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Joint Initiative Brings Port Closer To Parkes

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Two logistics giants have joined forces in Parkes to simplify the supply chain for importers and exporters and attract more business to the town. To celebrate its tenth anniversary in Parkes, SCT Logistics teamed up with DP World Australia to present a joint capabilities initiative. The two companies will work together to service regional trains providing importers and exporters direct access to the dock at DP World Australia’s terminal in Sydney.

“This is a fantastic opportunity to connect Parkes and the Central West with the port,” said Mark Hulme, DP World Australia’s Chief Operating Officer Logistics. “When we have empty containers at the port, we can rail them to Parkes, load them up and get them straight back to the port.”

According to SCT Managing Director, Geoff Smith the joint initiative would help his company get trucks off the road and improve environmental outcomes. “We currently move freight from Perth to Sydney via Parkes. We are well positioned to expand these services to include exports into Port Botany to meet vessel cut offs.”

He added that the 324 hectares available would be ideal for importers and exporters to situate themselves in the strategic Parkes rail hub. Parkes Mayor Ken Keith commended both parties for diversifying their operations to maximise the potential of the Parkes Logistics Hub.

The two companies held an information session on Wednesday to interested parties to give them an insight into opportunities available within the supply chain.

By Maggi Barnard

Mayoral Notes…

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

I would like to congratulate local logistics company SCT Intermodal Parkes for diversifying its operations to maximise the potential of the Parkes Logistics Hub by announcing a partnership with DP World Australia to provide direct freight access to Port Botany for local exporters and importers.

Council and the Parkes Chamber of Commerce are excited to launch the Love Our Local campaign, which will feature many local businesses. Join the campaign by following Visit Parkes Region on social media, liking the business pages and sharing what you love about shopping local.

Council invites local tourism and business operators to a Visitor Economy Workshop on Monday, 7th August at the Astro Dish Motor Inn. The workshop will incorporate an update on the current state of the tourism industry and opportunities for local business. For details head to visitparkes.com.au or phone 6862 6000.

Residents are invited to take part in the largest community tree-planting and nature care event on Sunday at 11am. As part of this year’s National Tree Day, Council staff will be joining Central West Lachlan Landcare and community volunteers at the northern end of Danilenko Street with the aim of planting 500 trees. Register your attendance
via visitparkes.com.au

A reminder that waste disposal charges for domestic loads commence at the Parkes Waste Facility from 1st August to improve the waste and recyclable management and disposal techniques to reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill. Separate and build specific loads, such as a green matter load, to qualify for cheaper rates.

Enjoy your weekend.
Yours Faithfully,
Cr Ken Keith OAM
Mayor of Parkes Shire

Kurt Is Going For Gold

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Imagine being paid to do what you love, and travelling the world because of it. Twenty-year-old Kurt Lovett is living this dream. The former Parkes local moved to Sydney after school to play hockey with the NSW Institute of Sport.
Earlier this month Kurt captained the NSW under 21 hockey team, claiming gold in the National Championships in Wollongong.

The NSW Sky Blues topped off an undefeated season and claimed victory over Queensland in a match that provided
an antidote to the State of Origin. “It was a bit of a relief to finally get the gold medal,” Kurt said. However, his success isn’t limited to national fields. Last year he represented Australia in the Junior World Cup. He also played hockey in Vanuatu and South Africa, and will soon be heading to Germany to train for an Australian development side.

“It’s going to be my first trip to Europe,” he said. “We’ll be playing a few different European sides.” But he said it was not just the travel or the wins that made it such a satisfying pursuit. “It’s a sport that really keeps on giving, there’s always something to improve and something to get better at.” His love of hockey was fostered in Parkes at a young age. Kurt credits the unique hockey environment at Parkes as part of the reason for his success. “You get an opportunity to play with a lot of older people at a young age,” he explained, “so you develop your game a lot sooner and you are a lot tougher on the field.”

Kurt is aiming for a professional career in hockey. “I’d have to move to Perth for the Australian Institute of Sport where the National Hockey training is based,” Kurt said. “I would like to go to the Commonwealth Games, and Tokyo Olympics.”

By Raen Fraser

Time To Enter For The 2017 Parkes Showgirl Competition

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

The Parkes Showgirl competition is looking to find a vivacious young woman aged 18 to 24 to be an ambassador for Parkes and the wider community. The winner of the Parkes Showgirl competition will become the face of the Parkes
Show. The winner also has the opportunity to go on to compete to at the zone finals and may even go on to be the Land Sydney Royal Showgirl!

By participating in the Parkes Showgirl competition you will be amazed at the personal, professional and networking opportunities that can open up for you. You will also have the chance to win approximately $1,500 in prizes donated by local businesses, increase your exposure to the wider community, meet with community leaders and increase your awareness of the local show and community.

The 2017 Parkes Showgirl Dinner will be on 12th August at the Parkes Town Bowling Club at 6:30pm to meet the entrants. Entry forms are available from the show office in Welcome Street or on the Parkes show website at www.parkesshow.org.au

Just a Short Drive to Narromine…

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Aviation Stories In A Truly Historic Aerodrome

The aerodrome at Narromine, 40km west of Dubbo, has recently been upgraded and greatly expanded. A new 500m2 wing has been added, which includes several aircraft, innovative lighting and a large screen for audiovisuals.
The museum, housed in one of Australia’s most historic aerodromes, tells the centurylong story of aviation in the region through memorabilia, photographs and documents.

The story starts in 1919, when the Great Air Race from England to Australia was won by the Smith brothers in their Vickers Vimy. The Department of Defence looked for suitable refuelling places between Darwin and the finishing line in Melbourne, and Narromine was originally the only site selected in NSW. Thousands of spectators turned up at what was then a paddock to see the aircraft land, and the town was instantly on the world aviation map.

Displayed in the museum’s new wing are three aircraft believed to be unique in the world: the only flyable replica of the 1907 Wright Flyer Model A (2005); an original Corben Super Ace homebuilt (1938), and an original Hawkridge Venture glider (1953). Some other exhibits include: 1916-39: The time of the ‘barnstormers’. What is now Australia’s oldest regional aero club hosted such visitors as Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Jean Batten and Arthur Butler, as well as some of the country’s best-known air pageants.

1939-45: War brought flying training units and a top-secret British bomber squadron to town. Of nearly 3,000 pilots trained here, some 30% did not return from the war. 1945-present: The post-war period has seen Qantas pilot training, world-class gliding, a vibrant aero club, and ultra light flying.

You can also see interesting artefacts and collections, including the Narromine Aero Club’s 1930s scrapbook that has survived war and flood. The Vic Hall collection: thanks to Narromine Post Office worker Vic Hall who had a passion for aviation, photography and drawing during the ‘barnstorming’ era of the 1920s and 30s, a rich record of the air visits and pageants of that time were preserved.

The museum is open six days a week from 10am to 4pm (closed Tuesday). Entry is $7 adult, $5 child/pensioner. Contact number 6889 7131 (Museum), or 0407 459 581 Beryl Hartley.

Education Week 2017

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

New Principal For Parkes Christian School

The Board of Parkes Christian School (PCS) announced the appointment of Parkes local Glen Westcott as the school’s sixth principal. Glen, who was deputy principal of PCS, was one of a considerable field of applicants for the position. The School Board outsourced the recruitment program to Resolve Consulting, who has a long and successful record in the recruitment of senior executives for many large Christian schools.

“We thank our outgoing Principal Graham Hope who has set the school up well for a seamless transition,” the board said in a statement. It was the board’s initial plan for the incoming principal to start at the beginning of the 2018 school year, “however with the success of Glen’s application the position will now take effect immediately.”

Middleton Celebrations
Middleton Public School in Parkes will celebrate Education Week on Tuesday, 1st August. The day’s program include open classrooms from 10:45 to 11:30am when parents and caregivers are welcome to visit classrooms. From 11:30am to 12:20pm they can enjoy a picnic lunch with their children. The program ends with a concert from 12:30pm featuring all classes. The library will also be open during the day where book donations will be welcome.

I Learn, We Learn
Education Week is a state-wide, annual event to celebrate public education in NSW. This year it will be held from 31st July to 4th August and the theme is I Learn, We Learn. For the first time, Education Week will be launched via a simulcast from both Sydney (Glenmore Park High School) and Tamworth (Tamworth High School) on Monday, 31st July from 10 to 11am. The two sites will be integrated virtually and livestreamed to schools right around the state, demonstrating how learning communities across NSW are overcoming distance through the use of technology.

Palliative Care In The Spotlight

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

About 20 volunteers, clinicians, pastoral care staff and supporters of palliative care met in Parkes last Friday to talk about existential suffering and care. ‘Pain is more than Pills’ was hosted by the Parkes Palliative Care Volunteer Service through Parkes’ Neighbourhood Central.

Attendees travelled from Orange, Dubbo and Sydney to hear speakers on total pain, spirituality and care of the spirit, caring for the ‘whole’, personal experiences of caring, end of life planning and the importance of connecting.

Attendees also reflected on and shared about their practice of care.

Let Pictures Tell Your Wedding Story

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Holly Bradford is an award-winning photographer who loves being part of her client’s special day as there are so many beautiful moments for her to capture! Be it the proud look on a father’s face, the nervous but excited anticipation of the groom, the cheeky flower girl or of course the joy of a couple who are deeply in love.

These are the important moments that tell the story of a wedding day and you want to have full trust in your photographer that they will capture the memories for you. Holly is all about giving her clients confidence to relax, have fun and enjoy every minute!

Throughout the day she aims to be as unobtrusive as possible during the important moments like the ceremony and speeches as there is nothing worse than a photographer who steals the focus. She also likes to have a bit of fun with her bridal parties and often asks lots of silly questions, as the best images are often captured when you’re having a good old laugh!

Although based in the country town of Young in NSW, Holly regularly travels for weddings and has even gone as far as the Kimberley, Fiji and Ireland! Holly takes a great deal of pride and care in her work and after the wedding spends on average 40 plus hours editing behind the scenes to ensure her clients receive the highest level of quality in their final images.

Once the wedding is complete the bride and groom are invited to come into her lovely studio in Young and view all the images on the big screen while enjoying some bubbly and sweet treats. She also has a range of professional products and clients have the option to turn their images into either gorgeous canvases, beautiful prints for the wall or stunning custom designed wedding albums. Contact Holly on 0407 409 277, email holly@hollybradford.com or see her work on facebook and Instagram.

A Pain In The Heel

July 27, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

“Each morning I have to hobble to the toilet because of a sharp pain in my heel. It settles after a while and feels like I am walking on a bruise.” Is this you? Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain.

According to research, 80% of all cases show spontaneous improvement within 12 months. If you want to be a little more proactive there are a few things you can do. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of tissue that fans from the heel to the base of each toe. It helps to support the arch of the foot. Plantar Fasciitis strikes when degenerative changes occur in the fascia where it attaches to the heel. It is sometimes associated with bony heel spurs however the
spurs themselves do not cause pain.

The cause of Plantar Fasciitis is often multifactorial and may include any combination of stiff ankle joints, low arches, high arches, weak foot muscles, poor footwear or increased load due to weight gain or prolonged periods of standing.

Self-treatment for this problem should involve massage to the foot arch and gentle calf stretches before rising each morning, strengthening exercises for the intrinsic muscles in the foot, a temporary decrease in training and a gradual return to sport when it is no longer painful to walk. In addition any biomechanical issues present in the lower limbs should be addressed to prevent recurrence.

“For the fitness of you”
Linda Reilly

Photographic Talent That Is Out Of This World

July 20, 2017 By Maggi Barnard

Skill, imagination, vision, and patience; these are essential qualities for an astrophotographer – especially patience. The photographic subgenre combines scientific precision with an artist’s eye, capturing the wonder of the universe in images that are dazzlingly beautiful and deceptively complex. Each year the Central West Astronomical Society hosts the David Malin Awards for Astrophotography in conjunction with the annual AstroFest. The prestigious competition attracts the best astrophotographers from around Australia. There were eight categories this year, each with their own challenges and stunning aesthetics. Solar System and Deep Space invited us onto the surface of the sun, or into distant nebulas, whereas Airglow and Nightscapes produced images that were simultaneously familiar and other worldly; auroras glowed along a horizon, or the sky was illuminated with the twinkling curve of the Milky Way.

Seventeen year-old Baillie Farley was the winner of the Junior category. It took a lot of work to achieve the stunning landscape featuring the emu constellation. “You have to plan the shot – it’s not just the location and accessibility,” he said. “You have to watch the weather, the moon phases, and the position of the Milky Way. You’ll never get a good photo instantly.”

Phil Hart’s Witch’s Head Nebula was the winner of both Deep Sky and the overall winner. The photograph is a result of more than 40 hours of exposure and three months of imaging. Phil said he’s always trying to create something that’s unique in some aspect. “It’s not just recording what you can see, but what the eye can’t see,” Phil said. “You have to anticipate what’s going to be there. That’s where the fascination comes from.”

Along with the very generous prizes from Cannon, the overall winner is presented with a specially crafted statute; a bust of Galileo looking up into the heavens.

By Raen Fraser

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