The state’s peak business organisation Business NSW says that while businesses have shown resilience and optimism in the face of COVID-19, this confidence can be quickly eroded by lockdowns and border closures.

“In our December Business Conditions Survey, NSW businesses said they were turning the corner following the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Business NSW Regional Manager – Western NSW, Vicki Seccombe.

“Business confidence was positive across the state for the first time since June 2018, however much of the survey was completed prior to the Christmas lockdowns.”

“TheNSWGovernmenthasdoneagood job in listening to business needs and responding as soon as possible by easing restrictions and opening up communities.

“The first quarter of this year will be crucial for many businesses as a number of Government support packages are reduced or come to an end.

“The other clear signal from our survey is that an increasing number of Western NSW businesses are looking to expand their capacity to meet demand, with more businesses prioritising expansion than planning to downsize their business.

Vicki said businesses across Western NSW faced hiring challenges and skills shortages, with agriculture, construction, manufacturing and accommodation and food services expressing the most concern.

From sowing the seeds of creativity to harvesting the works, the cycle of the successful Art of Resilience competition from last year is continuing with its final product on show at the Henry Parkes Museum.

A video with animations of the winning entries, as well as interviews with the winners is on show in the Wongalea school building until the middle of next month.

Competition organiser Sean James Cassidy explains the inclusion of the museum as follows: “It is important we know our roots. The answers to the questions as we move forward, are often found from a knowledge and an appreciation of our past. Sharing this knowledge creates ideas, learning from these shared ideas, provides new options for everyone involved. In preserving knowledge from our history – we can enrich each other.”

Sean said it was important to preserve the knowledge of what the winners said so children in the future would know what they went through during these times.

Local historian and library officer Dan Fredericks supports the idea of bringing art and history together. “It is fitting that the ‘Art of Resilience’ is being shown in the Won- galea school building. This structure was used in the 1972 film Sunstruck, where Harry Secombe’s Welsh teacher tries to be resilient in the Australian outback. It again highlights how art can benefit the community, not just aesthetically but also therapeutically. The Wongalea school building being preserved and utilised this way not only highlights our local history, but also the importance of our social history.”

President of the Parkes and District Historical Society Bruce Hall said: “The video adds to the scope of what we offer at the museum. It is wonderful that Sean approached us.”

One of Bruce’s aims is to get schools and young people more involved in the museum. “We hope to restart our program with the high school again this year. There is so much students can do here from writing historical stories to helping to restore the old machines.”

He hoped the Art of Resilience video would not only bring more children to the museum, but would also inspire some of them to be creative.

The Art of Resilience competition encouraged young people in the Parkes Shire to create music, poetry, photography and art to express their emotions using the theme resilience in the face of drought, the bushfires and COVID-19.

Parkes artist Scott Turnbull, a founding member of Ub Ubbo Exchange, was very excited about the opportunities the competition offered to local talent. He said: “A good story will have struggles inside it, and stories of hard times often have hope in them. We can benefit from their knowledge and pass them on.

By Maggi Barnard

The region’s sporting capacity has received a major boost with the announcement of $1.6 million to improve facilities and amenities at Spicer Oval.

The funding from the Resources for Regions Round Seven will go towards the redevelopment of Spicer Oval, including a new modern amenities block, clubhouse and canteen for footy and cricket players. It also includes upgrading the carpark and building a new viewing platform with more than 300 seats for spectators to view sport year-round.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro and NSW Nationals Duty MLC for the Central West Sam Farraway were in Parkes last week for the announcement.

“These new facilities and amenities will provide a dedicated rugby union facility for Parkes and accommodate junior, senior and women’s rugby league matches as well as cricket matches of all grades and ages,” Sam said.

“The new amenities block will enable Spicer Oval to host regional sporting events and accommodate both male and female competitors at the same time, and they will be cheered on by fans seated on the new viewing platform.”

John Barilaro said the project would help stimulate the local economy by providing work for local tradespeople and suppliers, while increased numbers of competitors and spectators attending regional events in Parkes would spend money in local shops.

The Parkes Shire 2021 Australia Day celebrations will go ahead but with a difference to accommodate current COVID-19 guidelines and event restrictions.

This means the award ceremonies and gatherings will be scaled down versions of what generally occurs. There will also not be an Australia Day Ambassador attending celebrations. Instead, Parkes Shire Councillors and Australia Day committee representatives will acknowledge community members at a local level.

“This year it is particularly important to recognise the outstanding people and groups in our community who have positively contributed to the local culture, community and environment during the current pandemic,” said Parkes Shire Mayor, Cr Ken Keith OAM. “We ask that residents attending events please practice physical distancing, follow the NSW Health guidelines and stay home if you are unwell.”

Parkes, Peak Hill, Tullamore, Bogan Gate and Trundle will each hold their own Australia Day celebrations and community gatherings.

Parkes volunteer Carolyn Rice has been acknowledged by the Lachlan Health Service for her nomination for the NSW Health Volunteer of the Year Award. Acting Lachlan Health Service Manager Jenni McGee said: “We nominated Carolyn for the NSW Health Volunteer of the Year Award. Unfortunately, she didn’t win at the state level, but she is a shining star in our eyes.

“Carolyn is the Chair of the Lachlan Health Council and also a representative on the Patient Safety and Quality meeting at Parkes. She plays an important role between the community and the Parkes Hospital,” said Jenni.

“Carolyn not only has the respect of the staff at the hospital, but also those in the community. If they have concerns they are confident to come to her and she will raise them with the Health Council.

“Carolyn also participates as a consumer representative on numerous interview panels, and she conducts patient rounding with patients and their families. We are extremely grateful for all the work and effort Carolyn does for the Parkes Hospital. She is a wonderful asset to our Parkes Hospital Team.”

We were living and working on a property in the Pilliga scrub, had four young children and I was expecting twins.

Whilst our two eldest children were at school, my husband, Ian, often took three-year old Alex to work with him. It was not long before Alex was quite adept at driving the grey Massey Ferguson tractor and Ian often sat on the trailer whilst it was being towed by the tractor.

One day as they traversed a dry creek bed and headed towards a fork in the trail, Ian called to Alex and indicated that he should take the left fork, but Alex misunderstood the directions and immediately swung the tractor left which took him between two large trees. Alex argues the point on this to this day, 54 years later, claiming that he did not misunderstand but that his father gave him the wrong information.

The tractor fitted between the trees, but the trailer did not! Ian was left sitting on the disembodied trailer in the creek bed as he watched the tractor, towing the chassis and wheels of the trailer, wend its way up the bank of the creek.

Ian’s boss was most understanding, declaring that we probably needed a more up to date trailer equipped with a turntable, and asking what would be needed in order to build it. Of course, Ian built it and it was a much better trailer.

By Margaret Irwin

Feeding the ducks is a great activity to do with the little ones… but it is not good to feed only bread to ducks as it has no nutritional value for them. Just like humans, birds need a varied diet to stay healthy. Too much bread can leave them feeling full without giving them all of the important vitamins, minerals and nutrients they need.

This does not mean you have to stop feeding them all together. You can still feed the ducks at Bushman’s Dam and other water ways, but take some sweetcorn, oats, defrosted frozen peas, cut up grapes, cooked rice, chopped lettuce or bird seed with you. They will love that, and you will know you’ve helped them with a more balanced diet! If you must feed ducks with bread, the best would be to use something other than leftovers from a cheap white loaf.

Thank you to Kim Shambrook for sending us this photo she took of a sign in Orange to alert the public about feeding bread to ducks.

Did you know there are plumed whistling ducks at Bushman’s Dam in Parkes?

A reader of The Parkes Phoenix, Kim Shambrook, said she was spending time with her grandkids there recently and they discovered not only turtles, but also plumed whistling ducks. “We were excited to find lots of turtles swimming around, and then discovered the whistling ducks visit Parkes this time of the year.”

Kim wanted to remind residents to never feed bread to ducks as it has no nutritional value for them.

“How good is it to have Bushman’s Dam. It is a wonderful place to visit with grandchildren to explore and play,” said Kim.