When Tim Goodwin from Peak Hill opened a present for his 58th birthday recently he was shaking with anticipation. 

When he finally got all the bubble wrapping off he exclaimed over and over: “It’s my toy, it’s my toy!” 

Tim, who has been the mail contractor or postie in Peak Hill for 22 years, was scrolling on eBay one day when it was too wet to mow the lawn during winter. 

“I typed in Ford Capri, not sure why, and started looking at all the toys, and on the third or fourth page I saw it. 

“It was my toy car – the very first Matchbox car I ever bought with my pocket money when I was a kid in Wellington, Somerset in the UK in the early 1970s!” 

Tim said he slept over it and a few days 

 later he looked at it again. “It was definitely mine.” He said after many years of playing with it on a homemade dirt track in the backyard with his two brothers, it was chipped and he painted it red over the original pink and turned it into a rally car. “I stuck a Castrol sticker on the bonnet and cut the tow hook off. 

“I bought the car with the pocket money I earned washing the family car, which was about 25 pence.” He said Ford Capri was much loved in the UK. “It was the Englishman’s Ford Mustang. Some teachers at our school had them and we held them in high regard. It was a great car and I always wished I owned one. I even collect the workshop manuals.”

His favourite toy car went missing one day. “I remember seeing a boy in our shed one day taking something, but he denied it.” While the seller on eBay was in Doncaster, about 370km away from his home town, the car on eBay looked exactly like his with the modifications. “Nobody has changed it.” Tim sent a photo of the car to his brothers in England and they also recognised it.

When Tim’s wife Cathy asked what he wanted for his birthday he did not hesitate to show her the toy car on eBay for $34.62.

The seller has a toy shop and promised Tim to try and trace the whereabouts of how the Ford Capri came to him.

Tim is stoked to have his toy back and although he will become a grandfather for the first time later this year, he is not prepared to let the grandkids play with it. “This one has pride of place on the mantelpiece.” While Tim has a collection of over 300 Matchbox cars dating form the 60s to the 90s, he has now been inspired to look for more of his childhood toys.

“I am still gobsmacked that I found it back. I felt like a little boy again. It has brought back so many family memories and of playing in the dirt with our Matchbox toys.”

By Maggi Barnard

A Parkes photographer is one of only a handful of Australians to be named finalists in the prestigious International Portrait Photographer of the Year competition.

Of the 618 entries received, two photos of Marc Payne made it to the top 101 portrait photographs in the world, while a third image missed it by one per cent of getting through.

The two images were of Parkes local Bill Bourke and the artist Scott ‘Sauce’ Towney from Peak Hill.

“It is a privilege to know my work can match the best in the world,” said Marc.

His two images will be published with all the other finalists in the International Portrait Photographer of The Year annual book. The highly respected Australian Photography Magazine and the top selling Capture Magazine also published Marc’s photos with the other Australian finalists. They are Mariana Zilbershteyn, Mark Chamberlain and Kris Anderson. Karen Waller won the Portrait Story category.

Marc entered the same competition last year with the purpose of getting feedback on his work and never expected to make it to the top 101 photographs in the world. He was named a finalist for his image of Dustin Howarth, a friend and artist.

“Photography is like a drug to me,” said Marc. “I’m addicted to it, and take photos every day. I’m now on the hunt for five subjects for next year’s competition.”

Marc has also entered the international landscape photography competition Epson Panorama Awards and the David Malin Awards, Australia’s most prestigious astrophotography competition. 

By Maggi Barnard

Today is the beginning of a new era as we bring you the very first edition of The Forbes & Parkes Phoenix.

As the two shires share so many interests, including some ‘sibling rivalry’, with hundreds, if not thousands of residents travelling for work, sport and leisure up and down the highway every day, it makes sense to open up the news landscape between the two communities. 

“Regional print media is doing it tough at the moment, and is not showing any signs of changing,” said Phoenix Group of Newspapers owner Joshua Matic. “As such, we needed to adapt to ensure our local publications in Forbes and Parkes can continue to deliver news absolutely free to read each week.

“We decided to combine our printed product for both towns into one as many news stories relate to both shires.”

Josh said the merger would not affect the digital publications and the websites and social media pages would remain independent as The Forbes Phoenix and The Parkes Phoenix.

More exciting news for our readers is that the Phoenix Group is boosting its digital platform and has started to release mobile apps. The Parkes Phoenix app is now live and ready to download from the app store for free, while The Forbes Phoenix app is in production.

“While other regional media are now hiding most of their stories behind digital paywalls, and continue to charge readers for a printed newspaper, we continue to ensure our news content is completely free to read both in print and online,” said Josh. 

By Maggi Barnard

 Excitement is building in Forbes ahead of the opening of Sylo as the town’s first social enterprise café on 6th July. 

The sound of the espresso machine will soon be heard at the CBD landmark thanks to a CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes initiative to meet community need. 

As a social enterprise café, Sylo’s purpose is to provide training and real jobs for community members and clients, while serving quality food and beverages. 

Its vision is for recruits to gain skills, qualifications and experience as they build careers and economic security. 

Sylo will mark the third social enterprise café of CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes, which operates Cooee for Coffee at Wilcannia and Bourke. 

The venture’s launch will also bring activity back to a Forbes building loved by local people but unused for years. 

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes social enterprise manager Toni Hanns says the community is embracing the new concept for the space. “Every day someone says ‘when’s it opening, when’s it opening, when’s it opening’,” she said. 

The Rankin Street jewel has been receiving a makeover in the lead-up to its new chapter. The chocolate brown paint from its former use as a night-time bar has been replaced with an “airy, fresh” look, Toni said. Local trades have been involved in the works. 

The café team attributes the community excitement to Sylo’s vibe. “It’s got space, it’s got a great feeling, and I think the community is busting to have it open again, because it was just sitting there asleep for five years, and it was such a waste,” Toni said. 

“It’s getting a new lease of life and I just think that’s good for our town.” 

Sylo will open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7am to 3pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 7am to midday. 

Local real estate agent Ainslee Toole has much to smile about after being awarded number one agent for Nutrien Harcourts NSW and placing third nationally for sales contribution at the recent National Conference. 

This was an exceptional result considering 2021 was not an easy year, with much of the Forbes district in flood and many wet days prohibiting inspections. 

“Most of the inspections last year were carried out in a buggy due to the wet season. I had people close to me battling the good fight so it was pretty exciting to get a podium finish at our National Conference after such a tough year,” said Ainslee. 

Ainslee continued to say this year is shaping up to be better. “We have just sold several larger irrigation properties at record levels and have some quality listings that we will be marketing through winter and spring.” 

Ainslee is a Forbes local, growing up on a farm in the area. After returning from a period living abroad it seemed a natural progression for Ainslee to combine her sales experience as a Retail Manager with her rural experience to sell farms. 

The real estate industry has changed considerably in the 24 years since Ainslee began her career. She started just before emails and the Internet, when people saw the ads in the papers and would call to be faxed a a description with a few photos. 

“In my first year we only advertised in the local papers and The Land. It took up to two days to get the photos printed at the photo shop and then a few days to courier the photos to our advertising agent in Sydney. You had to allow a week from the time you took the photo to getting it in the press,” she said. 

According to Ainslee, the biggest change in the industry has been the speed at which agents can now advertise a new listing, saying, “With online marketing we can reach in excess of 100,000 prospective buyers with a good campaign. It also allows us to target specific areas and demographics.” 

Last year, Nutrien Harcourts Forbes shifted to online Auctions through their National Auctioneer with exceptional results. Reaching an 80% clearance rate, the results were the best they have ever achieved. 

“The thing I like the most about being an agent is helping people achieve their goals. Whether it’s selling to move to town or buying another farm for their son to come home. In many cases this is the biggest business decision our clients make in their lifetime. With farms our clients are selling their business, their superannuation and their home in one transaction. 

“Our greatest compliment is when our buyers become our sellers and ask us to sell a property for them. I have sold many properties multiple times – some as many as four times.” 

When asked where she saw herself in five years time, Ainslee responded, “I hope I’m still on the podium and doing exactly what I’m doing now. It would be nice to maybe travel a bit more in the future now that we can.”