Parkes Phoenix Editor

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

Jemalong Wool Pty Ltd Weekly Market Update

April 7, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Week ending: 23 March 2016
Wool sales were held in a Tues-Wed pattern this week due to the looming
Good Friday public holiday. Also of note was a showcase auction held in the Northern Region with buyers and brokers temporarily relocating to the Sydney Royal Easter Show’s purposebuilt facility.

After a turnaround in sentiment last week, the market continued its rebound
at this sale. Tuesday’s sale started off reasonably tentative with prices up by 5cents in Melbourne, however Sydney and Fremantle gave a more optimistic signal when they finished as much as 15cents dearer. The final day, followed suit and another 10 to 20cents was added to valuations. The 12cent rise in the AWEX-EMI was largely a result of the renewed support in the Merino Fleece sector with competition for the other catalogues less enthusiastic.

The next wool sales will be held after the annual one-week Easter recess and will include a showcase auction at the IWTO conference in the Sydney
CBD.

Learn How To Get The Best From Farm Dams At Workshops

April 7, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Farmers can see first-hand how to improve their farm dams for livestock and environmental health in free workshops being held in Central West NSW. The workshops will focus on simple, practical strategies to improve dam health for a productive farming system and healthy landscape.

The first round of workshops will be held in Parkes, Forbes, Grenfell, Condobolin and Trundle areas during 18-22 April. This project is supported by Central West Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme and Catchment Action NSW.

Rural training specialist, farmer and codirector of NaturalCapital Pty Ltd Alison Elvin will be presenting the sessions. “The field days will provide practical information to transform your farm dam – from a large bare pool into a body of high quality stock water teeming with life,” said Ms Elvin.

“Chances are dam water has collected sediment, chemicals, manures and disease-causing organisms as it flows across the catchment,” said Ms Elvin. “Summer heat and chemical contamination create the perfect situation for many diseases to flourish, adversely impacting both your farm business and environment. “The workshops are an opportunity for landholders to learn proven, cost-effective and practical strategies to improve their water quality.”

SafeWork NSW will talk about farm dam safety, quad bikes and the $500 rebate to support farm safety. Local Land Services officers will also talk about stock and plant health issues and give an update on native vegetation management.

Other workshops will be held in the Dubbo, Mendooran, Narromine, Gilgandra, and Wellington areas during May and June. Further details are at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/centralwest

Forbes Sheep Sale Report 5.4.16

April 7, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Forbes Sheep Sale

Conducted 05/04/2016

Yarded 38482including 31235 lambs . Prime lambs, especially heavies were again well supplied along with plainer grades showing dryness. The light plainer lambs eased $3 and trade weights were as much as $5 cheaper. Heavier lambs held up close to last weeks rates with the dryer types easier. Prime merino lambs sold at unchanged rates compared to last weeks sale.

Trade weight lambs (18 to 22kg)
$105.00 to $130.00

Heavy lambs (23 to 26kg)
$131.00 to $146.00

Extra Heavy Lambs (over 26kg)
$146.00 to $177.00

Store Lambs
$75.00 to $112.00

Heavy merino lambs
$125.00 to $128.00

Trade weight Merino Lambs
$96.00 to $122.00

Hoggets
$84.00 to $110.00

There were 7247 grown sheep yarded and competition was strong. Prices for all descriptions remained fully firm and up to $5 dearer for heavy sheep compared to last week’s dearer sale.

Shorn Merino Wethers
$77.00 to $104.00

Merino Ewes
$72.00 to $120.00

XB Ewes
$80.00 to $114.00

Light Sheep
$27.00 to $68.00

Merino Rams
$70.00 to $110.00

Forbes Cattle Market Report 4.4.16

April 7, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Forbes Cattle Sale

Conducted 04/04/2016

There were 1914 yarded. The market eased for prime yearlings by 5 to 8c and 10 to 15c a kilo for plainer grades and feeders. Heavy steers sold only slightly easier and cows sold at unchanged rates compared to our last sale 2 weeks ago.

Prime yearling steers up to 440kgs
285.0c to 333.0c

Prime yearling heifers up to 440kgs
280.0c to 308.0c

Feeder steers
285.0c to 324.0c

Heavy Steers over 500kgs
276.0c to 300.0c

Heavy steers over 600kg

240.0c to. 280.0c

Heavy Heifers
255.0c to 288.0c

Cows – 2 score
200.0c to 225.0c

Cows – 3 score
224.0c to 236.0c

Heavy Bulls
to 260.0c

Snippets…

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Life is Precious, Handle with Care: Sixteen lovely ladies gathered for our March Luncheon. Our Birthday girls were, Carol Ridley, Lyn Ward and Valma Price who turned 92 – what a WONDERFUL AGE Valma. Well Done. Our March Quote was given by Margaret Morrison- “The secret of Genius is to carry the Spirit of the child into old age”, A Huxley. How true this is. The April Luncheon is Tuesday 26th, 12 noon at the Forbes Services Memorial Club, any widow or single lady is welcome to join our happy group.

The Australian Government has launched A Gift for Living campaign, as
part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Over 2 million people will be sent a screening kit in 2016, rising each year to 4 million by 2020. On current evidence this will see 9,000 suspected or confirmed cancers and over 26,000 advanced adenomas detected and removed.

Our Bloke – Jamie Walsh

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Jamie Walsh

How long have you lived in or around Forbes? I have lived in Forbes for about 14 years. I lived in a few places before then, but I grew up in Lake Cargelligo.

What do you do for work? I am the manager/director at Tyreright Forbes.

What do you enjoy most about living in Forbes? I really like the community in Forbes. It’s very close and passionate, and it’s a nice place to live.

How do you drink your coffee? I like having a cappuccino with one sugar.

Where would your dream holiday be to? I’ll always go to the Northern Territory for a fishing trip. I love it up there. It’s great for barramundi fishing.

What do you do in your spare time? I love fishing. I go out to most of the local
dams and lakes around the Central West.

Mayoral Notes

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter and a nice break. The Camel Races on Good Friday were great and the numbers were excellent. Even though Orange has their Camel Races on Easter Sunday now it doesn’t make a difference to our numbers, it actually makes it more viable for the camel owners by having two meetings over one weekend.

The Federal Court decided on Tuesday that the Local Government NSW Board has been dissolved and a new vote for the 13 board members, including myself, will be conducted by a postal ballot. Our Acting General Manager Max Kershaw started with Council on Tuesday and has a long and highly respected career in Local Government. We look forward to working with him over the next few weeks to months and I welcome him to Forbes on behalf of the community. Seniors Week starts today and there are plenty of activities to celebrate. Among the events is a Seniors Expo at the Forbes Youth and Community Centre and a concert, Songs of Love and Loss, on Sunday at the Forbes Town Hall. There are also a number of come and try days and morning
teas at the Mater and Jemalong Residential Village.

Next Wednesday the Pollie Pedal will be stopping over in Forbes. They are arriving at about 3.30pm in Victoria Park so come down and show your support. There are a number of politicians taking part including Tony Abbott.

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

Kershaw Looks to Get on With Business as Usual

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Acting Forbes Shire Council General Manager Max Kershaw says it will be business as usual in the Council’s General Manager office, after he was appointed to act in the position. Forbes Shire Council appointed Mr Kershaw in confidence at its last Council meeting on March 18, and he started work on Tuesday this week (March 29).

He has been hired on a rolling, weekly contract, and will perform his duties until early August at the latest, by which time Council hopes to have appointed a new permanent General Manager. Advertisements for the position are expected to be sent out in the coming weeks. Mr Kershaw brings with him many years of rural council management experience, with his most recent job being the GM at the Harden Shire Council.

He retired from the position around 12 months ago, and has been brought out of retirement to work in Forbes. He told The Forbes Phoenix he planned on ensuring communication through the Forbes Shire Council was up to scratch in testing times of possible Council amalgamations.

“My plan is just to keep things moving along without any interruption. It will be business as usual,” he said. “There are obviously amalgamations on the plate with a lot of rural councils at the moment. I’ve worked through three council amalgamations in the past.” “It’s so important to communicate well with staff, especially with so much happening in local councils at the moment.”

Mr Kershaw brings with him an impressive CV that shows no less than 42 years of service to local government in rural NSW. A Parkes born and bred man, he has worked for the Parkes Shire Councils, as well as the councils of the Tenterfield, Yallaroi, Gunnedah, Warren and Narrabri shires.

One might question what brought him out of retirement after so many years of service. He retired to sunny Scarborough, north of Brisbane, in Queensland, but he said family and his passion for local government brought him to Forbes. “I have a great affinity to rural councils, and my sister and her family live here in Forbes,” he said. “I have also known Mayor Phyllis Miller for quite some time now, and I was really chuffed when she asked me to come and
work for the Forbes Shire Council.” “You sort of hit the wall when you retire,
so I thought I could work one last job. I consulted the opportunity with my wife, and she said I should do it.’

While he will only be in the job for about three months, he said he would like to see economic development and youth employment in Forbes improve. He said Forbes was a “pretty” town with a passionate community that set its own
agenda, and looked forward to working with it.

Magpies To Host Derby Trial Night

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The first local derby of 2016 will be staged tonight at Spooner Oval when the Forbes Magpies take on the Parkes Spacemen in one of their final hit-outs before the season-proper. Three grades will feature from 6pm, including the women’s league tag, under 18s, and a senior side made up of reserve grade and first grade players.

With the Spacemen being the closest rival to the Magpies the game should still be a tight affair despite it only being a trial match. The games will be played in 40-minute halves. For the senior players, it will be their second-last trial before next weekend’s match against Wellington in Wellington, before
their Group 11 round one bye.

Their first game will be against Dubbo Macquarie at Spooner Oval on April 23. Ahead of tonight’s trial, Magpies President Greg Grogan said his men were still carrying some minor injuries, but with some players sitting out, it would still be a good hit-out against Parkes. “We’ve got the first grade and reserve grade squads combining for the senior team, so it will be a good chance to see what sort of depth we have,” he said.

The Magpies made the semi-final at the Parkes Nines event two weeks ago, beating Wellington and Dubbo West Side before falling to Dubbo CYMS, and Grogan said this confidence would hold them in good stead moving forward. “Nines is completely different, but it was still a good showing of fitness from the players,” he said.

“From here it’s just a matter of avoiding more injuries. The best teams in the competition normally have the least injuries.” The Magpies will hold their season launch on Friday April 15 at the Sport and Recreation Club, and will combine their juniors and seniors at the launch for the first time.

Art Display Opens at Forbes Hospital

March 31, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The Forbes First Exhibition has been installed in the corridors of the Forbes Hospital. This exhibition is part of the Culture and Arts Program, which has been integrated into the hospital’s redevelopment. “We published a call out to local artists and 14 artists replied,” said Arts OutWest Arts and Health Coordinator Christine Mc- Millan. “I would like to thank all of the artists who have contributed to the exhibition, which will make a big difference to the corridors of the hospital. The walls are transformed by bright and cheerful works.”

Lachlan Health Service Manager, Liz Mitchell, is also looking forward to seeing the facility brought to life with the artwork from locals. “It’s fabulous to have new equipment and facilities, but the Forbes Hospital redevelopment is also about making it a more vibrant and friendly place for all our communities.

Integrating the arts is a great way of achieving this,” said Ms Mitchell. “Staff members Sue Dingwell and Michelle Horton have work hanging in the Forbes First exhibition,” Ms Mitchell said. Both Sue and Michelle’s works are based
on animals – Sue’s work ‘Horse’ adds colour to the corridor and the detail draws you into the painting. Michelle’s work ‘Shine Bright’ is the first mirror background mosaic she has made, after 5 years of mosaic making, with a splash of colour in the body of an elephant.

Thirty artworks will be on display. A broad range of mediums are used in the works, including pastels, water colour, acrylic, mixed media, oils and wax and ink. Many of the images are inspired by the Forbes landscape, from historical buildings to the rural Forbes canola season. Wattle flowers to deciduous leaves represent the broad species range of plants in the area.

Karen Ritchie, who has three pieces in the exhibition, said the Forbes wetlands provided a perfect backdrop to explore, in colour and line, the movement and fleetingness of water. “No two views are the same as colour and shape and shadows are reliant on landform and objects surrounding the body of water. Acrylics and ink provide a fluid consistency to try and replicate the
nature of water, while the trees provide an illusion of solidity,” she said.

The artworks are on display until June 15 and can be seen by anyone who visits the hospital during this time. A similar exhibition is currently also running at the new Parkes Hospital.

Parkes Phoenix Editor

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