ANNUAL BOOK SALE
Parkes Library is holding its annual book sale in May. Starts on Saturday, 6th May at 9am and concludes on Saturday, 12th May at 1pm. Get in early to pick up a bargain.

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
What have we learnt about our solar sys- tem and how has it changed over time? This talk, by John Sarkissian, OAM, Opera- tions Scientist at the CSIRO Parkes Radio Observatory, will include a discussion of new planetary systems discovered around other stars and the Parkes Telescope’s contribution to our advancement in knowledge. The talk will also touch on the lat- est search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) research at Parkes. Thursday, 27th April at 10am, Parkes Library (morning tea included) Please RSVP by 26 April on 6861 2309.

LAW WEEK EVENT – CYBER SAFETY
Law Week, a nationwide initiative to promote community awareness and understanding of the law, is being held from 15-21 May. Parkes Library is hosting a Legal Aid NSW event: Cyber safety for older people. This presentation outlines common on-line scams, how to identify them and provides practical tips on protecting yourself online. It also covers how to report scams to au- thorities. Thursday, 18th May, at 10.30am, Parkes Library. Please RSVP for catering purposes – 6861 2309.

RANDOM WEAVING WORKSHOP Artist Lanny Mackenzie is returning to Parkes to hold her Random Weaving/Free Flow workshop. The versatile weaving method can be used to make a variety of forms ranging from small delicate vessels to bigger baskets. Natural and recycled materials are used. Saturday, 10th June from 10am – 3pm, Parkes Library. Very lim- ited spaces. Please book on 6861 2309.

If you are into food and cocktails, you don’t have to go very far to find quality dishes and drinks. The Ikon restaurant at Hotel Grace- lands has a few surprises for you this season.

They are busy working on a new food menu and cocktail menu to offer their patrons something different going into winter.

If you are into fresh ingredients and home made food, so much more reason to book a special meal at the restaurant. The Ikon house makes everything with fresh ingredients. This not only makes for beautiful food, but also ensure the restaurant is allergy friendly all round.

The chefs can tell you everything that goes into each delicious meal. The jus, sauces, aioli, ice creams and desserts are all house made too!

For quality food, book your table at 6862 6236.

As the saying goes ‘everything old is new again’, and surprisingly video games are no exception. Retro games have had a huge surge in popularity in recent years, with Nintendo titles at the forefront of demand.

Classic games, such as Super Mario Bros and Donkey Kong, are not only popular with the adults who loved them as children, but are also finding a new generation of players. It’s a surprising trend in a market that is literally all about the newest technology.

Nintendo recently released the NES Classic Mini, a console loaded with 30 classic games. The unit sold out almost instantly. The consumer-frenzy over the limited-edition console demonstrates a strong demand for the type of gameplay that retro games provide.

Greenlight Collectables has been refurbishing and selling vintage consoles, games and associated collectables for some time. Owner Brendan Allen believes that a great game is timeless.

“We’ve been selling retro games for a few years now, and the demand for quality titles has only increased,” Brendan said. “People are chasing the consoles and games they had as children, as well the ones they’d always wanted but never had.”

“Nintendo and Sega were huge hits in Australia, and we’re always chasing new stock to meet demand,” he said.

It just goes to show that old school is the new cool.

The Parkes Aviation Museum boasts two new attractions; a Convair that landed at the museum late last month, and set of air-stairs arriving last week.

The Convair has only just retired from a long career in the skies. It is a twin propeller craft that first flew in 1947, and was operated across Australia the following year.

The Convairs can be quickly modified to accommodate passengers, or freight, or both. It can accommodate between 32 and 50 passengers in its roomy cabin. As a full-cargo freighter it can transport supplies to the most challenging destinations, and can handle a range of runway conditions. Some have even been used as a water tanker for fire-fighting.

The newly acquired air-stairs are a less obvious, but no less exciting, exhibit. The air-stairs were designed by Qantas in the late 1950s to complement the Boeing 707 jet airliners. The hydraulic stairs were made with Ford car components, and essentially look like a vintage car that has been equipped with a ladder. They were driven right up to the aircraft to access the passenger door.

The Parkes’ new air stairs were acquired from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and delivered to the museum by Wayne Jones Towing. Probably one of their most unusual loads!

The air-stairs are in rustic condition, but will be restored by volunteers and eleven students from Parkes High School.

The students are learning the ins-and- outs of aircraft restoration as part of the high school’s ACES Program. The school teamed up with the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society to give the students the opportunity to get practical experience in a hangar.

This is the first term for this program, and instructor Terry Job believes it is off to a flying start. “Some of the students have really been putting a lot of work into it,” he said. “It’s also a bit of a history lesson, and it’s great to see them so interested and engaged.”