Parkes Phoenix Editor

When Mark and Debra Wright bought the Pitt Stop Café on March 20, 2000 little did they realise it would become an institution and icon of Forbes. Now, nearly 22 years later, the popular couple are putting the thongs in the rack for the final time.

“We love the job, the town and the people,” said Mark, “but now is the right time to retire.”

Initially Mark and Deb met in 1983 in Queensland for work before settling in Forbes thereafter. The Wright’s plan to move back to Queensland after travelling to Tassie then around Australia when they can such is their love for the place.

After purchasing the business off Bob and Nola Vandameer, the Wright’s, along with children Johnny (32), Lachy (30) and Grace (28), are finishing up with the land about to be purchased for community development.

The new space will be developed by Forbes Shire Council with an emphasis on safety for pedestrians and families.

For the Wright’s however, it is now all about the future and remembering all the customers who drove into Forbes favourite café.

“It was always a lifelong goal of ours to run a successful small business and make so many people happy. It is a lot of hours but the rewards are priceless!”

The ultimate sacri-fries! Congrats to the Wright family and all the best!

Hangover food will never be the same!

Sincerely, Forbes

For some, starting school or a new school can be a daunting affair. From Kindergarten to Year 7, there can be a degree of trepidation and fear for not just students but parents too.

After the disruptions of the past two years, many educational institutions and centres have invested heavily in not just safer environments for students to learn but also numerous programs to assist those in need, especially enrollments.

Every child is entitled to be enrolled at the government school that is designated for the intake area within which the child’s home is situated and that the child is eligible to attend. Schools can assist with enrolment inquiries throughout the year.

New enrolments will be asked to attend an interview with the principal. This is a good time to tell the principal of any special circumstances, allergies, health issues or medical conditions before your child starts school. The school may complete a risk assessment and will ask you to bring documentation with you such as previous school and medical records if applicable.

The department also provides a range of enrolment and support options for children with disability or special learning needs. This includes additional support for children in their local school as well as special-ist support classes located in some regular schools and in schools for specific purposes (SSPs or special schools).

Discuss additional support in your child’s local school as well as support class and SSP placement with the principal of your local school to find the best solution for your child’s needs.

With Kindergarten students all children must be in compulsory schooling by their 6th birthday. Children can start kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn 5 on or before 31 July that year. Ideally, students should start school at the beginning of the school year and should you have any queries contact your local school to discuss enrolment procedures.

Safer journeys are on the way across the Parkes Shire, with road projects rolling out under the latest round of the Fixing Local Roads Program to improve journeys for regional communities including Forbes com-muters, farmers and freight.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier, Sam Farraway said the local project is among 138 to rollout under the $153 million third round of the Program, which facilitates shovel-ready projects to repair, maintain and seal priority roads in their community.

“These projects will give councils a helping hand to address their maintenance backlog and to maintain roads that matter to their communities, delivering safer trips to school or the shops, as well as more efficient journeys for freight operators and primary producers,” Mr Farraway said. “The Parkes Shire will be reaping the benefits of this program with $2,355,000 invested in Peak Hill-Baldry Road and Trewilga Road to be sealed”

Deputy Premier of NSW and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said Fixing Local Roads had already delivered more than $394 million for 361 projects across 91 regional Local Government Areas. “We know that sometimes it’s small projects that can drive big benefits in the bush. This program is helping to deliver better journeys on the roads families use every day,” Mr Toole said.

“Communities across the state are already reaping the benefits of this program with 97 projects now open to traffic – and today’s announcement will see councils deliver a further 138 projects over the next two years. These projects are also supporting an additional 1,374 jobs throughout construction.”

Further information about the Fixing Local Roads Program go to: nswroads.work/fixinglocalroads.

Aboriginal children and families will have additional support to participate in 600 hours of quality early childhood education in the two years prior to school.

Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said that over 50 eligible early childhood education services will receive grants that will allow preschool students to engage and learn in their earliest years.

“Participation in early childhood education is fundamental to ensure children have the best possible start to their educational journeys. This is about making sure that Aboriginal children and their families are supported and have easy access to quality early learning,” Ms Mitchell said.

“These grants will enable services to provide educational activities that will strengthen the foundations of children’s learning in those crucial years before school.”

Grants of up to $10,000 are available for a range of initiatives to support access to quality preschool education for Aboriginal children that will benefit and enrich the development of culture in the community.

“The funding can be used for initiatives such as transport services to help families access the preschools, development opportunities for staff to learn how to further support Aboriginal children and engagement with Aboriginal community members,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Services will have the opportunity, for example, to engage with local Aboriginal community members to conduct dreamtime story-telling sessions or explore Aboriginal art. They’ll also be able to provide access to specialised staff to deliver targeted support to Aboriginal children and their families.”

For more information, visit the Department of Education website.

Many of us head to the polls and seldom think about who or what we are voting for. Often we pick someone who may only represent a modicum of our views. That said, seldom do we often find anyone that shares all our beliefs anyway.

These local Forbes Shire Council elections however offer real differences in choice and philosophies moving forward. Will we as a river town between bigger regional hubs persist with what has worked – a robust and proactive council that have turned Forbes into the retail hub others could only dream of and the jewel of the Central West. The stats don’t lie, living here in Forbes is head and shoulders above anywhere else in the region and it is still growing.

When you cast your vote take that into consideration because despite floods and drought, Forbes has thrived and our council has played a huge part in that.

Or do we usher in a new brigade, one with fresh ideas and visions for the future? How will a council with new blood and younger faces lead the community into the next term and beyond? What experience do they bring? Any new council will also have to hit the ground running with either a December 21 (or December 24) date for the first meeting being touted.

Regardless, according to the Local Government Act, there are key items of business that must be addressed at the first meeting of any new council.
1. the administration of councillors’ oath or affirmation of office;
2. the election of the mayor and deputy mayor; and
3. a resolution declaring that casual vacancies in the office of councillors will be filled using a countback in the first 18 months following the election, rather than with a by-election.

While most head to the polls on Saturday, December 4, pre-poll and iVote voting opens next Monday November 22nd.

New to Forbes? Then mark down Thursday December 2 at 5:30pm at the Forbes Sports & Recreation Club in your calendar! The Forbes Shire Council run biannual event is a great chance for those new to the area to come along and meet other fresh faces to town.

This fun night is an opportunity for new residents to get to know a little bit more about the community they have moved to as well as meet the councillors and local organisations from the Shire. The relaxed evening makes it easy for even the most reserved people to meet new people and find out a little more about the town you have moved to. The event is a casual affair and a chance to get together with drinks and light refreshments from our local caterers.

When you move somewhere new you have many questions, such as what are the childcare options in town, what sport-ing clubs you can join or who does the best steak! The event gives residents an opportunity to talk with others who are in the same boat. It is always nice to know you are not alone in this community.

Call Forbes Shire Council on 6850 2300 or email community@forbes.nsw.gov.au to book your spot by 5pm Friday November 26 for the next Welcome to Forbes event on Thursday December 2 from 5:30pm at Forbes Sports & Recreation Club, 175 Lachlan Street, Forbes.