Parkes Phoenix Editor

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

Question of the Week?

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

What do you like about The Forbes Phoenix?

Catherine Newcombe: The Forbes Phoenix covers a wide range of topics and businesses, as well as relative issues the community wants to know about.

Niki Cruise: The best thing is that it is smaller than the average newspaper which makes it easier to flick through. I love the fact that it focuses on Forbes. The community notices are very good.

Rebecca Roach: It is good to get information on what is going on around town. I enjoy seeing familiar faces in it.

TWO FORBES TEAMS IN BIGGEST FEMALE SPORTING EVENT

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Two teams of the Forbes Netball Association (FNA) are taking part in the Netball NSW State Age Championships this weekend. The 14 years representative team will compete in Division 3 and the 12 years representative team will compete in Division 4.

The State Age Championships is the biggest female sporting event in the southern hemisphere with more than 3, 000 athletes, 309 teams, 87 netball associations and more than 400 coaches and 500 umpires. The event has four age groups – 12s, 13s, 14s and 15s, competing at four venues, as the event is too large for one venue.

Division 1 will be played at Campbelltown, division 2 at Bankstown and divisions 3 and 4 at Illawarra. Teams will play an average of seven games each day over the three days of competition. The Forbes teams will be joined by a large supporters group of families and friends.

The teams would not be able to compete without the support of parents. Thank you to FNA Secretary, Lyn Ford, who has organised the weekend including accommodation, entries and food.

Three umpires from Bathurst and the Illawarra Association will join the Forbes players. The teams cannot compete without the umpires. Thank you to both Bathurst and Illawarra associations who have supported Forbes for the championships.

FNA umpire Leisa Kenny is one of the volunteers assigned to Division 2 at Bankstown on the Netball NSW Umpire Allocations Panel. The FNA committee wishes the representative teams good luck for the three
days of intense competition. “Play with determination, outstanding sportsmanship and great teamwork.”

Mayoral Notes…

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Earlier this week I had my first meeting as a committee member on the State Weed Committee. It was very interesting. On Tuesday, Riverina MP Michael McCormack was in town to announce funding under the Safer Streets Program for two CCTV cameras to be installed at the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre.

Unfortunately I was unable to attend but this is great news as it should put an end to the acts of vandalism and theft that have happened at the dreaming centre over the years. We held our special meeting on Wednesday night to adopt the 2016-17 Operational Plan. It was also the last meeting we had with our Acting General Manager, Max Kershaw.

Today is Max’s last day at Council and he has done a brilliant job. On behalf of all of Council, we thank Max for his time and efforts to keep the clock ticking in Council land. We look forward to welcoming our new General Manager, Danny Green, on Monday. Census night is on the 9th of August and this year there is a new delivery and collection procedure, which will make it easier to complete. We are happy to help anyone who may have difficulty in filling out their forms. I cannot stress enough just how important the Census is. We want to make sure everyone in Forbes is counted this Census.

Have a great week, stay safe and God bless.
Mayor, Cr Phyllis Miller OAM

COLLITS AND CHANDLER BEAT THE WET

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The ground conditions at the Forbes Golf Club made it a very challenging weekend, but the golfers battled well to record some good scores. On Saturday the programmed 4BBB Stroke Championship was reverted to an Individual Medley Stableford, contested by 42 players.

In the A-division, Mark Collits played steady golf by hitting the dry spots on the fairway, and hitting the greens on cue. His nett 72 earned him 36 points and the win, but he only won on countback. Lee Grierson was very unlucky to finish second. He had the same scratch and nett scores but missed any points on the 13th.

The B-division was won by Bruce Chandler with 36 points. Not far behind was Ron Morris with 33 points. The Ball Sweep went to 32 points on count back, and included: 34 – C Dwyer, M Cahill, M Hayley; 33 – D Churchill, Alf Davies, M Browne and S Sallaway. Both the NTP’s went to Peter Barnes. But he did not get a ‘2’ on either hole. There was only one ‘2’ recorded all day by Frank
Hanns on the 3rd. Chip-ins are pretty commonplace now, mainly to overcome the wet greens. Both Andrew Dukes and Lee Grierson chipped in on the 16th to down their Keno opponents – the two red-heads. And Stevie G managed a chip-in from behind the 4th green to win a hole for his team. Andy Cogswell played a chip from well behind the 18th to salvage par.

Sunday’s golf was a Stableford Medley. Barb Drabsch was the winner with 35 points. Once again Ron Morris finished second, on count back, with 33 points. The ball sweep went to 33 points and rewarded Craig Barrett and Scott Kirkman for their diligent play. The NTP’s went to: 9th – Ray Taylor, and 18th – Na. Ray snared the only ‘2’ of the day, on the 9th of course.

Contributed by Short Putt

Snippets…

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Monster Trucks: The giants have arrived and there are six of them! Ultimate Monster Action is gearing up to give an action packed show in Parkes tomorrow that will get the adrenaline flowing to drive all the winter chills away. Professional Monster Truck driver, Troy Garcia said the show would go on come rain or shine. “The wetter the weather, the more fun we have.” Hosted by Adam Brand, 12 times Golden Guitar winner, the freestyle motocross bikers will do some insane stunts, while the jet car will light up the sky with its after burn mode. Adding extra explosive action will be the gigantic firework show. There will be rides in a 3m high monster truck from 1:30pm when the gates at the showgrounds open. It will cost $10 per person. The main show will start at 4pm and last for about two hours. Get your tickets at the gate or online at www.monstertrucks.net.au.

NAIDOC Week: The Forbes Medical Centre is partnering with NSW Health and the Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre to celebrate NAIDOC Week. There will be a free BBQ with sausage sandwiches and drinks funded by NSW Health and the Forbes Medical Centre between 11:00am and 2:00pm on Thursday 7th July. There will also be a traditional welcome to country ceremony performed by local Aboriginal girl Whitney Duffy in the Wiradjuri language at 1.30pm followed by the unveiling of a plaque at the Medical Centre by local Aboriginal elder Aileen Allen. “In addition to the free BBQ we will be giving away two Fitbits donated by the Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre. Any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander who attends on the day will receive an entry into the draw for these great prizes which will be drawn on Friday, 8th July at the Forbes Medical Centre” said Shelley Clark, Nurse Manager at the Forbes Medical Centre. The event is open to the entire Forbes community and there will be various other giveaways on the day.

Scaffolding near powerlines: Essential Energy is reminding scaffolders, tradespeople and other construction workers to be aware of the potential for electrical hazards on the worksite and to stay safe around electricity. Regional Manager Northern, Mark Summers, said plant equipment and temporary structures should be kept well clear of the electricity network. “Powerlines can be situated underground and overhead so workers should be aware of their location before putting up scaffolding, picking up a jackhammer, operating machinery or excavating an area,” Mark said. The safe operating distance for workers and their equipment from overhead powerlines is 3m for distribution and transmission lines up to 132kV and 4m for scaffolding. The Electricity Supply Act requires any excavation work to be logged with the free Dial before you dig referral service at www.1100.com.au, to identify the location of underground utility assets.

Stork News: Congratulations to Ian and Tammie Simpson on the arrival of their son Harry Alexander Simpson born on Thursday, 23rd June at 8.53am, weighing in at 6 pounds 2 ounces, and 53 cm long. Both Tammie and Harry are doing well. Father Ian is over the moon!

Raise The Bat Forbes – We’re Celebrating 50!

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The Forbes Phoenix has reached its first milestone – today we celebrate our 50th issue! Over the past year we have brought you stories and photos from just about every letter that makes up the alphabet of the Forbes community.

“We are delighted to have reached our 50th issue,” said Cheryl Newsom, Publisher of The Phoenix Group of Newspapers. “We have been very pleased with the support of the local business community and our readers, who have embraced the concept of a free local community paper.

Cheryl said without this support the launch and ongoing publication of the paper would not have been possible. Joshua Matic, who was the editor of The Forbes Phoenix until recently, said a highlight was meeting TV Presenter Mike Whitney and the team from Sydney Weekender. Maggi Barnard is the new Editor and comes with a wealth of experience. Forbes Mayor, Cr Phyllis Miller said: “It has been a great enhancement to getting information out to the wider community of the shire.”

Owner of Tyreright, Jamie Walsh, liked the idea of a free newspaper and had supported it from the start, while Cr Chris Roylance felt it was a great asset for the community as the paper reached everybody. Rayleen Paradowski of the Forbes Services Club said many out of town people loved reading it to find out what to do in Forbes.

As we continue to Live Local, Love Local, Support Local by covering positive and uplifting stories in our community, we hope there will be many more milestones to celebrate.

A Toast To The 25th NSW Small Winemakers Show

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Entries are open for the 25th NSW Small Winemakers Show 2016 to be held at the Forbes Youth & Community Centre. Judging will commence on 22nd August and conclude on 24th August, while entries close on Monday, 11th July.

The show is open to all NSW and ACT wine producers that crush a maximum of 500-tonnes annually. The show is not open to any winery that is wholly owned or partowned by a large wine producer. The show has gone from strength to strength over the past 25 years. It grew from only 81 entries from 13 wine producers in 1991, to 580 entries from 91 wine producers in 2015.

To celebrate this special year of judging, some of the favourite judges and chairmen of the past 25 years were invited. Mike De Iuliis of De Iuliis Wines in Pokolbin returns as Chairman of Judges for the third year. He feels the show is more relevant today than it has ever been. “I think the longevity of the show is a testament to its relevance to the industry. It is such an invaluable tool for a small wine business to be able to have your wines assessed alongside your direct competitors.”

Wine Show President, Mark Watts, is also looking forward to the 25th year of the show and to welcoming back some familiar faces. The exhibitors’ tastings will be held on Friday, 26th August between 4.30 and 8.30pm at the Forbes Youth & Community Centre. The tasting will be open to the public from 6:30pm.

The presentation dinner, showcasing the trophy winning wines, will be held on Saturday, 17th September from 7pm at the Forbes Town Hall. For more information and entry forms go to the show website – www.nswwineshow.com.au or email smallwine@nswwineshow.com.au

Hospitals Win Major Award

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Next time you visit a new mother in the maternity ward at Forbes or Parkes hospitals, follow the signs to Yinaagalang Nguranggu – Wiradjuri for woman’s place. If you need pathology, look for Guwany Barramali – to take blood.

A project to integrate Wiradjuri language signage and translations into the new Forbes and Parkes Hospitals has won a top award in the Western NSW Local Health District. A record number of 50 projects were entered for the Chief Executive’s Award at the Western NSW Local Health District’s annual Living Well Together Health and Innovation Awards. Lachlan Health Service’s Mali Marambir Ngurang: to make better place Lachlan was named the winner.

The project also received a Highly Commended in the category Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health Disadvantage. The project provided for key directional signage around the hospitals to be written in English beside the Wiradjuri interpretation, which is then translated back into English.

Local Wiradjuri Elders worked closely with Dr Stan Grant, co-author of the Wiradjuri dictionary, to ensure the words were correct and close to their English meaning. The project aimed to make the hospital spaces more inviting and less daunting for Aboriginal people. More than 20 key places in the hospitals have bilingual interpretation. The English translations also helps to educate non-Wiradjuri people about the Wiradjuri language. For example, the Wiradjuri words Marrin Mumali (to rub the body between the hands) points to the physiotherapy department and Mungarr Ngadhurinya (care for kidneys) points to the renal department.

Ngaagigu Mulunma, (to see inside) is used for medical imaging and Ngurang Mindyali (to be fixed fast) are the words for operating theatre. Waluwin Ngaan (healthy mouth) points the way to oral health and Wambuwanbunmaldhaany (medicine maker) points to the pharmacist. The NSW Government provided $113.7 million to redevelop the Forbes Hospital and build a new Parkes Hospital.

Our Gal – Sam Leonard

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Sam Leonard

How long have you lived in Forbes? For the past ten years. I grew up in Peak Hill.

Where do you work? I am the painter, manager and owner of Forbes Smash. I started the business about six years ago.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy all of it, especially painting. I love seeing a job through from start to finish. I get up every day and want to go to work because I enjoy it so much.

What do you do in your spare time? I don’t have much spare time, but I love spending time at home with my four Siberian Huskies. I am also part of the V8 super boats, and I love cooking.

How do you like your coffee? Extra hot with three sugars.

What makes your day? Everything really – I like work, I like being with the people at home. I have nothing to complain about in my life.

Introduction to Shead & Nicholson

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Shead & Nicholson in Forester Street are the local experts for all
things electrical in Forbes. Not only do they conduct contract electrical
and air conditioning work, they are also retailers of a wide range
of electrical equipment and accessories.
There is no job too big or too small for the team at Shead & Nicholson.
From major industrial construction projects through to the
smallest electrical repair, the team at Shead & Nicholson are only
too happy to help.
As the oldest electrical contracting business in town, with over 45
years experience, Shead & Nicholson have built a reputation for
excellence in workmanship and excellence in service.
The business started as a partnership between long-time friends,
Des Shead and Kerry Nicholson in 1967. In the early days business
mainly consisted of domestic wiring but as time went by the
pair expanded their operation to include small appliance repair, air
conditioning maintenance, and installation and major construction
projects.
Des and Kerry both retired in March 2009 and have left the business
in the capable hands of the new General Manager, Phill Gale
and 23 staff members. The premises consists of a retail showroom,
office complex with a workshop, store and yard area.
Past major projects include electrical and mechanical work done
at Red Bend Catholic College, Parkes Shire Council, Parkes Library,
Henry Parkes Museum, Station Hotel, Parkes, Victoria Inn,
Forbes, Jemalong Residential Village, Forbes, Forbes Car Wash,
Woolworth Fuel, Forbes Services Club refurbishment, Parkes Services
Club refurbishment, Austasia Animal Nutrition, Forbes, Niola
Nursing Home, Parkes, Southern Cross Village, Parkes, DOC’s
Building, and Forbes Business Centre – Bunnings and Spotlight.
They have ongoing electrical and air conditioning maintenance
and repairs with many businesses in Forbes, Parkes, Condobolin,
Canowindra and Sydney. The retail, showroom and sales include
wall split refrigerated air conditioning units and spare parts, split
ducted refrigerated air conditioning units and spare parts, evaporative
air conditioning and spare parts, gas ducted heaters, power
tools, specialized lamps, lighting, electrical supplies and accessories,
hot water systems and spare parts, ceiling, personal and exhaust
fans, door chimes, electric heating and electric motors.
Contact Shead & Nicholson on 6851 144.

Parkes Phoenix Editor

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