You might have heard him on community radio, or seen his reviews in The Forbes Phoenix every week – whichever way Monte and his famous hashtag have become a household name over the past two years.

He got his big break in radio and will be moving on soon. The Forbes Phoenix caught up with him just before he left town.

1. When did you start at 2LVR and how did your show evolve over time?

I started on 26th January 2015 doing a rock request show called Monte Rocks Your Friday Night. A few months later I started to find all this great independent music by Australian artists that we just didn’t get to hear. A friend said I should make a show focusing on this music. I then had the idea of interviewing the artists and my new show, Montefamous Mondays, was born.

2. What was the highlight of your time at 2LVR?

The biggest would be being invited to attend and present an award at the Music Oz Independent Music Awards last year. To actually meet so many of the artists I had interviewed was a big deal for me.

3. What did you learn that you will take with you?

Always be yourself on air, be authentic as listeners can tell when you’re faking it. If you are excited to be interviewing someone, let it show.

4. How many interviews did you do during your time at 2LVR?

After 90 episodes I have interviewed 270 independent Australian artists.

5. What are you going to do next?

I am moving to Inverell to become the breakfast announcer on 2NZ. I have achieved a dream, to be a paid announcer on radio.

6. Is this a big challenge?

It is going to be a huge, but fun challenge.

7. Where do you see yourself going as a presenter on radio?

I want to keep my passion for Australian independent music alive, so I will be moving Montefamous Mondays to a podcast in the new year. I would love to turn it into a national show one day.

Monte also wanted to thank the people at 2LVR for believing in him, and the Forbes Phoenix for publishing his reviews weekly. “It has meant a lot to me and the artists.”

The research is clear. Sitting too much is seriously bad for your health. We are now seeing that people who spend most of their day (8+ hours) sitting have doubled the risk of cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of diabetes and early death.

Whether it’s time spent sitting at the office or school, driving, eating or watching TV, a sedentary lifestyle causes serious threats to your health.

Additionally, sitting a lot burns very few calories and many studies have linked it to weight gain and obesity.

Human bodies weren’t designed to sit all day, they were designed to move. Muscles and bones both require regular movement or low level activity to maintain strength and help prevent osteoporosis. Reducing sitting time is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack and reduced incidence of neck and lower back pain.

It’s a common misconception that exercise can compensate for prolonged sitting. Even if you exercise for 30 minutes four times per week, you are still subject to the negative impact of too much sitting. This is a major problem for office workers since they spend most of their day sitting. Low intensity activities like standing and walking are more important than most realise.

Fortunately the use of standing desks is becoming increasingly popular. Standing desks allow you to alternate between sitting and standing. You can either get a kit that allows you to convert your existing desk to an adjustable desk or better still replace it with a sit- stand desk. For optimum health benefits it is recommended to alternate between sitting and standing every 30 minutes.

For the fitness of you,

Linda Reilly

The Forbes Historical Museum has been awarded a $64,215 State Government grant. This funding announcement was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Western NSW, Rick Colless at the museum on Monday.

The Forbes Museum was one of almost 40 recipients to be awarded a grant under the latest round of the Government’s Heritage Near Me Activation Grants Program. Rick said this grants program provided support to heritage items that were open to the public.

“This funding doesn’t only mean we can invest in protecting and preserving our local heritage but it means we’re giving more people the opportunity to appreciate their local history,” said Rick.

“These grants acknowledge and support the vital role owners and managers of locally listed heritage items play in protecting our local heritage.”

This grant will see the installation of a new elevator at the Forbes Museum. Several non-structural walls on the first floor will be removed by volunteers from the Forbes Historical Society to create a new display area increasing the museum’s floor space by 30%.

Heritage Minister Gabrielle Upton said the funding was designed for local government, businesses and community organisations to reactivate and preserve local heritage spaces and precincts.

“This funding will help communities build on the knowledge they have with their heritage. Nobody knows their heritage better than the locals who live and breathe it,” said Gabrielle.

The Heritage Activation Grants, which are part of the Heritage Near Me program, are specifically for items listed on council Local Environment Plans.

In 2016 Flannery’s Pharmacy underwent a major overhaul to provide the Forbes community with a new and improved Pharmacy.

“Customers now have easy access through the automatic doors into a comfortable air conditioned Pharmacy,” said Michael Flannery, Pharmacist and partner in Flannery’s Pharmacy. “We have also installed three consulting rooms and a baby room in order to provide extra professional services to the community.

“Times may have changed but our dedication to our customers remains the same,” said Michael.

Business Manager Debbie Prior is enthusiastic about the changes. “We have been able to extend our current professional services such as blood pressure and blood glucose monitoring, Medschecks and wound care to include a visiting Podiatrist and other clinical services,” said Debbie.

“Our team and customers love the new look store and we have changed our product range to include items which are not readily available in small country towns, such as health foods and organic beauty ranges,” said Debbie.

“We’d love to invite our customers to join us on Thursday, 9th November from 10am to help us celebrate Flannery’s 60th Birthday,” said Sarah Hazell, Pharmacist and

Pharmacy partner.

Currajong Disability Services (CDS) celebrated Pink Ribbon Day last week while also raising some funds for a worthy cause, namely women’s cancer.

A regular event on the CDS calendar, Pink Ribbon Day, generated plenty of interest again this year and was well supported by everyone.

“It was a great day and everyone really got involved and supported it,” said Marketing and Communications Co-ordinator Dane Millerd.

“Pink Ribbon Day is an important day on the calendar and it is a special day here at Currajong.

“It allows us all to recognise and support the special women in our lives who have been affected by cancer. They are our mothers, sisters, grandmothers and daughters and it’s important we all rally around them.” Every day in Australia, around 50 women are told they have breast or a gynaecological cancer. Sadly, every day around 12 Australian women will die from a women’s cancer.

Increase in survivors of breast and gynaecological cancers are thanks to advancements in research and prevention that you help fund by supporting Cancer Council’s Pink Ribbon. The money raised help Cancer Council fight cancer through prevention programs, support services and world-class cancer research.

The Ian Simpson & Co team kept themselves occupied last weekend with property auctions held on Friday at the Forbes Services Memorial Club and on site auctions on Saturday.

On Friday there were eight properties under the hammer which were a mixture of rural and residential options from Forbes, Parkes and Eugowra.

The auction room had more than 100 people in attendance with more than 20 registered bidders across the eight properties.

Two properties were successfully sold under the hammer. The remaining properties were passed in on vendor bids, proving the market to be more challenging on the day.

Ian Simpson was not deterred by this outcome and said: “The interest that we’ve had throughout our auction campaign gives us the confidence that we will have good results going forward.”

Unanticipated success awaited the onsite auctions of two residential properties in Forbes held on the Saturday. The sale of 37 Bathurst Street for $280,000 and 18 Clement Street which went for an incredible $278,000 surpassed all expectation.

Clement Street had 60 people in attendance with 15 registered bidders and saw active bidding well above market value. An original family home and a block from the lake an explanation for its alluring appeal.

By Gizell van Wyk