard cricket is that you can make up your own rules to reflect the space you have at home and the amount of people playing. If you don’t have cricket equipment, backyard cricket is about improvising, so think about using a bin or the fence for stumps, socks for a ball, and a piece of wood as the bat,” said Nathan.
To be in the running to win the major prize of a Weber Spirit II E320 plus an all-new Weber Traveler or one of eleven $100 Weber.com vouchers, participants need to register for the Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket at cricketnsw.com.au and then post on the “Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket” Facebook Event page their video entry for the most creative wicket-taking celebration that occurred during their game.
“The Biggest Game of Backyard Cricket is a light-hearted initiative to get everyone across NSW to prioritise their health and wellbeing, and do a fun activity together,” said Joanne Scanlon, Cricket NSW General Manager – Community Cricket Experiences.
For information or to register for your local club, head to Play.Cricket.com.au.
Kelly Lacey
How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here? I was born in Parkes and have lived here my whole life. The best thing about living here is family and friends, and the many great people I’ve met over the years.
What is your favourite thing about your working life? I am a volunteer. I am licenced to rescue and rehabilitate sick, injured and orphaned animals. It can be very demanding and heartbreaking at times, but to save lives and being able to release animals back to their home is my favourite thing.
If you could live anywhere, where would it be? The Hinterland of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. It is quiet, beautiful, near Australis Zoo Wildlife Hospital and the beach.
What makes you laugh the most? Road trips with friends.
If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? Turn off my phone, not worry about a thing and spend time away with my husband and kids.
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why? I would go back to any Christmas day at my grandparents when my Nanna would cook an amazing hot lunch for everyone, no matter if it was 40 degrees. Being with my whole family were happy years I will never forget.
If you were ruler of your own country what would be the first law you would introduce? Much stricter laws for land clearing and habitat destruction.
Do you believe in random acts of kindness and which is your favourite one? Yes, my favourite is the simple everyday things, like holding a door open for someone, letting someone go before you in a queue, or checking on your elderly neighbour.
What is one thing you will never do again? Driving up Mount Hotham in Victoria in heavy snow conditions, fog and wind.
You can help raise awareness of prostate cancer at the Parkes Golf Club on Saturday, 16th October.
I was having a haircut one day when I noticed on the wall a notice about a Parkes Prostate Cancer Awareness and Support Group meeting. I sat outside the meeting place for three meeting evenings, trying to get to courage to go in.
On the third evening I did go in. I was made very welcome and all my fears were put at ease. The procedures and my options were explained and I was given appropriate material to read. I was told that what decision I made, was mine to make, in consultation with my doctor.
My doctor advised me to have a PSA (Prostate-Specific-Antigen) blood test. The reading was high and I was referred to a urologist. I ended up in hospital where I had the cancerous growths of the gland removed. Apart from a little discomfort due to leakage, I never regretted my visit to that meeting with the Prostate Cancer Group.
I thank them sincerely for their advice and support and urge others on the same journey to seek their support and if you are experiencing prostate problems, visit your doctor. It may save your life’.
By Anonymous
More than 60 people dialled in on Zoom for the recent Be Road Ready For Harvest Virtual Field Day.
Attendees were a mixture of farmers, contract harvesters, transport companies, agricultural machinery retailers, government agencies, council staff and relevant associations.
“It was great to see strong numbers again this year, especially as the region is expecting another good harvest,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor.
“Safety and compliance during harvest is very important. Operators need to be aware of their responsibilities and ensure that during harvest all warning devices and travel requirements are adhered to.
“Regulations are constantly changing and events like this are important to ensure people are up to date on what’s required before the upcoming harvest period,” said Melanie.
The program included presentations about access, fire safety, load restraint and much more. “Feedback from attendees has all been very positive, with participants giving it almost a five-star rating.
The Virtual Field Day was recorded and can be accessed on the Forbes Councils’ YouTube channel or via this link – https://youtu.be/wkALs0-xY94 Campbell Wilson was the winner of the feedback form lucky door prize.