Maggi Barnard

Parkes residents have helped to shape a new natural habitat for wildlife to be developed in the coming months.

More than 500 native trees and shrubs have already been planted ahead of the new wetland project, which will reimagine the town’s former Sewage Treatment Plant ponds into a wetland system.

The Parkes Wetlands will be located adjacent to Goobang Creek and contain three ponds that were previously used for treatment and storage of treated effluent prior to the construction of Parkes’ new STP and Advanced Water Recycling Facility. Community members took part in the planting as part of National Tree Day events this year and 2019.

The wetlands are part of Council’s ongoing efforts to create and preserve natural habitats for wildlife in order to safeguard our region’s biodiversity for future generations. The wetlands will function as an ephemeral wetland system, with flows of recycled water delivered to the ponds when not required for irrigation of Parkes’ greenspaces.

The key approach for the wetlands is to incorporate a range of habitats that would occur naturally in a riverine zone in Central West NSW. The design aims to ensure that links to surrounding habitat are established, with future planting around the site geared towards creating better linkages to the high-quality riparian habitat surrounding Goobang Creek.

Wetlands are important spaces for waterbirds, especially in drier landscapes, and this project presents an opportunity to attract vulnerable, threatened and critically endangered species back to the Parkes region.

The long-term project is expected to take around three years to fully complete. Parkes Shire Council’s Environmental and Sustainability Coordinator Michael Chambers said additional funding would be sought to in-stall walking tracks, bird hides, seating and shelters, and other infrastructure to open the space for the community to utilise and enjoy. “It is hoped certain sections of the wetlands will be open to the public to visit by late 2023.”

As wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems around the world, this project will be vital for the Parkes region. According to the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity, over 85% of wetlands have been lost globally. Inland waters and freshwater ecosystems have among the highest rates of decline, with only 13% of Australia’s wetlands remaining in 2000.

Natural wetlands in the Central West region are generally in poor condition due to high levels of vegetation clearing, poor water quality, grazing and feral animals. Therefore, the construction of artificial wetlands is essential for providing habitat in the face of accelerated biodiversity loss and a changing climate.

In addition to enhancing biodiversity, Parkes Shire Council also emphasise local species in order to preserve threatened ecological communities of the Parkes Shire.

“Much of the tube stock has been grown from locally acquired seed, so we know that the species we have planted are adapted to this site. This means they have the best chance of surviving” according to Michael.

The wetlands project has been supported by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust.

By Hannah Farrant-Jayet

After the shock, sadness, worry and disappointment of Parkes losing its COVID-free status, the community united from Monday with hundreds turning up to get tested and joining the line to get vaccinated.

The drive through testing site at the Parkes Showgrounds saw a surge from only 74 tests on Sunday to 515 on Monday and 344 on Tuesday.

Hundreds of residents turned up on the first day of the pop-up vaccination clinic at Northparkes Oval on Tuesday with 350 receiving their first jab. People started lining up three hours before the hub was to open.

By 10am the parking lot at the oval was filled with over 180 cars, while more than 120 cars snaked from the oval’s gate up Alexander Street, all the way down Wentworth Street, into Currajong Street and all around Drummond Street on both sides to keep the queue from spilling onto the highway.

On Wednesday the line up started even earlier with 25 cars by 6:20am and the line once again snaking into several streets.

Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith thanked everyone who lined up to get tested. “There’s huge queues there and not everyone could get tested today,” he said on Tuesday.

He also said Council had received wonderful feedback from the Defence Force Academy (who is running the clinic) complimenting the Parkes Community on their politeness, attitude and understanding of the situation.

 

 

 

Wattle and Canola’s Yellow Paintbrush Transforms Our Landscape

 

 

 

 

 

The weather was glorious last weekend and many people grabbed the opportunity to get out and go for a walk for a change in lock-down scenery.

Some were unfortunately confronted with a different kind of danger… magpie swooping season has started!

Every spring, walkers, runners and cyclists have to deal with some very protective magpies. It’s in their nature to swoop in spring, as their protective instincts over their young kick in.

Swooping is a magpie’s protective behaviour at breeding time, to ward off intruders or potential threats from their nest, which could house eggs or young.

Swooping can include merely flying over your head as a warning, or feature physical contact from the bird’s beak or claws.

In extreme cases, that can lead to more serious injuries that may require medical attention or in extreme tragedies, cause a fatal accident.

According to an ABC news article, the magpies that swoop may have experienced past trauma or harassment.

The fact is that most magpies that are pre-disposed to swooping will. That is why the best advice is to take a detour as magpies will only swoop in the immediate vicinity of their nest.

If you have to cross a magpie’s territory, there are some tips that could help minimise your risk of being swooped:
• Walk quickly, but don’t run
• Protect your head with an umbrella, hat or helmet
• Wear glasses or sunglasses to keep your eyes safe
• Keep facing the magpie or its nest as you move away
• Dismount your bike if you’re riding, and walk through the magpie’s territory
• Move in a group as magpies are more likely to target individuals

You shouldn’t disturb or hassle birds, particularly young magpies. If you know of any swooping magpies around Parkes, let us know at editor@parkesphoenix.com.au

A talented Parkes musician features on a new album called ‘While the World Waits’ with 14 other artists from the Central West.

Gracey Denham-Jones, who is well-known among Parkes audiences for numerous gigs, has an original song on the album called ‘Wait’. It is about the complexities and emotions of turning 18 during isolation. “We are called in this world to ‘wait’ for the better days; hold on and be strong when times get tough, as there is always a rainbow after every storm,” she said.

Gracey’s first ever recorded song is number 13 on the album commissioned by Arts OutWest in response to the impacts of COVID-19 on the local music industry. She is one of 15 songwriters across 11 local government areas in the region who each wrote a song reflecting their experiences of 2020. The result is ‘While the World Waits’, a professionally produced, beautiful sound-capsule of this time in our lives.

“It is such a great feeling to get my music out there,” said Gracey. “It was amazing to get the commission to write a song.” Gracey, who was in Year 12 last year when the first lockdown happened and missed 10 weeks of school, said it took her about a day to write the song. “My message is to remind people to be resilient during these difficult times, especially the current Year 12’s.”

She is looking forward to releasing the single in the next couple of weeks on digital music platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and Pandora, and to follow it up with more recordings of her music.

Gracey began her musical journey as an eight-year-old when she was cast in her first show at the Parkes Musical and Dramatic Society. Since then she has found a love for dance, drama and music. As soon as she learned to play the guitar at the start of year seven, her love for country music grew.

She has competed in multiple country music competitions and eisteddfods throughout her high school years. Highlights include performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival last year and receiving a band 6 (mark of 93) in music during her HSC year.

The album was launched online last Saturday and is for sale as a limited edition CD. Styles of the songs range from acoustic ballads, soulful pop, foot stompin’ rock, indie pop to some dreamy late night chill outs and good old fashioned finger poppin’ accapella.

Kris Schubert, hose band ‘The Safety of Life at Sea’ also features on the album, produced all but one of the recordings at The Boat Shed Studio in O’Connell.

The artists include Canowindra’s Nerida Cuddy, Orange-based Lynda Manwaring, Millthorpe’s ARIA award winner Genni Kane, Grenfell band BC and the Foot Falcons, Lake Cargelligo’s Adam Kerezsy, Smith & Jones from Bathurst, Cowra’s Josh Maynard, Lueth Ajak from Bathurst, Gavin Bowles from Hampton, Tic-Tok sensation Gabbi Bolt from Bathurst, Adam Enslow from Forbes, Amy Viola from Orange, and Andy Baylor from Cowra.

CD copies of the album can be purchased for $10 from artsoutwest.org.au and – when COVID restrictions ease – from visitor information centres and other retail outlets around the region.

Digital versions of each track will also be available from each artists’ preferred platform or site and Arts OutWest will share a Spotify playlist linking them together. See www.artsoutwest.org.au for links.

The album was funded by the NSW Government’s Arts Restart package. Proceeds from CD sales go back into supporting local musicians and live music events in the NSW Central West.

By Maggi Barnard