Bogan Gate farmers and their trusty fourlegged companions were put through their paces at the Bogan Gate Sheep Dog School recently.

With funding from the Red Cross Let’s Talk Program and Parkes Neighbourhood Central, the Bogan Gate Memorial Hall hosted expert sheep dog trainer, Rick Jones of Jones’ Silver City Working Dogs.

Nine local farmers learned from Rick’s lifetime of experience breeding, training, working and trialling sheep dogs. Farmers were taught how to teach their dogs to balance stock, effectively use commands and how to bite and bark on command.

According to Rick the working dog is the most valuable tool a farmer can have. “A good dog is a dog that I can send over the hill and he’ll bring back whatever I want without being told what to do. If they could open and shut a gate there wouldn’t be much need for the bloke,” he said.

The farmers were suitably impressed with the skill and discipline on display from Rick’s dogs and the vast improvement in their own dogs. “I wish I had done this 20 years ago, there is a lot from this school I can take away when training my new pup,” said Chris Burke of Yarrabandai.

Anthony McIntyre of Bogan Gate felt the same. “I bought my young dog Rocky along who hadn’t had any work over the last 12 months and by utilising Rick’s training methods he is the dux of the class. Rick says he isn’t a magician but he is pretty close”.

“It is important for communities to band together during dry times and events like this help rural communities stay connected” said Peter Chapman of Red Cross.

For Parkes Shire Drought Relief Officer Roger Kitson the event was a great example of bringing the community together while at the same time learning some great skills.

By James Buchanan

The Parkes Phoenix Easter Colouring Competition was very popular. Thank you to the Parkes Shire Library for displaying the entries for the public to see. We had two winners, one for under five years, one for over 5 years.

Four-year-old Elle Ballantyne was very excited to have won a prize for the very first colouring competition she has entered.

Isabella ten Cate da Silva (7) could stretch out her Easter celebrations when she received her prize of Easter eggs on Tuesday.

We all know we can call the 000 number for help in any emergency, and over 2 million people each year make that call. If you would like to give credit to and recognise the selfless and inspiring efforts of emergency services workers and volunteers, nominations are now open for the Rotary Emergency Services Community Awards.

The awards recognise all six emergency services paid staff and volunteers who work in Fire and Rescue NSW; Marine Rescue NSW, NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, the NSW State Emergency Service; NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Ambulance Service.

“For much of the time these unsung heroes go about the business of dealing with a range of emergencies. And while we can’t live without them there aren’t too many opportunities to recognise them publicly,” said CEO of First State Super, Deanne Stewart who supports the awards.

Anyone wishing to nominate an emergency services worker for these awards can do so at: https://resca.awardsplatform.com/

Nominations close on 1st May with finalists announced at Parliament House on 19th June, and the winners recognised at a gala dinner on 3rd August.

As Parkes’s only surviving male World War II veteran Thomas Forrester was given the honour to lead the annual Anzac Day March as part of our town’s annual celebration. Tom led the march with the official Anzac Day special guest Lieutenant Colonel Dave Heatley. His daughter Narelle Sunderland escorted him in a wheelchair after the sprightly 97-year-old made it clear he did not want to ride in a taxi.

Tom was born on 21st February 1922 in Forbes and served approximately four years in the Australian Army with the 2nd AIF in the 2/3 Australian Infantry Battalion and during his enlistment he served about 14 months in New Guinea on Overseas Active Service.

In December 1941 Tom joined the 54th Battalion and in August 1942 the battalion was sent to Western Australia. From there he went to the Atherton Tablelands and completed a jungle training course before being sent to Papua New Guinea with the renowned 2/3 Battalion AIF.

On 27 December 1944 Private Thomas Forrester arrived at Aitape, New Guinea from Cairns abroad the troopship Bentekoe. He fought in engagements along the coast in the 6th Division’s advance from Aitape to Wewak. Tom recalls the fight for But Aerodrome in March in which the 2/1st and 2/2nd Battalions were heavily involved.

From the But area the 2/3rd advanced inland from the Coast along the Mabam River and on 2nd April two companies captured the headquarters of the Japanese 20th Division just east of the Wonginara Mission. In February 1946 he boarded the Duntroon and arrived home in Sydney on 1st March 1946. He left the Army in June 1946.

Greg Page, best known as the original Yellow Wiggle, was in Parkes last week to launch his book on his personal collection of Elvis memorabilia on show at the King’s Castle.

Greg’s book, co-authored by David BL Johnstone, is called Elvis His Story, His Treasures looks at many of the items and their stories in Greg’s collection.

“The book encapsulates my love for Elvis,” said Greg, who owns the fourth largest Elvis collection in the world. About 800 items of his collection are on display at the Kings Castle at the Parkes Visitors Information Centre. “It is an incredible story,” said Greg. “I somehow feel I’ve had part of it on display here helping to do his story justice.

We need to keep his story alive with the younger generation hopefully making a connection.”

Greg shared many stories as he took those attending the launch on a wander through the collection.

Stopping at a display cabinet with some clothes, Greg said: “Elvis was always giving things away. He had tonnes and tonnes of clothing and Mike McGregor, Elvis’s ranch hand mentioned he loved leather, and Elvis gave him the famous ’68 Comeback Special leather suit. Elvis was about to give it to RCA Records to cut it up for a promotion in 1972/3 when every record sold came with a swathe of Elvis clothing. “Thank goodness the suit was saved as it has become one of Elvis’s iconic outfits.”

Greg has great admiration for Elvis’s generosity and kind heartedness, and his spiritual journey interested him when he came across his collection of spiritual books, including a Capricorn horoscope for 1977. “Elvis always underlined passages that interested him.

He underlined a passage about the Capricorn man’s soul mate is a Gemini woman (Priscilla is one).” Greg gave the book to Priscilla. In the day to day horoscope in the same book, it stated on 15th August he would have a medical complaint that would need attention.

“Elvis went to the dentist on that day and it was the last thing he did before he passed away the next morning.”

By Maggi Barnard

Changing Your Will

A will is a testamentary document. This means it takes effect upon your death. It appoints an executor (a person who administers and distributes your assets) and makes bequests (distributes your assets among beneficiaries).

A will remains valid until it is cancelled by you or if you marry after the will was made. Nothing is ever set in concrete, and, thus, your will should be a living document. It should be changed or updated as circumstances change. The rules are slightly different from state to state, so you should get legal advice if you want to make such a will.

You can cancel your will at any time provided you are of sound mind. This can be done in many ways, some of the main ones are:
• You make a valid new will. By law this revokes prior wills when the new terms contradict the old.
• You make a valid new will and expressly revoke the old one.
• You destroy your will with the intention of revoking it.

Estate planning is an area of the law of great family importance. We at Matthews Williams are able to give you competent professional advice on all estate planning matters. If we can assist you on any legal issue, feel free to contact me or one of our solicitors or call into our office for an appointment.

If we at MATTHEWS WILLIAMS can help you on any legal matter, feel free to call us.

By Mark Olson

From the small rural Queensland town of Esk come three odd-ball sisters who travel around the country performing their popular award-winning musical concerts. With kitchen pot, toilet brush, keyboard, musical saw, tuba, guitar and duelling tambourines, this peculiar trio marry their curious stories with a host of uniquely homemade arrangements of popular songs gleaned from their old wireless.

The Kransky Sisters will be at Trundle Memorial Hall for three shows on Friday, 3rd May at 6pm, and Saturday, 4th May at 10am and 12 noon, presented by St Patrick’s Parents and Friends. Tickets at www.123tix.com.au

St Patrick’s Parents and Friends are also conducting tours of three local farms departing from the Trundle Hall on Friday, 3rd May from 9am to 1pm. A great opportunity to meet farmers and experience country catering with Devonshire Tea provided. Tickets are $30, phone 6892 1073 to book. For more information visit the Facebook page.

A good audience of over 40 people came to listen to the son of one of Australia’s bestselling authors at the Parkes Library last Thursday.

Adam Courtenay was not in Parkes to speak about his famous dad Bryce, but to promote his own non-fiction book called The Ship That Never Was.

“I am honoured and overwhelmed by the good turn out,” said Adam who based his book on the memoirs of James Porter. “A convict, bit of a thief, bit of a rogue, only had one eye, and loved to lark about stating he was a beer machine maker.”

James could not stop trying to escape, but was not very good at it and ended up being sent to Macquarie Harbour, an extreme penal colony on Sarah Island in the former colony of Van Diemen’s Land, now Tasmania.

According to Adam it was a place where a man would be flogged for looking the wrong way. “You were not allowed to be unwell in a penal colony, and would easily get 50 lashes for being sick!”

James and his mates contrived a brilliant plan and managed to hijack a boat and sail it 6,000 nautical miles to Chile.
“James saw the corrupt system that was tantamount to slavery with great clarity and knew he was a cog in someone else’s economic imperative. He did not want to comply.

We are missing something if we think his story is not worth listening to,” said Adam.

By Maggi Barnard

The burgeoning relationship between Currajong Disability Services (CDS) and St. Vincent De Paul Parkes continues to go from strength to strength. St. Vincent De Paul, or Vinnies, donated material to the Currajong Disability Services Sewing Group. The Sewing Group turned the material into unique quilts and donated them back to Vinnies.

“Vinnies have been great supporters of Currajong and when we had the opportunity to do something for them it made sense,” said Currajong Disability Services support worker Deitre Jackson.

“These small acts of kindness and generosity accumulatively have a major impact on organisations like Currajong,” said Deitre.

CMOC-Northparkes Mines has announced a second major project creating more jobs and huge investment in the Central West. China Molybdenum Company (CMOC) and Sumitomo announced the approval of an expansion project with an investment of $72M spread over two years for Northparkes. The project includes a range of upgrades to underground mining, ore processing and infrastructure facilities to enable an increase in throughput capacity from 6.4Mtpa to 7.6Mtpa.

Earlier this year the mine announced the approval of a new block cave mine with an investment of more than $200 million and creating 180 new jobs.

Engineering work on the expansion project will start immediately. The full benefits are expected to be realised in late 2020.

Northparkes Managing Director, Hubert Lehman, said: “Following the announcement of our next block cave mine – E26 Lift 1 North earlier this year, this is another major investment in the future of our business.

It demonstrates CMOC’s confidence in the sustainability and longevity of our operations.” The Expansion Project will be managed by an owner’s team of Northparkes employees. A further 20 positions will be created to execute the project. During construction, there will be an additional 100 contractors onsite.