Articles Archives - Page 43 of 452

$27 Million To Restore Critical Water And Sewer Infrastructure

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

The Minns Labor Government is investing $27 million to restore vital water and sewer infrastructure in the Central West, helping communities recover from the 2022 floods and prepare for future disasters.

A major focus of the funding is the $22.9 million rebuild of the Lake Endeavour water pipeline in Parkes Shire, which will be reconfigured to a safer, flood-resilient location.

This pipeline is a critical component of the water supply system for around 10,000 residents and plays a vital role in supporting local agriculture and industry, including the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.

Rebuilding the Lake Endeavour pipeline will strengthen water security for local families and businesses, support local jobs and contribute to the region’s broader economic recovery.

The Lake Endeavour reservoir is a vital part of the Parkes water supply, ensuring continued access during drought and periods of low flow and poor water quality in the Lachlan River.

Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said “I’ve seen the damage to Lake Endeavour firsthand. The risk of Parkes running critically low on water was simply unacceptable, especially with only one main supply left and with the threat of drought hanging over the community again.”

“Reliable water and sewer services are things people in the cities often take for granted. Our regional communities shouldn’t be left worse off after disasters.”

The funding follows close collaboration between the NSW Government, Parkes, Cabonne and Lachlan Shire Councils, local water authorities and local stakeholders.

Snippets…

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Temporary Library Pop-Up at Forbes TAFE Campus.

TAFE NSW Forbes: We’re excited to bring you a special pop-up library at Forbes TAFE Campus! This temporary setup ensures you still have access to all TAFE resources while we search for a permanent space. Whether you need study materials, research assistance, or just a quiet place to read, we’ve got you covered.

Parkes Potters: Do your kids want to get creative these upcoming holidays? Parkes Potter’s are running a children’s workshop for the school holidays on Wednesday 9 July. Phone 0427 342 751 for more information and bookings.

Women NSW: Every day, 58 people will learn they have breast cancer. More than 21,000 breast cancer diagnoses are expected nationally this year, which will include 6,500 in NSW alone. Breast cancer is still a leading cause of cancer death among women. Early detection and access to innovative clinical trials are critical to improving survival rates and quality of life. Find more information about breast cancer trials by visiting: tacklebreastcancer.com.au

Parkes Elvis Festival: Applications are OPEN to have a market stall at the 2026 Parkes Elvis Festival. Apply here: bit.ly/PEFmarkets Applications close 30 July 2025.

Plastic Free July: Forbes Shire Council is proud to be part of Plastic Free July, a global movement helping millions of people reduce plastic waste for cleaner streets, parks, rivers, and communities. From saying no to single-use plastics to making simple swaps at home or work, every action counts. Are you ready to take the challenge? Join us this July and make a pledge to reduce single-use plastic in your daily life. Together, we can create lasting change. Sign up here: www.plasticfreejuly.org/take-the-challenge

R U OK? Checking in with someone can take away the pressure to reach out for help. It lets someone know it’s OK to not be OK and gives them permission to talk about what they’re going through. For more tips on having meaningful conversations, visit www.ruok.org.au/how-to-ask

NSW Rock Camp: Parkes High School music students, Bohdi and Huntur participated in the Western NSW Rock Camp in Dubbo last week. All the students in attendance had a blast and participated in a week of learning new skills and working with a range of people. What an awesome experience for these talented students!

Parkes High School Students attend Rock Camp.

Local Land Services’ Annual Farm Census Underway

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

NSW landholders are being asked to report their livestock numbers and land use information as part of Local Land Services’ annual farm census.

The Annual Land and Stock Return collects information that helps shape the delivery of essential animal health and biosecurity services and prepare for emergencies such as bushfires and biosecurity outbreaks.

Landholders must lodge their return by 31 August 2025 via the online portal or by completing the paper form received via mail.

LLS’ Executive Director Delivery, Rob Kelly, said the Annual Land and Stock Return helped paint a picture of agricultural land use and livestock across NSW. “If you need advice or support, please reach out to Local Land Services on 1300 795 299 or visit your nearest office.”

There are more than 170,000 landholders across NSW. Those without stock still need to complete their returns to avoid unnecessary fees. The Animal Health and Meat Industry Levy is automatically applied to a landholder’s next Local Land Services rates notice if they fail to complete their return.

Landholders can visit nsw.gov.au/alsr or scan the QR code on their Annual Land and Stock Return notice.

Council Wins National Award

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Parkes Shire Council has been named the Outstanding Rural and Remote Council at the 2025 National Awards for Local Government, in recognition of its innovative approach to fleet optimisation and asset management.

The award, presented at the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly Dinner in Canberra on Thursday 26 June, acknowledges Parkes Shire Council’s “Fleet Optimisation and Innovation – A Smarter Approach to Asset Management” project. This is the first time that this award category has been included in the national program.

Parkes Shire Council was selected from a competitive field of 54 projects submitted for the Outstanding Rural and Remote Council category.

Michael O’Shannessy, Council’s Fleet and Depot Manager, said the award reflects several years of commitment to transforming fleet operations to better serve the organisation and community.

“We’re incredibly proud to be recognised on a national stage. This project has reshaped how we manage and maintain Council’s fleet – improving safety, efficiency, and transparency,” Mr O’Shannessy said.

“By building our own system in-house, we’ve not only saved costs but also created a smart, scalable solution tailored to our needs and future growth.”

Parkes Shire Council developed its own advanced fleet management system using TechnologyOne, integrating real-time data, predictive maintenance strategies, and GPS telematics.

The system provides full oversight of Council’s $18 million fleet and is designed to ensure cost-effective lifecycle management of all fleet assets, from heavy plant to small equipment.

The innovation has resulted in a shift from reactive to scheduled maintenance, improved asset availability, reduced emissions, and enhanced worker safety.

Quorn Park Hybrid: Project Update

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Construction activities of the Quorn Park Hybrid Farm, on Back Trundle Road, Parkesare progressing, with materials delivered for access tracks and working areas.

Back Trundle Road Council upgrade is complete. Intersection upgrade in progress pending completion in July. Piling works were completed in early June 2025. Vehicle movements are being continuously monitored to minimise impacts to local road users where possible. Light and heavy vehicles will continue along Henry Parkes Way, McGrath Lane, and Back Trundle Road as materials and personnel are transported to site, generally between 7.00am –6.00pm Monday to Friday. Civil works for the project’s substation and for the substation access roads are ongoing.

The Golden Rows – the first solar panel rows installed on-site, which serve as the benchmark for layout, quality, and installation pace – have now been completed. With the completion of this key milestone, the project team was pleased to welcome representatives from the Parkes Shire Council to site in mid-June. The purpose of the visit was to showcase recent progress on site, and outline the next steps.

The mechanical crews are beginning installation of the tracker components, which allow the solar panels to follow the sun’s movement and maximise energy production throughout the day.

Panel installation will commence in coming weeks, once the mechanical assembly of trackers are in progress. Construction hours are Monday to Friday 7am-6pm, and Saturday 7am-1pm. All construction works are undertaken in accordance with the conditions of the Development Approval and relevant legislative requirements. Project updates can be found at: https://potentiaenergy.com.au/project/quorn-park-hybrid/

Backing The Future For Youth In NSW

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation (VFFF) have partnered to deliver Backing the Future. It’s an exciting program that supports innovative ideas benefitting young people.

Applications are now open for grants of $50,000 from individuals to develop innovative ideas that enhance the lives of young people (aged 12-30) in remote, rural, and regional NSW.

The grants are available through the Backing the Future program. In NSW, the program has already supported 28 individuals by investing $1.4 million in their rural youth-focussed projects.

The Youth Futures team will also be holding a webinar at 12pm, Monday 7 July, and FRRR encourages interested applicants to register to learn more. Register at: https://ow.ly/OWSH50W8a6c.

Unlike many other programs, VFFF’s granting structure enables Backing the Future to fund individuals without requiring the backing of an established organisation, eliminating traditional barriers to entry.

Natalie Egleton, FRRR CEO, said that the innovative partnership means the Foundation can respond to the needs of young people in each community in an agile way, which has resulted in projects with amazing and ongoing impacts.

VFFF’s Stories of Giving and Receiving podcast features the journeys of past recipients, highlighting their learnings, successes and advice. It’s a valuable resource to changemakers looking to apply for Backing the Future.

The program is now using an Expression of Interest process, with EOIs open Monday 16 June, and due Monday 28 July.

Successful EOIs will be invited to submit a full application from Wednesday 13 August.

Full applications close 5pm on Monday 8 September. To learn more, head to www.frrr.org.au/backing-the-future or call 1800 170 020 and speak to FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, Lauren Ryan.

Evolution Mining And CSU Introduce “The Heart Of Parkes”

July 3, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Brooke Plunkett, Communications and Engagement Specialist Evolution Mining, Dr Kerry Stuart, Head of Campus Central West Clinical School, second year student Josh Brown, third year student John O’Brien, fourth year student Antez Varghese and third year student Joseph Pearce.

The shortage of doctors in regional Australia has been something that has impacted most, if not all of us. Evolution has proudly partnered with Charles Sturt University (CSU) School of Rural Medicine to provide a space for a training program with the aim of helping address the shortage.

CSU’s Rural Doctors Program trains and develops medical students who want to remain living and working in regional areas.

Unfortunately, until now, there has not been a facility to run this program in Parkes.

Northparkes will provide the space for this program, which will have 11 Central West medical students based out of the facility from the day it opens.

Local GP Kerrie Stewart said we have a pipeline of some of the best students in Australia, who we know want to stay local.

“They were raised here and have families here. This space is the opportunity we have been waiting for,” she said.

The program will provide more access to medical services through clinician lead clinics with student involvement for things like health checks, childhood vaccinations, and more.

The building will be a shared space and contain the Northparkes Town Office, a purpose-built training facility and the CSU Rural Doctors Program.

Four of the eleven students who are local to Parkes and Forbes have indicated they will stay in the area once they have completed their studies.

Fourth year student Antez Vargese said “I wanted to do medicine straight after high school but I went and did radiography for a year first, and when I found out about this program, it was close to home, my friends, my community, it just made sense.

The students will each complete five years of medical school and then go on to be an intern and then a resident before deciding what to specialise in.

Flying Pharmacist Takes To The Skies For Royal Fundraiser

June 26, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Fifteen days, more than 3,880 kilometres, nine stops and one aircraft. That’s the journey that a Forbes pharmacist, and two regional farmers, will embark on later this year for the 2025 Outback Air Race to raise vital money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Forbes Flying Pharmacist Jack Buckley will join Cowra’s Brad Shephard, known as the Farmer from Downunder, and Grenfell farmer John Johnson, in the aviation event in August. More than 40 teams will fly across the Australian outback, over two weeks, in support of the RFDS.

“As a healthcare professional I have incredible respect and admiration for the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Managing partner of Flannery’s Pharmacy in Forbes, Jack Buckley, said.

“The RFDS is such an integral part of healthcare delivery in outback Australia and having lived in Forbes for almost a decade now, I have seen the importance of this service firsthand.

All three pilots helped residents across the region during the NSW flood crisis of November 2022, flying supplies to towns along the Lachlan River. Together the trio is called ‘Flying4Phun’ and they are hoping to raise $100,000 for the RFDS.

“All funds will go towards outfitting RFDS aircraft with essential medical equipment, vital for treating sick children and injured patients across Australia.” Jack said.

The 2025 Outback Air Race will take place from 22 August to 8 September. To donate visit: Team 22 – Flyin4phun in Outback Air Race 2025.

Snippets…

June 26, 2025 By Roxane Manley

Phil Donato MP pictured at one of the affected sites with Parkes Mayor Niel Westcott and Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf.

Parkes Shire Council: While the full details are still to come, we’re hopeful the NSW Budget announcement of $27 million for the repair and restoration of water and sewer infrastructure in the Central West damaged by the 2022 severe weather and flooding may deliver positive outcomes for Parkes Shire. Thank you to Philip Donato MP and everyone who has strongly advocated for flood-impacted communities across our region. We look forward to learning more about what this means for Parkes.

Companions Thru Cancer: Companions Thru Cancer Inc held a soup luncheon on Wed 18th June in the Red Cross Rooms. A big ‘thank you’ to the hard working Committee who catered for the event and the volunteers who helped out on the day. Also special thanks to the business houses, shops and the general community for supporting the luncheon. The raffle was drawn by Sister Kath and won by Wendy Van Der Wel.

Central West Local Land Services: Farmers across the Central West are invited to join a powerful, 3-year journey toward greater profitability, resilience, and performance. Through the Farm Benchmarking Project, you’ll gain exclusive access to confidential, data-backed insights comparing your business performance with likeminded producers in the region. Whether you’re navigating a tough season or planning ahead, this program brings clarity and confidence to the decisions that matter most. The deadline is June 30 on this subsidised opportunity https://bit.ly/4cWt8SX

Central West Police District: Have you heard about the NSW Police Next Of Kin (NOK) Program? The NOK program enables vulnerable people or people living alone to record their emergency contact details with the NSW Police Force. Please consider if this program would benefit you or someone you know. Just complete the NOK Registration form which you can pick up from any police station or download from the NSW police website or via the link: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/572394/next-of-kin-program-application-form.pdf

Evolution Mining Northparkes Operations: The Northparkes Community Investment Program supported the Forbes Men’s Shed to concrete a wide access path for users. Have a project your organisation would like support for? Simply go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/DDR2TN2

The path extends through the storage shed to the main shed in order to drive a forklift to convey goods.

New Premises Marks A Milestone For The Country Universities Centre

June 26, 2025 By Roxane Manley

The Country Universities Centre Parkes (CUC Parkes) has officially opened its newpremises at 7–9 Court Street, nearly five years after launching its original co-located site within the Parkes Shire Library.

“Since opening our doors at the Parkes Library in 2020, we have supported over 215 students in their studies,” said Centre Manager Jacob Cass.

“Our new facility offers expanded space, private study rooms, and a dedicated workshop room, in addition to all the services we previously provided, such as free printing and access to workstations.”

The new Centre was formally opened on Wednesday, 18 June by Mr Jamie Chaffey, Member for Parkes; Mr Phil Donato, Member for Orange; Parkes Shire Mayor Neil Westcott; Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller; CUC Parkes Chairperson Tracie Robertson; and Centre Manager Jacob Cass.

Designed with students in mind, the upgraded facility features two private study rooms, 14 dual-screen workstations, student laptops for in-centre use, video conferencing equipment, printing services, academic and wellbeing support, a large meeting and workshop room, a student common area, and a kitchen. Registration is simple, and access to the Centre is completely free.

CUC Parkes is not just for university students. If you’re studying a Certificate III or higher through TAFE or another Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or are a student in Years 10, 11, or 12, you’re eligible to use the Centre and take advantage of its full range of support services.

CUC Parkes is proudly funded by the NSW Government and the Australian Government through the Regional University Study Hub Program. We extend our sincere thanks to these organisations for their ongoing support and to everyone who joined us to celebrate this important milestone.

For more information about Country University Centre Parkes, you can contact Jacob Cass jacob.cass@cucparkes.edu.au or by calling 0409 119 933.

Subscribe