General Interest Archives - Page 141 of 352

Speedway Exhibit A Car Lover’s Dream

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles owner Peter Champion with the VE-VC 30th anniversary vehicle that will be on show at the Speedway Exhibition.

Car enthusiasts cannot afford to miss this year’s Speedway Exhibition at the Parkes Elvis Festival featuring 40 iconic and prestigious cars at the former Broderick’s car yard in Clarinda Street.

Inspired by this year’s Speedway theme, a diverse blend of unique cars have been brought together for the first time ever. Sharing the showroom floor will be a rare collection of Holden Dealer Team (HDT) special vehicles, special Commodore builds, the Anniversary Edition Commodores together with group A cars and a 1980 Peter Brock Marlborough Holden Dealer Team race car.

The exhibition will also see the official unveiling of the 2015VF “Blue Meanies” in sedan, wagon and ute configuration based on the 1985 HDT VK Commodore SS Group A ‘Blue Meanie’ released by Peter Brock and the HDT.

The range racing cars will include the 1977 Brian Burt and 1978 Everlast Ford XC Coupes, an Alan Moffat Tribute Ford Mustang and Peter O Donnell’s BMW 335i which has completed more laps of the famous Bathurst track than any other car.

The list also includes a Porsche 911 GT3, MK1 Ford GT40 and 1965 Shelby Cobra along with NASCARs and a range of speedway cars. As if that isn’t enough to whet your appetite, the feast of horsepower continues with a 327 HK Bathurst Monaro, a VL Walkenshaw Commodore and other powerful cars to get your motor revving.

To further enhance the racing experience, a state-of-the-art virtual reality racing car simulator, as used by professional drivers around the world, will get your adrenaline pumping as you try to be the King of the track.

The display will also include racing memorabilia such as bonnets from various racing cars, racing suits and a diverse selection of intriguing and fascinating collectables.

The Speedway Exhibition official launch at 11am on Wednesday, 20th April is open to everybody where you’ll hear from owner of Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles, Peter Champion who will share some thoughts on the cars and launch of the Blue Meanie Trilogy.

Exhibit Includes Official Unveiling Of Blue Meanies

The HDT VC race car will also be on display at the Speedway Exhibition at this year’s Parkes Elvis Festival. The exhibition, to be held in the former Broderick’s car yard in Clarinda Street, is sponsored by the Bogan Gate Pub, and funded by the NSW Government. The exhibition will run from Wednesday, 20th April to Sunday, 24th April from 9am to 5pm with free entry. Everyone is invited to attend the official launch at 11am on Wednesday, 20th April where you’ll hear from owner of Holden Driving Team Special Vehicles, Peter Champion. He will share some thoughts on the cars and launch of the Blue Meanie Tril-

Massive Sink Hole Stops Trains Over Blue Mountains

March 25, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A 16-metre-deep sink hole is being filled in as part of works to repair and reopen the critical western rail freight line.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway visited Leura on Tuesday for an update on repair works.

“The Blue Mountains rail line is a critical freight corridor linking east with west so the Transport for NSW (TfNSW) team has been working 24/7 to get the line reopened,” Sam said.

“The extent of weather damage across hundreds of metres of track, culminating in the 16-metre sink hole, is staggering.Ballast and the track base underneath was washed away, and a culvert was damaged close to the Great Western Highway.”

“TfNSW and Sydney Trains have had to effectively rebuild the entire section of track, while filling in the sink hole and ensuring the area is stable for trains to run on.

More than 500 tonnes of debris have been removed with almost 200 staff using 53 items of heavy machinery. The line is expected to open to freight tomorrow, and to limited diesel-powered regional passenger trains such as the XPT, Bathurst Bullet, Dubbo and Broken Hill services on Monday, 28th March.

“As the electrical services are still out, the intercity fleet are expected to be back online on Friday, 8th April.”

“I have been meeting frequently with the freight industry and know how critical this route is as part of their supply chains to deliver the primary products like food, minerals and coal to the industries that rely on them.

“I thank the freight industry for its patience and collaboration during this difficult time,” Sam said.

The Blue Mountains Line is currently closed between Emu Plains and Lithgow.

‘Rally’ Behind Cars In Support Of Prostate Cancer Regional Nurses

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Warren Briggs in his Ford Mustang taking part in a previous rally. The Mustang will be on display in Clarinda Street next Friday. (Photo: Classic Outback Trial website)

Parkes is going to be the focal point of the 2022 Classic Outback Rally with about 60 cars rolling into town from Thursday next week with plenty of opportunities for the public the view the cars.

Not only will the seven-day rally officially start in Parkes, but the participants will support the Parkes Prostate Cancer Awareness and Support Group (PPCASG) to help them bring a dedicated prostate cancer nurse to Parkes and the region.

The support group members will be outside Discount Dave’s most of next week raising funds, and on Friday the Ford Mustang of famous rally driver Warren Briggs will be parked in Clarinda Street from 10am to 2pm. Members of the public making a donation will go in the draw to be a passenger in the Ford Mustang with Warren Briggs or Matt Dillon behind the wheel for a spin around Parkes on Saturday afternoon.

Chairperson of PPCASG Michael Lynch said the prostate care nurses helped to diagnose and provide expert information and support for the whole family. “At the moment we have to travel to see one of these nurses.”

On Saturday, 26th March the competitors will line up in Short Street beside Cooke Park from 11:30am. After a drivers briefing at 12pm in the Leagues Club, Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keity will flag them off at 1pm for a test run outside Parkes before the official start of the rally on Sunday morning at 8am from Church Street at the corner with Clarinda Street.

Pete O’Donnel from Spinifex Recruiting will be making a donation to the PPCASG, and in turn the group will make a donation to the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia Jim Lloyd, who will be in Parkes for the event.

This is a great opportunity to experience what might be the last Classic Outback Rally, and to support a good cause.

Art Inspired By Sounds Of Central West

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A still image of Stephan de Wit’s animation. He did a 3D scan of himself for the animation.

A digital artist from Parkes has been included in the Arts OutWest showcase of some of the Central West’s most exciting visual artists as they each responded to the sounds of the region.

Stephan de Wit created a 40 second animation loop for the song ‘Not together, just breathe’ on the compilation album called While the World Waits commissioned by Arts OutWest last year.

Fifteen Central West songwriters, including Gracey Denham-Jones from Parkes, each wrote a track reflecting their experiences of 2020 for the album. “Then we opened the conversation up to visual artists to see what they were feeling,” said exhibition curator, Arts OutWest’s Steven Cavanagh.

Stephan started his career as a music composer and sound designer, creating songs and film scores. He has won many international awards for his work including best original score at the IWFF awards in Montana, USA. Expanding into visual art in 2017, he now works on audio visual projects using site responsive projection mapping to create interactive digital art.

“The last two years have been tough and loss of work ran right across all artforms. We wanted to help by creating opportunities for those most affected,” said Steven.

The first leg of a 12-month regional tour for the While the World Waits Exhibition opens in Bathurst tomorrow, and it will come to Parkes in March next year.

The exhibition includes works across all mediums from painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics, moving image, animation, photography to glass and textiles. The other artists are: Bridget Thomas, Gemma Clipsham, Heather Dunn, Timothy Seager and Henry Simmons and the River Yarners from Bathurst, Heather Vallance, Hugh McKinnon and Jane Tonks from Orange, Cate McCarthy (Yetholme), Gus Armstrong (Rylstone), Harrie Fasher (Portland), Helen Carpenter (Grenfell), Laura Baker (Blayney), Lise Edwards (Lithgow), Robert Hirschmann (Portland), Shani Nottingham (Cowra), Aleshia Lonsdale (Mudgee), Steven Cavanagh (Hill End) and Christine McMillan (Kandos).

Babies, Books And Brains

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

QUE Club members learned about how a baby’s brain grows in utero, and then continues to grow rapidly during the first three to four years of life.

In her presentation to our club’s monthly meeting the Executive Director of Paint the Town REaD (PTTR) Barbie Bates OAM said the first 1,000 days of a child’s life shaped their development and wellbeing. The biggest growth of a baby’s brain is from birth to 12 months/2yrs old.

Barbie said that was why reading, talking, singing, drawing, playing with children every day from birth supported their early brain development and prepared them for reading and writing at school.

Barbie reminded us that the birthplace of Paint the Town REaD was in Parkes, and that there were amazing developments and initiatives which continued to spread the word, for example: This year it is expected that 100 towns in all six states will participate in Paint the Town REaD; ‘Books for Bubs in Preemie Wards’ – so parents, who can’t hold their preemie, can read to their baby and establish a bond; Chief Inspector of Blacktown Police station places pre-loved books in the waiting room and in every patrol car because he noticed this helped children’s stress levels drop; a study at Western Sydney University had second trimester mums read a book to their babies for a week, they then placed a foetal heart monitor on while the mums read a different book, and they found the heart rate increased. In utero, babies react!

Our QUE Club continues to provide new books to every newborn baby in Parkes. We also contribute annually to early childhood development by supporting hearing and speech assessments. Several local schools have better learning environments because of the Soundfield systems we have donated to school classrooms.

By Lynn Rogers

Free Mental Health First Aid Courses

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes Rotary Club will be sponsoring free Mental Health First Aid Courses at Parkes, Forbes and Tullamore over the next two months.

The courses teach people simple, practical first aid skills for helping someone who is experiencing mental health problems, and will be presented by Phil Worrad, Rural Mental Health Coordinator for the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program.

Participants will learn the signs and symptoms of common and disabling mental health issues in adults, how to provide initial help, where and how to get professional help, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation. It will cover topics such as depression, anxiety, suicidality, psychosis and the misuse of drugs and alcohol.

“Drought, floods, mice plagues, bushfires and now the rising cost of living are having a severe impact on the mental health of rural communities,” said Robert Shore, President of Parkes Rotary. “There is a need for courses like these so people can continue helping each other.

“I have spoken to people who have done this course previously and they all say it is excellent,” he said. “One teacher said it was the best, most useful professional development she has ever done.”

According to Robert the course is educational in learning how to assist others as a first responder, and not a therapeutic or support group.

Each course is run over two days, from 9am to 4 pm and is open to community members over 18 years of age.

The Rotary Club was successful in gaining a grant from the Rotary Drought Relief scheme to run the courses in Parkes on 2nd and 3rd April, Forbes on 7th and 8th May, and in Tullamore on 21st and 22nd May.

To register ring Robert on 0427 627244 or see Charlie at the Parkes Coffee Pot.

‘Saddle Up’ For Some Local History

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

A new home for the 92-year-old saddle with (L-R) Cherie Job, President of the Parkes & District Historical Society Bruce Hall, Ross Job and Nola Hando holding the original stirrups.

A 92-year-old saddle owned by a former president of the Goobang Shire has been returned to Parkes and donated to the Henry Parkes Museum.

James Ernest Job, known as Jim, was born in Molong in 1892. He married Dolly and they farmed Maroomba until 1950 when they sold it to Eric Job and retired in Peak Hill.

Jim bought a Hills patent saddle by PJ Talley from Cunningham Sydney that was made on 2nd June 1930. He bought the saddle for about 36 pounds, according to Jim’s grandson Ross Job.

Ross and Cherie Job from Ebenezer visited Parkes last week to donate the saddle to the Henry Parkes Museum where it will go on exhibition.

According to Ross another two saddles were made on the exact same day. The one was owned by Smokey Dawson and is on exhibition in the Longreach Hall of Fame, and the second one is in the Normington Museum.

Ross inherited the saddle from his father Hilton Job in 1963. He said he used it almost every day for about 20 years for campdrafting. In 1988 he took part in the bicentennial ride for about three weeks from Warwick over the Great Dividing Range to Towoomba.

Also present at the donation of the saddle to the museum was Nola Hando from Parkes. She is Jim’s daughter and Ross is her nephew. The saddle is two years older than Nola, and she can remember doing lots of horse riding on the farm as a child.

She said her father was associated with many committees over the years. Apart from being president of the Goobang Shire (now the Parkes Shire Council), he was also president of the Mungery School and the Peak Hill Show, volunteered for the bush fire brigade, served on the Farmers Settlers Association, and was a life member of the NSW Trot Club, Western District Trot Association and Peak Hill Trot Club.

‘Overture’ Celebrates Modern Pop And Musical Theatre

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

REHEARSAL… Music Director Nicholas Gentile and UpStage Australia Director Jessica Westcott (at piano) at Sunday’s choir rehearsal for Overture. Nicholas will be conducting a 40-piece orchestra made up of professional and student musicians, as well as a massed choir of 150 choristers, featuring children and adults from across the Central West.

When an overture begins, the actors take their places and wait for the curtain to rise.
It is almost time for the curtain rise for the majestic Overture event on 2nd April at the Cooke Park Pavilion in Parkes when Australia’s top performers will be on stage with local talent for a night of unforgettable entertainment.

And no, it is not going to be a night of opera. “We are catering for all tastes,” said producer Harriet Snaith at the choir rehearsal on Sunday.

“The program includes one aria and the rest ranges from modern pop to musical theatre, and includes songs from Frozen, Shrek, Phantom of the Opera, a Mama Mia medley, The Sound of Music, Wicked and more.”

It is also the perfect opportunity to use your Dine & Discover vouchers for a night out to celebrate the other side of the pandemic in a COVID-safe environment.

“We would like to make it our ‘Day on the Green’ event”, said Cr Neil Westcott. “We hope this event would set Parkes up as a wonderful place for entertainment in the region. So, bring your picnic rug, food and drink and enjoy an amazing evening with the family.”

Come and support local talent with junior performers Amy Ross and Lexi Herden in leading roles sharing the stage with top Australian stars Lucy Durack and Josh Piterman, and two singers from Grenfell and Bathurst.

By Maggi Barnard

Free Acting and Dancing Workshops In Parkes

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

Members of the Parkes Community Choir, Don Orr and Malcolm Westcott at Sunday’s rehearsal at the Cooke Park Pavilion. (Photo: Robert Shore)

Some of the country’s top tutors and professionals in singing, drama, music and dance will be in Parkes and Orange over the next two weekends to conduct free workshops in the lead up to Overture on 2nd April.

The workshops are presented by UpStage Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to create links between metropolitan and regional young artists. UpStage Australia have partnered with Parkes Shire Council to deliver the concert, and workshops.

“We encourage anyone who has a creative bone in their body to use this as an opportunity to up skill, discover and be inspired,” said UpStage Australia Director Jessica Westcott.

Brad Carter from the Sydney Dance Company will bring his wealth of skill and expertise to Parkes next weekend for four workshops at the Parkes School of Dance. The workshops focus on Industry Dance (15 and up), Junior Dance (8 – 14), open adult dance (16 and up), and Dance Teacher Professional Development Seminar.

At the same time there will be four workshops at the Cooke Park Pavilion with Manon Gunderson-Briggs and Estevan Martin to introduce and improve acting skills for all ages. The workshops are Junior Improve (11 and under), Introduction to Acting (12+), Acting for Teens (13 – 19) and Open Acting for Adults (18+).

For more information and registration go to https://upstageaustralia.com.au/workshop/

Trundle School At Front of Donation ‘Que’

March 18, 2022 By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes QUE Club donated a Digimaster 5000 Soundfield speaker with tripods and Roger touchscreen microphone transmitter to Trundle Central School. It will benefit every child in the classroom by providing an even distribution of sound between the speaker and the children. The teacher’s voice will be audible over any background noise, and it will assist children with impaired hearing. Assistant Principal Fiona Sanderson (left) received the donation from QUE members Colleen Mitchell, Kay Craft and Lyndall Bowen. If you would like to be involved in community service, join the QUE! Contact QUE on Facebook or email parkesqueclub@gmail.com.

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