With a variety of events and activities for all ages, the friendly Tullamore Irish Festival provided a full day’s entertainment last Saturday, celebrating the best of two cultures, Australia and Ireland.

The morning began with the street parade, featuring community organisations as well as street performers, officials and locals. Groups of onlookers mingled along Cardigan Street dressed in a diverse range of fashions with a common green theme. After the parade passed by, people stopped along the street to grab a coffee, or to watch street performers, before heading down to the showground.

Although it quite quickly became unseasonably warm for this time of year, many people still embraced the spirit of the festival, dressing up to the nines, wandering around to check out the stalls, visiting the art exhibition, watching a shearing demonstration, or sitting down in the shade to watch the entertainment. Children flocked to the rides, or to the ice-cream vendors.

The Festival was officially opened with an Acknowledgement and Welcome to Country ceremony performed by local Wiradjuri youth, followed by an address from Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. Shortly afterwards, Parkes Councillor Barbara Newton announced the winners of the ‘Wearing of the Green’.

The entertainment continued throughout the afternoon, with musical performances by both Irish and Australian artists, as well as dancing performances by the Halloran Dancers. The day’s program ended with a concert by John Williamson. Attendees of the Festival came from a range of places, including a couple that originally hailed from Tullamore … in Ireland!

“This is our first time at this Tullamore,” said Pat Hanlon. If you like to dress up, eat a variety of food and drinks, while away the day listening to music, and have a laugh or two, why don’t you head along to the Tullamore Irish Festival next year.

Parents and supervisors of local learner drivers are encouraged to attend a free workshop which will be held at Parkes High School on Tuesday 10th April. The free two-hour workshop, Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers, will offer parents and supervisors hands-on advice on how to provide the most effective driving practice for learner drivers.

Parkes Shire Council’s Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, who is presenting the workshop says it is well worth attending. “Parents and supervisors of learner drivers have a crucial role to play in making our roads safer. That is why Parkes Shire Council have teamed up with Roads and Maritime Services to hold these FREE two-hour workshops to offer practical advice to parents and supervisors on how to help learner drivers become safer drivers.”

“Parents and supervisors who have attended this workshop in the past have found that it boosted their confidence, helped them better plan driving sessions and allowed them to share their experiences with other parents and supervisors,” Ms Suitor said.

The Helping Learner Drivers Become Safer Drivers workshop will be held at Parkes High School on Tuesday 10th April commencing at 6pm. Light refreshments will be available during the workshop. Bookings are essential and can be made by calling Ms Suitor on (02) 6861 2364.

For further information please call Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, on (02) 6861 2364.

The Hon Melinda Pavey, Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight made the announcement last week securing the Corridor connecting the M7 to the Bells Line of Road at Kurrajong.

“This is so very welcomed in Central NSW. At last we see some real action. The securing of the Corridor is the essential first step for the future development of better transport links between Sydney and our communities,” said Cr John Medcalf, Chair of Centroc and Mayor of Lachlan Shire.

“The communities of Central NSW and Western Sydney need certainty and to see direction, which is what the State Government has done,” said Cr Ken Keith Portfolio Mayor for Transport for Centroc and Mayor of Parkes.

WASTE TO ART EXHIBITION
This exhibition will showcase all the imaginative works entered in the 2018 Sims Metal WASTE TO ART and design competition. This year is the Year of Polystyrene but there will be other waste items featuring that will celebrate the reuse, recycling and upcycling of waste through arts and crafts. This exhibition aims to challenge peoples’ perceptions about ‘rubbish’. The exhibition is open for viewing from 4th to 28th April 2018. Opening Night and announcement of winners, Thursday 12th April at 6pm. Please RSVP by 11th April.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
Bits, Bobs and Games!
Come along for stories, crafts and games. For: Kinder to Year 2, Tuesday 17th April and 24th April, 10.30am -12pm.

Fabulous Felt Children’s Workshop Artist: Cecily and Toni presented the Fabulous Felt Exhibition in the Parkes Library last year is conducting felting workshops for children these school holidays. Children will learn how to felt wool and fashion the felt into unique pieces of art. For: Kinder to Year 2, Wednesday 18th April, 10:30am – 12:00pm.
Year 3 to 6, Wednesday 18th April, 1:30pm – 3:00pm.

Knight for a Day!
Discover the world of chivalry, heraldry and knights. Design your own family shield. Optional – Come dressed as a knight. For: Year 3 to 6, Thursday 19th April and 26th April, 10.30am -12pm.

Bookings required for above sessions in person at Parkes Library. Cost $2. Wear old clothes, closed in shoes,
bring your drink bottle & library card. NB All children must be library members to participate in holiday activities.

Unlike many other towns, Parkes does not have a natural water supply, and has been ‘making do’ with the original infrastructure for sewage and water since the 1930s, and 1950s respectively.

Last Wednesday, Member for Dubbo, Troy Grant, joined Mayor of Parkes Shire Council, Ken Keith OAM, to officially open  the new water infrastructure renewal projects as part of a $100 million program of works in the state’s Central West.

Mr Grant said the NSW Government contributed to the infrastructure projects to provide the regional community with safe and secure drinking water. “Water security is vital to the life of regional towns and cities. These projects renew the town’s entire urban water cycle, encompassing raw water supply, water treatment, as well as wastewater treatment.”

“These upgrades represent the largest capital works program that Parkes Shire Council has ever undertaken,” Mr Grant said. The NSW Government has worked closely with Council to help upgrade the Parkes Sewage and Water Treatment Plants, the Lachlan River Pump Station and Bore 8 refurbishment.

The new Water Treatment Plant uses state-of-the-art processes to treat the potable water supply. The Lachlan River Intake upgrades strengthen Parkes raw water supply and water security for Parkes.

The new Sewage Treatment Plant produces high quality effluent that increases treatment capacity and minimises impacts on the local environment. “These upgrades provide immediate amenity improvements for residents while
future-proofing their water supply,” said Mr Grant.

Parkes Shire Council’s Mayor Ken Keith OAM thanked the NSW Government for its contributions to the water infrastructure projects. “Council are incredibly proud of these new facilities, and of the flow-on benefits to the community.”

The Council held a Community Open Day last Saturday to celebrate the completion of the new treatment plants, which attracted a steady turnout of locals keen to learn more about their water and wastewater services.

Netball is ranked as the leading women’s participation team sport in Australia for 15 to 24 year olds. It is a great sport to develop health and fitness in a team based environment regardless of the level of competition.

Like any sport there is an inherent risk of injury. National insurance data indicates that as high as 25% of all major injuries are attributed to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries. Furthermore ACL injury comes at high physical, emotional and financial cost to the athlete.

The ACL is the main stabilising ligament in the knee. Females are 4 to 6 times more likely than males to rupture this ligament. There is also further risk associated with athletes participating in sports involving deceleration, pivoting and twisting. This means that netballers have a high risk of injury to the ACL and lower limbs.

Research tells us that 50 to 70% of all ACL injuries can be prevented with neuromuscular training programmes. These types of programmes are basically designed to improve the strength, flexibility, control, balance and co-ordination of the athlete.

Not only can they decrease the incidence of lower limb injuries, they have the added benefit of enhancing performance. With this in mind Netball Australia, along with the Institute of Sport has developed the KNEE programme to provide education to coaches, players and parents. The KNEE programme is a netball specific neuromuscular training programme and can be accessed at www.http//knee.netball.com.au.

Whether you are a coach to your child’s netball team, support staff, athlete or parent this programme is designed to keep players on the court for longer and moving more efficiently when there.

“For the fitness of you”
Linda Reilly

Northparkes Mines did exceptionally well at the NSW Mining Industry & Suppliers Awards last Thursday at NSW Parliament House in Sydney. Robyn Teet won the Young Achiever award and Rob Cunningham won the Outstanding Contribution to Mining award.

Robyn joined Northparkes in 2016 with the Life of Mine and Exploration department and has since transitioned to the Mining Operations department as the Operations Geotechnical Engineer. On a daily basis, Robyn works with the mining operations team to ensure the geotechnical safety and security of the operation.

Rob Cunningham joined Northparkes in 1993 when the operations first opened. He started as an operator and is now the Manager of our Mining Operations department. Rob is responsible for safe production in our underground operations, as well as delivering quality product to the operation’s ore processing facility.

Jim Fowler, Managing Director, Northparkes, said, “We are very proud to have both Rob and Robyn as a part of our
team at Northparkes. It’s fantastic to see them being recognised for their incredible achievements and dedication to not only Northparkes, but the mining industry.”