Parkes Phoenix Editor

Maggi Barnard has been with the Forbes Phoenix since 2021 and loves writing about her community.

Question of the Week?

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Why do you like supporting the Forbes Farmers Markets?

Leone Morrison & Barbara Waterhouse: We have always loved local produce. I was really impressed with the markets. (Barbara used to live in Forbes and is visiting from Queensland.)

Bailey Harrison, Brenda Robb & Linsey Scott: We love the fresh local produce on offer and it is a great meeting place to catch up with everyone.

Toby & Jess Dawes: The markets are a great local initiative and provide an opportunity for local producers to showcase and promote their produce.

Our Bloke – Adam Chudleigh

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Adam Chudleigh

How long have you lived in Forbes? 12 years

Where do you work? I am self-employed at McCarron Cullinane Chudleigh.

What do you enjoy most about your job? Working outdoors directly with clients in both livestock and property. The challenge of different marketing options that is always changing keeps the job interesting and rewarding.

What do you do in your spare time? I enjoy watching the local Platypi team play,and relax around the farm with the family.

How do you like your coffee? Double shot flat white, made with Doctors Orders beans from SaGaWa coffee roasters.

What makes your day? When the whole day goes according to plan and on time.

What is your favourite food? Spaghetti Bolognaise.

If you could go on holiday anywhere in the world, where would you go? Gunlom in the Northern Territory with my wife, Kimberly, and daughter Grace.

Councillor Candidates On Stage

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

One of the biggest crowds ever turned up for the Meet the Councillor Candidates evening at the Forbes Services Memorial Club on Tuesday night when more than 180 people attended. The evening was organised by the Forbes Business Chamber with Margaret Duggan acting as facilitator.

All 17 candidates were present and each person had two and a half minutes to present a case for why they should be elected as a councilor at the Local Government Elections on 10th September. Eight of the candidates are current councilors standing for re-election. The candidates talked passionately about a variety of issues they would focus on with tourism, economic development, housing, rural and water issues the main ones.

There were several promises to work towards a more transparent council that would listen to residents and involve them more in decision making, working on further improvement of medical services, being a voice for the youth, helping people, better internet services, keeping government services in town and long-term employment opportunities for young people.

During question time there was a lot of discussion about the importance of attracting smaller businesses to town, selling Forbes as a tree change destination and the need for more local education opportunities.

New Basketball Committee

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Congratulations to the Forbes Basketball Association’s newly elected committee. The executive committee are:
President: Cindy Bell
Vice-President: Gavin Montgomery
Secretary: Marion Shepard
Treasurer: Kristy Smith
Registrar: Rebecca Howarth
Publicity Officer: Cindy Bell
Development Officer: Kristy Smith.
The non-executive committee are Grants Officers: Mark Pietsch and Karen Bryant, Competition Coordinators: Kristy Smith and Rebecca Howarth, Grounds man: Gavin Montgomery, Aussie Hoops Coordinator: Kristy Smith, Uniform Coordinator: Kerrie Priest, Child Protection Officer: Linda Rees and First Aid Officer: Karen Bryant.

Thank you to everyone who attended. A strong future lays ahead for basketball in Forbes.

Netball Night Competition Starting

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Players looking for teams, or teams looking for players should contact Secretary, Lyn Ford on email secretary.forbesnetball@gmail.com There is half a team of ladies who are playing mixed and would like to play in the ladies competition. Anyone interested should contact Lyn.

All nominations must be in by tomorrow. Ladies may play in both mixed and ladies competitions. Times for rounds are at 6, 7, and 8pm every Wednesday night, except through the school holidays when no competition is played.

Players wanting to register for 2016, and need assistance should contact Registrar Kerrie Priest. Any player who is already registered with NNSW will only need to pay the $40 competition fee per player per team. Players must be attending secondary school as minimum age, to open ladies and men.

Golfers Relish The Sunny Weather

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Alf Davies and Ron Morris won the A and B divisions respectively of last Saturday’s Individual Stroke event, sponsored by Complete Plumbing. Alf won with a very well-crafted 70 nett. His driving was nearly immaculate every time. Brian Doyle was unlucky to be runner-up, being shifted into second spot by
virtue of a count back.

In the B division, it was also a close event with Ron taking the honours with a nett 71, followed by Geoff Drane with nett 72. Ron was his usual tidy scorer, while Geoff Drane played like a resurgent demon possessed with magical skill. The scores were higher than expected given the good conditions with a field of 45 players enjoying their wander around the course.

The ball sweep went to 74 nett on count back, being given to those above plus: 71 – P Nixon; 72 – R Nixon; 73 – T Cogswell, P Pymont, B Parker; 74 – L O’Connor and B Squires. The NTP’s went to: 9th – A Davies; 18th – D Culley. Neither got their ‘2’, but Alf scored a lovely ‘2’ on the 3rd, by chipping in. Overall there were only four 2’s. Sunday’s Stableford Medley, played in balmy conditions with dollops of warming sunshine, was won by Libby Godden with 38 points from a field of 12 players.

Jill Cripps finished as runner-up with 37 points, on count back from three other players. The NTP’s went to: 9th B Drabsch and 18th L Godden. Neither managed a ‘2’, and nor did anybody else. The ball sweep went to 37, and was picked up by Ray Taylor, Scott Kirkman and Craig Barrett, who all played in the same group.

With some good weather of recent weeks, there were finally enough cards returned to sort out the Winter Individual Comp. These results cover the period from 10th July to 28th August, just showing how difficult it has been. The eventual winner was Bede Tooth with 34 nett, and this achieved on a day that did not assist him with sunshine or balmy conditions. Balls go to Stuart French (35), Ethel Coombs (36) and Fran Smith (37). Daniel will be running a Junior Golf Camp on 28th and 29th September in the school holidays. Contact him on 6851 1554 for details.

By Short Putt

Orange Region Top Winner

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

NSW Small Winemakers Show celebrated its 25th year of competition with one of the highest medal strike rates. With 548 entries received from 96 small producers that crush a maximum of 500 tonnes annually, the show also saw the largest diversity of wine regions and styles awarded medals in the show’s history. More than half of the entries (51.3%) received a medal – the highest ever recorded at the show – with 6.2% awarded gold, 9.6% silver and 35.5% bronze.

The Orange region came out on top winning 4 of the 17 trophies awarded, with the Hunter Valley and South Coast regions winning 3 trophies each. Other regions to win trophies were Mudgee, Riverina, Hilltops, Canberra District and Central Ranges. Once again, Shiraz, Chardonnay and Semillon classes were strong, with an increase in quality also evident in Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

“This year really demonstrated the diversity and quality of NSW wines, with gold medals and trophies from a number of regions. It is also really wonderful to see new producers doing so well,” said Chairman of Judges, Mike De Iuliis of De Iuliis Wines.

The major trophy winners are:

Clear Image Best White Wine of Show – 2009 Coolangatta Estate Wollstonecraft Semillon (South Coast); Vintec-Transtherm Best
Red Wine of Show – 2015 Horner Wines Little Jack Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Ranges); Winetitles Best Boutique White Orange Region Top Winner Wine of Show – 2009 McLeish Estate Reserve Semillon (Hunter Valley), Winetitles Best Boutique Red Wine of Show – 2015 McKellar Ridge Shiraz Viognier (Canberra District). For a full list of trophy winners go to www.nswwineshow.com.au

Council Comments…

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The Meet the Councillor Candidates evening organised by the Forbes Business Chamber was a successful night with all 17 candidates presenting their ideas and views to the community. Pre-poll voting for the election is now open in the Council Chambers. Election Day is next Saturday, 10th September and polling places are the Forbes Town Hall, Forbes Tennis Club, Forbes High School and Bedgerabong Public School from 8am to 6pm.

Forbes is one of the LGAs receiving a Natural Disaster Declaration for storms and floods on 20th July. We will be able to apply for funding to help repair the roads that were damaged due to the amount of rain we received. This declaration also means that residents, such as producers, who were affected by the storms and floods can also apply for assistance. Applications are due before 28th February 2017. For more information visit http://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/

Council is preparing its engagement strategy for the review of the Community Strategic Plan. This review will take place over the next six months and looks forward to the next ten years to capture what the community views as its top priorities for the future of Forbes. There will be a number of public meetings, as well as surveys sent out to all households as part of the engagement process. We will keep you updated once the process begins.

The Forbes Show is on next Friday and Saturday. Council will have a display stand with a range of information available. Make sure you visit our stand!

What Windows Should I Choose?

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Building or renovating a house involves many decisions. One of which is choosing the right windows for your house. Here are some pointers to help decide on the ideal windows for all your needs.
1) Which room is the window for? It is a simple question, but necessary to ask before making a decision. Different rooms require different types of windows. Some windows are more suited to particular applications than others. Room design, style and purpose should be considered prior to any final decision.
2) How will the room be used? The way in which the room will be used also impacts the decision making process. Function and practicality are equally as important as style. Think about how you will use the space and what you want out of it.
3) What is your design style? Once you have considered the practical
components, you can have fun choosing the design elements. Window design can compliment the overall design of the home. Colour is also an important element.
4) What type of material? There are two main options for windows and doors: aluminium and timber. Material choice often relates to design style.
5) How important is sustainability? Smart window and glass choices can fill rooms with light all year round, and assist with sustainable design and living that can even save you money in the long run.
6) What is the budget? Glassplace can cater to budgets of all sizes. This allows both the budget mindful and those with a bit extra to customize window and door combination for their project.

Hopefully these points will help you decide. For more information on the options available visit the Glassplace showroom at 4 Clarke Street, or visit our website at www.glassplace.com.au.

Spring Clean Your Garden

September 1, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

As the warmer months approach it is time to get into the garden. A few early preparations now will benefit in the long run. Over winter, lawns can be a bit neglected so spring is the perfect time to get them looking great again. It is recommended to rake through your lawn to get rid of any dead growth or debris. This will allow you to see any bare patches that can be fixed. To fill in these spots rake well, sprinkle with grass seeds that have already been mixed up with soil in a bucket, and water well until seed germinates.

Pruning is an important part of looking after your plants so get those secateurs out and start cutting. Prune away any dead or damaged branches to allow for new growth to come through. It is important to prune roses and fruit trees before they start to bud to ensure you still have your spring flowers and crops.

Planting in spring is a great chance to have a vegetable patch to have pickings for the warmer months. Seeds that are ideal to plant this time of the year are: peas, spinach, lettuce, leeks, tomatoes, carrots, zucchinis and beetroot. A herb patch would also be a great addition to your garden to provide you with those fresh ingredients to toss through any meal. Seeds to plant in your herb patch for this time of the year would be basil, coriander, dill, mint and parsley as they all thrive as we approach summer. Fruits to plant now would be
strawberries and raspberries to allow you to have a good crop in time for Christmas.

Flowers to consider planting for those summer colours would be Alyssums, Begonias, Californian Poppy, Celosias, Gerberas and Perennials. With frosts still looming be sure to cover any new plants with a bucket or box to help protect them.

Weeding is always a tedious task but it is important to get on top of so that they don’t take over your garden. With all of the rain we have had over the winter months weeds should be relatively easy to pull out now. Once weeding is done lay down mulch as this will help with water conservation, reducing weeds, maintaining soil temperature and adds organic matter to the soil.

Mulch should be laid at approximately 3-4 inches and plastic sheeting can be added to the beds to help minimise the emergence of weeds. When adding mulch around fruit trees be sure to keep the mulch a few inches from the trunk to prevent rotting.

Gardening not only reconnects you with the earth but has loads of health benefits too, so be sure to get out into the garden this spring.

By Taneil Thornberry

Parkes Phoenix Editor

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