Celebrating Australia Day Murray Brown, 2021 Forbes Citizen of the Year with Mayor Phyllis Miller.

The Forbes Shire celebrated Australia Day very differently this year, with major gatherings of previous years not allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions. The community did however take advantage of the many food vans dotted around Lake Forbes.

“It was an Australia Day with a difference, that’s for sure,” said Forbes Shire Mayor, Phyllis Miller OAM. “But I love that our community still wanted to celebrate. The day consisted of a gentle stream of families and friends gathering by our beautiful Lake, fishing, water skiing and having picnics.”

The Citizen of the Year Award Ceremony was an invitation only event and it was held in the Forbes Town Hall. Local musician Adam Enslow entertained guests throughout the night and on completion of formal proceedings some audience members also performed.

“I want to thank everyone who tuned in to our Citizen of the Year ceremony on Facebook, it was such a great night and I want to congratulate our wonderful winners, Krystle-Lee McMurray, Norm Haley and Murray Brown. All are very worthy recipients.”

Local State Member Phil Donato and his wife, Nadia also joined Council’s Citizen of the Year Ceremony Dinner. The couple were celebrating their wedding anniversary on this day and Phyllis paid a special tribute to the couple.

“I must also mention we welcomed two new citizens on Australia Day, Airene Brown and Chelsea Riddington, It was great to see they both were brimming with pride to be officially welcomed into Australia and become official citizens,” Phyllis said.

The fireworks at 9pm were broadcast live on Facebook and had viewers tuning in from all over Australia. “Many of our locals also ventured down to the foreshore of the Lake to watch the Fireworks,” Phyllis said. “Our pyro technicians intentionally launched them high into the sky to ensure all of Forbes could see the display from their backyards.”

Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM

A recent article in the Forbes Phoenix regarding social housing in the new Goldridge Estate has Forbes Shire Mayor outraged.

“I’m very disappointed in the Forbes Phoenix in relation to the social housing article printed in last week’s paper,” said Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM.

“The new Goldridge Estate has 223 housing blocks, not 400 and there is a caveat on the land that does not allow social housing. What it does allow however is the freeing up of housing within town for the State Government to invest in social housing.

“Social housing is not a local government issue. We can only lobby our State and Federal Governments to consider implementing more social housing for our region.

“I have chaired the Parkes/Forbes Community Housing Inc. tenancy scheme for 10 years in the past, and Councillor Graeme Miller has been a board member for over 10 years and still remains on the board today.

“We govern for all residents with complete social inclusion contrary to their resistance. Social housing has been neglected for many years and we have made representation to improve our situation in the Forbes Shire.

“Recently we have been working with CatholicCare Wilcania/Forbes and Generocity Church to provide facilities for the homeless for them to access kitchen facilities, bathroom and laundry services. We met with them only last week to finalise the details.

“Without industry, jobs and population growth we leave ourselves vulnerable to service losses and we definitely don’t want that,” Phyllis said.

The Forbes Heated Pool Committee has called an urgent meeting to be held at the Bowling Club at 6pm on Monday, 8 February to discuss plans for the rehabilitation of the structure and facilities around the pool, and all are invited to attend.

In November 2019, the committee received a $650,000 land grant and then a further $65,000 donation from the Forbes Aged People’s Association to go towards the refurbishment of the facility.

The heated pool services 700 people every month, including 300 children and adults who are learning to swim. The pool is utilised by the Forbes community, along with visitors from Grenfell, Condobolin, and Parkes.

“We want to make sure that no one in the community is disadvantaged,” said Dianne Decker, President of the Heated Pool Committee, “this pool is such an important facility in our community for learn to swim classes and rehabilitation, I wouldn’t be able to walk if not for the use of the pool in my rehabilitation and it is very frustrating that we are still waiting for the upgrades, more than 12 months after receiving the grants,” said Dianne. “We’ve been getting dozens of complaints from people asking why we haven’t fixed it up yet, but it is beyond our control.”

A spokesperson for the Forbes Shire Council said that Council put out a tender for the construction of the new structure and facilities, which close 11 February, and said that “The tender we have received so far have all come in above the amount we have, they don’t fit within the budget. Council is looking at ways to break the project up to lessen the cost in order to fit within the amount available for the refurbishment.”

CEO of Rural Aid, John Warlters, has encouraged locals to continue the spirit of Australia Day, to help out Aussie farmers. “We’re great at lending a hand to mates in need here in Australia, it’s one of the best parts of our nation,” John said.

“Right now, our farmers are in need of some ‘Mates Rates’. By donating a few dollars to Rural Aid, you’ll help a farming family and their community get back on their feet after years of drought and devastating bushfires.”

Last financial year, Rural Aid distributed more than $28 million worth of fodder, water, financial assistance and counselling to farmers and towns in need of a helping hand. Donations from the Mates Helping Mates campaign will contribute to Rural Aid’s Stronger Futures program, an initiative that helps rejuvenate towns and surrounding farms. The multi-pronged program provides the knowledge, resources, and the heavy lifters to ensure rural communities are maximizing their full potential.

The Mates Helping Mates campaign is a third of the way towards its target of $100,000. “These generous donations will help to change the lives of our farming mates,” John said. To make a donation visit www.ruralaid.org.au/mates-helping-mates.