The Parkes East Primary School hockey team played in the state finals of the PSSA knockout in Newcastle on Tuesday. The team won the semi-final against Robertson Public School 1 – 0 to play Tamworth Public School in the finals. They ended second in the state with the final score 1 – 3 earning them a silver medal for the team members.
Year 9 Parkes student Blake Price will be swimming for Australia at an international event in Brisbane next month.
A Year 9 Parkes High School student will be swimming for Australia at an international event in Brisbane next month.
Blake Price will be competing at the Virtus Oceania Asia Games from 5th to 11th November in what he hopes is only the first of many opportunities to represent Australia.
Blake’s parents, Sharon and Chris Scott will be attending the games and supporting him at the huge event with about 1,000 athletes and officials from Asia, the Pacific and New Zealand.
Participants will be competing in athletics, badminton, basketball, cycling, judo, rowing, sailing, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and triathlon.
The swimming has a jam-packed schedule of events with competition sanctioned by World Para Swimming for freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke and medleys.
Blake has been selected as an II3/S19 swimmer due to his diagnosis of Autism. This is the first time that S19 swimmers have been given the opportunity to be included as a full member of the Australian team and this event is the highest level of swimming that a S19 swimmer can presently achieve.
Blake has qualified to swim in eight individual events and team relay events. He had to achieve qualifying times for his events to be selected for the team.
Blake has put in many hours to prepare for the event. He has been training with Jason Montgomery of Parkes Athletic with up to eight sessions per week, and he travelled to Orange on weekends for swim training during the Winter season.
With the Parkes Pool opening last week, Blake is grateful to resume training with the Parkes Sharks Swimming club under the guidance of Coach Barbara Weaver.
Blake will join the Australian team in Brisbane on the 5th of November which is the day of the opening ceremony. Swimming events will be held from 7th to 9th November and the closing ceremony will be on 11th November. For the duration of the event Blake stays with the Australian team at their hotel.
The Virtus Oceania Asia Games 2022 is an international multi-sport competition in the Oceania Asia region for elite athletes with an intellectual impairment.
This will be the first time a Virtus Regional Games will be held for the Oceania Asia region, with hundreds of athletes and officials from Asia, the Pacific and New Zealand coming to Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets the Principal of Forbes Public School Meg Staples.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Forbes on Monday a mere 11 months after his predecessor was in town to once again see first-hand the effects of the fifth flood in 12 years for this region.
He was accompanied by NSW Premier Dom Perrottet and other senior politicians meeting with the SES, flood affected residents, farmers, principals, community organisation representatives and councillors.
The raising of the Wyangala dam wall took prominence during question time with Member for Riverina Michael McCormack issuing a statement afterwards to reaffirm his support for the raising of the wall.
In his response, the PM said commitments and funding in the budget could only be made once the business case for the project was completed. He gave his assurance that infrastructure investments would continue under his government in NSW and the regions.
The PM acknowledged the impact of the flood on the community “as well as the ongoing impact it will have on infrastructure, including local roads, and the farming community who were expecting bumper crops and many have now been devastated and ruined. We are living in very dangerous times with more events forecast for the coming days and weeks.
“The work that will continue is beyond politics, and all levels of government will work together to get resources to people in need,” the PM said.
As for the loss of up to 60% of crops in some parts of the Forbes Shire, Agriculture and Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said he was in discussion with the state governments about extra support for farmers.
The PM said all levels of government would work together to get resources to people in need.
You can find out more here if you’re eligible for a disaster relief payment and how you can claim it: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/natural-disaster-events
IMAGE CREDIT: https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-and-programs/regional-water-strategies/public-exhibition/lachlan-regional-water-strategy
The community is invited to have their say on the draft Lachlan Regional Water Strategy. The plan aims to deliver a reliable, sustainable and resilient water supply for towns and communities including Forbes, Parkes, Cowra and Young, and the industries that support the region’s economy, over the next two decades and beyond.
It is the second time the strategy is on public exhibition, and the community can provide feedback on the shortlisted options before 1 November.
“We worked closely with Aboriginal groups, local governments, residents, businesses, and all stakeholders to understand the Lachlan’s water challenges and needs during the first round of consultation in 2020,” said Kaia Hodge, Executive Director Water Strategy and Policy for the NSW Department of Planning and Environment.
“Their feedback helped refine the strategy and narrow down the options to a shortlist that will best support communities, industry and the environment and deliver a more secure water future for the Lachlan.
“The Strategy is being developed alongside two major infrastructure business cases in the region, the Wyangala Dam Wall Raising Project and the Belubula Water Security Project.
Kaia said water planning needed to support all water users, including Aboriginal communities, towns, industries and the environment, especially as we faced a drier and more variable climate and a higher demand on water resources.
“This is a strategy for the whole Lachlan which is why we want to hear your views to help finalise it.”
Due to flooding in the area public meetings have been postponed until further notice – visit the website for the most up to date information: https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/lachlan-regional-water-strategy
Barry Parker managed to enjoy his golf in the rain last Saturday.
The Forbes golfers once again donned their wet weather gear in order to battle the course and somehow produce a good score.
Saturday was changed to a Stableford Medley due to a very wet course. Thirty golfers were keen to post a score, although nine players did not finish.
It was still very competitive with a count back required for the winner and runner-up. Neil McMillan was the first in with 38 points, having set the pace on the back-9 with 22 points. A little later James Earl (Shortland Waters) carded 38 points but his back-9 was less fruitful, handing the winner prize to Neil.
The NTP’s went to: 9th – Bede Tooth; 18th – Nil. The 3rd Hole Super Pin went to Jacob Bernardi who was ‘eagle-eyed’ and put his ball to 1.34metres, the best shot for a few weeks.
The Ball Sweep went to 32 points, with a big gap between the prize winners and the remainder of the field. The lucky ones were: P Cowhan, R Webb, J Coulthurst, K Herbert, B Tooth, J Bernardi, B Parker and A Alley. The lone, but successful, visitor was James Earl who wandered around in shorts and rain jacket.
There was no Stableford Medley on Sunday due to very wet conditions.
Players please note that with more inclement weather forecast and expected overland water flow a decision on the golf for this weekend to be made and players notified. The club championships will be postponed until early December. Please keep in touch with the Pro Shop.
By Short Putt
People attending the memorial service held in Forbes on Wednesday. (All photos on this page taken by Kate Howarth.)
A new photographic display detailing the Australian response to the Bali terrorist attack will be on show at the Australian War Memorial.
“The Bali bombings will be remembered as the date that terrorism hit home,” Australian War Memorial Director Matt Anderson said.
The Royal Australian Air Force evacuated critically injured people out of Indonesia as part of Operation Bali Assist – the largest Australian aeromedical evacuation since the Vietnam War.
The Australian Federal Police were invited to assist the Indonesian National Police and played a key role in investigation breakthroughs that led to the arrest, trial and execution of some of the perpetrators.
A display detailing the aftermath, co-curated with the Australian Federal Police Museum, is dedicated to the victims of the 2002 Bali bombings and the government agencies, including the Australian Defence Force and Consular Officers who put themselves in harm’s way in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, and the Australian Federal Police, who sought justice for victims and their families.
The exhibition includes images taken by AFP members in the aftermath of the attack, including a photograph of former Prime Minister John Howard inspecting the site of the bombing.
Images taken inside Paddy’s Bar show where Australian Federal Police investigators were able to source several pieces of tartan fabric and other matter that made up the explosive vest used in the first detonation.
Visitors will need a free ticket to the Australian War Memorial to see this display, which will be on show until 20 November 2022.
This year’s winner of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition Paul Fenech performed at the official launch of the 30th anniversary festival in 2023. He had three young supporters Reginald (8), Lottie (7) and Alfred (5) Dixon from Parkes.
It might be a good idea to get to see Baz Luhrman’s Elvis movie before the 30th anniversary of the Parkes Elvis Festival next year from 4th to 8th January.
The exciting news announced at the official launch of the festival last Wednesday was that the new exhibition at next year’s festival will feature a number of the movie sets, including the famous jungle room.
“Every year we try and get something new, and thanks to Warner Brothers and Baz Luhrman we’ve been gifted some of the movie sets,” said Festival Director Tiffany Steel. “You will actually get to see the full movie set of the jungle room, as well as the carnival house of mirrors, the world’s largest hound dog and some neon signs.
“We also have a number of items from the Bendigo Art Gallery Elvis exhibition.” These include the giant Elvis letters, the Elvis portico, and the giant neon sign that was at the front. “These items will all be on display with some of our own memorabilia of previous Elvis festivals.”
The other great announcement was the special concert to kick off the 30th anniversary celebrations on Wednesday, 4th January. The Elvis Wall of Fame event will take place at 10am with Ross Wilson as inductee. Ross will then join three previous inductees, Brian Cadd, Joe Camilleri and Russel Morris at 12:30pm for a fantastic opening concert.
Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith thanked all the volunteers who have been involved over the past 30 years for their hard work and contribution to the event. Also attending was Deputy Premier Paul Tool who said the festival had become a regional product and was a showcase for people to see what is great about living in regional NSW.
The festival has more than 350 events and tickets are available to purchase online at www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au. The festival also has a new website to make navigation of the five-day event easier.
The partnership between the Parkes Elvis Festival and the Forbes Shire Council is growing with another event put on in Forbes for next year, the Lakeside Luau: Hawaiian Fest with the Australian Beach Boys Show. The launch was attended by Forbes Mayor and Deputy Mayor last week. Also at the launch were (L-R) Al(vis) Gersbach, Anthony McGrath, Tiffany Steel, Paul Tool, Phyllis Miller, Ken Keith and Paul Fenech.
PROUD PARKES PRODUCT… Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith and Deputy Mayor Neil Westcott hold a bag of Black Hawk kibble showing off the ‘Made in Parkes’ label printed on every bag at the state-of-the-art Petcare Kitchen facility in Parkes.
Pet owners in Australia and across the world now have the opportunity to buy premium pet food made in Parkes at the very first business to open its doors in the Special Activation Precinct (SAP).
The $82 million state-of-the-art Pet Care Kitchen manufacturing facility, officially opened last Wednesday, uses the latest technology and up to 50% locally sourced ingredients within a 200km radius to produce premium Black Hawk kibble.
“Partnerships with local farmers will ensure crops are grown to the company’s exacting specifications and provide primary producers a guaranteed market for their product,” said EBOS Group Chief Executive Officer John Cullity.
The pet food bags, ranging from 400g to 25kg, all bear the inscription “Proudly made in Parkes, NSW Australia” in the top right hand corner. “These bags are incredible, and it means wherever the pet food is sold a bit of Parkes is going right across the country and the world,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole, at the opening.
The very large and complex project, measuring 12,800 square metres, took over four years to build with all the challenges of the COVID pandemic, and employs 60 people from Parkes and the region and is in production 24 hours per day, five days per week.
“We will take thousands of trucks off the roads as we leverage the benefits of Parkes and its rail hub to move our pet food to all parts of Australia and other parts of the world,” said John.
For the Mayor of Parkes Shire Cr Ken Keith OAM the opening of the pet food facility is a significant milestone for the Parkes SAP and a very exciting time for Parkes.
“This is the start of a new era for the region. The SAP will ensure that Parkes continues to boast a strong diverse economy and will create jobs and opportunities for the whole region when completed, particularly efficiently linking agricultural value-added products to world markets.”
Inside the $82 million state-of-the-art Pet Care Kitchen manufacturing facility are (L-R) General Manager Parkes Shire Council Kent Boyd, Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith OAM, CEO EBOS Animal Care Julie Dillon, Deputy Premier Paul Tool and CEO EBOS Group Ltd John Cullity.
Work on the game changing Northern Gateway Precinct is also kicking off, which will connect the Parkes SAP to the town centre and the Newell Highway. The Stevens Group will invest $18 million to develop the project that will create hundreds of jobs during construction. “The 20-hectare Northern Gateway will include a new highway service centre, as well as a future commercial and business park,” said Paul Toole.
Parkes Mayor said the connecting road from the bypass to the CBD presented an opportunity for Parkes to tempt them to turn at the large round-about and spend time and money in town.
Ron Hornery and Mal Porter in action at the Parkes Bowling & Sports Club.
Wilbur Harris and Baldy Frame proudly represented themselves and the Parkes Bowling & Sports Club participating at state level in the over 40s pairs State Championships under cover on artificial greens at Raymond Terrace last Saturday.
The popular pair played terrific bowls to easily win their first match. Unfortunately, they were beaten in the next two matches. All bowlers in Parkes warmly congratulate them on this achievement.
A quiet day of social bowls on Tuesday, as the cream of the crop, our Grade 3 District Pennants winners motored across to Mudgee for the Regional Playoffs.
On Rink 4, a game of triples saw Kay Craft/Lynn Ryan/Maureen Baillie survive a united attack by Frances Charlton/Elaine Miller/Rosemary Mitchell, winning by 3 points.
Valmai Westcott/Gwenda Carty won their game of pairs by just one point on the final end against Julie Green/Lea Orr.
Our Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival is on 1st November!
By Lea Orr