With the summer’s heat waves still fresh in our minds, a 94-year-old resident of Narromine clearly remembers the summer of 1939.

“It was 47.5 Celsius (118 Fahrenheit) for days on end and we did not have air conditioning, let alone electricity,” said Keith Hayden, who responded to a request for stories about the 1939 heat wave.

“I was 17 years old and lived with my fa- ther on our farm outside Narromine. I was working outside in the heat every day as I had to clear a 180 acre paddock of Bathurst burs before Christmas,” recalls Keith. “I can remember it pretty well.”

Keith said green parrots were dropping out of the trees dying of the heat, and the poultry had their wings out and beaks open trying to cool down. “We just had to bear the heat during the day and at night took a cold shower hoping to fall asleep… but the mosquitoes were pretty bad.”

According to Keith it was not a drought. “There were plenty of water and the dams were full. It was just hot.”

Keith served in the air force for more than four years and was based in Parkes before he was posted overseas to several locations. He remembers his time in Parkes fondly.

Gold has played a significant role in the history of Australia starting in 1851 with the Bathurst gold rush.

More than 150 years later, the Cowal gold mine near West Wyalong announced a modern day “gold rush” last month with its board approving an investment of approxi- mately $270 million to increase production and extend the life of mine by eight years to 2032.

Rated among the top five biggest gold mines in Australia, total production is set to increase to 1.2 million ounces.

Just as all the discoveries of gold all over Australia has boosted the economy, lead to the development of foreign trade, trans- portation, communication and many inland towns, an immediate benefit of the Cowal mine expansion, is an increase in employees with 48 new operators in the open pit and the plant.

Community Relations Officer at the mine,Tony Glasgow said interviews for the new positions had already started this week.

The mine currently employs about 400 staff and contractors from the Forbes, Bland and Lachlan Shires, with 64 residents making the bus journey from Forbes.

The new investment will deliver two major projects over the next four years: the E42 stage H cutback and the dual leach project. The E42 stage H cutback will widen and deepen the existing open pit by at least 80m. The pit is currently 340m deep. This has been made possible by a 145% or 2.28 million gold ounces increase in Cowal’s Ore Reserves since Evolution acquired the operation in 2015.

The Dual Leach project will add an ad- ditional leaching circuit to the processing plant to target a four to six per cent in- crease in gold recoveries. This would result in gold production increasing by an estimated 10,000 to 14,000 ounces per year.

Well known Australian author Barry Brebner will be in Parkes on Thursday, 16th March as part of a regional tour to promote his new book.

He compiled eleven factual and personal stories of exciting travel adventures across the country in Workers on the Wallaby.

“Seasonal and casual employment in Australia occurs right across the country, creating an adventure of a lifetime waiting to happen,” Barry said.

“I believe this is a book that will encourage people to take advantage of what Aus- tralia has to offer by way of employment and tourism. I also believe that it may help many people to follow their dream to travel and work throughout Australia.”

Barry is also the author of well-renowned Australian employment series Workabout Australia that has helped many people find work.

Barry will be signing copies of Workers on the Wallaby at the Parkes Visitor In- formation Centre from 12:30pm, and will speak about the limitless work and travel opportunities at a seminar commencing at 1pm. If you would like to attend
RSVP by Tuesday, 14th March on 6862 6000 or tourism@parkes.nsw.gov.au.

For more information about Barry’s new book, visit www.workersonthewallaby. com.au

The courageous and committed woman solely responsible for the establishment of four new community newspapers in the Central West, has decided to write the ending to one chapter of her illustrious career.

Cheryl Newsom, Publisher of The Phoenix Group of Newspapers, handed over the reins to her daughter Sarah Maynard this week to retire.

Cheryl marched in where others feared to tread during a time of downsizing in the newspaper industry worldwide, and within three years had four successful newspapers up and running.

She arrived in Canowindra five years ago after a successful media career in the Big Smoke to be closer to her family. She continued with her media consultancy business Inxcess for a few years, and then decided she wanted to do something locally. When The Canowindra Phoenix came up for sale in 2013 she jumped at the opportu- nity, and had her very own newspaper for the first time.

The Canowindra Phoenix was transformed from a small four-page paper to a 12-page weekly publication with the motto: Live Local, Love Local, Shop Local.

The Phoenix recipe proved successful and there was no stopping Chez, as she is also known. The Forbes Phoenix was launched on 3rd July 2015, and in March last year two more newspapers saw the light: The Parkes Phoenix and The Hilltops Phoenix.

She was a woman on a mission, and would often say: “Watch out Fairfax we are hot on your tail!”

Chez is a sales guru at heart and selling is her real passion. She was instrumental in launching the Canowindra Tourism Booklet, the Blayney Tourism Booklet, as well as calendar and rainfall charts for all four newspapers.

She already has some new jobs in the pipeline for retirement, but for now The Phoenix team wishes her safe travelling and time to just chill out.

International Women’s Day is next week and Parkes Quota Club is inviting all women to a luncheon to celebrate women’s achievements.

Not only will guests enjoy a delicious chicken and prawn meal, but there will be great entertainment too.

This year we are featuring Women In the Arts. Artists Marilyn Nash, Jo Laurie and Rosalie Burns willl display some of their work and talk to us about it, we will listen to the magnificent voice of Cr Barbara Newton, learn about yoga from Monica Lea and enjoy a mini fashion parade from The Red Chandelier.

Set Sunday, 12th March aside for a wonderful time at the Parkes Services Club starting at 12pm.

Tickets at $30 can be purchased from Absolutely Hair at 207 Clarinda Street until 6th March, unless all sold out beforehand.

Get your friends toghether, and pick up your tickets to avoid disappointment, as we sold out very quickly last year.

Our Quota Club is always happy to wel- come new members. We work towards making the world a safer and better place. Money raised from this event will help us achieve these goals. Give me a call on 0407 486612 if you would like to know more about Quota, or chat to one of our members at the International Women’s Day luncheon.

International Women’s Day is held annually to celebrate the achievements of wom- en and to strive for gender equality.

This year’s theme is #BeBoldForChange and aims to encourage all of us to do all we can to accelerate gender parity and to help forge a better working world – a more inclusive, gender equal world.

By Pam Nankivell