The newly refurbished upstairs area of the Carrington Hotel in Peak Hill.

The Carrington Hotel in Peak Hill has risen like a phoenix from the ashes thanks to community support and some grant money.

Established in 1894, it was one of three hotels in Peak Hill known as the “cockies pub”. It was sadly gutted by fire in 1997 and the hotel licence was sold and the building earmarked for demolition. The Peak Hill community banded together to save the building, and the owner donated the building to Parkes Shire Council for community use.

Council has been undertaking alterations over the past several years to restore the building. Stage 3 was recently completed with funding from the NSW Government’s Stronger Country Communities (SCCF). This stage included the rehabilitation of the upstairs area and adjoining veranda to make it operational again for the hosting of events, meetings and community gatherings.

The community is invited to provide feedback on the draft 2021/22 operational plan and budget endorsed by Parkes Shire Council last month.

Mayor Ken Keith said the postponement of Local Government elections last year due to the pandemic, impacted Council’s integrated planning cycle. “This means the existing Councillors remained in office for an additional year, an interim operational plan and budget needs to be developed for the 2021/22 year and the newly elected Council will serve for a reduced term of three years.”

The operational plan details the continuation of outstanding priorities of the 2016/17 to 2020/21 delivery program under the six key themes.

During the interim year, Council will deliver $54.8M in capital expenditure subject to securing various grants. This includes investing $27M in water security projects. This is a priority for Council to ensure growth as a region and to support more people, jobs and houses in the Shire.

Council will also deliver several other capital works projects, including $6.8M to upgrade seven sections of the Bogan Way between Forbes and Tullamore, $1.6M for the Spicer Oval amenities project, $2M in road upgrades to Currajong Street in Parkes and $720K for the Trundle Recreational Facility upgrades.

To have you say, visit Council’s website to review the Draft 2021/22 Operational Plan & Budget and share your comments via Council’s engagement platform www.yoursay.parkes.nsw.gov.au

Alternatively, you can view hard copies at Council’s Administration Centre or Libraries and submit your comments in writing via email to council@parkes.nsw.gov.au or by mail to: The General Manager, Parkes Shire Council, PO Box 337, Parkes NSW 2870.

At the launch of the new campaign were (L-R) Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller, Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf and Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety Officer Melanie Suitor.

A new safety campaign was launched last week to reduce the number of dangerously loaded trucks operating on regional roads.

The $60,500 project was initiated by Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils and funded under the Federal Government’s Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative.

The Load Restraint Public Education Campaign will see new ‘how to’ load restraint videos and factsheets shared with local businesses, as well as a social media awareness campaign and a series of load restraint information sessions across the three shires.

The strength of the region’s farming, mining, forestry and construction sectors has seen a steady growth in heavy vehicle traffic, with one truck passing through the townships of Forbes, Parkes and Peak Hill every minute.

“This is an important project following several local incidents and an increase in the volume of heavy vehicle traffic in the region,” said Deputy Prime Minister, Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Member for Riverina, Michael McCormack at the launch last Thursday.

“It will help educate transport operators, along with the farms and businesses they serve, in safe load restraint.

“Heavy vehicles help connect so much of regional Australia and projects such as this will ensure that vehicles and drivers act in a safe manner at all times.

Forbes Shire Council Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM said local police had issued 72 notices for load restraint breaches in 2019.

“This project will aid in removing any doubts about how heavy vehicles should be loaded.”

NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative had so far allocated $22.8m through 89 separate grants over the past five years.

“Improving heavy vehicle safety and safety for all drivers is the top priority of the NHVR,” Mr Petroccitto said.

At the afternoon tea to celebrate International Day of the Midwife in Parkes on Wednesday were (L-R) Tracey Barnden, Lorraine Goodrick, Caitlin Weber, Kris Smith and Jo Burke.

After a year like no other, the 53,000 nurses and midwives across NSW are being recognised for their vital work this month with International Day of the Midwife on 5th May, and International Nurses’ Day on 12th May.

“Our nurses and midwives have been agile, resourceful and shown skill, compassion and professionalism in challenging times – I would like to personally say thank you to each and every one of them for the critical work they do and the difference they make each and every day,” said Jacqui Cross, NSW Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer.

In Parkes the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) held an afternoon tea celebration on Wednesday to honour and thank the work of nurses and midwives. WNSWLHD Acting Executive Director of Quality, Clinical Safety and Nursing, Jo Lemmich expressed her appreciation for the significant role nurses and midwives had played over the past 15 months in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“If ever there was a time to put the commitment and compassion of our nurses and midwives on the centre stage, it is now,” Jo said. “While many of us have been able to stay safe at home with our families, nurses have continued to come to work – for us. First in the COVID-19 testing clinics across the state and now in the delivery of vaccinations, and of course in all other areas of our health care system.

The Healing Hearts campaign will also run encouraging staff and the community to wear and post blue and purple hearts, representing the colours of nursing and mid-wifery on social media using the hashtags #IDM2021, #IND2021 and #Exceptional-Care.

FRIDAY FLICKS

Come along and join in the movie fun presented at Parkes Library! Our next movie is on today, Friday, 7th May at 6pm. It is a mystery drama set in drought-stricken rural Australia. Tickets are free for library members, but bookings are essential so call 6861 2309 to book your seat!

NEW! LIBRARY DISPLAY CASE EXHIBITS

Introducing our new display case, featuring a range of exciting displays and exhibits in the heart of the Parkes Library. Keep an eye out for each new exhibit, they will update every few weeks! Our latest exhibit features Costa the Composter and examples of what you can compost at home in celebration of International Compost Awareness Week.

STAFF PICK OF THE MONTH

The Happiest Man on Earth is this month’s staff pick. Eddie Jaku OAM published this powerful memoir as he turned 100. After surviving a concentration camp, losing family, friends and country, Eddie vowed to smile every day and now believes he is the happiest man on earth. It is a moving account of how happiness can be found even in the darkest of times. You can borrow it from the Parkes Shire Library either as a book or a talking book.

WASTE 2 ART 2021 COMPETITION & EXHIBITION

Waste to Art entries close today, Friday, 7th May at 5pm! We are looking forward to showing your creations at the exhibition opening on 31st May in the Coventry Room. Keep an eye out for our Waste 2 Art workshops in May with Ronda Sharpe around traditional Indigenous weaving methods using data cables. If you have any excess data cables you would like to donate, we would love to use them! They can be delivered to Roxanne at the Parkes Library.

The new look Trundle Main Street will include improvements to pedestrian access and safety, tree planting and a new community hub

The Trundle Main Street has iconic status and will soon look even better thanks to a grant of almost $1 million dollars.

Parkes Shire Council secured $945,400 from the NSW Government through the Your High Street program to revitalise NSW’s widest main street.

The funding will see elements of the recently developed masterplan come to life including improvements to pedestrian access and safety, tree planting and a new community hub to provide a gathering spot and events space.

Council invited members of the Trundle community and users of the main street to meet with the Council project team last year to develop ideas and solutions to improve this space. Parkes Shire Deputy Mayor Cr Barbara Newton applauded the NSW Government for their significant investment.

“This funding will revitalise the Trundle Main Street by improving the connectiveness of the CBD, enhancing pedestrian comfort and safety while activating public spaces to encourage the community and visitors alike to gather, meet and connect.”

“I would also like to thank the Trundle community for their support during the enquiry by design phase for the masterplan. This valued input ensures the project delivery will reflect the community’s needs and character of the township they have spent years developing and branding.”

Sunrise Energy Metals (formerly Clean TeQ) contributed $100,000 towards the project through a Voluntary Planning Agreement (VPA). Sunrise Energy Metals Managing Director Sam Riggall said: “We were honoured to support the Trundle community with a VPA, which will provide widespread benefits across the community including businesses, residents and travellers.”

The NSW Government’s Your High Street program has awarded 19 councils with up to $1 million to help them deliver projects that will permanently transform streetscapes into more liveable, accessible and vibrant public spaces.

The rest of autumn is expected to stay dry, while the forecast for winter is wetter than average.

After a very wet March, the weather in Parkes flipped on its head with only 0.8mm of rain recorded in April.

March saw the average rainfall almost double when 91mm were recorded, before the four-week dry spell of April, making it the second driest month on record after 2019 when 0mm of rain fell. Last year April was the wettest April on record from 1942 when 154.8mm of rain were recorded.

Ironically enough the dry spell was broken on Monday night when Parkes record-ed over 18mm of rain.

Bureau of Meteorology Senior Climatologist Simon Grainger said the dry spell was part of a bigger picture that included the entire state of NSW.

“For NSW as a whole, it was the eighth driest April on record, and the driest since 2005,” he said.

“Most inland areas received less than 5mm in April, which equates to about 20% of the average for the month.”

Simon put the dry month down to a shift in weather patterns from March, which saw successive high pressure systems move across the state.

He said this led to clear skies and the usual April cold fronts that would bring wet weather with them being pushed away by the high pressure.

“We also saw the end of the monsoon season in northern Australia, which is where some of inland Australia’s rain can flow down from, but we didn’t see any of that in April.”

Simon said the remainder of May was expected to stay dry, after the rain recorded earlier this week.

However, the winter months were looking at being wetter than average.

“The ocean waters in northern Australia are still warmer than average, and we’re expecting this to remain the case moving into the winter months, which could lead to increased rainfall.”

A new load restraint quiz has been released online and local farmers, contract harvesters, couriers and transport operators stand a chance to win $500 worth of equipment.

The quiz is the first strategy of Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Load Restraint Education Project following its launch at a property on the outskirts of Forbes last week by Deputy Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack.

The project targets the safe transportation of hay bales, machinery and general freight according to the three Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor. “The safe carriage of loads affects us all. It is vital for both the producer and consumer but also for other road users.

“This project was developed to assist the transport industry and local farmers in gaining a better understanding of the fundamentals of load restraint. We’d also like to see a reduction in the number of load restraint breaches and incidents that are occurring on local roads.

Melanie said the quiz would measure the current level of load restraint knowledge before the implementation of the various educational strategies.

The project received funding from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s 2020 Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative, supported by the Federal Government.

The seven-question quiz can be accessed by using this link: https://forms.office.com/r/5BVtDjjdj9 and will be open until Wednesday, 19th May. You can also find the quiz link on the Councils’ Facebook pages.

Melanie thanked the project partners – NSW Police, NSW Farmers and Transport for NSW – for their assistance in planning and developing the quiz and the other project strategies.