Roxane Manley

Roxane is a true local to the Forbes and Parkes areas. Having been with the Phoenix for a number of years, she is passionate about her region and loves being involved with the local community.

From Phil Donato MP

May 7, 2026 By Roxane Manley

MAJOR FUNDING WINS

Two organisations in the Orange electorate have secured a combined $599,757 through the Clubgrants Category 3 Fund! Bogan Gate Recreation Reserve Land Manager has been awarded $299,757 to redevelop the Bogan Gate Sportsground. Forbes Rugby Union Club will receive $300,000 to install new lighting. Congratulations to both organisations on this fantastic achievement. These upgrades will support local sport, strengthen community connections, and deliver lasting benefits for years to come. Well done to all involved.

SIGN THE E-PETITION – FIX THE GREAT WESTERN HIGHWAY

The ongoing closure at Victoria Pass is hitting our region hard – disrupting freight, hurting local businesses, increasing safety risks, and adding pressure on families and volunteers. I’ve taken this directly to the NSW Government. This isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s exposed a major failure. A critical corridor carrying over 12,000 vehicles a day should never be this vulnerable.

I’m pushing for immediate support, proper transport alternatives beyond Bathurst, action on fuel costs, and a long-term solution, not a temporary fix.

Regional communities are tired of being an afterthought. We deserve safe, reliable infrastructure, and I will continue holding the Government to account. Sign the ePetition. Share it with others. Visit https://shorturl.at/GKly8

MEN’S HEALTH WEEK EVENT: GETTIN’ ·A·GRIP

Men’s health remains an issue that doesn’t get the attention it deserves and that needs to change. That’s why I’m launching Gettin’ a Grip, a major event to kick off Men’s Health Week in June, in Orange.

This isn’t just an event, it’s about starting conversations and saving lives. With highprofile participants, health professionals, and strong community engagement, the goal is simple:
Get men talking
Get men checked
Get men connected

This builds on years of work supporting mental health initiatives across our region, and I’m proud to continue that advocacy. For more details visit:
https://www.facebook.com/Gettinagrip

Forbes Farming Family Makes History

May 7, 2026 By Roxane Manley

Guy Webb (cofounder and agronomist), Guy Hudson (cofounder & Loam CEO), Steve Nicholson (Garema carbon farmer), Mick Wettenhall (cofounder and Trangie farmer). Photo credit: Rachel Lenehan

A celebration breakfast was held at Garema Hall south of Forbes on Tuesday 5 May to celebrate the issuance of the world’s first Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU’s or soil carbon credits) to the Nicholson family.

The ACCU’s were grown in his soil using a specialised extensively researched fungal inoculum called CarbonBuilder, an Australian technology developed right here in Central NSW by Loam Bio, cofounded by local agronomist Guy Webb.

Loam Bio to date have raised $155 million to develop the technology for Australian, US and Brazilian growers. Steve Nicholson and his family signed up for the Australian Government soil carbon project in 2024 with the help of Loam Bio through their ‘SecondCrop’ soil carbon program.

This marks one of the largest broadacre cropping projects that has met the strict requirements of Australia’s Clean Energy Regulator, demonstrating that carbon farming has moved from concept to a commercial and scalable reality.

“We knew we couldn’t keep farming the same way,” owner Steve Nicholson said. “If we didn’t adapt, the future of the farm wasn’t sustainable.”

“From year one we saw a measurable increase in soil carbon. It was a seamless integration and offered something the industry doesn’t often get – a new income stream. In effect we are now growing a second crop from the same paddock,” said Steve.

The Nicholson Carbon Project, part of a 4,000ha grazing and cropping operation, has successfully generated an issuance of 4,867 tradeable ACCU across 881 hectares. Becoming the first broadacre cropping operation in NSW to successfully

generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) using an innovative carbon-sequestering fungal seed treatment, a breakthrough that unlocks a game-changing win for farmers to get paid for capturing carbon, while building healthier, more productive soils for their existing cropping operations.

Steve Nicholson and his family have been farming at Garema for 27 years, Steve said that he judged the technology on three simple metrics. “Does it work, is it simple, does it make money? The answer is yes to all three.”

After extensive research they rolled out a suite of farm management changes, including modified crop rotations across wheat, barley and canola, pasture and pulse rotations, reduced tillage, and improved residue management. In 2024 the Nicholsons

added Loam Bio’s CarbonBuilder™ to their program, a world-first fungal seed treatment that integrates into existing farm operations to boost productivity.

In Steve’s case, an initial investment of $40,000 for treatment and seed related equipment has seen him turn that into $200,000 worth of ACCU’s.

The fungal based technology also increases soil structure allowing greater rainfall infiltration and storage, and also stores nitrogen in the soil profile more effectively, allowing a grower to improve his soil health whilst literally growing two crops in the one paddock, a grain crop above the ground and a soil carbon crop below the ground.

For information on the projector to explore similar benefits through soil carbon projects, visit www.loambio.com.

Get Ready, Get Set, And Dance At The 2026 Trundle Abba Festival

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

The Trundle ABBA Festival is back, on Saturday May 2nd, and the buzz has been building in Trundle, the program is locked in, final details are being ticked off, and preparations are in full swing. Today (Friday May 1st), the main street will be closed and transformed into a glittering festival space.

Locals and organisers alike are pitching in – decorating, coordinating logistics, and getting their best flared outfits ready. It’s a mix of excitement, last-minute hustle, and plenty of sparkle.

Expect a sea of smiles and a whole lot of sparkle. The entire festival takes over Trundle’s main street, complete with a big stage, food vans, and a lively, welcoming atmosphere. This year’s lineup is exceptional, featuring a blend of local favourites, emerging talent, and the international ABBA tribute band ABBASBACK performing their full show with choir. It’s energetic, colourful, and a joyful escape from the everyday.

The festival is held along Forbes Street, from the hotel corner on Parkes Street through to Hutton Street. Parking is available on surrounding streets, but to make things easier, consider catching a bus from Parkes or Forbes via Western Roadliners.

A few tips: bring a chair, wear comfortable shoes and get involved.

Yes, tickets are available at the gate, but it’s best to buy online if you can – prices increase from $65 online to $80 at the gate and pre-purchased tickets mean faster entry. Grab your tickets https://trundleabbafestival.123tix.com.au/events

Snippets…

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

Pop into Regional Business Supplies on 21 May for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

Regional Business Supplies: On Thursday 21 May, Regional Business Supplies are taking part in Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, raising funds to support those affected by cancer. We all know someone.

A friend, a parent, a colleague, and that’s why this matters. Pop in on the day, donate and grab a morning tea goody box filled with homemade treats, or support the cause by donating using the link www.biggestmorningtea.com.au/fundraisers/regionalbusinesssupplies

Forbes Heritage Week Art and History Competition: Celebrate the rich heritage and history of Forbes by getting creative.

The art and history competition welcomes entries across four categories: Artistic (paintings or drawings), Literary (stories, poems or songs), Photos (photography), Video (video essays or short videos). Winners will be announced at the Forbes Heritage Awards evening. Download entry form at: www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/heritage-week-2026

Generocity Church Parkes: Join Generocity Church for bargains galore at their Op Shop from 9:30am to 12pm, this Saturday 2 May, at 25 Dalton St. All items are being sold for $2 each or just $20 to fill a bag.

There are a mountain of great quality items that need a home.

Central West Lachlan Landcare Inc: Save the Date for National Tree Day events in Forbes, Saturday 25 July and Parkes, Sunday 26 July. Note that if weather conditions are not conducive to planting events on National Tree Day, alternate events will be planned. For registrations, go to: https://centralwestlachlanlandcare.org/2026/04/23/looking-at-landcare-23-4-2026-save-the-date-for-national-tree-day-in-forbes-parkes/

Kerin Health Pre-employment Medicals: Parkes businesses no longer need to send workers hours away for essential pre-employment checks. Kerin Health now offer pre-employment assessments locally, including spirometry, hearing and vision testing, drug and alcohol testing, plus comprehensive functional and fitness assessments. To enquire or book, contact the Kerin Health team: www.kerinhealth.com.au/corporate-services-kerinhealth

Forbes Shire Council: Got bulky items taking up space? Place them on the kerb this weekend for collection. Collections run from 4 May to 8 May, so putting items out early will help ensure they’re picked up.

Please separate items into the four accepted categories: scrap metal & whitegoods, garden organics, e‑waste and general bulky items. Total amount must be no more than 2 cubic metres.

Get your bulky waste ready for kerbside collection

Handmade For Mum

April 30, 2026 By Lorraine Everest

Last minute gift ideas for Mother’s Day.

Are you looking to buy a small home created gift for your mum this Mother’s Day? You will be able to do just that on Saturday 2 May from the Forbes Evening Branch of CWA (FEBCWA) Mother’s Day Stall in the CBD of our Forbes Community.

Members of the FEBCWA will be creating beautiful items for you to browse and purchase. There will also be tickets available for three Mother’s Day Pampering Parcels with the lucky winners being drawn on Thursday 7 May.

The contents of the pampering pack prizes have been donated and presented by the Members of the FEBCWA. The first pampering pack will contain a hand created lap quilt, while the second contains a $50 gift voucher (to be spent in Forbes) and the third contains pampering treat similar to packs 1 & 2.

Forbes Evening Branch would also like to thank all members of the community and local businesses who supported our Christmas Raffle, especially Cahills for multiple vouchers, Serendipity Studio for the donated piece of pottery, and Spok Wooldridge for his artwork. A total of 18 prizes were drawn, with all winners receiving their surprises prior to Christmas.

By Lorraine Everest Publicity Officer, FEBCWA

Llew O’Brien MP Appointed Shadow Special Envoy For Men And Boys

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

The Coalition is committed to addressing the unique issues facing men, boys and fathers, and is pleased to announce the appointment of MP Llew O’Brien as Shadow Special Envoy for Men and Boys.

Mr O’Brien said the new position was a privilege, enabling Australian men to overcome entrenched disadvantages and new and emerging challenges where men and boys are falling behind.

The announcement comes after The Nationals recently hosted a Men, Boys and Dads Forum to address the issues that are often overlooked.

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said men and boys were facing real challenges in all aspects of life, such as health, family law, education and the workforce, but too often these issues go unaddressed in the public debate.

“There are issues across all areas and all ages – men’s health doesn’t discriminate.

“It is vital men and boys can access the services they need.

“This is why the Coalition appointed Llew O’Brien as the Shadow Special Envoy for Men and Boys. Llew will be tasked with developing a comprehensive approach that ensures that our brothers, sons and dads are not left behind.”

Come Along To Parkes Fire & Rescue Open Day

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

Parkes Fire Station has been holding Open Days so long they’ve lost count, but it has been decades. Head along to 20 Hill St in Parkes this Saturday 9 May.

Parkes Fire Station will be open from 10am – 2pm on Saturday the 9th of May, with fire trucks and equipment on display for the community to check out. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet and talk to some firefighters, ask them questions and watch live demonstrations. There will be a range of free activities and fun for all including station tours, safety presentations and firefighting demonstrations.

There are 19 retained firefighters employed here at Parkes Fire Station. Retained firefighters are highly trained, professional firefighters who are on-call 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. They attend a vast range of calls every year including building and residential fires, bush/grass fires, automatic fire alarms, hazmat incidents, rescue and motor vehicle incidents and ambulance assists.

Savannah-Lee Bevan from Fire and Rescue here in Parkes said “Open Days are a lot of fun! We get to play around with our equipment, do firefighting demonstrations and enjoy a sausage sizzle. We also enjoy just being able to get out and interact with the community we serve. We get to show them what we do, provide them with all the information they need to keep themselves safe and what to do if an emergency occurs, it definitely builds a strong relationship between the community and our firefighters.”

Open Day is a great time for kids, but it’s an even better opportunity for the adults to learn first-hand how to keep safe from fire. The public are encouraged to engage our firefighters with questions about home fire safety and smoke alarms. We can even help book a free Home Fire Safety Visit from the crew here at Station 417. If you can’t make it on the day, you can still get your free safety visit by booking online at fire.nsw.gov.au/Visits.

Parkes Woman Snags $100,000 Lucky Lotteries Win

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

Thirty years after dreaming she’d one day win the lottery, a Parkes woman has experienced a string of chills down her spine after discovering she’d scored $100,000 in a recent Lucky Lotteries draw.

The Central West player held the first prize winning entry in Lucky Lotteries Super Jackpot draw 11068, drawn Monday 13 April 2026. She looks forward to $100,000.

While repeated attempts to contact the winner went unanswered, she finally checked her winning ticket three days after the draw.

Her winning entry of one random number was purchased at Parkes News & Gifts, 284 Clarinda Street, Parkes. With $100,000 soon to boost her bank account, the stunned woman had a few ideas on how she’d enjoy her prize. “I bought a house recently and it needs a lot of work done,” she shared.

Parkes News & Gifts manager Melissa Cowling shared she was thrilled a major lottery win had landed in her town. “It’s just so exciting to hear that someone in our small country town has been lucky enough to win a major prize,” she said.

Sometimes We Forget That Rest Matters Too

April 30, 2026 By Rachel Kerin

I made an impractical decision as a farmer’s wife. But I am too far in to let him know that he was right and I was wrong.

I bought a gorgeous outdoor furniture set for our verandah, with cream white cushions.

“How do you think that will stay clean?” he asked, eyeing it off as it arrived.

And so it began.

My ongoing mission to prove him wrong.

The work dogs would take full advantage of not being tied up at night, and I’d find them curled up there in the morning, their black bodies a stark contrast against the cream cushions.

But there was one kelpie I felt had earned the right to a little luxury.

Pete. He was retired, and my favourite.

He could shoot around a mob of sheep at record speed, then stand quietly while my baby sprawled all over him, using his back as a cushion.

He’d mustered goats in Queensland. Burnt his paws on hot ground moving thirsty stock closer to water. Found lambs alone

and hungry beside a creek bed. Taught pup after pup how to work. Then shared his kennel with them at night to keep them warm.

And so, I let him have his warm patch of sun on my outdoor lounge.

To sleepily gaze over hills he knew well.

The white dots of sheep he’d moved up the laneway.

The glimmer of dams he’d swum in at the end of a hot day.

At sunset, I’d often walk past the window and see a tired farmer and his trusty dog sitting together, on the outdoor lounge.

A hand gently stroking a soft ear. An easy silence.

A decade of shared moments between them.

A fading pink sky stretched above them.

Deep green hills before them.

And cushions, that used to be cream white, beneath them.

And I think there’s something in that for us too.

We are very good at admiring hard work.

Especially in the country.

We respect grit.

We notice endurance.

We get on with it.

But sometimes we forget that rest matters too.

Not because all the work is done.

But because bodies need it. Minds need it.

Hearts need it.

Sometimes health looks like movement.

Sometimes it looks like strength.

And sometimes it looks like sitting on the verandah at sunset, beside someone who knows the road you’ve walked.

And so I am learning that;Maybe wellbeing isn’t always found in doing more.

Maybe sometimes it’s found in the pause.

Let’s make room for that kind of health too.

The kind that knows real rest is not laziness,It’s part of being well.

I hope you find a moment this weekend to sit, and just be.

By Rachel Kerin

Old Girls Nursing Provide Personalised In-home Support

April 30, 2026 By Roxane Manley

Pictured in pink are Elita Coughlan and Dayle Penny from Old Girls Nursing.

Old Girls Nursing aims to provide dedicated in-home nursing and support specifically for rural clients, with a mission to deliver high quality care through a team of highly trained, professional staff.

The business was started in April 2025, by Registered Nurse Dayle Penny. Based in Eugowra, this venture began after hearing many concerns throughout the region regarding the lack of available support services.

Dayle Penny is a registered nurse of twenty years; with the bulk of her nursing completed in residential aged care/nursing homes. Aged care is a specialised field of nursing and Dayle is extremely compassionate to the elderly.

“As a small business, we truly feel that we can make a positive impact by providing dedicated and personalised support.

We are committed to ensuring our clients receive the professional support, assistance and care the need, within the comfort of their own home,” said Dayle.

Elita Coughlan has worked in the aged care and NDIS sector for only a few years but finds it extremely rewarding.

“Aged care, NDIS and mental health support has been a very rewarding career choice emotionally. We have absolutely amazing clients and I love being able to help people as a job,” said Elita.

Old Girl Nursing services include medication management, complex clinical care, wound care, diabetes management, and support for those living with dementia, age related illnesses, behavioral challenges and mental health conditions.

They also provide respite care, giving families and carers peace of mind while ensuring their loved ones receive atten

tive, high-quality support and care. Support services extend to transport to and from appointments or social outings, domestic assistance, and personal care such as showering and toiletingContact Old Girls Nursing to discuss how they can help you. Call Dayle Penny RN 0425 411 122, Elita Coughlan 0423 910 011 or email oldgirlsnursing@gmail.com

Roxane Manley

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