Roxane Manley

The Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship is proud to announce the launch of its fourth annual program. The initiative from Façon Australia, proudly supported by Greater Bank, is dedicated to empowering emerging Indigenous creatives who are passionate about sharing their stories through diverse creative mediums.

Greater Bank will again award one out­standing recipient $10,000 to support their creative journey. For the second consecu­tive year, Greater Bank will also recognise the remaining eight finalists with $1,000 each.

All nine finalists will also receive invalua­ble mentorship from industry leaders across a wide range of creative disciplines, includ­ing writing, fashion design, accessory de­sign, art, music, dance, digital art, film and photography.

In 2026, the initiative is also proudly sup­ported by Orica, Regional Development Australia (Hunter) and Reconciliation NSW.

The Indigenous Storytellers Scholarship is open to Indigenous applicants aged 16 years and over, residing in NSW.

Applications close 7 May 2026, with the successful recipient announced at a special NAIDOC Week event on 9 July 2026. For full application details, visit Façon Maga­zine at www.faconaustralia.com/apply/ and Greater Bank at www.greater.com.au.

Parkes Shire Council’s Grants Team is in­viting all community groups and sporting clubs across Parkes Shire to attend a free Grants Information Session to help organi­sations strengthen their grant applications and unlock funding for current or future projects.

The session will be held on Thursday, 12 March from 6.00pm to 8.00pm in the large meeting room at the Parkes Shire Library, with supper provided.

This practical and interactive session will cover the key do’s and don’ts of grant ap­plications, provide insider tips from Coun­cil’s Grants Team, and give participants the chance to ask questions about their own projects and funding ideas that they might have.

Council’s Grants Team said the session is a valuable opportunity for groups who may be new to grants, as well as those wanting to improve their success rate.

“There are many grant funding opportu­nities available for community and sporting projects, but many groups miss out simply because they don’t apply or don’t know where to start.

“This session will give local organisa­tions the tools and confidence they need to put in strong applications and compete for funding.”

The information session is open to all not-for-profit community organisations, vol­unteer groups and sporting clubs in Parkes Shire. Council encourages all community groups and sports clubs to take advantage of this free opportunity to build skills, ask questions and improve their chances of se­curing future funding.

Those who attend the session will learn where to find current and upcoming grant opportunities, what makes a strong grant application, common mistakes to avoid, how to clearly describe their project and community benefit and how Council’s Grants Team can support them through­out the process. Anyone who is wishing to attend the Grants Information Session is asked to RSVP by Monday, 10 March by emailing grants@parkes.nsw.gov.au.

One of QantasLink’s Fokker F100 jet aircraft has begun a new chapter, with the airline donating the retired aircraft to the Histori­cal Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in Parkes.

The aircraft completed its final flight from Perth to Parkes, via Kalgoorlie, on Tuesday 10 February, where it will now become a tourist attraction at the HARS Museum. It will help showcase regional aviation to visi­tors from around the country.

HARS President and Chief Pilot Bob De La Hunty said “This generous donation from QantasLink will enable hands-on aviation learning experiences for students and visi­tors, while supporting our broader vision for a world-class regional aviation museum.”

HARS is recognised as a major aviation and tourism attraction, and the addition of the QantasLink F100 is expected to further strengthen its collection and support grow­ing interest in regional NSW.

HARS in Parkes is also on the lookout for volunteers. “A lot is happening with a new site, and new planes, we need tour guides.

Come and talk to us if you’re interested in donating your time to preserve aviation history, we need volunteers to guide tours and help restore displays.” said Bob De La Hunty.

The 1000th premises in Parkes recently upgraded to full fibre via nbn Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and in Peak Hill more than 250 homes and businesses have recently become eligible to upgrade to nbn full fibre.

Upgrading to full fibre can enable access to a faster, more reliable nbn broadband service, delivering a range of benefits, in­cluding smoother, higher-resolution video calls, enhanced streaming, faster down­loads, and the ability to connect more de­vices simultaneously.

In Australia, data demand and usage have doubled in the last five years, with the aver­age household consuming 443 gigabytes per month across 22 internet-connected devices.

Marg Applebee, Central West Lachlan Landcare said “With more and more health and community services accessible online, it’s really important for community members across the Parkes and Forbes region to en­sure they are optimally connected at home.

This means being on the best technology available, on a suitable plan and with the right in-home set-up.”

“Being able to access health services and stay in touch with friends and family online are new, but important, ways to do this. Es­pecially for our older residents who can feel more isolated at times”

Come and talk with nbn local at:

• Forbes Crop Swap, Saturday 21 February 2026 between 8am and 10am, Riverside Garden, 59-71 Reymond St, Forbes

• Trundle From Country to Community, Saturday 21 February, between 10.30am and 12:30pm, Trundle Children’s Centre, 1 Railway Parade, Trundle

• Peak Hill Community Garden Open Day, Saturday 21 February, from 12.30pm, Peak Hill Community Garden, 93 Caswell St, Peak Hill

• Homegrown Parkes, 21 March, 9am – 2pm, Cooke Park,158-176 Clarinda Street, Parkes