Yellow ribbons have become synonymous with National Road Safety Week which starts on Sunday. 

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils will be getting behind this initiative with a range of activities to help raise awareness of road safety as they’ve done since 2017. This includes honouring the memory of the 1,200 lives lost and more than 44,000 seriously injured on Australian roads each year. 

“Yellow ribbons will be displayed all across the country to remember those we have lost on the roads and to remind us to drive safely,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer Melanie Suitor. 

Members of the public are encouraged to pick up a vehicle sticker and/or lapel ribbon for free from Council’s administration office, while the Councils’ fleet and staff will display yellow ribbons during the week. 

The monument on Memorial Hill and the Sir Henry Parkes statue will be lit in yellow. 

Show your love and appreciation for your mother and support a local initiative to raise funds for a charity.

Parkes resident Marion Unger will be selling flowers from her garden on the front lawn of the Lutheran Church in Currajong Street (opposite Parkes Public School) from 8:30am tomorrow, Saturday. Her bunches start from $5 for the smallest size. The bunches of chrysanthemums, the traditional Mother’s Day flower, come mostly from Marion’s garden. She will be donating the money to a children’s ministry in Cambodia. She has attached a small card with information about the ministry to every bunch. Contact Marion on 0447 165 229 for more information. 

The Central West will see the 250 cars taking part in this year’s Shitbox Rally tomorrow when the 500 participants will pass through Forbes in the afternoon on their way to Trundle where they will overnight. 

The teams of two will leave Wollongong on Saturday, 7th May in cars worth less than $1,000 (aka shitboxes) and travel 3,600km to cross the finish line seven days later in Mackay, Queensland. The rally is the largest independent fundraiser for the Cancer Council with over $30 million raised since the rallies began. The $2 million target for this rally is well in sight with current fundraising totals at over $1.7 million. 

James Freeman who founded Box Rallies (Shitbox and Mystery Box Rally) after losing both of his parents to cancer within 12 months of each other said: “Shitbox Rally is not a race, but a reward for fundraising efforts. This is a chance to explore Australia, drawing teams from around the country to help achieve the extraordinary. Autumn 2022 will be another incredible rally starting for the first time in Wollongong and finishing in Mackay. As with all rallies though, the route will be on the roads less travelled as we make our way into the Outback. 

The impact of COVID in 2020 and 2021 has made it particularly difficult for teams to fundraise and Box Rallies has seen its expected fundraising total for the period, cut by as much as $7.2 million from Cancer Research. Rallies are the reward for raising vital funds for cancer research but when the reward is unable to take place, the fundraising slows considerably. 

The rally cars are expected to go through Forbes from around 4pm and can be spread out over two to three hours. Arrival time in Trundle is from 5pm. 

There’s no better way to spoil mum this year than to buy Mother’s Day gifts from the NSW Government’s Buy Regional web page, directly supporting businesses in regional towns.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said Buy Regional features more than 800 businesses with thousands of ideas for mum. “Mother’s Day is a chance to shower mum with love, so why not discover a new regional business and find the perfect gift for Sunday.

“This is also an opportunity to support small businesses in the Northern Rivers region that are recovering from the devastating effects of the recent floods. The Buy Regional website lists over 100 Northern Rivers businesses that are ready to take your Mother’s Day orders.”

Natasha Davies owns Pebbly Path rocky road in Mudgee. She prides herself on only using locally sourced ingredients in her handcrafted treats, which she says are perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth this Mother’s Day. “Pebbly Path rocky road is made with local ingredients such as honey and nuts from Oberon,” Natasha said.

Based at Woy Woy, Homeground founders Deiniol and Dallas Berridge deliver hampers bursting with local produce ranging from pre-mixed cocktails to home-made sweets and pamper packs to your door. “We pride ourselves on our high quality hampers full of locally made goodies. We have pamper hampers, food hampers, pre-mixed cocktail hampers, and each and every item is sourced from small and medium sized Central Coast businesses,” Dallas said.

To find the perfect Mother’s Day gift, view the map, or to register your regional NSW business on the site for free, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/buyregional. 

The Henry Parkes Museum received a very special donation recently that will be its feature display this Parkes Elvis Festival in memory of the first tribute artist to perform at the inaugural Parkes Elvis Festival.

Eddie Youngblood, who suddenly passed away on 1st March 2021, returned for two more festivals and his dying wish was that his Elvis costume collection and items be donated to Parkes.

Last month Eddie’s partner of 34 years, singer and dancer Michelle Youngblood, arrived in Parkes with a car load of precious items. The collection includes the famous eagle suit. “Eddie was the very first Australian to have the eagle suit made for him by Gene Doucette of B & K Enterprises Costume Co,” said Michelle. She also donated his blue owl suit, which was specifically made for Eddie.

Another very precious item is a drum skin and drum sticks signed by DJ Fontana, who played the drums for Elvis for 14 years. DJ toured with Eddie for six weeks in Australia.

The donation also includes his ’68 Comeback Special leather outfit, two jackets, a 50s microphone, three LP records, his MO Awards, photos and some of his sheet music.

Eddie was born in the Victorian coastal town of Apollo Bay in 1956. After his family moved around Victoria for several years, they went to Townsville in Queensland. He got his first taste of showbiz when he entered a high school talent quest and won the audience prize of $10.

He served his apprenticeship in talent quests and went on to create a tribute show around the music of his idol, Elvis Presley. ‘The Golden Years of Elvis’ and ‘Idolz in Concert’ became massive hits in clubs and casinos around the country. Eddie was revered by his peers as one of the first and most successful tribute acts, long before the phenomena it became decades later.

Eddie was awarded ‘Best Variety Production Show’ for two consecutive years in the 1984 and 1985 MO Awards.

In 1983/4 he starred in the original Australian production of ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ in the role of Pharaoh with Angela Ayers and Daryl Cotton.

He became a regular performer on most Australian variety entertainment television show in the 80s and 90s. In 1991 he starred in the pre-game entertainment at the NRL Grand Final at the Sydney Football Stadium with a television audience of 45,000.

In 2003 Eddie took on the role of marketing and entertainment manager at Club Forster where he worked until his death. The auditorium at the club was renamed in honour of Eddie last year.

When asked about the secret of being a successful ETA, Eddie said: “I’ve always said it’s the passion, dedication, hard work and understanding that you are yourself not anyone else. It’s your heart, soul and respect of the music and the man that makes you sincere and genuine in the eyes of your audience.”

For the first time in Australia, and only at the Parkes Elvis Festival, you will be able to listen to stories from Charles Stone.

Charles joined forces with Elvis and his manager Colonel Tom Parker in the 1970s and toured around America. He took care of business until Elvis’ death in 1977.

Charles has worked with many amazing talents throughout his career, and has years of memories and personal stories to share, but nothing compares to his time spent on tour and in Vegas with Elvis, the Colonel, and all the enthusiastic, supportive fans.

There is nothing he enjoys more than having the opportunity to relive his Elvis years as he shares his memories and experiences during frequent speaking engagements around the world.

How did you get connected with the Parkes Elvis Festival?

I have always wanted to visit Australia and my friend Alicia Dean at Graceland recommended me to the festival and we were able to work something out so I could come this year.

How do you feel about coming to the Parkes Elvis Festival?

I am so excited to be coming and just cannot wait to be there. It has been on my bucket list for a long time. Bruce Jackson was one of my best friends.

What have you heard about the Parkes Elvis Festival?

I really had not heard much about it until Mark Anthony told me about it. He said it was one of the best Elvis festivals anywhere. I look forward to meeting Elvis fans and sharing my stories with Elvis and the Colonel.

Are you surprised that a small country town in the middle of Australia has such a big Elvis Festival?

When I looked Parkes up on the map, I was totally amazed that such a large festival was in the middle of nowhere so to speak. I live in Texas and we have places in the middle of nowhere as well but not as big as Australia’s.

When you were touring with Elvis, did you ever think his legacy would live on for so many years and all over the world?

Touring with Elvis, none of us ever thought that his legacy would live on like it has all over the world. I don’t think he ever thought it would be what it is.

Why do you think Elvis has such an enduring legacy after all these years?

Elvis was one of a kind. He was not only the greatest singer in the world, he made rock and roll worldwide. And for the girls of course he was a very good-looking man.

What is your favourite memory of your time with Elvis?

My most memorable time with him was when he asked for my wife and daughter to come to the dressing room at a concert and take a photo with him.

Do you have a favourite Elvis song, or one that brings back good memories?

I don’t really have one favorite song but I do like ‘If I could Dream’ and ‘Laudy Miss Claudy’.

 

 

The once-in-a-lifetime Speedway Car Exhibition is sure to get all car lovers and enthusiasts heart rate racing.

“We are absolutely thrilled to share this collection of racing and prestigious cars along with racing memorabilia and virtual reality simulators in this free exhibition,” said Parkes Elvis Festival Director, Tiffany Steel.

The free exhibition at 375 Clarinda Street, Parkes is open every day from 9am to 5pm, and if European cars get your engine going, the exhibition features a beautiful racing Porsche GT3RS, 500 hp that does 0-100 in 3.2 seconds.

There is also Peter O’Donnell’s BMW313i which has completed more laps of the famous Bathurst circuit than any other car and was last year’s Bathurst 6-hour winner.

As the name suggests, there will also be a collection of speedway cars including Sprint cars, modified sedans and even a 37 Ford Coupe Hot-rod Beach Racer. Parkes local John Pizzaro, Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame inductee, World and Australian Title winner will have three of his karts on display.

There will be a display of racing suits worn by racing legends including Peter Brock, Allan Jones, Jim Richards and Stephen Richards along with rare racing memorabilia.

Who can clock the fastest lap?

World class Seattime car racing simulators as used by racing drivers, especially during last year’s lockdowns, will also be a drawcard of the exhibition. Anyone over the age of 12 can book a timeslot via the Parkes Elvis Festival website where you can choose to challenge for the fastest lap of the Elvis Festival or test yourself on a wide range of other tracks available.

The Elvis shuttle bus service will have a stop in Mitchell Street right outside the entrance making getting to and from the exhibit very easy.