Most school zones are operational between 8am – 9.30am and 2.30pm – 4pm on school days, when the lights are flashing.

The new school year is set to resume for thousands of local students in the coming weeks and the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils are reminding local drivers and parents about children’s safety around school zones.

The Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said that road crashes account for over half of all accidental deaths among children aged 5 – 14 years old.

“Please obey the parking signs around schools. They are there to keep children safe. There are 40km/h school speed zones around all schools in NSW. The school zone in Bushman Street, Parkes, is operational all day from 8am – 4pm. Police will be targeting school zones to ensure drivers obey the 40km/h speed limit when school returns,” she said.

Child restraint laws require children up to seven years old to be restrained in an ap­proved child restraint. For more information visit www.childcarseats.com.au

Some road safety rules to follow

• Where possible, drop-off and pick-up your children on the school side of the road.

• Make sure children use the footpathside door when getting in and out of a car – this is called the safety door

• Use a pedestrian crossing where pos­sible and avoid being distracted by friends, mobile phones or listening to music through headphones whilst walk­ing.

• Children aged up to 10 years old should always be supervised when near traffic.

• Children aged up to eight years old should always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road or walking near traffic.

• Make sure your children always wear a helmet when riding a bike, scooter or Skateboard.

• If your children catch a bus, always walk with them to the bus stop.

“Road safety around schools is every­body’s responsibility – students, teachers,parents, carers and drivers. We all have a part to play” Ms Suitor said.

Cr Neil Westcott, Mayor of Parkes Shire.

It’s an absolute pleasure to welcome Elvis fans from across the globe to our vibrant community. Now in its 32nd year, the Parkes Elvis Festival continues to grow as a premier event on the Australian calendar, bringing together thousands of fans to hon­our the timeless legacy of Elvis Presley.

This year is particularly special, marking what would have been Elvis Presley’s 90th birthday. Our new theme, “Easy Come, Easy Go,” promises to bring a fresh energy to the festival. Whether you’re dressing up in your best jumpsuit, A-line mod dress or simply soaking in the electric atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

We’re thrilled to bring back many be­loved festival highlights, including the Miss Priscilla Dinner—a glamorous evening cel­ebrating the elegance and style of Priscilla Presley. This year also marks the 30th an­niversary of our Elvis Wall of Fame, now refreshed as the “Gates of Graceland” trib­ute. This iconic event celebrates those who have made significant contributions to Elvis’ legacy and is a must-see at the Parkes Visi­tor Information Centre.

In 2025, we are also introducing a brandnew festival app. Designed to enhance your experience, this app puts Elvis in your pocket, helping you plan your days and ensure you don’t miss any of your favour­ite activities, performances, or events. Ad­ditionally, we’ve worked hard to make the festival more accessible and affordable in light of rising living costs, including reducing ticket prices for Leagues Club shows and offering more free and interactive experi­ences along Clarinda Street.

To our incredible local community—thank you for the warmth and hospitality you show to visitors year after year. To our visitors—please take the time to explore the beauti­ful Parkes Shire region and experience the charm of our towns and villages.

On behalf of Parkes Shire Council, I ex­tend a heartfelt thank you to our volunteers, local businesses, Council staff, and com­munity members, whose passion and dedi­cation shine through in every aspect of the event. A thank you also goes to our gener­ous sponsors and partners—your contribu­tions play an invaluable role in bringing the magic of this festival to life.

Whether it’s your first time or you’re a returning visitor, I hope your time in the Parkes Shire is filled with unforgettable moments, and may The King live on in our hearts. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary celebration. Enjoy the 2025 Parkes Elvis Festival!Cr Neil WestcottMayor of Parkes Shire

Pictured from left to right is Ros Bell, Rhonda Brain and Sherree Rosser.

On 11 January, 2025 founder of Paint The Town REaD (PTTR) Rhonda Brain OAM turns 80. Much to Rhonda’s delight, three of her octogenarian friends from her teachers’ college days, Jan Kay, Marg Price and Pat Deady, have all said that they are coming to Parkes to celebrate with her, Rhonda being the ‘baby octo’ of the group.

These three golden oldies asked Rhonda if there was any fun thing she’d particular­ly like to do. Rhonda replied, “I want to do something crazy!” Some people celebrate by jumping out of planes but Rhonda had al­ways had a secret wish and now that she is old enough to not care what anyone thinks, she said, “I want to busk at the Elvis Festi­val and we can call ourselves the ‘Four Oc­togenarians and the Easy Come, Easy Go Go Dancers’ (oops “singers”). I read in the Festival information, that in the busking, any quirky thing goes and I thought that is crazy enough for me.”

Before any of her friends could refuse, Rhonda registered for busking and is invit­ing anyone who would like to sing along on this momentous occasion, to drop by.

Rhonda and friends will be staring in front of NAB, near the statue from 12pm on Sat­urday, 11 January until they drop – not liter­ally of course!Being concerned that the voices of four oldies wouldn’t hold out, local “virtuosos” Sherree Rosser, Ros Bell, Barb Newton and the ukulele players, Coralie and Bob Gould and Kaitlyn Strudwick are the back­ing group.

Meanwhile, two Paint The Town REaD Sydney members, who were already com­ing to the festival to participate in the parade, and gather ideas for a young children’s book on The Reading Bug visits Parkes Festival have volunteered to join in. “These two are as crazy as me,” said Rhonda, “They want to join in with the busking.”