Articles Archives - Page 42 of 452

VRA Rescue NSW Are Recruiting For Volunteers

July 17, 2025 By Roxane Manley

The VRA Rescue NSW is currently recruiting across western NSW in an effort to recruit Volunteers for Squads in the western area as well as a State Rescue Group.

The State Rescue Group will consist of multi-skilled Volunteers from communities across NSW western area.

VRA Rescue NSW, formerly known as the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, is a volunteer-based organization that provides emergency rescue services across New South Wales, Australia. They are dedicated to community safety and play a vital role in emergency management and response. VRA Rescue NSW affiliates include various rescue squads specializing in different areas like motor vehicle rescue, maritime search and rescue, and wilderness rescue.

VRA Rescue NSW is composed of volunteer members who dedicate their time and skills to assist the community in times of need. They offer a diverse range of rescue services, including motor vehicle accidents, maritime incidents, wilderness and cave searches, and more.

Full training will be provided and no experience is needed. People of ages 18+ are welcome.

VRA Rescue NSW covers Road Crash Rescue, Land Search, Flood Rescue, Vertical Rescue and much more. Whether you are keen to get hands on or want to help behind the scenes, there’s a role for you!

If you live in the western area and you are interested in finding out about becoming a volunteer then you can place an expression of interest by visiting the VRA website www.rescue.org.au

Snippets…

July 17, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Local optometrist Bahar Esmaeilzadeh on her visit to Fiji.

Hansen Optometrists Parkes: Last month our Monday optometrist Bahar, joined @onesight in Fiji to provide eyecare to remote communities. She found the experience deeply rewarding and impactful. Between makeshift clinics, friendly locals, and a bit of “Fiji time,” she came back with new skills, a few Fijian words, and plenty of great memories.

Kerin Health: Is Your Toddler a Sensory Seeker? Or you baby starting to explore the world around them? Join our Little Movers or Busy Babies Group on Fridays and learn lots of quick and easy ways to help your toddler thrive (and have a coffee in the sun with another parent while the kids go crazy, this is the best bit!) Book online now www.kerinhealth.com.au/sensory-playgroup

Red Bend Catholic College: A mesasge for ex-students. Red Bend Catholic College looks forward to welcoming ex-students back to Forbes on Saturday, 23 August. If you would like to organise a tour of the College, please email jacquigreig@redbendcc.nsw.edu.au

Flood Recovery Support is Still Available: Recovering from the 2022 Central West NSW floods takes time, and every journey is different. If you or someone you know is still impacted, GIVIT is here to help.

GIVIT provides support to get people back on their feet as they move through recovery. If you or someone you know needs a helping hand, please register with GIVIT at the link below. For help or information, visit: https://www.givit.org.au/person-in-need

Parkes Shire Council: Are you a local Parkes Shire not-for-profit or community based organisation looking for a helping hand? Round 1 of Parkes Shire Council’s Community Financial Assistance Program is open for applications. This round includes General grants of up to $1,000.00 for a specific purpose or event, and Leasing and Licencing grants. For more information or to apply, visit: bit.ly/ParkesShireGrants

Yoorana Gunya Family Healing Centre Aboriginal Corporation: Yoorana Gunya & Binaal Billa NAIDOC Day 2025. Thanks to the fantastic workers for your work on the event, Dinawan’s Connection, Chatty’s Music, Indigenous Cultural Adventures and Essjay Photography for the beautiful pictures.Thank you to aunty Mavis and Cheryl for the Johnny Cakes, Greg and Luke from Zinfra for the assistance and everyone who attended to help celebrate the day.

Yoorana Gunya & Binaal Billa thank everyone for celebrating NAIDOC 2025 with them.

Parkes Artist Wins 2025 Aboriginal Art Prize

July 17, 2025 By Roxane Manley

A painting about domestic violence and a painting about families and western NSW have jointly won the 2025 CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal Art Competition. The works of artists Maddison Hull of Parkes and Beverley Moore of Bourke equally impressed the judges, and both entrants have been awarded a $2,000 first prize.

The competition was judged during NAIDOC Week by Bishop Columba MacbethGreen, CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes chief executive officer Anne-Marie Mioche and CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes director cultural engagement Jane Kemp.

Ms Mioche said the two winning artworks were powerful creative works.

In the artwork More Than Meets The Eye, Maddison Hull’s subject is domestic violence. “The intricate work features an eye, a red handprint and a tree,” Ms Mioche said.

“Writing about her artwork, Ms Hull says the handprint is either lives lost to domestic violence, or to show someone putting up their hand to no longer silence the violence, while the tree is to show the old connection to food, shelter and markers for stories, which survivors rely on to escape safely.

“Ms Hull says when looking at people, we never really know what’s going on until someone either speaks up or it’s too late, and the artwork’s eye shape is to give us an insight into a story we may not see or understand.”

The judges also awarded second prize to two paintings – Corroboree by Sheldon Smith of Bourke, and Connecting to Country, also by Maddison Hull, and they will each receive a $1,500 second prize. Third prize of $500 was won by Mark Curry of Wilcannia with Frog Ponds.

Running for its fourth time, the CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Aboriginal Art Competition attracted 14 entries from across western NSW in 2025.

The social support organisation established the competition in 2019 to generate opportunities and recognition for emerging Aboriginal artists and encourage more entries in 2026

Buddy Boy Kitchen Brings Big City Flavours To Parkes

July 17, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Tucked inside the Parkes International Motor Inn on Peak Hill Road, Buddy Boy Kitchen is introducing something new to the local dining scene. With a menu inspired by bold, contemporary flavours and a focus on quality ingredients, our restaurant offers fresh options for breakfast, dinner, and a relaxed evening drink.

Buddy Boy Kitchen opened in April 2025 with the aim of bringing something different to Parkes. The goal is to create an approachable space with a menu that feels modern and is grounded with local ingredients. From prawn linguine to scotch fillet, our dishes are designed to be both satisfying and positively surprising, the kind of food that makes you slow down and savour every bite.

Parkes is known for its rich history and community spirit, and as the town continues to grow and welcome more visitors, culinary additions like Buddy Boy Kitchen can help round out the local experience, offering a place where travellers can unwind, and locals can enjoy something new with friends, family, or a quiet table for one.

Open Monday to Saturday, our kitchen serves breakfast from 6:30am to 9:00am and dinner from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, with a Happy Hour from 4:30pm to 6:00pm.

Buddy Boy Kitchen’s setting is contemporary, our staff is welcoming, and the menu designed by our chefs is created with both comfort and curiosity in mind.

If you’re nearby, or planning a stay in Parkes, Buddy Boy Kitchen is worth a visit. To find out more or book a table, visit buddyboykitchen.com.au or phone (02) 6862 5222.

Parkes PCYC Nations Of Origin 2025

July 17, 2025 By Roxane Manley

On day one of the competition these four girls took away a gold and a bronze, showcasing their amazing skills.

Parkes PCYC Nations of Origin teams and supporters travelled to Sydney early this week to compete in the Nations of Origin tournament. The multi-sports tournament aims to promote reconciliation within communities by engaging the Aboriginal Nations of NSW and people of non-Aboriginal descent. Over 1,000 First Nations and nonFirst Nations young people came together to celebrate their cultures, friendships, hard work and dedication.

PCYC Parkes first attended the event last year and are excited to be back again this year. Thanks to Parkes PCYC and its supporters who have donated to help fund the trip, 56 kids from the local area will be taking part.

Kimberley Sherrett, Parkes PCYC Club Manager said: “There were come and try out sessions for rugby league, gymnastics and basketball, most of these children are already participating in programs at the club.

“The majority of the students this year are from Parkes however we also have some Condobolin, Peak Hill and Forbes players.

Last year Parkes PCYC gymnastics girls finished with bronze and a highly commended, our basketball boys and one of our rugby league teams came very close to making the finals and one of our rugby league teams made the finals but were unfortunate not to walk away with a win.

We were incredibly proud of how they all played and performed.”

The annual four-day sporting and cultural event brings together young people from across New South Wales, representing their Aboriginal Nations. The program consists of teams with a 70-30 split of First Nations and non-First Nations youth.

The event aims to foster community connections, celebrate Indigenous culture, and promote understanding and respect between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal young people.

See next week’s paper for a full report on the performance of the Parkes PCYC teams at the tournament.

State Of The Art Service Centre Nearing Completion

July 10, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Construction works on the state-of-the-art bp highway service centre in Parkes are progressing and the site is entering the final stages of delivery.

The new centre, located on the recently opened Parkes Bypass, at the roundabout of the Newell Highway and Henry Parkes Way, will be anchored by bp with a convenience store. The facility will feature a truck drivers lounge with showers, laundry and diner and 26 heavy vehicle parking spaces to provide a much-needed rest stop on this significant transport route.

Construction commenced in late 2024 and the service centre is expected to open in late September 2025. The site will soon include the construction commencement of a new McDonalds restaurant.

The Development Director for Stevens Land, Jason Capuano said: “This project is more than just a service centre; it serves as the gateway to the heart of national logistics and the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.”

“This development will not only serve the Newell Highway but also the expansive 4700-hectare Eco-industrial Special Activation Precinct.

“The strategic location will provide much needed rest facilities for travelling heavy vehicle operators and the general public, with a full service diner within the BP and a newly built McDonalds with a drive through as part of the project,” said Mr Capuano.

This first stage of the 20ha Parkes Gateway Precinct will provide much needed infrastructure to service the Parkes SAP and heavy vehicles using the Newell Highway.

Future stages will provide a great opportunity for industrial and trade retail businesses.

Snippets…

July 10, 2025 By Roxane Manley

A huge thank you to everyone who joined in for this special day on Wiradjuri Country.

Forbes Shire Council NAIDOC Celebrations 2025: Our community came together to celebrate NAIDOC Week with pride, respect, and unity. We kicked off the day with a powerful march from the South Circle Oval to the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre, followed by a moving traditional fire ceremony, flag raising, and vibrant cultural dances. The afternoon was filled with celebration – from the official ceremony, award presentations, and delicious BBQ, to hands-on cultural activities, arts and crafts, and interactive displays. Let’s continue to honour and celebrate the oldest living culture on Earth.

Inland Rail: Have you been keeping up with Inland Rail’s progress or would you like to know more about Australia’s largest infrastructure project? At Inland Rail, we need your feedback to make sure that what we say and do is meeting the needs and expectations of project communities. All we ask is 10 minutes of your time to complete the survey. Please type this link into your web browser https://survey-au.yoursurveynow.com/survey/selfserve/53b/2506202?list=0 Please complete this survey before Monday 14 July 2025.

Kerin Health: Calling all Parkes and Forbes families – don’t wait until summer, swimming lessons are available now with Kerin Health so book your child’s place today. Kerin Health have just released new classes for swimming lessons and now is your chance to grab a spot and keep the momentum going for your child’s swimming skills. ⁠Swimming lessons for term 3 will be held at the Forbes Indoor Heated Pool, commencing on 28 July, running for a six week term. Don’t miss out, follow the link to book now www.kerinhealth.com.au/swimming-lessons

Parkes Shire Council: Parkes Shire Council is proud to announce the two local groups awarded funding through the 2025 Cultural Grants Program.

• Parkes Community Arts $6,000 to expand their successful Who Is Parkes photographic trail

• Peak Hill Pastoral Agricultural & Horticultural Association $4,000 to deliver Crafting Connections creative workshops at the 120th Peak Hill Show

Since launching, Council’s Cultural Grants Program has provided almost $95,000 to support over 30 community-led cultural, musical and artistic initiatives across the Shire. To learn more about the program, visit: www.parkes.nsw.gov.au.

Cultural Grant Recipients pictured receiving their grants from Parkes Shire Council.

Community Action Needed For Safer Speeds

July 10, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Parkes residents are being given the opportunity to have their say about safe speeds on local roads.

Parkes residents are being asked to provide input in a survey that is part of a bigger research project, and a world first. The research is using ideas generated directly by residents of various towns and cities in NSW to look for ways to create understanding about safe speeds.

Usually, ideas come from the government down to the people. But in this project, we are doing things the other way round – asking the community to generate ideas to improve the safety of our road journeys. This survey is one part of that process. We are asking people to complete a short, anonymous survey twice, 6 months apart, so that we can measure if there are changes in people’s thinking.

Researchers from The George Institute for Global Health are asking locals to share their thoughts on driving in an anonymous online survey. The survey is part of a larger road safety project known as Community Action for Safe Speeds (CASS). The survey can be accessed via https://bit.ly/3SHAwbl Upon completing the surveys, participants will enter a draw to win one of four $250 egift vouchers.

For many years, governments have attempted to inform people about the risks they face when using the road. Travelling at inappropriate or unsafe speeds is one of those risks. Safe speeds are all about travelling at a speed that will not create a casualty if things go wrong. However, it seems that we don’t fully appreciate the risks and consequences involved with driving at speeds that are not appropriate in certain conditions.

This project is a community-led approach to draw on the wisdom and knowledge of local people to be part of the solution in their own community.

Safe Me – A Program For Disrupting Youth Family Violence

July 10, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Safe Me is a 12 week intervention program for young males (12 – 17) who have or are engaging in violent or abusive behaviour toward females; this may be in the context of family violence or toward a girlfriend or partner.

Designed to disrupt the pattern of youth family violence and minimise risk of ongoing violence in relationships. Facilitators work with participants to explore their identity and what it means to be a young man, build on their own strengths and strategies that promote safety, unpack and map their own values, thoughts and beliefs around the use of violence and to develop safety plans for future behaviour.

Mission Australia is motivated by a shared vision of an Australia where everyone has a safe home and can thrive.

Young men can self-refer to the program or can be referred by family, friends or other support services (with the young person’s consent). Referrals are received by Mission Australia and the young person will be contacted to make a suitable time to further discuss the program.

Young men wanting to engage in a program to look at behaviour encouraged to apply safeme@missionaustralia.com.au

Nominate A Local For 2026 Australian Of The Year Awards

July 10, 2025 By Roxane Manley

We see them and hear about them every day – unsung community heroes, inspiring achievers, lifechanging mentors: extraordinary Australians we think should be recognised for their contributions.

Now is the time to give recognition by nominating who you think should be considered for the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards.

Did you know a person can only be considered for an Australian of the Year Award if a member of the public submits a nomination on their behalf? Your single nomination could see them join 128 state and territory selected representatives and, ultimately, be honoured in one of four categories:

• Australian of the Year

• Senior Australian of the Year (65+)

• Young Australian of the Year (16-30)

• Australia’s Local Hero

Have your say before it’s too late. Nominations close at midnight on Thursday 31 July 2025 – it’s easy to submit a nomination at australianoftheyear.org.au

It’s Easy To Nominate:

• One nomination is enough – the Awards are judged on merit so multiple submissions are not required

• You don’t need to know them personally – simply outline what they do or how they’ve contributed

• No permission needed – nominate first, the Awards program will handle the rest

• Stay anonymous if you prefer – the Awards program respects a nominator’s preference for privacy

Give extraordinary Australians the recognition they deserve – nominate today at australianoftheyear.org.au.

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