Articles Archives - Page 207 of 412

Our Bloke – Martin Cahill

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I’ve lived in Forbes my whole life, so 56 years, and I just love our small-town community, everyone knows each other.

What was your first job? Box boy at Barry Sullivan’s supermarket.

What makes you laugh the most? My grandkids.

If money were no object, what would you do with your time? Have one long holiday.

Describe your dream holiday? Cairns, Port Douglas, sitting back at the pub having a few schooners, doing nothing.

What is a favourite childhood memory of yours? Growing up in a small town with all my mates living around me where I could just jump on my bike and ride to their places, I just had to be home before night-time.

If you could live in any time or place, where and when would that be? I’d still live in Forbes because I think it’s the best town in Australia, and I’d live in the 80’s.

If you could share a meal with any three people, past or present, who would they be? My mum, my dad and Nelson Mandela.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? To cure cancer.

What is your pet hate? Indecision.

Nominations For Citizen Of The Year Now Open

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Australia Day 2021 will be celebrated differently than previous years by the Forbes Shire, but it will be celebrated. Next year, Forbes Shire Council are asking residents to celebrate our great nation at home with family and friends, ensuring the COVID safe protocols are adhered to.

“I call on you all to celebrate Australia Day with a BBQ, a few friends and family around, and think about the incredible year we all have just lived through,” said Deputy Mayor, Chris Roylance. “We are disappointed not to be celebrating like we did last year, by the Lake with hundreds of people for a Party in the Park, but we do need to keep our wits about ourselves and remain COVID free.”

“It is now time to nominate your local heroes. We will still crown our amazing citizens of the year, and recognise their great achievements, because no doubt they do deserve to be recognised,” continued Chris.

The categories this year there are: Citizen of the Year, 25 years or older, Young Citizen of the Year, 25 years or younger, and Senior Citizen of the Year, 65 years or older. The award ceremony will be livestreamed on Facebook.

“We can also happily inform everyone that the Australia Day fireworks will still go ahead,” said Chris. “They will be from a new location though to ensure everyone in the town can get a view of them from their own backyard. We will let you know more in the coming weeks.”

The Australia Day Ambassador for 2021 is local hero, Phillip Adams, Commonwealth and Olympic medal winner shooter who is highly regarded as a great sportsman and a generally great guy.

It Is Brave To Ask For Support

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Rural Aid counsellor Jane McCollum urges people who are struggling to ask for help.

During Mental Health Month in October, Rural Aid asked their rural counsellors to share what they want farmers to know about their mental health.

Rural Aid counsellor, Jane McCollum, says the one message she’d like primary producers to know is that it’s okay to admit it when the chips are down, and you need some support.

“At any given time in anyone’s life we all need support in some way. Talk to a friend or family member you can trust and connect with a counsellor if you need to chat with someone outside your personal community. It is brave to say, “I need some support” or even to reach out to someone who you can see may need your support,” Jane said.

“As a Rural Aid counsellor, I believe all humankind deserves to be supported and assisted in difficult times. Rural people are having a particularly difficult journey as they navigate through crucial issues such as drought, social changes, an increasing technological world that can often leave rural people feeling fearful and overwhelmed.”

Outside of helping farmers individually, Jane can be found at fodder deliveries, community events and recovery projects, helping towns and communities build stronger futures.

Stay On Label And Know Your Market Before Using Desiccants

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Cereal, pulse and oilseed growers are being reminded to adhere to label directions for herbicides used as a desiccant and understand their target market requirements this harvest to avoid issues with chemical residues.

It is critical growers are aware that maximum residue limits (MRLs) in Australia could differ from MRLs in international grain markets such as the European Union, according to Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Manager Chemical Regulation, Gordon Cumming.

“Late season rain has created harvest issues across areas of Australia, and growers are now carefully considering their options when it comes to managing their crop and maximising yield, weed control and grain quality to achieve the best profit margins,” Gordon said.

“However, where chemical desiccants, used to speed up the crop ripening process, are being considered there is the potential for chemical residues to arise that may exceed certain market requirements, even when used in accordance with the label directions.”

“For example, for durum, the Australian MRL for diquat is 2 milligrams/kilogram, whereas in a major potential market for Australian durum, the European Union, there is a significantly lower MRL of 0.02mg/kg.”

Chair of the National Working Party on Grain Protection (NWPGP), Gerard McMullen, said all markets had strict limits for chemical residues and growers and marketers needed to work together to ensure grain was compliant with market requirements.

“Marketers need to closely monitor market requirements and provide advice to growers. Non-compliance can lead to the rejection of shipments in export markets and create ongoing market access issues,” Gerard said.

Differences in regulations make grain exporters wary and many were reluctant to consider buying grain from crops treated with certain chemicals, such as diquat on durum.

Growers have a legal obligation to follow label directions and understand the needs of their buyers. Exporters also have a role to play. Grain should not be exported unless the residue status is known and complies with market requirements.

The GRDC has produced fact sheets on desiccants for use by crop type. For more information go to https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/all-publications/factsheets/2020/preharvest-herbicide-use-fact-sheet.

Keeping Roads Safe This Harvest

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Melanie Suitor and Peter Nixon, Manager of Forbes Machinery Centre, with an auger.

Agricultural machinery owners and operators are invited to get road ready ahead of the 2020 harvest season, by picking up a free Moving Harvest Machinery USB from all agricultural machinery retailers and rural supply stores in the Parkes, Forbes, and Lachlan Shire areas. The USBs are also available at the Councils Administration Offices.

The ‘Moving Harvest Machinery’ USBs contain all of the relevant notices for safely and legally moving agricultural machinery and combinations on the road along with other useful harvest safety information.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, says it is imperative that all operators be aware of their responsibilities whilst operating over dimensional vehicles this harvest.

“For the first time in a few years it is looking like it’s going to be a great harvest, which means lots of extra truck movements and agricultural machinery will be using local roads.”

“Safety and compliance during harvest is very important. Operators need to be aware of their responsibilities and ensure that all warning devices and travel requirements are adhered to,” Melanie said.

Regulations do change and this USB will help to ensure that people have up to date information.

“We provide these handy credit card style USBs every harvest. It has been updated with the most current notices and provides other relevant information such as load restraint, chain of responsibility and the Harvesting Fire Safety Guide, to name a few. There is also a live link document, which provides the web address for the attachments on the USB. It is advisable to regularly check the National Heavy Vehicle Regulators website www.nhvr.gov.au for updated notices and/or changes to operating conditions,” Melanie said.

This year there are 1,000 USB devices available.

Find It In AMAZING Forbes This Christmas

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Renee Pettit from Evolution Mining, Aaron Acheson, Alison Uphill and Marg Duggan from Forbes Business Chamber.

It is that time of year again, the Forbes Business Chamber and Forbes Shire Council’s Find It In AMAZING Forbes Christmas Promotion is on again, bigger and better than ever.

Evolution Mining have stepped in as this year’s gold sponsor as part of their COVID recovery assistance program.

Steph Wills from Evolution Mining said, “It has been a disappointing time for small business so being able to help where we can, it is beneficial to support this Forbes Business Chamber’s initiative.”

The Business Chamber will be drawing $20,000 in Why Leave Town cards between Monday, 9 November until Christmas Eve.

“The cards have a special brand and are only redeemable at the participating stores until 30 June 2021. Winners need to collect their prize at the time of the draw,” said Marg Duggan, President of the Forbes Business Chamber.

• Silver Sponsors: Bernardi’s and Terry Bros Carpet Court.

• Bronze Sponsors: Undercover Sleepwear, Acheson’s Mitre 10, Central West Diesel, Steele Technology, Michael Robinson & Co, Superbee Honey, C & D Floorcoverings, Flannery’s Pharmacy, Loomsey’s Fish and Fix, Kevin Miller, Whitty, Lennon and Co, Forbes Betta Home Living, Walkers Ag N Vet, Baker Ag Advantage, Central West Diesel and MD Steel.

• Participants: Forbes Shire Council, Bernardis, Terry Bros Carpet Court, Blush Organic Beauty, Forbes Small Engines, Gunn’s Mensland, SportsPower Forbes, Phillip Wells Optometrist, Turners Furniture One, Life Pharmacy, Chapter Two, Jessica’s Essential Beauty, Euphoria Road, Robbs Jewellers, Little Extras, Painted Daisies Gift Shoppe, Allure On Main, Vandenberg Hotel, News On Rankin, Cahills Shoes, Made Of Fridays, The Bakehouse, Agri-West, Forbes Automotive Services, Jelbart Dawson & Co, Hozpots Garden Centre, Walkers Ag N Vet, Superbee Honey, C & D Floorcoverings, Flannery’s Pharmacy, Loomsey’s Fish and Fix, Forbes Betta Home Living, Undercover Sleepwear, Acheson’s Mitre 10, and Steele Technology.

• Supporters: BWL Accountants, Forbes Livestock, Matthew Williams Solicitors, Court Press and McCarron Cullinane and Chudleigh.

Christmas At Kissing Point

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Forbes resident Jacqui Greig’s new romance anthology paperback are now available for pre-order.

Local romance author Jacqui Greig has released a Christmas anthology, just in time for Christmas. Titled Christmas At Kissing Point, this will be the third romance novel published by Jacqui, who first published in 2017 and is currently working on a four-novel series from her home in Forbes.

“I attended the 2019 Romance Writers of Australia conference and met some incredible writers. It is where I met the four authors that I teamed up with to publish this anthology,” said Jacqui.

“Romance remains the biggest selling genre for readers the world over, and little wonder as we all need to escape from reality from time to time,” she says. “It goes without saying that most of us can’t wait to put 2020 behind us. And what better way to wait for the year to end and ring in the festive season than with a fun, romantic book?”

Jacqui has a bachelor’s degree in Print Journalism but, having always been tempted to embellish the facts of a story, decided she was more suited to writing works of fiction. She is proud to be a part of the romance genre, believing it has come a long way from the “bodice-rippers” of the 1980s.

“Romance writers nowadays tend to steer away from the reductive portrayals of women’s sexuality that you saw in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I’ve found the romance writing community to be an incredibly inclusive and supportive one, and also fiercely feminist. The feminism angle might be surprising, especially in light of the #metoo movement, but I think the romance community is great at saying ‘you know what? You can be a smart, independent woman, and still enjoy reading about a possessive hero’. Part of being an empowered female is having the confidence to like what you want to like. Romance is a genre that allows women to explicitly centre and explore their own pleasure.”

Christmas At Kissing Point is available as both a physical paperback and eBook.

‘Allegory’ Exhibition Opens At The Platypus Gallery

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Locals and visitors are invited to decipher the hidden meanings behind each of the works featured in a new exhibition at The Platypus Gallery in Forbes.

‘Allegory’ will open to the public on Thursday, 5 November, featuring works of various mediums by artists Coralie Crouch, Wayne Miles, and Rosalie Burns.

“An Allegory is a method for creating a symbolic visual or written message. Allegories require the audience to interpret the hidden message which may contain a moral or spiritual meaning,” Coralie explained.

“I encourage viewers to look beyond just the descriptive or decorative purpose of the artworks.”

To celebrate the launch of the exhibition, The Platypus Gallery will extend its opening hours on Saturday, 7 and Sunday, 8 November 2020, from 10am until 4pm.

Throughout the opening weekend, visitors to the gallery will have the opportunity to meet featured artist, Coralie Crouch, and gain an insight into the hidden messages behind each of her installations.

Forbes Arts Society Chair, Dr Karen Ritchie said, “In what has been a challenging year for our industry, we are so looking forward to welcoming back our gallery friends, new and old.”

“To help protect the health and safety of gallery visitors and our volunteers, we will have hand sanitiser available, a QR sign-in at the door, as well as implementing social distancing measures at all times.”

The ‘Allegory’ exhibition runs until Friday, 27 November. The Platypus Gallery will be open Monday to Friday, 10am until 2pm and Saturdays, 9am until 1pm. All artworks will be available for purchase.

For more information about the exhibition, visit www.forbesartssociety.com or follow The Platypus Gallery on Facebook or Instagram.

The Platypus Gallery is run by ArtsWeb volunteers, a sub-committee of the Forbes Arts Society.

Snippets…

November 6, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Kathryn Matheson photo of Tulips has won the Forbes Phoenix Spring Photo Competition.

Spring Photo Competition Winner: Kathryn Matheson has been named as the 2020 Forbes Phoenix Spring Photo Competition winner. The annual Spring Photo Competition received many delightfully vibrant photographs from all over Forbes and this year, Sarah Hodge from Essjay Photography who sponsored the competition, chose Kathryn’s photograph of Tulips in bloom. The winning photo was chosen due to the image being a captivating depiction of the natural beauty of Spring.

Christmas Cards 4 Farmers Initiative Launched: As the countdown to Christmas begins, Rural Aid is asking Australian school students to take the time to lift the spirits of farmers around the nation. With farmers nationwide enduring years of record-breaking droughts, floods, and fires, Rural Aid CEO, John Walters, is asking students to get their schools involved in their Christmas Cards 4 Farmers initiative in order to lift the spirits of and put a smile on the faces of Australian farmers this Christmas. Students are encouraged to let farmers know they are in our minds by creating homemade cards with a special, personal message. Farmers are central to our everyday life, despite the geographical distance, and in the past this initiative has had a positive impact on farmers’ mental health. Please send in homemade cards before 19 November. Cards cannot be larger than 120mm x 170mm. Do not send in individual envelopes. Mail them to Rural Aid at PO Box 1342, Sunnybank Hills QLD 4109.

Social Farmer Giveaway Winner: The winner of The Social Farmer Giveaway is Emma Mayall. Emma has won a business profile makeover from The Social Farmer that will create and update her social media page and profile to expand her business digitally. The Social Farmer specialises in social media creation, management, and website design.

Great Inland Glossy Count Postponed: Organisers of the Great Inland Glossy Count have chosen to postpone the program due to rain. While rain is great for the region, it makes conditions for volunteers difficult. The new dates are Pilliga, 13 February, Goonoo, 20 February, and Goobang, 27 February 2021.Central West volunteers are needed for the NSW Saving our Species program to become “cockatoo counters” and help be part of the Great Inland Glossy Count.

The great inland Glossy count in Goobang has been postponed from 21 November 2020 to 27 February 2021.

Snippets…

October 30, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

Forbes has seen many improvements this year which not only enriches the lives of residents, but also draws visitors to the town.

Veterans’ Employment Award Nominations: Riverina and Central West organisations which employ and support members of the Veteran community, or Veterans making a significant contribution to their workplace, are being encouraged to nominate for the 2021 Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Awards. More than 5,500 people leave the Australian Defence Force each year and the Federal Government’s aim is to ensure they can transition into civilian life effectively and find meaningful employment.

The Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Program aims to raise employers’ awareness of the enormous value and experience Veterans can bring to the civilian workplace. Nominations for the awards are now open online and will close on 20 November 2020 with winners announced in 2021. For more information go to www.veteransemployment.gov.au.

Regional Tourism Boost: The Morrison-McCormack Government will inject $250 million into regional Australia, encouraging more Australians to travel and experience a home-grown holiday, boosting regional jobs and local economies. The package include two measures, a $50 million Regional Tourism Recovery initiative to assist businesses in regions heavily reliant on international tourism, and $200 million for an additional round of the Building Better Regions Fund.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the package would deliver targeted support for regional tourism. The aim is to help businesses bounce back by attracting more Australians, and then overseas visitors when our international borders re-open. Tourism is crucial in creating jobs which drive many regional economies. It is important that the tourism sector comes out in the best possible shape post COVID-19.

Federal funding has seen the improvement of existing tourism sights in and around Forbes, as well as the creation of many more. The funding has also gone into improving the functionality and aesthetic in town with many projects having come into fruition in 2020 alone.

Spring Photo Competition: Forbes residents have until Friday, 30 October to get their entries in for the Spring Photo Competition. Submissions can be made on the Forbes Phoenix Facebook page, or emailed to sales@forbesphoenix.com.au.

Saturday is the last day to get your entries in for the Spring Photo Compeition.

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