Forbes Flood Relief Concert Fundraiser: The Forbes Town & District Band in conjucntion with the Brisbane Water Brass Band will be holding a fundraiser to assist with the maintenance needed for the Forbes Town Band’s Hall in Rankin Street that was flooded twice in 2022. The event will be held at Club Forbes on Saturday, 13th May from 7pm – 9pm. Children under 5 are free, children aged 5-16 cost $10 and adults cost $20. Head along and enjoy a great night of music while supporting a great local cause. 

Research Funding To Tackle High Rates Of Dementia In Rural Areas: Thanks to a grant from the Dementia Australia Research Foundation, researchers will examine why people living in rural and regional areas are three to five times more likely to develop dementia than their city dwelling counterparts and what can be done to reverse this trend. 

Dr Ashleigh Smith said the Mid-Career Research Fellowship, worth $365,000, would enable her team to create dementia prevention strategies specifically tailored for rural and regional communities. “There are 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia including smoking, diet, exercise and social isolation and we have collected good data on how these risk factors impact people living in Australian cities. This Fellowship will enable us to go to regional and rural areas to collect data around these risk factors,” Dr Smith said. 

For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. People looking for information can also visit dementia.org.au 

Boost up for Winter: If your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was six months ago or more, you may be recommended to receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. 

A booster dose is recommended for: 

• Anyone aged 65+ 

• People aged 18-64 years who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 

The following groups are advised to consider a booster dose in discussion with their vaccination provider: 

• People aged 18-64 who are not at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 

• Children and adolescents aged 5-17 who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

Book your booster today by contacting your doctor or local pharmacy. For more information on the 2023 booster, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/vaccination/get-vaccinated/boosters 

All Are Welcome To The Parkes Multicultural Art Group: Join in at 10.30am on Tuesday, 4th April at the Marramarra Makerspace, Parkes Library. Sonia has done a wonderful job getting the Waste To Art piece started and on Tuesday the group will look at ways to complete this piece, using second hand clothing, fashion pieces and fabric. Please bring a small plate of cultural food to share for morning tea. 

Roxanne Gallagher from the Marramarra Makerspace will also be speaking to the group about Makerspace and what is available. 

The Parkes Multicultural Art Group meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 10.30am. For further information please contact Sonia on 0400 990 001.

And The Lucky Winners Are…: Congratulations to the lucky winners of the Forbes and Parkes Phoenix Sydney Royal Easter Show competition:

Forbes: Joanne Holmes

Parkes: Teresa Byrnes

They will each receive a family pass (fourtickets) to the 2023 Sydney Royal EasterShow, which is running from 6th – 17thApril. Thank you to everyone who enteredthe competition.

Government Funding For Parkes And Peak Hill: Parkes and Peak Hill are amongst 176 regional towns to share in over 2.3 million dollars of funding for the following projects:

Parkes Bowling and Sports Club KitchenOven Upgrade to enhance the ParkesBowling and Sports Club kitchen by removing the current industrial gas ovenand installing a new one to increase thesafety and capacity for use by the manynon-sporting community groups that usethe facilities the grant awarded to Parkesin the amount of $7,346.

Peak Hill Preschool Expansion to improve day care access for disadvantagedfamilies by contributing to the development of a community-run long day carefacility and community room in Peak Hill.The grant provided to Peak Hill was theamount of $10,000.

Local Filmmaker Involved In Movie Set To Air On Showtime In America: Dane Millerd was thrilled to spread the word of a TV and Streaming deal for his film Avarice, with Showtime in the US to an audience of 32 million subscribers. The thriller Avarice, shot entirely in WA with a talented cast and crew, was co-written by Dane Millerd and former Forbes local Adam Enslow. Dane recently held a special screening of the film in his hometown of Gunnedah which included a Q&A session.

Southern Cross Village Fete: Will be held on Saturday, 13th May, featuring a variety of stalls and entertainment. Highlights will include performances by Parkes School of Dance, Parkes Town Band, Parkes Community Choir and Peter Guppy with his Trishaw. Enjoy a BBQ lunch, coffee van, raffles, chocolate wheel, jumping castle, cake, produce and plant stalls. Funds raised at the fete will be used to enhance the life style of the Village residents. Be sure to head along for a great day.

Forbes To Host The 2023 Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW Branch Conference: From Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th April, Forbes will play host to representatives from Councils across NSW for the 2023 Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW Branch Conference.

The program will focus on many aspects of disaster management with perspectives from government agency and not-for-profit support programs. Optional events on Thursday, 27th April include tours to Central West Livestock Exchange or an AMAZING Arts Tour, morning tai chi, lake walks and yoga.

In conjunction with the Forbes Business Chamber, a garden welcome reception will be held at the Forbes Anglican Church on Thursday evening. The conference will cilminate in a gala dinner to remember on the Staurday night. Registrations open from 1pm on Thursday 27th April at Forbes Town Hall.

Help When Disaster Strikes: Learn how to help your local community in times of disaster, such as floods, bushfire or storm events by heading along to a free, one-day training course on Saturday, 15th April from 9.30am – 4.30pm at the Red Cross Team Rooms, Church Street, Parkes. The course will cover topics such as: 

• Advocate for preparedness
• RediPlan
• Pillowcase Program
• Preparedness Workshops
• Evacuation Centre registration of affected people and provide personal support
• Psychological First Aid (PFA) duringemergencies
• Provide outreach services and supportpeople during recovery

Register before Thursday, 13th April by emailing kaedwards@redcross.org.au. For further information please call Greater Western Emergency Services Officer, Kerrie Edwards on 0417 216 617. 

Travel Back In Time To Trundle: Parkes Council is partnering with the Trundle P&A Show Society to host the Trundle Back in Time Vintage Rally & Tractor Pull. Funded by the NSW Governments Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program, the Trundle P&A Show Society is hosting this event between Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March at the Trundle Showgrounds. 

The day will provide a gathering for the community and visitors to socialise and focus on mental wellbeing, showcasing the progression of rural and farming machinery from horse days to the modern era. 

Vintage vehicles, a swap meet, markets, live music, kids’ entertainment, sheaf toss, and bar and BBQ facilities. Troppo Bob will be there to entertain families and children with his comedy magic show and balloon modeling. 

The ute pull will start at 3.30pm followed by the sheaf toss at approximately 4.30pm. “All are welcome to have a go at this traditional country sporting event with great prize money to be won.” 

“This is a great opportunity to visit such a historically-rich part of the Parkes Shire and experience the sights and tastes of Trundle,” added Ms Nieves. 

For information visit www.visitparkes.com.au. 

First Home Buyers Saving Millions By Ditching Stamp Duty: More than 2300 first home buyers have opted in to the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s First Home Buyer Choice in the first two months of the initiative, saving a collective $89 million. 

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said that as part of the Liberal and Nationals expansion of its home buyer support, victim-survivors of domestic and family violence would be eligible for stamp duty relief currently reserved for first home buyers. 

Spike In Pig Numbers Needs Urgent Action: Farmers say an explosion in feral pig numbers on public lands in the north and west of the state has resulted in massive damage to properties and livestock. 

Across the state more than 34,000 hoofed feral animals – including pigs, deer and goats – had been culled since November, but the feral pig population was still enormous. 

Unless there is an urgent and coordinated control effort on all land – public and private – this problem will only get worse. 

Forbes Invitational Dragon Boat Regatta: The annual Forbes Invitational Dragon Boat Regatta gets underway this Sunday, 19th March on the beautiful Lake Forbes. Entries have been received from clubs and paddlers from right across the region including Orange, Parkes, Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Lithgow, Dubbo, Forbes and a special welcome to paddlers from the new Blue Mountains club who will be making their first trip to Lake Forbes.

The Forbes Daragon Boat Club are looking forward to a great day of friendly competition with like minded people from all across western NSW. Spectators are welcome to come along and enjoy the atmosphere of this wonderful local event and to cheer on the local team. Racing will commence at 8.30am and should be completed by 1.30pm. 

NAPLAN Testing Starts Earlier For NSW Schools: This week, around 400,000 students across more than 3,100 NSW schools have begun NAPLAN tests.

This is the first year that NAPLAN will be held in Term 1 for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. It means that parents, teachers and ultimately our students, will soon benefit from earlier results from NAPLAN tests. 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said these changes mean we will have a better picture of how a student is tracking earlier and can make sure that any extra support they need to catch up is provided sooner. “A big thank you to the teachers, NAPLAN coordinators and school principals for their efforts preparing for NAPLAN this year amidst the changes.”

Showtime Means It’s Competition Time: The Forbes & Parkes Phoenix are once again giving away tickets to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. We will be giving a away two family passes for four people to attend this years event, one to a Forbes family and one to a Parkes family. Check out further details of the competition on page four of this week’s paper and enter online via www.forbesphoenix.com.au or www.parkesphoenix.com.au. Good luck!

Temporary closure of Thomas Street, Parkes: Motorists are advised that a temporary road closure will be in place on Thomas Street, Parkes from Monday, 20th March for work to safely remove material containing naturally occurring asbestos, as part of the Parkes Bypass project. 

This work, between the intersections of Moulden Street and Reedsdale Road, will be managed by an external expert and all involved will wear appropriate protective clothing.

Thomas Street will be closed during works hours between 7am and 6pm weekdays and 8am to 6pm on some Saturdays for about eight months, weather permitting. 

Free Caravan Testing Days Worth The Weight For Owners: Caravan owners across western NSW will be offered free caravan weighing and safety advice during three events planned for Parkes, Dubbo and Moree in the lead-up to this year’s Easter break. 

Transport for NSW is hosting the free weighing days to educate caravanners about correctly calculating their caravan weight, how to load their caravan for even weight distribution, safe towing tips and ways to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash. 

“We welcome all caravan owners living in and around Parkes to book a free 20-minute session when we visit their town to have their caravan properly weighed,” Mr Lunn said. 

The local caravan weighing day will be on Sunday, 2nd April at Parkes Showground on Mitchell Street, Parkes from 8.30am- 4.30pm. Book online at www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=1013797& 

Figures show that between 2016 – 2020 there were 90 crashes involving caravans across western NSW and, sadly, three people lost their lives. 

More information on safe caravanning is available at https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/drivers/caravan-safety 

Saving Men’s Lives: The purpose-built Rotary Men’s Health Education Rural Van (MHERV) is staffed by a male nurse, Bill Power. It offers free-of-charge health screening services to check blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar (diabetes). The consultation takes about 10 minutes and provides immediate results, helping to improve health outcomes for men. 

MHERV will be located in Forbes opposite Town Hall, Harold Street, today Friday 3rd March 9:30am – 3:30pm, and tomorrow 

Saturday 4th March 9:30am – 12:30pm. 

For further information contact MHERV Program Manager Graeme Hooper on 0417 203 603. 

Government Must Consult Farmers On Superannuation Changes: Australia’s peak farming body has warned that superannuation changes announced by Treasurer, Jim Chalmers could cool investment in agriculture, unless the detail is worked through with farmers. 

National Farmers’ Federation CEO Tony Mahar is now calling on the Government to undertake formal consultation before the measure is budgeted and legislated later this year. 

“For many farmers, their farm is their superannuation, and it’s not uncommon to hold land assets in superannuation – particularly as the next generation enters the business.” 

“Now is not the time to dampen investment in one of Australia’s growth industries that creates jobs in regional Australia and plays a central role in our transition to a low carbon economy,” Mr Mahar concluded. 

Black Range Station: Johnston Rural Group is pleased to present Black Range Station, approx. 15,264ha (37,717ac) mixed farming and grazing powerhouse. 

The proprty offers income diversification for cropping, goats, sheep, cattle and carbon opportunities. The cultivation consent includes 4,238 ha (10,472 ac) cultivation license and 2 PVP’s. Water security is offered through 16 large dams, ‘drought-proofing’ solar bore, tanks and troughs. 

Rangeland goats are currently trapped and sold or retained in an on-farm breeding operation. The property is well fenced with excellent internal, containment and exclusion fencing. Livestock facilities include shearing shed and sheep yards, three goat yards and two cattle yards. 

Improvements include a five bedroom station homestead, garage and seven bay machinery / hay shed. 

For further information on this property contact Gary Johnston on 0427 574 270 or go to www.johnstongroup.com.au 

Popular Parkes Arbour Hits The Market: Parkes Arbour Shopping Centre has been listed for sale, presenting investors the opportunity to acquire a Coles anchored neighbourhood shopping centre with multiple value add strategies. 

Developed in 2006 and refurbished in 2017, Parkes Arbour is a central retail precinct in the Parkes CBD. The Centre offers convenient access with four street frontages to both Clarinda Street and the Newell Highway and over 298 on-grade and basement car parks. 

Expressions of interest for Parkes Arbour Shopping Centre close on Tuesday, 14th March.

Murray Valley Encephalitis Virus Detected In Western Nsw: Communities across Western NSW are encouraged to take measures to protect themselves against mosquito bites following the detection of Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus in mosquitoes at Macquarie Marshes and in sentinel chickens at Forbes.

Priscilla Stanley, Western NSW Local Health District’s Director of Public Health, is urging the community across Western NSW to take all actions possible to avoid being bitten as summer continues.

“People are still enjoying the warm weather and spending plenty of time outdoors, so it is incredibly important that everyone takes appropriate steps to protect against mosquito bites,” Ms Stanley said.

Fostering The Next Generation Of Planners: NSW Department of Planning and Environment Executive Director, Planning Delivery Unit, Tom Kearney said the statewide Strong Start – Planner Mentoring Program would benefit councils and students by connecting students and graduates with experienced planners, providing them with skills, guidance, and opportunities. 

“Planners are vital to building and shaping the communities we live in, and we want to ensure this important profession thrives,” Mr Kearney said. 

Mr Kearney said the initiative is one way to help address a major shortage of planners. “This will assist councils which have been struggling to find planners, with some positions remaining vacant for several years,” he said. 

“This program is about creating more opportunities for students and graduates and more staff for councils to clear backlogs, speed up assessment times for development applications, and deliver better outcomes for our communities.” 

For more information, visit planning.nsw.gov.au/strong-start 

Workshop For Seniors: Have you always wanted to try your hand at writing? All Seniors Card Holders are invited to head along on Monday, 20th February, to a special free writing workshop in the Makerspace at Parkes Shire Library. 

Join the Fellowship of Australian Writers to learn the skills needed to enter the annual Seniors Card Short Story Competition. Special guest Cate Plink will be attending the event and everyone is encouraged to paricipate in the workshop and prepare an entry for the short story competition. To book please call Maureen Kelly OAM on 0417 403 720.

Helping Homeowners Build Better: Building a new home in NSW just got easier with a new digital tool released this week to help guide homeowners through the process from start to finish. 

Deputy Secretary of Delivery, Coordination, Digital and Insights at the Department of Planning and Environment, Amanda Fairley said, “From laying the foundations to finessing the finishing touches, we want to help people to get their dream project off the ground and reduce some of the stress.” 

To use the tool, visit www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/myhome-planner

Open Mic Now On At The Mersh: The Commercial Hotel in Forbes has always been a well-run family pub and Lindee Colvin, who has recently taken over from mum Debbie, is bringing the revamped establishment into a bright new era with a treasure trove of great ideas, development and promotions throughout 2023!

One of the regular fixtures on the calendar will be the Open Mic Day every second Sunday from 19th February. Following the first event two weeks ago, it is certain to prove popular.

“We want all types of local and regional talent here,” said Lindee. “Musicians who play and sing, karaoke, poets, comedians – whatever .It is about encouraging people who may not have been on stage before to get up and have a go!”

The first event attracted a packed house and included a number of performers including crowd favourite Lara Constable, who wowed the audience with her great singing voice. “The day is all about fun and discovering new talent and having a crack at it – you never know what might happen,” said Lindee.

For regular updates head to the Commercial Hotel Facebook page.

Volunteers Help Sort The Saute: Forbes North Public School are seeking volunteers, with a passion for cooking, to assist with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program. Kitchen Garden Specialist and teacher, Marianne Hardy believes helping students learn to cook is a great way to become involved with the school. 

“The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program is about teaching life-long skills with cooking,” Marianne said. “The variety of fresh produce available means some students may be cooking and tasting foods for the first time.”

Volunteers are required for two or three hour sessions, three days a week (Monday, Tuesday and Friday) on a weekly or fortnightly roster, with three volunteers needed at each session. 

To register an expression of interest in volunteering in the kitchen with Forbes North Public School, phone 6852 2187.

Getting Ready For Opportunities To Work: Forbes TAFE is excited to offer another GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities to Work) program for 2023. The course will provide participants with practical employability skills across industry for the operation of plant machinery. Applicants must be over 17 and have finished school. The course will run from Monday, 20th March to Thursday, 6th April and attendance is required each day. Places are limited so register your interest now at https://forms.office.com/r/c1BWTAFHDU.

Junior Landcare Grants Now Open: Parkes shire schools are invited to help grow the next generation of environmental champions. The latest round of the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program is now open, offering primary schools and early learning centres the chance to share in $1 million to support the development of hands-on environmental learning projects.

Woolworths Parkes Store Manager, Kerrie Kennedy, said “Getting children involved with hands-on activities in and around nature is an incredible way to help them explore sustainability in action.”

The activities range from exploring First Nations weather to creating an Indigenous plant-use garden and exploring a First Nations peoples’ languages map. Adam Shipp, First Nations educator with Landcare Australia, said “As a proud Wiradjuri man, I believe it is extremely important that environmental based organisations recognise and work with First Nations groups.”

To find out more about the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants Program and to apply, visit juniorlandcare.org.au.