Parkes resident Betty Somers has been named the 2019 Orange Electorate Woman of the Year for her outstanding services to the community. She received the award in the presence of more than 30 family members and friends at the Parkes Shire Council last week as part of the NSW Women of the Year Awards.

“Betty Somers is a woman who has impressed myself and many others with her exceptional level of dedication to her community, volunteering in various roles virtually every day of the week for many years,” said Member for Orange Phil Donato.

“She possesses that rare quality of an endless capacity to reach out to help people in her community; whether it be to
provide bereavement support through her training in pastoral care, or by delivering meals as part of the Meals on Wheels program for the past 33 years.”

Betty also visits frail and elderly residents, and regularly performs pastoral care services at the Southern Cross aged care facility.

Parkes Mayor Ken Keith, who has known Betty since childhood, said he could not think of a more worthy recipient in Parkes. Betty, in her true humble demeanour, said she was left speechless with the recognition. “I am very overcome by the award.”

She thanked everyone who has supported her on her journey of faith since early childhood. Betty’s daughter-in-law Lindy Tanswell said it was a very fitting award for a person who feels like her own mum. “I am very honoured to be part of the family.”

By Maggi Barnard

If you are after some thrill and excitement this weekend, the third Steve Magill Earthmoving Parkes Rodeo Stampede at the Parkes Showgrounds is on a trajectory to provide even more knock out performances than before.

In March 2017 the event produced one of the greatest wrecks in International Rodeo Clown Matt Darmody’s 15-year career when the veteran bullfighter was flung in the air by one of the meanest bulls on the rodeo circuit. Last year the explosive performance of “Walter Whip and the Flames” lit up the arena in a fire cracking spectacular.

For tomorrow night’s spectacular Zac Maher has warmed up the feature bull “ONSLAUT” from the L and M Rodeo Company and is on fire coming to Parkes. Troy Cross is another star on the comeback trail and has pocketed almost $10,000 since Christmas making him arguably the hottest bull rider on the circuit at the moment.

He will be hungry for another win. The committee has worked on improving the event with more food, better seating
and extra entertainment. Bring your camera to catch the Trick Riders from Tamworth. The event is the last rodeo in the Southern Zone before the finals, and set to be a huge draw card for the top cowboys and cowgirls chasing championship points and will include: Saddle Bronc Riding, the original rodeo event; Bareback Bronc riding the suicide event of rodeo; Bull Riding, the only event a cowboy can earn over one million dollars a year; and Ladies Barrel Racing, introducing the ladies of the professional rodeo.

Parkes will be home to a new and game changing initiative as the Parkes Special Activation Precinct moves forward to the community consultation and on-the-ground studies phase.

This progress from concept to detailed land-use studies and community consultation will be part of a master plan for the precinct. NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro visited Pacific National’s $35 million development at the Parkes National Logistics Hub to celebrate the progress on the state’s very first Special
Activation Precinct.

“In just a few months since we announced this initiative, we have developed a strong strategic business case and invested millions for enabling infrastructure that will support the continued development of Parkes as an inland freight port,” said the Deputy Premier.

“With the Inland Rail coming, we have to seize the opportunity to grow smart businesses in freight and logistics, agriculture and agricultural products, manufacturing and services.”

Parkes Shire Councillor Alan Ward said the Parkes Special Activation Precinct and inland port would attract further major employers, driving the regional economy and creating jobs across the Central West and neighbouring regions.

“It opens up the opportunity for the Central West to access higher value markets, enabling farmers to be price makers, not price takers, which is especially important during challenging times such as the current drought.”

He encouraged the local community and landholders to be part of the next phase’s  community consultation which will include face to face meetings and public information sessions in coming weeks.

Pacific National Director of Corporate Affairs Andrew Huckel welcomed the announcement saying Parkes might be known as the Elvis capital of Australia, but in the future it would also be known in freight circles as the Memphis Down Under.

“Companies like Pacific National will have the added investment confidence to help create the largest freight and logistics precinct in inland regional Australia; akin to the major freight hub of Memphis in the interior of the United States of America.”

He said the precinct was a ‘tripling down’ of great ideas. “The first was Parkes Shire Council’s concept of a National Logistics Hub; the second great idea was the Australian Government’s $10 billion Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail project; and the third was the NSW Government’s Special Activation Precinct.”

The Parkes Special Activation Precinct will be funded as part of the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund, which the NSW Government established with funding received from the sale of the Snowy Hydro Scheme to the Commonwealth.

Who would have thought that some of the excitement of 1969 would reverberate in a paddock outside Parkes 50 years later? This week the Parkes Radio Observatory Visitors Discovery Centre fittingly started a year of celebrations with a big birthday cake for its 50th anniversary.

According to Operations Scientist John Sarkissian’s calculations the centre has handled more than five million visitors, making it not only the biggest tourist attraction in Parkes, but also the number one point of contact with the public in the CSIRO.

The year 1969 was marked by milestone events like the final public performance of the Beatles, the first flight of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet and the Concord, the launch of Apollo 9 and the moon landing, but it also saw incredible public interest in the Parkes Radio Telescope following the ABC program Astronomers of Parkes.

“People started pouring in wanting to have a look around until 6,000 visitors arrived for an open day,” said John. After some lobbying, the visitors centre was built at a cost of $50,000 and officially opened by the Science and Education Minister, Malcolm Fraser on 14 February 1969.

Visitors numbers continued to climb and sky rocketed after the release of the popular movie The Dish with numbers peaking in 2003 with 138,000 per year. The centre was upgraded in 2001 with Roy Billing, who played the Mayor of Parkes in The Dish, and the real Mayor, Robert Wilson doing the honours at the opening.

It is not only in Parkes that The Dish has become an icon. Director of Telescope Operations John Reynolds said the most successful scientific instrument ever built in Australia had been featured on banknotes and even rego stickers.

“Fifty years later it is still punching above its weight, and that is where the visitors centre comes in. It is the reason everyone knows about the telescope.”

John praised the staff saying it was easy to underestimate their importance. He said they had made the centre unclosable and encouraged them to continue their great science outreach.

On 20th and 21st July this year the visitors centre will once again feature with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moonlanding with an open weekend at the Parkes Radio Telescope.

Street Libraries have been popping up all over Australia for a number of years, and last Friday a Parkes resident ensured our town joined the movement.

Daniel Greef built a beautiful home for books and installed Parkes’ very first Street Library at the Presbyterian Church where it is accessible from the street to share the joys of reading with the community. Daniel said he got the idea from his parents who started one at their home in Sydney. “As I don’t live in town, I had to find a place to put it.”

As a member of the Presbyterian congregation, Rev Craig Bland welcomed the idea when Daniel asked him for space. Daniel constructed a beautiful little home for the books and bolted it to the boundary wall of the church on the corner of Gap and Hill Streets last Friday.

“It is a great idea,” said Craig, “and the interest in it already shows there has been a need for this in the community.”

Daniel said he put in 10 books initially and within a few days it had been filled to capacity. He has also received very positive feedback from residents commenting on what a good idea it is.

The idea is that anyone can take books, or put books in. “Anything is welcome from fiction to non-fiction and children’s books.”

He encouraged people to drop by regularly to see what’s new. He would also be happy if other Street Libraries pop up elsewhere in Parkes.

The message of the importance of a caring community by the Australia Day Ambassador in Cooke Park last Saturday touched the crowd of more than 300 people deeply. “We as a community have to be courageous and willing to care and support each other,” said Allan Sparkes. “We need to rebuild and strengthen that core of being Australian and do whatever we can to help a mate no matter what and to never give up.

That is what being Australian is all about.” Allan, who grew up in Cumnock, said as the Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW it broke his heart to see so many people struggling psychological health issues, especially farmers during times of drought.

He and Deputy Mayor Barbara Newton have agreed on a plan that he would return to Parkes to educate the community, “especially men, on what to do to regain mental health. The more we care, the stronger we will make our community, our society and our nation.”

As Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in his message: “Communities may be built of bricks and mortar, roads and footpaths, shops and services and other vital infrastructure, but what really builds them up, what really makes them grow and thrive is the selfless work of their people”, it was clear the Parkes Shire community was no exception.

The services of three residents of the shire were recognised with Order of Australia (OAM) awards, while Pat Bailey and Emelina Lavaka were named Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year respectively. All the award recipients agreed it came as a big surprise and they felt very honoured.

“I am honoured, humbled and sad,” said Ellie Hetherington OAM, “as it should’ve had my husband’s name on it too. I could not have done it without him.” Ellie was recognised for service to the community and founding ‘Ellie’s Plants for Charity’ in 2011, raising thousands of dollars for CanAssist.

“It was never meant to be that big. I was just trying to fulfil my sister’s request. The community has been so good to me and supported me so much.”

For 91-year-old May Collier of Trundle “it is more an award for the community. I have been in this community for 90 years and had lots of opportunities to help,” said May, who is still active with whatever she can do.

“We have a wonderful and supportive community and I am very fortunate to be part of it.” May was also named Trundle’s Citizen of the Year. John Pizarro OAM, said he never ever expected to receive such an honour in his life. “It is just amazing although I don’t think I deserve it, but will take it! John was recognised for his service to motor sports since the 1970s.

Citizen of the Year Pat Bailey said the highlight of the more than 23 years of volunteering for CanAssist was the achievement of bringing chemo therapy to Parkes in 1999/2000 after starting a petition for it. “Patients had to travel to Orange and now with the new hospital we have two Oncology nurses in Parkes twice a week.”

The award is a big honour for Pat, “but I do not volunteer to win awards, I do it to help other people. She said the most rewarding part was knowing she had helped people.”

As school captain of Parkes High last year, Emeline initiated and organised many projects and events to raise awareness and funds for good causes. She felt very proud of her award.

By Maggi Barnard

Northparkes Mines started the year with good news announcing the approval of a new block cave mine with an investment of more than $200 million and creating 180 new jobs. Construction of the three-and-half year project will start this month with full production expected in mid-2022 delivering approximately 40Mt of ore over a 10-year
period.

China Molybdenum Company (CMOC) and Sumitomo made the announcement saying the new block cave mine, called E26 Lift 1 North (E26L1N), will be an 11km underground development including an underground primary crusher, conveying systems and associated infrastructure.

The 180 people employed at the peak of construction will be a mixture of employees and contractors. “We are really excited to see this project come to fruition and to watch Northparkes continue to develop and grow,” said Executive
Chairman and CEO, CMOC Group, Steele Li.

The project, covered by the current project approvals, licences and permits, will see an upgrade to the ventilation system to provide the new mine with sufficient air flow for development and production activities. The E26L1N operation will be designed to utilise an increased level of automation and digitisation, helping to deliver a safer and more productive mine.

Northparkes Acting Managing Director Hubert Lehman said: “Northparkes is the world’s most automated underground block-cave mine. This is a major investment in the future. The mine has been operating for 24 years and we have a vision of a century of mining and continuing to contribute to the local community.”

In April 1957 Elvis Presley’s song All Shook Up topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks. Sixty-two years later Parkes is going to be All Shook Up for five days in a celebration of the 50s at the 27th Parkes Elvis Festival.

“Every year we aim to make the festival bigger and better, and we have done it again with over 200 events,” said Parkes Elvis Festival Director, Cathy Treasure of the festival that more than doubles the population of Parkes from 12,000 to 26,500.

First time festival goers and repeat visitors can look forward to all the favourite features of the festival, but also a long list of new events and highlights. These include more dancing in the street, a special Kombi display, international star Francine Bell at the Gospel Service, more fan interaction workshops, a dance workshop for
kids by former Yellow Wiggle Greg Page, a special tribute concert for Phil Emmanuel, and more free shows in Cooke Park.

“We are very excited to have Ted Torres Martin from the US as our feature artist, doing four different concerts,” said Cathy. Iconic Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist Russell Morris is The Wall of Fame recipient this year – a very fitting tribute in the year of the 50th anniversary of the moon 237 Clarinda St Parkes NSW  landing as his 1969 hit The Real Thing was the theme song for The Dish movie.

The Parkes Elvis Festival has been recognised with a string of awards over the years, but entered new territory last
November being inducted into the Hall of Fame of the NSW Tourism Awards after winning the best festival in NSW award for the third consecutive year.

Whether you have dancing shoes or not, this festival is one where ‘you’ll be in love… you’ll be All Shook Up at the 2019 Parkes Elvis Festival!

By Maggi Barnard

Parkes Christian School is celebrating its most successful HSC results to date. In just the fourth year of delivering the
HSC, the school is very proud of the results achieved by their 2018 cohort. Students achieved Band 5 and 6 results in Advanced and Extension English, Biology, Business Studies, Community and Family Studies, Design and Technology, Modern History and German Continuers.

Emma Greenland capped off a year to remember when she received her ATAR of 90.95 last Friday. Emma, named High School Dux and Best All-Rounder at the school’s Presentation Night, received a Band 6 in Community and Family Studies, and Biology. She also achieved Band 5 in Modern History and German Continuers, and Advanced English, which she completed as an accelerated student in 2017. Emma will be able to gain direct entry into a Speech Pathology Course in Sydney next year.

Elly Collins also achieved outstanding results in Design and Technology and English Extension 1, in which she received 40/50 in an extremely demanding and academic course. Elly will undertake an Occupational Therapy degree in Port Macquarie, which she had already gained entry to through the Schools Recommendation Scheme.

Madelynne Capple achieved a Band 5 in Business Studies and will enter the International College of Management on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in 2019.

High School Coordinator Greg Ballantyne was thrilled with the results. “Every student who applied for early entry to university received an offer, maintaining our 100% record over the past four years. We are really pleased for Emma, but the rest of the group have also done extremely well and have bright futures ahead of them.”

“I’m most pleased that every student seemed to be very happy throughout their HSC, enjoyed being at school, had time to pursue other interests and hobbies, and learned a lot about being people of good character and integrity. These are the things that will stay with them throughout their lives.”