Who would have thought that some of the excitement of 1969 would reverberate in a paddock outside Parkes 50 years later? This week the Parkes Radio Observatory Visitors Discovery Centre fittingly started a year of celebrations with a big birthday cake for its 50th anniversary.

According to Operations Scientist John Sarkissian’s calculations the centre has handled more than five million visitors, making it not only the biggest tourist attraction in Parkes, but also the number one point of contact with the public in the CSIRO.

The year 1969 was marked by milestone events like the final public performance of the Beatles, the first flight of the Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet and the Concord, the launch of Apollo 9 and the moon landing, but it also saw incredible public interest in the Parkes Radio Telescope following the ABC program Astronomers of Parkes.

“People started pouring in wanting to have a look around until 6,000 visitors arrived for an open day,” said John. After some lobbying, the visitors centre was built at a cost of $50,000 and officially opened by the Science and Education Minister, Malcolm Fraser on 14 February 1969.

Visitors numbers continued to climb and sky rocketed after the release of the popular movie The Dish with numbers peaking in 2003 with 138,000 per year. The centre was upgraded in 2001 with Roy Billing, who played the Mayor of Parkes in The Dish, and the real Mayor, Robert Wilson doing the honours at the opening.

It is not only in Parkes that The Dish has become an icon. Director of Telescope Operations John Reynolds said the most successful scientific instrument ever built in Australia had been featured on banknotes and even rego stickers.

“Fifty years later it is still punching above its weight, and that is where the visitors centre comes in. It is the reason everyone knows about the telescope.”

John praised the staff saying it was easy to underestimate their importance. He said they had made the centre unclosable and encouraged them to continue their great science outreach.

On 20th and 21st July this year the visitors centre will once again feature with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s moonlanding with an open weekend at the Parkes Radio Telescope.

Street Libraries have been popping up all over Australia for a number of years, and last Friday a Parkes resident ensured our town joined the movement.

Daniel Greef built a beautiful home for books and installed Parkes’ very first Street Library at the Presbyterian Church where it is accessible from the street to share the joys of reading with the community. Daniel said he got the idea from his parents who started one at their home in Sydney. “As I don’t live in town, I had to find a place to put it.”

As a member of the Presbyterian congregation, Rev Craig Bland welcomed the idea when Daniel asked him for space. Daniel constructed a beautiful little home for the books and bolted it to the boundary wall of the church on the corner of Gap and Hill Streets last Friday.

“It is a great idea,” said Craig, “and the interest in it already shows there has been a need for this in the community.”

Daniel said he put in 10 books initially and within a few days it had been filled to capacity. He has also received very positive feedback from residents commenting on what a good idea it is.

The idea is that anyone can take books, or put books in. “Anything is welcome from fiction to non-fiction and children’s books.”

He encouraged people to drop by regularly to see what’s new. He would also be happy if other Street Libraries pop up elsewhere in Parkes.

The message of the importance of a caring community by the Australia Day Ambassador in Cooke Park last Saturday touched the crowd of more than 300 people deeply. “We as a community have to be courageous and willing to care and support each other,” said Allan Sparkes. “We need to rebuild and strengthen that core of being Australian and do whatever we can to help a mate no matter what and to never give up.

That is what being Australian is all about.” Allan, who grew up in Cumnock, said as the Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW it broke his heart to see so many people struggling psychological health issues, especially farmers during times of drought.

He and Deputy Mayor Barbara Newton have agreed on a plan that he would return to Parkes to educate the community, “especially men, on what to do to regain mental health. The more we care, the stronger we will make our community, our society and our nation.”

As Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in his message: “Communities may be built of bricks and mortar, roads and footpaths, shops and services and other vital infrastructure, but what really builds them up, what really makes them grow and thrive is the selfless work of their people”, it was clear the Parkes Shire community was no exception.

The services of three residents of the shire were recognised with Order of Australia (OAM) awards, while Pat Bailey and Emelina Lavaka were named Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year respectively. All the award recipients agreed it came as a big surprise and they felt very honoured.

“I am honoured, humbled and sad,” said Ellie Hetherington OAM, “as it should’ve had my husband’s name on it too. I could not have done it without him.” Ellie was recognised for service to the community and founding ‘Ellie’s Plants for Charity’ in 2011, raising thousands of dollars for CanAssist.

“It was never meant to be that big. I was just trying to fulfil my sister’s request. The community has been so good to me and supported me so much.”

For 91-year-old May Collier of Trundle “it is more an award for the community. I have been in this community for 90 years and had lots of opportunities to help,” said May, who is still active with whatever she can do.

“We have a wonderful and supportive community and I am very fortunate to be part of it.” May was also named Trundle’s Citizen of the Year. John Pizarro OAM, said he never ever expected to receive such an honour in his life. “It is just amazing although I don’t think I deserve it, but will take it! John was recognised for his service to motor sports since the 1970s.

Citizen of the Year Pat Bailey said the highlight of the more than 23 years of volunteering for CanAssist was the achievement of bringing chemo therapy to Parkes in 1999/2000 after starting a petition for it. “Patients had to travel to Orange and now with the new hospital we have two Oncology nurses in Parkes twice a week.”

The award is a big honour for Pat, “but I do not volunteer to win awards, I do it to help other people. She said the most rewarding part was knowing she had helped people.”

As school captain of Parkes High last year, Emeline initiated and organised many projects and events to raise awareness and funds for good causes. She felt very proud of her award.

By Maggi Barnard