Pet owners in Australia and across the world now have the opportunity to buy premium pet food made in Parkes at the very first business to open its doors in the Special Activation Precinct (SAP).

The $82 million state-of-the-art Pet Care Kitchen manufacturing facility, officially opened last Wednesday, uses the latest technology and up to 50% locally sourced ingredients within a 200km radius to produce premium Black Hawk kibble.

“Partnerships with local farmers will ensure crops are grown to the company’s exacting specifications and provide primary producers a guaranteed market for their product,” said EBOS Group Chief Executive Officer John Cullity.

 The pet food bags, ranging from 400g to 25kg, all bear the inscription “Proudly made in Parkes, NSW Australia” in the top right hand corner. “These bags are incredible, and it means wherever the pet food is sold a bit of Parkes is going right across the country and the world,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole, at the opening.

The very large and complex project, measuring 12,800 square metres, took over four years to build with all the challenges of the COVID pandemic, and employs 60 people from Parkes and the region and is in production 24 hours per day, five days per week.

“We will take thousands of trucks off the roads as we leverage the benefits of Parkes and its rail hub to move our pet food to all parts of Australia and other parts of the world,” said John.

For the Mayor of Parkes Shire Cr Ken Keith OAM the opening of the pet food facility is a significant milestone for the Parkes SAP and a very exciting time for Parkes. 

“This is the start of a new era for the region. The SAP will ensure that Parkes continues to boast a strong diverse economy and will create jobs and opportunities for the whole region when completed, particularly efficiently linking agricultural value-added products to world markets.” 

NORTHERN GATEWAY PRECINCT

Work on the game changing Northern Gateway Precinct is also kicking off, which will connect the Parkes SAP to the town centre and the Newell Highway. The Stevens Group will invest $18 million to develop the project that will create hundreds of jobs during construction. “The 20-hectare Northern Gateway will include a new highway service centre, as well as a future commercial and business park,” said Paul Toole. 

Parkes Mayor said the connecting road from the bypass to the CBD presented an opportunity for Parkes to tempt them to turn at the large round-about and spend time and money in town.

The ever expanding inland public art trail of Sculpture Down the Lachlan is becoming the focal point of the region’s arts and culture and the addition of the 22nd sculpture has added yet another dimension to this unique experience.

Within – Without (Of Land and Spirit) by Greg Johns uses interlinking geometric shapes to represent the patterns formed in nature, and the interconnection that exists between them. The 5m high geometric piece, located on Marsden Road in the Lachlan Shire, speaks of nature’s micromacro links and the importance of respecting and protecting them.

“When links are broken, such as the extinction of particular flora or fauna, the whole system becomes vulnerable and can ultimately collapse,” said sculptor Greg Johns. Greg used hundreds of solid 25mm mild steel unites, each cut from solid steel plate in collaboration with boilermaker Darryl McFarlane of Demill Engineering.

The 5m high pod, formed from open hexagonal units, offers vastly different patterns when viewed from different angles. “The public can see through the form to the surrounding landscape, and this conection to the surrounding landscape is important,” Greg said.

“When you move around the sculpture, which continually changes visually, a negative figure suddenly appears from one angle. The intended implication of the organic pod form is of a protective spirit. A deep, profound guardianship of place as a priority is a message this sculpture hopefully conveys.”

Forbes Arts Society Chairperson Trudy Mallick said the sculpture’s connection to the landscape was complementary to the theme of environmental sustainability that spans across the 100km trail.

For more information about the project, visit www.forbesartssociety.com.