As the drought continues its grip in our region, water is becoming an ever increasing precious commodity.

The Parkes Recycled Water Scheme, which will ensure more drinking water re- serves for our town, will be turned on this summer as crews are about to embark on the end-user connections.

The Advanced Water Recycling Facility is up and running, the purpose-built Recycled Water Rising Main completed, and recycled water is already irrigating the Golf Club, Jockey Club, Armstrong Park and the Town Entry Garden. The final step is to connect the remaining end-users to the scheme.

 

Grey nomads and Rock ‘n Roll are not often mentioned in the same sentence, except when it comes to the Parkes Elvis Festival.

The largest celebration of Elvis’ life in the Southern Hemisphere has been named a finalist in the 2019 Grey Nomad Awards confirming the event’s reputation as a bucket list destination for mature age tourists.

“We are beyond thrilled to be nominated for a Grey Nomad Award,” said Festival Director Cathy Treasure. “Parkes Elvis Festival has been a cultural touchstone of regional NSW for over 25 years and this is largely thanks to the unbridled support of travellers over 50.”

With 80% of the more than 200 events

at the Parkes Elvis Festival free to attend, grey nomads make up a large portion of the typical festival visitor who are over 50 and stay in a caravan or RV. One in three visitors are over the age of 65.

The judges congratulated the Parkes Shire Council on catering so well to grey nomad festival goers. “We love that the town found a unique way to attract visitors when much of Australia is focussed on sea- side holidays.”

The Awards dinner is on 6th November, immediately following The Art of Attraction Tourism summit featuring Cathy Treasure as guest-speaker. The summit will explore two fast-growing 21st century tourism segments – senior travel and arts tourism.

Buying and selling land can be fraught with difficulties and there are constantly changing laws.

The vendor (seller) needs to have:

• All swimming pool owners are required to have a Certificate of Registration of compliance from the local council attached to the contract.

• The Federal Government requires owners selling property for $750,000 or more need a Foreign Investment Clearance Certificate from the ATO whether you are a foreigner or not.

• The Land Registry Services now require most conveyancing transactions to settle via electronic settlements (i.e. PEXA).

• The law requires all auctions of land and all sales of a house and residential blocks of land (even by private sale) to have pre- prepared contracts for sale of land, requiring inclusions of searches, Land Tax Certificates, zoning certificates, sewage diagrams or particulars of registration of septic services, plus more depending on the type of land to be sold.

• Residences need to have a smoke alarm, plus more…

The purchaser (buyer) needs to have:

• Finance: sufficient money in the bank or an organised loan, plus a deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price).

• A pest and building inspection prior to entering a contract, plus a survey of the land in some circumstances.

• Check what chattels (moveables) the vendor is including in the contract.

• Check whether the purchase price includes GST or not. Most house and farm sales are exempt from GST, but still check.

It is almost impossible to conduct conveyancing without a solicitor. We at Matthews Williams are available to help you.

 

Do you ever take much notice of the birds in your environment? Next week is National Bird Week from 21st to 27th October and time for the Aussie Backyard Bird Count.

All you need to do is spend 20 minutes outside and count the birds you can see using the specially designed Aussie Back- yard Bird Count app that will help you identify local birds.

“Council is always excited to support the Aussie Backyard Bird Count,” said Parkes Shire Council’s Environmental and Sustainability Coordinator Michael Chambers. “It’s a great opportunity for people of all ages to get outside into nature and participate in this fun activity which provides valuable data about the birdlife.”

This is a great opportunity to become citizen scientists, not only to help BirdLife Australia, but also to help Parkes Shire Council find out more about the birds that live in our Shire.

Last year 30 local observers participated in the bird count recording a total of 1,834 individual birds across 79 bird species. The iconic galah led the tally, followed by the introduced house sparrow, while the crested pigeon, apostlebird and rainbow lorikeet rounded out the top five. Of 79 species recorded in the Parkes Shire last year, only five are introduced species.

 

The rain last weekend not only washed away all the dust but brought back spring in all its glory just in time for last Sunday’s six open gardens hosted by Quota International of Parkes.

The beautiful day inspired loads of people to explore and enjoy the day with 160 wristbands sold, not counting children under 16 who had free entry. “It was a great day and we are extremely happy with the very positive feedback we have received,” said Lynn Rogers of Quota.

Morning tea and lunch on offer at different gardens brought heaps of praise too with 125 lunches and 120 morning teas sold.

The hard work put in over many months and years by the gardeners was all worth it on the day. Lynn said people not only commented about the beautiful gardens, but said it was such a lovely social day out. “The chance to meet and talk to people in lovely surroundings was a boost, especially in this drought.”

That was the aim of Bill and Beth Thomas, who added fun and quirky elements to their garden, to solicit smiles and give people some joy. They also decided to ‘pink up’ in support of the Pink Up Parkes initiative and raised $324 for the McGrath Foundation! The unique castle ride into the sky was very popular, once you got past the dragon guarding some treasure…

 

“You can say and preach something over and over, but when you write it down it will be there for 100 years or more.”

This is what encouraged Bishop Harry Westcott to put pen to paper, and with lots of reminiscing with his wife Doreen of 62 years, has published a book “full of adventure and courage, honesty and reality”.

Harry and Doreen, both in their 85th year, have looked back on a life of incredible experiences, challenges and blessings.

“As you read this book, you will be astounded to see the calibre, commitment and scope of this man and woman,” said Rhonda Brain. “We have legends living among us. Few people in our district have poured out their lives for others, as these two. Their journey is quite unique”.

Harry grew up on his parents’ 2,000 acre wheat and sheep farm at Alectown. He is the second of four sons born to Seddon and Florence Westcott.

In 1959, at the age of 27, Harry entered into full-time Christian ministry, being or- dained as a Methodist minister, and pastoring in NSW, WA and ACT.

He later became the leader of a transdenominational ministry, Vision Ministries, and ministered across all Australian states and territories, and across 27 other nations.

This book is Harry’s testimony of the wonders, miracles, heartaches, joys and tears he and Doreen have experienced, but which has also revealed to them, how amazingly God has kept them.

People are travelling far and wide including Adelaide and Sydney for the launch of “In His Grip – An Aussie Who Had A Go” on Tuesday, 22nd October at the Coachman Hotel Reception Room at 5:30pm.

After 12 months of writing, Harry’s book will make you laugh and cry, and you’ll be challenged reading about this amazing journey.

 

As we are all encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle these days, the Parkes Shire Council is leading the way finding a new purpose for its decommissioned effluent ponds.

The former Parkes Sewage Treatment Plant effluent ponds will be transformed into a functional artificial wetland over the next two years.

With funding from the NSW Environmental Trust, preliminary works have started at the ponds site along Akuna Road. Earth works and revegetation will be carried out to create habitats for a range of water bird species and other animals, as well as a natural area for the community to enjoy birdwatching.

“Wetlands are considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems, containing a wide diversity of plant and animal life,” said Parkes Shire Council’s Director Infrastructure, Andrew Francis. “They support plants that are found nowhere else, and are a haven for amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects, and mammals.”

The project will focus on the construction of the wetland and revegetation with local native plants, the creation of various wetland features to provide varying habitat elements to cater for different species. The wetland will receive recycled water from Parkes’ Advanced Water Recycling Facility.

Volunteer support will be called upon to help plant some of the many thousands of wetland plants, with Council partnering with Central West Lachlan Landcare to host community planting days.

Chairperson for Central West Lachlan Landcare Ben Kerin said: “Landcare are thrilled to be part of this wonderful project and are looking forward to partnering with Council to involve the community to assist with building habitat onsite”.

Additional funding will be sought to make the wetland more accessible, inviting and educational, including walking tracks, seating, interpretive signage and bird hides.

 

The recent Parkes Combined Services Dinner turned pink in support of the Pink Up Parkes drive this month and raised a good sum for the McGrath Foundation.

Hosted by the Parkes Action Club at the Parkes Services Club, the dinner was supported by members from Quota, Rotary, Action Club, View Club and the CWA. A lively fines session rounded off the evening with a total of $750 raised to support our town’s McGrath Breast Care Nurse, Dianne Green.

Dianne was also invited to speak about breast cancer in our region, her role in the Parkes Shire and the different funding models of McGrath Nurses. She explained that the Parkes McGrath position was funded from community donations alone.

Marguerite Burns and Caroline Rice spoke about their experiences with breast cancer. “Breast cancer is not only a women’s issue,” said Dianne. “It is important that men are also breast aware, as there have been men in our community requiring the support of a McGrath Nurse.”

A Pink Up Parkes event is a great way for the whole community to come together and support breast awareness, breast cancer research and breast cancer nurses.

All community groups, businesses, schools and individuals can still get involved by attending or hosting their own pink event in October. (See page 6 for all the events this month.)