Isaac Wren, a Year 12 Forbes High School Graduate, will have his HSC video game project included in InTech 2016 and displayed at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum. InTech 2016 is the annual exhibition of outstanding Major Design Projects developed by 2015 HSC Industrial Technology students from Friday 24 June to Sunday 26 June 2016 from 10.00am – 4.00pm daily. In 2015, over 2500 students and their teachers from across NSW visited the InTech exhibition in Sydney.

In addition to the normal InTech Exhibition in 2016, there will be a combined display of HSC Technology projects at the Powerhouse Museum. A limited number of projects from industrial Technology, Textiles & Design as well as Design & Technology will be on display from Friday 26 February 2016 to Sunday 8 May 2016 at the Powerhouse
Museum.

Mr Wren’s Year 12 Major Works, a seven level game with coloured cubes to be picked up and placed on corresponding colours, was chosen for display, in a triumph for the teaching staff involved with the classes. He said it felt great to have his work on display at one of Australia’s most recognisable museums.

“It’s pretty cool. I wasn’t really expecting it. I didn’t even know there were exhibitions for projects year 12 students had made,” he said. His area of expertise will be furthered when he starts a three year software engineering degree at the University of Canberra in August.

It’s fair to say that long time Forbes resident Paddy Molly has been around the traps and put in the hard yards for the community. From riding and training horses and competing in rodeos in his younger years, to working as a butcher and at the Forbes Abattoirs, to building Forbes’ first rodeo bucking chutes and helping establish the first Forbes rodeo, Mr Molloy is certainly worthy of honour.

And on Tuesday evening at the Forbes Australia Day Festival at Colin McKenzie Park, he received the honour of being named the Forbes Senior Citizen of the Year. After many accidents including broken bones, losing his late wife Una in 2007 and suffering burns from a farming accident in 2012, the 89-year old was forced to sell his Wandary Lane farm and move to a home in Bathurst Street, where he still spends tire-less hours gardening and renovating his homes.

He regularly brings the bins in for his neighbours who work, and along with musical partner Ray Lassierre, plays country music at the Jemalong Residential Village and the Mater Nursing Home. They have played at both now for 37 years. “I’m grateful for this. It’s like winning the lottery,” Mr Molloy said of his award win.

Mr Molloy said tongue in cheek he did not plan on attending the Australia Day Festival, but was glad he did in winning his award. “I got brought over by my son and his wife, so I’m glad I came,” he said. Sixteen-year old Daniel Ashcroft won the 2016 Forbes Junior Citizen of the Year. He is a volunteer for the Forbes Shire Council Youth Advisory Committee, established Spectacular Screenings at age 12, and donates toys to Havannah House for their annual Christmas lunch.

In setting up and helping to run Spectacular Screening, where a movie for public viewing is put on once per month, he has contributed a massive 230 hours of his time over the last four and a half years. Mr Ashcroft also marches for Forbes High School in the ANZAC Day march, and volunteers as a musician at Jemalong Retirement Village.
He said he is proud of what he does and will continue his work. “It’s good to help out in the community and it’s good to see people’s faces when you’re doing it,” he said.

“I plan on continuing the volunteering. I’m not too sure what I’d like to do after I finish school in a couple years, but I’d like to go to university.” “I’m a black belt in martial arts, so something may come from that too.”

Forbes and Parkes Shire Councils will become a part of the Riverina Federal Electorate, after the announcement of changes to electorate borders by the Australian Electoral Commission.

The number of electorates in New South Wales will be reduced from 48 to 47, and changes will come into effect on February 25- in time for this year’s federal election. Changes in electorate borders have come as the AEC looks to raise the number of voters in each electorate.

The most important electorate changes in Central West NSW have been to those of Calare, Riverina, Parkes and Hume. Forbes and Parkes Shire Councils will transfer from Calare to Riverina, while the Cowra, Weddin (Grenfell), Young, Cootamundra and Harden shires will transfer to Riverina from Hume.

At the same time Riverina will lose Tumut and Tumburumba to Eden-Monaro, Griffith, Leeton, Murrumbidgee, Narrandera and part of Carrathool to Farrer, and the remainder of Carrathool to Parkes. It is expected Riverina will gain around 4000 voters as a result of all changes. Member for Riverina Michael McCormack welcomed the new additions to his electorate, and said that despite them being included just months before the next election, he said he looked forward to representing them.

“It is the people of our electorate who make my job so special and I am constantly inspired by the conversations and
interactions I have with local people every day,” he said. “I look forward to meeting with as many people as I can in these new communities over the coming weeks and months and listening to their ideas and suggestions.”

In contrast member for Calare John Cobb was left scratching his head in losing Forbes and Parkes from his electorate. “To lose Forbes and Parkes, which are also part of those who do things in NSW and Australia, after all these years is a forbidding thought,” he said. “I’ve represented most of it over the years, lived in it and it’s a wonderful place. Forbes and Parkes are extraordinarily lucky they will have Michael McCormack to look after them.”

The Calare electorate is set to gain the local government areas of Wellington, Cabonne (Canowindra), Kandos, Rylstone and Bylong. Forbes Shire Council Mayor Phyllis Miller said the changing of representation would unlikely effect future planning and projects in Forbes, but she said she was concerned about communities of interest.

Cr Miller added the AEC should have considered this in addition to voter numbers before forcing Forbes and Parkes to join Riverina, an area they normally do not directly associate with. “With the methodology they use, there’s
no distance or community interest taken into consideration,” she said. “It’s all about numbers and population. To think that Mr Cobb has to have two thirds of the state just to keep his population is ridiculous.”

“I’ve spoken to Michael McCormack, and I have no doubt that he’ll do the very best job possible.” “But I’m worried about two local government areas getting ‘just plonked’ into there.”

Forbes Shire Council will continue to stand alone after the announcement made on the 18th December by Local Government Minister Paul Toole and NSW Premier Mike Baird. Minister Toole announced that the 152 councils in NSW will be reduced to 112, with the number of regional councils cut back from 109 to 87.

Forbes Shire Council now has the opportunity to revise and resubmit its Fit for the Future proposal in 2016 to be reassessed and declared fit. Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM said this was the best news Council could have hoped for.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to continue to represent our community as a stand alone council,” Mayor Miller said. Mayor Miller said the merger proposals announced this morning will go forward to the Chief Executive of Local Government who will conduct public inquiries and then refer their recommendations on to the Boundaries Commission for final determination.

“Our neighbouring councils, Orange, Blayney and Cabonne, have been forced to merge together,” she said. “Our next step is to have meetings with the Mayor of Cabonne and the Mayor of Orange and then meet with the community of Eugowra to get their views on whether they would like us to lobby for a boundary change to enter into Forbes Shire Council.”

“As Forbes Shire Council was declared not fit due scale and capacity, because of population, Council will now be able to resubmit our proposal in 2016.”

Mayor Miller said due to the boundary review process the Local Government elections scheduled for September 2016 will now be pushed back until March 2017. “The result from this announcement is a load off our shoulders not only for Councillors but also for Council staff and the community,” Mayor Miller said. “It has been a very stressful time and for us not to be facing forced amalgamations, with the opportunity to be declared fit, is a testament to us as councillors that we are doing a good job for our community.”

Mayor Miller said, “We can now go forward with our four year delivery plan and of course economic development and job creation is at the top of our list. This means that all of our energy can be focussed on something positive rather than submissions which were taking up a lot of our time.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red Bend Catholic College HSC class of 2015 has much to celebrate as they have achieved exceptional results. The College community is once again extremely proud of its students and their achievement in this rigorous and highly regarded examination. Twelve students have been recognised as Distinguished Achievers as they achieved
22 Band 6s across 14 separate courses. A band 6 is equivalent to a mark in a course that is above 90.

Fifty two students achieved Band 5s across 27 courses. In total, the cohort received 150 Band 5s which is equivalent to a mark between 80 and 90. This is, of itself, an exceptional outcome. Another indicator of very solid performance was the number of Band 4’s: 165 Band 4’s across 27 subjects. A Band 4 is a mark of 70 or above. In addition to these results one student has been recognised for her excellent HSC Major work. Quinn Anderson was nominated for Encore which showcases the top individual Music performances.

The 2015 excellent HSC results reflect the determination, perseverance and commitment of the students, and the dedication and commitment of the teachers and other staff that taught and supported them.

Jess Dawes, Administration Marketing and Events Co-ordinator for the Forbes Business Chamber was very pleased with the attendance and participation by all who turned up on Saturday morning for the Find it in Forbes Christmas Festival. With over 400 people turning up throughout the day and wandering around the shops, stalls and even participating in events, and with the weather being on our side, it was a great day.

Jess said,“ she was delighted with the way things ran and it was a great festive atmosphere throughout the whole day.’ Retailers commented that they had all benefitted and it was great to see so many visitors shopping in our local community. Stall holders also enjoyed a great day and were pleased that they had attended the event.”

Everybody loved listening to Cath Adams who provided entertainment from 11.30. The kids loved seeing Santa and telling him what they would like for Christmas. Kristen’s Dance Studio gave some fabulous performances and are to be congratulated for some of their moves on what was a very warm surface. Jess would like to say a big thank you
to the sponsors, who have generously supported the event, and without whom the Find it in Forbes Christmas promotion and festival would not take place. These sponsors included John David Motors, Green Homes Australia, Forbes Phoenix, Forbes Advocate, Knights Steel Fabrications, and Bunnings.

Forbes High School were represented at the 2015 Schools Spectacular by twelve students who performed as part of the combined dance group at the Qantas Credit Union Arena last week end.

The journey commenced early in the year with video auditions being sent to the producers of the Schools Spectacular. The item was choreographed by the students under the watchful eye of Mrs Emily Bass and Miss Emma Northam, two dedicated teachers who also organised and accompanied students to the rehearsals and performances.

For students in regional and rural areas, routines had to be learnt from online videos and two rehearsals with students from Orange High and Dubbo Senior Campus prior to leaving for Sydney last week. Preparations for the three live performances culminated last week with 3600 students from every corner of the state coming together for the first time to rehearse.

Rehearsals were held at various locations throughout Sydney on the Wednesday and again on Thursday at the Qantas Credit Union Arena. It is amazing how the whole show comes together in such a short period time with children ranging in age from 5 to 18 years. The talent of the featured artists is incredible and you have to constantly remind yourself that they are in fact only school students.

Schools Spectacular has been performing at the Qantas Credit Union Arena, formally the Sydney Entertainment Centre for 32 years and has seen many artists discovered including Human Nature and the McClymonts. The show will air on Saturday night on Chanel 9 commencing at 7pm. The Forbes High School students will feature in the
second segment after the interval, entering the stage from the right side, in red jackets to Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’.

The Forbes community banded together on Wednesday 25 November to say no to domestic violence for the White Ribbon Day March. 100 white balloons tied to wrists floated and bobbed through the street and the captains
of Forbes High School carried a banner with a slogan supporting victims of domestic violence. Behind them was an army of Forbes’ school students, community groups and community members walking together to put an end to domestic violence.

As the marchers arrived at Victoria Park, the piper stopped playing and the traditional Welcome to Country was performed before an introduction to the day, and a speech from Mayor Phyllis Miller. “Forbes is still ranked in the top 20 for recorded domestic violence related assault incidents by Local Government Area,” Mayor Miller said.

“Domestic violence is not just a problem in our area though. To date in 2015 there whave been 78 women killed by violence in Australia with 1 in 4 Australian women experiencing physical or sexual violence from a current or former partner.” “Children living in a relationship with abusive behaviour are considered to be at risk of harm, either directly by being abused or indirectly by witnessing the abuse of their parent or carer.”

“By being here today and getting involved in the White Ribbon Day March, you are all helping to change these statistics and by working together we can make a difference. Don’t be afraid to stand up. Together we can put a stop to violence against women.”

Forbes and Parkes have played host to His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d), Governor of New South Wales and Mrs Hurley, from the 17th to 19th November, as part of a program that
sees His Excellency visit numerous townships throughout the state.

After touching down at Parkes Regional airport on Tuesday morning, the Governor and Mrs Hurley travelled to Forbes where, accompanied by Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM, they toured the Forbes Livestock Exchange. A luncheon was held in Wheogo Park where the Governor and Mrs Hurley were guests of honour. Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM raised her glass for a speech, thanking His Excellency for the visit and welcoming both he and Mrs Hurley back in the future.

The Governor also spoke, explaining the purpose of the visits. “We have a program where we do a number of country visits during the year, visiting two or three towns for three to four days. We spend a day and a night in each town to allow us to get good feel for the community,” said the Governor. “I go back and speak to the politicians, tell them my thoughts on what I experienced.”

After lunch, the Vice Regal couple attended Red Bend Catholic College, touring the facilities and speaking to students and staff whilst also witnessing drama, dance and music performances, followed by an afternoon tea put on by hospitality students. “We’re grateful for the chance to showcase our school,” said Principal Michael Flanagan. “It’s a great opportunity to show the different elements we have as an independent school. The kids are all so excited to meet the Governor.”

After leaving the college, His Excellency and Mrs Hurley attended a few other functions in Forbes, including a private dinner, before heading to Parkes on Wednesday.

Forbes Dancing with the Stars Couple no 6, Susan Earl and Hare Laveka, may have been crowned the inaugural winners of the trophy on Saturday night but the real winner on the night was CanAssist.

Eight months ago two local women, Terese Gunn and Cassandra Tyack, decided to organise a fundraiser to benefit CanAssist after seeing firsthand the assistance they provide to local cancer patients. Dancing With The Stars Forbes was the chosen theme and the pair were hopeful that they could raise at least $10,000.00. Months of careful planning and coordination saw their dream a reality on Saturday night with nine dance couples, four prominent judges, two entertaining comperes and 353 community members attending and supporting the spectacular event.

Once again, the Forbes community has risen to the challenge and exceeded all fundraising expectations. The ladies were overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses and the community and became quite emotional when they had well and truly exceeded their original goal.

Even though the final total has not been released it is anticipated that it will be more than $30,000. The dance routines performed on the night were of a very high standard and judges had a difficult task to come up with the overall winner with just one point separating 1st and 3rd positions. After their performances, dancers had five minutes to collect as much money as possible with the couple collecting the most money taking
out the people’s choice award.

Crowd favourites Stavros (Brian King) and Mareka (Michele Quigley) took out this coveted title with a routine that had everyone crying with laughter. CanAssist, formally known as The Cancer Patient Assistance Fund, was established in 1955 in response to concerns about country cancer patients accessing treatment in Sydney and the lack of suitably priced accommodation. Forbes began the first country branch in NSW in 1956 and provided assistance in a number of ways including transport, home visits, housework and much more. The Country branches grew and became more organised and there are currently fifty two branches in NSW.

Forbes CanAssist does not receive any government assistance and relies on fundraising and community support to provide $60,000.00 in support to local cancer patients each year. The funds raised from this event is invaluable to this organisation and will benefit many Forbes cancer patients and their families.