Instead of preparing for regattas, dragon boat enthusiasts have set themselves a challenge of a very different kind this Spring.

Parkes Dragon Boat Club (PDBC) has come up with a great innovative idea to keep dragon boat clubs in the Central West engaged with one another over this period of time where regattas are not allowed, while at the same time raising funds for Cancer Council NSW.

The Western Region have dragon boat clubs at Parkes, Dubbo, Mudgee, Lithgow, Bathurst, Orange, Forbes and Wagga Wagga.

Two PDBC members Beth Thomas and Maggi Barnard set up a virtual challenge of walking to each Western Region town and around each dragon boat club’s waterway, making a total of 1,648 kilometres.

Seventy members from six clubs signed up for the challenge, which started on 1st September. They are covering these distances in record time while benefiting from the online camaraderie and sharing pictures and comments of their walks. The walkers of each club receive uniquely designed online postcards to mark each dragon boat town they pass through on the virtual map.

“What a fabulous idea to engage us all in this activity,” said a participant Rhonda Lang from Dubbo. “It’s so motivating, we just make sure to walk (or maybe run) just that little bit further or that extra day per week. Got to be good for our health and fitness.”

Another participant Robyn Diamond said: “What a wonderful motivator to get us all walking at such a gorgeous time of the year.”

This Saturday many of the walkers will be meeting in reality to walk in Nangar National Park, in accordance with COVID guidelines, and enjoy a BYO picnic together.

At the end of the challenge the clubs are planning to come together once more for a celebration barbecue, kayaking and medal presentation, if restrictions allow.

By Beth Thomas

Five days short of her 16th birthday Ella Ross earned her wings last Saturday after completing a gruelling one-hour test flight.

“I was very nervous the whole time,” said Ella, who knew she wanted to learn to fly after setting foot on a plane for the first time on her 12th birthday. She did her final test with Dale Redfern from Forbes, which included landing the plane with the power off.

“I was very excited after landing and knowing I did it.” Ella is eager to do her final five solo hours within the next two weeks so she can do her passenger exam and take her family out.

She hopes to receive a scholarship from the Recreational Aviation Authority to help her pay some of her flying costs, and would like to encourage more students to consider taking up flying. “Parkes Aero Club would love to welcome more students.”

The beautiful purple hue appearing in paddocks everywhere might remind you of the picturesque lavender fields of Provence in France. However, this local version must not be mistaken for such.

Echium Plantagineum, commonly known as Paterson’s Curse, Riverina Bluebell or Purple Viper’s-Bugloss, is an invasive weed that is extremely harmful to livestock. Rumoured to have been named after the Paterson family of Cumberoona, NSW who planted it in their garden in the 1880s.

The weed’s poisoning symptoms range from loss of appetite, abdominal swelling, weight loss, diarrhea, constipation and sleepiness to death due to liver damage.

While livestock tend to ignore Paterson’s Curse, contaminated hay bales or feed is more often to blame for the consumption of this toxic weed. In 1988 and 1994, the CSIRO released moths, root weevils, flea beetles and two more types of beetles in South Australia which is said to have significantly contributed to the decline in the abundance of the weed. In human’s the plant can cause skin irritation, so give this smiling assassin a wide-berth when you come across it.

By Alexandria Irvine

When the Parkes show was cancelled last month the lifestyle team at Southern Cross Village came up with a solution and organised their very own Show Day for residents.

Show bags were put together for each resident, and they enjoyed donuts for morning tea, dagwood dogs on a stick, a cup of hot chips and waffle cones for lunch.

Everyone reminisced and shared happy memories about going to the show in their younger years.

 

 

 

The Newell Highway Task Force met on Tuesday, 11 August to discuss current works, updates, concerns and upcoming projects.

The Newell Highway Taskforce Committee were pleased with the improvements along the Newell Highway strategic corridor as they continue at an impressive rate reflecting successful lobbying by the taskforce over the past 10 years and effective collaboration with State and Federal Government Departments.

Chair of the Newell Highway Taskforce Committee, Cr Ken Keith OAM said: “The Newell Highway is a critical link in Australia’s freight transport network, so it is great to see both the Federal and NSW Governments investing in targeted upgrades to increase access for higher efficiency freight vehicles, which will increase the overall efficiency of the corridor, as well as safety for all road users.”

“The Parkes Bypass plans are nearing finalisation with Transport for NSW soon to be calling for tenders for work to commence in 2021,” said Ken.

Alistair Lunn, Director West – Transport for NSW, outlined the latest work completed and planned and provided an update on important key areas of focus including;
• Coonabarabran bypass community consultation and planning has commenced
• Heavy duty pavement upgrades between Moree and Boggabilla have improved the difficult black soil section of the highway
• Major works at the Mitchell Highway intersection in Dubbo are underway and finalisation of the plans for the new Dubbo bridge are also nearing completion.
• The flood prone area between Forbes & West Wyalong will commence stakeholder consultation in the near future.

“The Overtaking Lane Alliance has completed 12 new overtaking lanes with another 15 to be completed by 2023. The alliance will deliver 30+ overtaking lanes on the Newell Highway,” Mr Lunn pleasingly announced.

Chair of the Newell Highway Task Force Cr Ken Keith OAM closed the meeting by expressing his appreciation to members for their contribution over the years in promoting this important corridor through their regions.

Transport for NSW will keep the community informed as work on the Newell Highway progresses. For more information about the overtaking lane program visit Newell Highway Program Alliance, email info@newellhpa.com.au or call 1800 577 295.

Back in the 1960’s, women used hair rollers in order to curl their hair. We didn’t have blow dryers or straighteners and the nearest hairdresser was 46 miles away (74 kilometres). Life was extremely busy, so we were usually a bit overdue for haircuts when I finally found time to do them. Haircutting was a family event, so I would cut my own hair by cutting each tuft before rolling it on to a roller and then I’d cut the children’s hair, oldest to the youngest. After that came Ian, my husband. Boys and men wore their hair with short back and sides in those days and it was an art to get it to look ‘right’.

I went to town to do some shopping one day, leaving our two sons with Ian. Ian’s hair was down to his shoulders and the boys were quite a bit more than short back and sides – I hadn’t found time for haircutting! Ian decided that it couldn’t be that hard to cut the boys hair and started wielding the clippers. I arrived home to find two little skinheads (it was not in fashion in those days) and Ian was now sporting a mohawk. I was speechless!

By Margaret Irwin