General Interest Archives - Page 37 of 311

How To Take An Award-winning Farm Photo

October 31, 2024 by Roxane Manley

There’s still time to throw your hat in the ring for the National AgDay photo and video competition.

You don’t have to be a farmer or own a patch of land to snap a roaring rural photo.

There are so many amazing country towns waiting to be captured; even driving 30 minutes from a city can put you in sight of cute cows, photogenic fences and charming shopfronts.

Take a trip to the edge of town, pack your camera or phone and make sure to check out a famous country bakery while you’re on the road. There’s also farms open to the public that are well-worth checking out. You never know the pots of gold you’ll find.

Just remember to stay out of private property, even if there are no fences. For more tips on farm photography etiquette, check out this guide: https://farmers.org.au/lifestyle/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-farm-selfie/

There is no age limit in the AgDay photo comp, and it’s designed to attract all skill levels too; so don’t miss your chance to be in the running!Submit your entry at https://agday.org.au/photography-video-competition1/ and get involved in the celebration of everything that makes Aussie agriculture great.

Inland Rail Skills Academy Graduates Get On The Tools

October 31, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Inland Rail Skills Academy graduates (from left) Hamilton Currie, Brett Whyman and (far right) Lawrence Button with Inland Rail’s Cathy Duncan, Senior Program Skills and Training Advisor, and Adam O’Sullivan, Rail Superintendent, Martinus (second right).

A trio of Inland Rail Skills Academy graduates have used their new-found skills to find employment with Inland Rail contractor Martinus Rail and make their own contributions to the project.

The three graduates: Brett Whyman, Lawrence Button and Hamilton Currie, each completed a five-week Certificate II in Rail Infrastructure course through the Inland Rail Skills Academy earlier this year. The course, provided by First Nations training provider Yakka Training, took place over five weeks in March and April in Wagga Wagga.

The graduates then started work with Inland Rail contractor Martinus Rail and were assigned to the Stockinbingal to Parkes (S2P) section during the September possession, a 100-hour period where the rail line was closed and an intense period of construction took place.

Inland Rail is an approximately 1,600km freight rail line that will connect Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, enhancing Australia’s national freight network and supply chain capabilities, connecting existing freight routes through rail, roads and ports, and supporting Australia’s growth.

The Inland Rail sections between Beveridge in Victoria and Parkes in New South Wales are prioritised for completion by 2027.

Brett Whyman, Martinus employee and Inland Rail Skills Academy graduate, said “The Inland Rail Skills Academy appealed to me because it gave me an opportunity to put my foot in the door and start in the rail industry. The advice I’d give to locals about the Inland Rail Skills Academy is: go for it.

It’s very rewarding once you get into the industry and the Inland Rail Skills Academy will help you with everything to get into the industry.”

Nedd’s Incredible 1,600km Run For Charity

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Nedd Brockmann once again captured the hearts and minds of the country with his epic 1,000-mile or 1,609-kilometre run that he described as ten times harder than when he ran across Australia.

“To say I’m proud is an understatement,” Brockmann said.

“You don’t know the extent of something until you’re in it, and when you’re in it, you’re shocked by its enormity.”

The man from Forbes finished the 1,000 miles in 12 days, 13 hours and 45 seconds at the Sydney Olympic Athletic Centre, which is 3,760 laps of the athletic track.

This time places him in the top 10 in the world and ranks him as the second fastest Australian to run the 1000 miles.

Brockmann constantly remarked on how he felt support from the local community, particularly from the countless donations, including the very generous $30,000 donation from the Forbes Gala Ball.

Brockmann’s efforts have led to a staggering $3,700,000 raised for We Are Mobilise, with the fundraising efforts not over.

The second part of Nedd’s Uncomfortable Challenge invites workplaces, schools, gyms and individuals to commit to their own challenge that takes you out of your comfort zone.

“ This is about making people understand that any real growth comes with adversity and by taking an intentional challenge, they might be more prepared when they’re faced with a challenge they hadn’t expected” Brockmann said.

Choose your own adventure at www.neddsuncomfortablechallenge.com

Australia’s 3G Networks Switch Off From 28th October

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Australia’s 3G networks will shut down from 28th October and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) is urging all Australians to act now and “Check Your Tech” to ensure they will stay connected once the networks are switched off.

Telstra and Optus will switch off their 3G networks from 28th October 2024. TPG Telecom-owned Vodafone has already closed its network in January 2024.

This means that devices that depend on the 3G network will no longer work. 3G devices will no longer be supported and will not be able to make calls, including emergency voice calls to Triple Zero on any Australian mobile network.

This closure will also affect some 4G devices that default emergency calls to 3G.

While these devices can make normal 4G voice calls, they push emergency calls to 3G and so won’t be able to make an emergency call after the closure.

In addition, devices that have been purchased overseas or from a retailer selling imported phones, might not be fully supported once the 3G network shuts down Impacted devices may also include smartwatches, tablets, in-home personal emergency alarms, EFTPOS terminals and fire and security alarms.

New Generation Of Support Workers

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Forbes mature age student City Smith who is on a mission to make a real difference in disability care, thanks to her training at TAFE NSW.

Forbes local and TAFE NSW student Cindy Smith, a proud Dharawal woman, is using her education as a powerful tool to empower people with disabilities to express their desires and gain independence.

Armed with her Certificate III in Individual Support, now pursuing Certificate IV in Disability Support, she is on a mission to help her clients break free from rigid schedules that often limit their true needs.

This week, National Careers Week, is a timely reminder of the urgent demands for skilled disability support workers, projected to increase by 128,000 jobs by 2025.

Ms Smith credits her training at TAFE NSW for enabling her to go beyond basic care and provide referrals and support to her clients.

“My qualifications and skills drive my passion to advocate for flexibility and ensure my clients can engage in experiences that reflect their interests and life preferences.

“I want to elevate the level of care and show that life is more than daily routines.

By thinking outside the box and seeking the right resources, they can pursue interests and expand their activities,” Ms Smith said.

She has progressed her career at Currajong Disability Service in Parkes since her journey with TAFE NSW, caring for her clients with respect and dignity, and ensuring they have a voice in their care.

Through her practical learnings at TAFE NSW, Ms Smith witnessed how the right referrals can significantly impact the lives of people with disabilities, enhancing their mental health, building social networks and even leading to successful careers or businesses. Ms Smith aspires to further her studies in mental health and community support with TAFE NSW.

Bushtracker Rally Donations Benefit Local Community

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Members converged in Forbes from every state and territory across Australia. Their aim was to get to know the area, spend money in the district and support local charities during their ten-day stay.

Robyn Miller, President of Forbes Evening Branch CWA sourced ‘Welcome to Forbes’ packs which were distributed to rally members.

The Bushtrackers held a spit roast competition, using the coals to then hold a camp oven competition the next day. The CWA were invited to judge the Bushtrackers camp oven cooking competition. Three members, Anne Reade (Forbes CWA), Gail McKay (Bogan gate CWA) and Vicki Williams (Evening CWA) put their judging skills to use, examining the cooking with the usual CWA judging criteria.

The Forbes Evening Branch CWA was then invited to cater for their farewell morning tea with over 120 rally members attending. CWA members prepared a delicious mixed spread, receiving many compliments for their efforts. To support the local community further, the Bushtrackers paid for all the ingredients.

Rally organisers shopped in Forbes for prizes for their auction at their gala dinner, catered for by Eat Your Greens.

Robyn Miller said, “It has been estimated that the Bushtrackers spent in excess of $26,000 in our local community during their ten-day stay.”

Through the proceeds of the auction and other activities, the Bushtrackers organising committee were able to make considerable donations to local charities. Some of the beneficiaries were: Toy Library $1,500, Sunshine Club $1,500, Forbes History Museum $1,000, Forbes Town Library $1,500, Forbes CWA $1,500 for air-conditioning in CWA Hall, Forbes Evening CWA Branch $1,500 for Youth Education.

Making It Easier For Patients In Regional NSW Needing To Travel For Healthcare

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

Stephen Lawrence MLC has today announced that the NSW Government is improving access to healthcare for people living in rural and regional communities, providing financial assistance to over 81,000 patients from Local Health Districts covering inland NSW in the past year through the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS).

IPTAAS provides financial assistance to patients who need to travel long distances for specialist healthcare that is not available locally. NSW patients have also received more money back in their pockets thanks to increased subsidies, with the average reimbursement per patient to be $482.

The NSW Government is embracing a comprehensive range of measures to improve access to care in our regional, rural and remote communities, including: delivering more health worker accommodation in the bush, doubling rural health worker incentives for the most critical and hard to fill positions to improve recruitment and retention, boosting doctors in our regional GP surgeries as well as hospitals through the single employer model, and deploying an extra 500 regional paramedics.

World Class Bush Art Trail Complete After 13 Years

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

The recent unveiling of ‘Brumbies Run’ by Brett Mon Garling, the final sculpture completing the Sculpture Down the Lachlan trail after 13 years.

What’s 100km long, took 13 years, and features brumbies, goannas, birds and lovable dogs?After 13 years in the making, the worldclass public art trail ‘Sculpture Down the Lachlan’ is complete with the final work ‘Brumbies Run’ by Brett Garling installed.

Featuring 25 installations over 100 km from Forbes to Condobolin in Central NSW, the bush’s version of Bondi’s ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, attracts thousands of road-trippers who marvel at the quirky and unique largerthan-life artworks which follow the Lachlan River along the Lachlan Valley Way road.

‘Brumbies Run’ is a bronze sculpture located at Warroo Reserve off Lachlan Valley Way. It features wild horses running, kicking, flaring nostrils and leaping, and represents the freedom, spirit and enthusiasm of so many Australians.

The trail launched in 2011 and aimed to celebrate the diversity of the rural community, its artistic edge, culture, people and stories. Over the years it has gained international recognition with visitors enjoying the trail, nestled amongst golden grasses and majestic red river gums.

Other recent installations are ‘Waiting for the Rain’ by Jimmy Rix (April 2024) and ‘Between the Silence’ by Clancy Warner (May 2023). Plus, don’t miss Stephen King’s the ‘Tower’, the original ‘amazing’ sign at Forbes, a 12-metre steel goanna ‘Varanus’ and the 6-metre ‘Heart of Country’.

The brainchild of Sculpture Down the Lachlan is local artist Rosie Johnston who was unrelenting in her passion to see art embedded in nature by some of Australia’s leading creatives.

At the end of the Sculpture Down the Lachlan trail, travellers will find themselves at Condobolin’s iconic ‘Utes in the Paddock’.

The unique collection of 20 Holden Utes is such a drawcard that Lachlan Shire Council constructed its new Visitor Information Centre at the site.

For more information you can contact the friendly staff at Amazing Forbes NSW

Communities Urged To Take Extra Care As Risk Of Thunderstorm Asthma Increases

October 24, 2024 by Roxane Manley

People prone to respiratory conditions like asthma or hayfever are being urged to take extra care ahead of predicted thunderstorm activity across Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD).

Each year from around mid-October to mid-November, asthma and hayfever sufferers may be at greater risk of severe symptoms due to high pollen counts, and weather conditions like those are predicted across the region in coming weeks.

Western NSW Local Health District Public Health Physician, Dr Victor Carey, is urging people with asthma or breathing problems, and those impacted by hayfever in spring, to take extra precautions when thunderstorms are expected.

“People should be alert, not alarmed. It is incredibly important for people to be aware they could be at risk. Airborne pollens are at their highest levels at this time of year,” Dr Carey said.

“Thunderstorms can cause pollen grains to explode and release fine particles which can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs.

Even people who don’t have asthma should take extra precautions during thunderstorm season.

“Anyone with diagnosed asthma should be proactively managing their symptoms.

Carry your asthma medication with you at all times during high-risk periods and make sure your family, school and workplace has a copy of your asthma management plan.

Breathing difficulties can be life threatening. In the event of a breathing emergency dial Triple Zero (000) immediately.

More information can be found on the NSW Health website: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/thunderstorm-asthma.aspx

The Future Of Housing For Parkes Assured

October 17, 2024 by Cr Neil Westcott

Parkes Shire Council has recently purchased the 330-hectare property Harrowvale, to commence designing a future residential suburb. We anticipate the land purchase will be funded by future industrial land sales and will not be activated until existing residential land is significantly taken-up.

Harrowvale is situated on the eastern edge of Parkes, between Henry Parkes Way (Orange Road), Military Road and Cookamidgera Road. It has quality arable soil, slopes gently from east to west and is predominantly above major flooding levels. The location of Parkes on the national transport network is an unassailable fact and has driven the NSW Government investment in the Parkes Special Activation Precinct (SAP). It is forecast that the SAP has the potential to create up to 3,000 jobs across a range of industries over the next 30 years, particularly, Freight and Logistics, Warehousing, Value-add agriculture, Plant based meat substitutes, Innovative Grains, Cold-Chain Logistics, Resource recovery and recycling, E-Waste Recycling, Plastics Recycling, Renewable energy, Critical minerals and Data Centres.

The State Government is progressing industrial development in the SAP and has a potential of over a billion dollars of investment over the next five years in leading edge energy and recycling technology, right on the edge of Parkes. It is important to ensure there is suitable land to meet the needs of our existing community, looking for their first home, seeking to upsize or moving to downsize existing homes.

By Cr Neil Westcott
Mayor of Parkes Shire

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