Entries are now in for the NSW Small Win­emakers Wine Show and judging is ready to commence on Monday 25th August.The 33rd show has received 488 entries from 90 wineries and Mark Richardson, a Senior Winemaker from Tyrrell’s Wines in the Hunt­er Valley, is returning as chair of judges.

NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show President, Mark Watts said the judges and the committee are looking forward to anoth­er successful event.

“While numbers are slightly down this year, we have a high calibre of wines from across NSW and ACT that have been en­tered into the show this year,” Mark said.

“We also have several entries from new wineries and others who haven’t entered for a number of years.”

Tickets are $30 for the Public Tasting on Friday 29th August at the Forbes Town Hall.

All wines entered in the show will be avail­able for patrons to taste and finger food will be provided.

The next event is the Gourmet Wine Din­ner, which will be held at Club Forbes on Saturday 20th September. The dinner will be held from 7pm with a four-course meal featuring trophy winning wines to comple­ment the meal. Tickets for this event are $130 per person.

If you purchase your tickets to both events in the same transaction, you will receive a $10 discount, making attending both events $150 per person. Tickets are available for purchase now at NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show Tickets – 123 Tix.

Parkes local Richard Jefferay is gearing up to drive more than 1,240km from Bourke to Birdsville on a Massey Ferguson tractor with a top speed of just 23km/h. He’ll be joined by eight mates, navigating remote dirt tracks and stopping in small towns to spark life-saving conversations about early detection and prostate cancer awareness.

With just days to go until the trek kicks off on 11 August, Richard has smashed his $100,000 fundraising goal – and still climbing. “We’ve been overwhelmed by the support. Every kilometre counts in raising awareness and saving lives,” says Richard.

This is a deeply personal mission for Richard, whose father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Over the past two years, he’s raised over $90,000 for Prostate Can­cer Foundation of Australia. This year Rich­ard’s father and his son are both trekking alongside him.

The Tractor Trek is proudly backed by Tyrepower, which has raised over $1.3 million for PCFA over the past 11 years.

At their recent International Conference, a charity auction in support of the trek pulled in more than $150,000.

Richard would like to thank local spon­sors Potts Removals and Storage, Steve Magill Earthmoving, Magill Transport, Hoys Heavy Haulage, Oils Plus, Parkes Liquid Nitrogen, Wrights Farming, Moss and Sons, Power Tools Plus, Signs U See, Tyrepower, Parkes Auto Wreckers and Central West Car Club.

Follow the Parkes Tractor Trekkers and donate at https://fundraise.pcfa.org.au/fun­draisers/richardjefferay

The Greens reiterated their call for a state­wide moratorium on waste-to-energy in­cinerators as concerned members of the Parkes community came together for an in­formation night hosted by the Parkes Clean Future Alliance.

Greens spokesperson for Health and for Waste Dr Amanda Cohn MLC spent the weekend in the region listening to the com­munity and speaking at the event which drew in more than 5 per cent of the town’s population.

Dr Cohn met with PCFA representatives and local farmer Graeme Somers, who neighbours the site where the incinerator would be built. She said “It was incredible to see how engaged the Parkes commu­nity is with this issue and hear their deep concerns about this so-called energy-fromwaste incinerator.

During her speech, Dr Cohn highlighted the Public Health Association of Australia’s recommendation that food grown near an incinerator should be avoided.

The Greens introduced a bill in 2020 that would have prevented the current Parkes proposal from proceeding. However, MPs from the then government and opposition voted it down, arguing it would risk jobs and international investment and that there was no evidence the bill was necessary or appropriate.

“This is not and never was about energy production. If incineration was an effective, clean and renewable way of producing electricity the Greens would be its strong­est backers – but it’s not. This proposal is because of Sydney’s waste crisis, with the Greater Sydney basin set to run out of landfill space by 2030.

The Parkes Clean Future Alliance (PCFA) is a local, community-led group that formed in April 2025 in response to the proposed (EfW) incinerator in the Parkes Special Ac­tivation Precinct which plans to incinerate 600,000 tonnes of red bin waste from Syd­ney per year right here in Parkes.

The Parkes Clean Future Alliance consists of farmers, business owners, professionals and residents, who are all concerned about the long-term health, environmental, agricul­tural and economic impacts of the proposed Energy-from-Waste project. Their goal as a committee is to inform the community, de­mand transparency, and advocate for better, safer alternatives.

The PCFA are hosting a free Community Information Night to be held at the Parkes Leagues Club on Saturday 26 July. Doors will open at 5:45pm and the event is for anyone who wants to try and understand what the Energy-from-Waste proposal really means for Parkes, our farms, environment, health and future.

Guest speakers on the night will include qualified professionals in health, science, agriculture, and policy who understand the risks of incineration. Dr Amanda Cohn MLC and Chris Hanson, a Chemical Engineer, will provide key insights, along with local farmer Geoff Rice and regenerative agricul­ture specialist Bruce Maynard.

Community presence will send a power­ful message, and everyone is encouraged to attend. This is your chance to get the facts, ask questions, and stand together.

”We need to be the voice for the future of Parkes” said event organiser Ben Stead.

The VRA Rescue NSW is currently recruit­ing across western NSW in an effort to re­cruit Volunteers for Squads in the western area as well as a State Rescue Group.

The State Rescue Group will consist of multi-skilled Volunteers from communities across NSW western area.

VRA Rescue NSW, formerly known as the NSW Volunteer Rescue Association, is a volunteer-based organization that pro­vides emergency rescue services across New South Wales, Australia. They are dedicated to community safety and play a vital role in emergency management and response. VRA Rescue NSW affiliates in­clude various rescue squads specializing in different areas like motor vehicle rescue, maritime search and rescue, and wilder­ness rescue.

VRA Rescue NSW is composed of vol­unteer members who dedicate their time and skills to assist the community in times of need. They offer a diverse range of res­cue services, including motor vehicle acci­dents, maritime incidents, wilderness and cave searches, and more.

Full training will be provided and no ex­perience is needed. People of ages 18+ are welcome.

VRA Rescue NSW covers Road Crash Rescue, Land Search, Flood Rescue, Ver­tical Rescue and much more. Whether you are keen to get hands on or want to help behind the scenes, there’s a role for you!

If you live in the western area and you are interested in finding out about becoming a volunteer then you can place an expression of inter­est by visiting the VRA website www.res­cue.org.au

 

Construction works on the state-of-the-art bp highway service centre in Parkes are progressing and the site is entering the fi­nal stages of delivery.

The new centre, located on the recently opened Parkes Bypass, at the roundabout of the Newell Highway and Henry Parkes Way, will be anchored by bp with a conven­ience store. The facility will feature a truck drivers lounge with showers, laundry and diner and 26 heavy vehicle parking spaces to provide a much-needed rest stop on this significant transport route.

Construction commenced in late 2024 and the service centre is expected to open in late September 2025. The site will soon include the construction commencement of a new McDonalds restaurant.

The Development Director for Stevens Land, Jason Capuano said: “This project is more than just a service centre; it serves as the gateway to the heart of national logistics and the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.”

“This development will not only serve the Newell Highway but also the expansive 4700-hectare Eco-industrial Special Acti­vation Precinct.

“The strategic location will provide much needed rest facilities for travelling heavy vehicle operators and the general public, with a full service diner within the BP and a newly built McDonalds with a drive through as part of the project,” said Mr Capuano.

This first stage of the 20ha Parkes Gate­way Precinct will provide much needed in­frastructure to service the Parkes SAP and heavy vehicles using the Newell Highway.

Future stages will provide a great oppor­tunity for industrial and trade retail busi­nesses.

The Minns Labor Government is investing $27 million to restore vital water and sewer infrastructure in the Central West, helping communities recover from the 2022 floods and prepare for future disasters.

A major focus of the funding is the $22.9 million rebuild of the Lake Endeavour wa­ter pipeline in Parkes Shire, which will be reconfigured to a safer, flood-resilient loca­tion.

This pipeline is a critical component of the water supply system for around 10,000 residents and plays a vital role in support­ing local agriculture and industry, including the Parkes Special Activation Precinct.

Rebuilding the Lake Endeavour pipeline will strengthen water security for local fami­lies and businesses, support local jobs and contribute to the region’s broader econom­ic recovery.

The Lake Endeavour reservoir is a vital part of the Parkes water supply, ensuring continued access during drought and pe­riods of low flow and poor water quality in the Lachlan River.

Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin said “I’ve seen the damage to Lake Endeavour firsthand. The risk of Parkes running criti­cally low on water was simply unaccepta­ble, especially with only one main supply left and with the threat of drought hanging over the community again.”

“Reliable water and sewer services are things people in the cities often take for granted. Our regional communities shouldn’t be left worse off after disasters.”

The funding follows close collaboration between the NSW Government, Parkes, Cabonne and Lachlan Shire Councils, local water authorities and local stakeholders.

Fifteen days, more than 3,880 kilometres, nine stops and one aircraft. That’s the journey that a Forbes pharmacist, and two regional farmers, will embark on later this year for the 2025 Outback Air Race to raise vital money for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Forbes Flying Pharmacist Jack Buckley will join Cowra’s Brad Shephard, known as the Farmer from Downunder, and Gren­fell farmer John Johnson, in the aviation event in August. More than 40 teams will fly across the Australian outback, over two weeks, in support of the RFDS.

“As a healthcare professional I have in­credible respect and admiration for the work of the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Managing partner of Flannery’s Pharmacy in Forbes, Jack Buckley, said.

“The RFDS is such an integral part of healthcare delivery in outback Australia and having lived in Forbes for almost a decade now, I have seen the importance of this service firsthand.

All three pilots helped residents across the region during the NSW flood crisis of November 2022, flying supplies to towns along the Lachlan River. Together the trio is called ‘Flying4Phun’ and they are hoping to raise $100,000 for the RFDS.

“All funds will go towards outfitting RFDS aircraft with essential medical equipment, vital for treating sick children and injured patients across Australia.” Jack said.

The 2025 Outback Air Race will take place from 22 August to 8 September. To donate visit: Team 22 – Flyin4phun in Out­back Air Race 2025.