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Snippets…

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Monster Trucks: The giants have arrived and there are six of them! Ultimate Monster Action is gearing up to give an action packed show in Parkes tomorrow that will get the adrenaline flowing to drive all the winter chills away. Professional Monster Truck driver, Troy Garcia said the show would go on come rain or shine. “The wetter the weather, the more fun we have.” Hosted by Adam Brand, 12 times Golden Guitar winner, the freestyle motocross bikers will do some insane stunts, while the jet car will light up the sky with its after burn mode. Adding extra explosive action will be the gigantic firework show. There will be rides in a 3m high monster truck from 1:30pm when the gates at the showgrounds open. It will cost $10 per person. The main show will start at 4pm and last for about two hours. Get your tickets at the gate or online at www.monstertrucks.net.au.

NAIDOC Week: The Forbes Medical Centre is partnering with NSW Health and the Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre to celebrate NAIDOC Week. There will be a free BBQ with sausage sandwiches and drinks funded by NSW Health and the Forbes Medical Centre between 11:00am and 2:00pm on Thursday 7th July. There will also be a traditional welcome to country ceremony performed by local Aboriginal girl Whitney Duffy in the Wiradjuri language at 1.30pm followed by the unveiling of a plaque at the Medical Centre by local Aboriginal elder Aileen Allen. “In addition to the free BBQ we will be giving away two Fitbits donated by the Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre. Any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander who attends on the day will receive an entry into the draw for these great prizes which will be drawn on Friday, 8th July at the Forbes Medical Centre” said Shelley Clark, Nurse Manager at the Forbes Medical Centre. The event is open to the entire Forbes community and there will be various other giveaways on the day.

Scaffolding near powerlines: Essential Energy is reminding scaffolders, tradespeople and other construction workers to be aware of the potential for electrical hazards on the worksite and to stay safe around electricity. Regional Manager Northern, Mark Summers, said plant equipment and temporary structures should be kept well clear of the electricity network. “Powerlines can be situated underground and overhead so workers should be aware of their location before putting up scaffolding, picking up a jackhammer, operating machinery or excavating an area,” Mark said. The safe operating distance for workers and their equipment from overhead powerlines is 3m for distribution and transmission lines up to 132kV and 4m for scaffolding. The Electricity Supply Act requires any excavation work to be logged with the free Dial before you dig referral service at www.1100.com.au, to identify the location of underground utility assets.

Stork News: Congratulations to Ian and Tammie Simpson on the arrival of their son Harry Alexander Simpson born on Thursday, 23rd June at 8.53am, weighing in at 6 pounds 2 ounces, and 53 cm long. Both Tammie and Harry are doing well. Father Ian is over the moon!

Raise The Bat Forbes – We’re Celebrating 50!

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The Forbes Phoenix has reached its first milestone – today we celebrate our 50th issue! Over the past year we have brought you stories and photos from just about every letter that makes up the alphabet of the Forbes community.

“We are delighted to have reached our 50th issue,” said Cheryl Newsom, Publisher of The Phoenix Group of Newspapers. “We have been very pleased with the support of the local business community and our readers, who have embraced the concept of a free local community paper.

Cheryl said without this support the launch and ongoing publication of the paper would not have been possible. Joshua Matic, who was the editor of The Forbes Phoenix until recently, said a highlight was meeting TV Presenter Mike Whitney and the team from Sydney Weekender. Maggi Barnard is the new Editor and comes with a wealth of experience. Forbes Mayor, Cr Phyllis Miller said: “It has been a great enhancement to getting information out to the wider community of the shire.”

Owner of Tyreright, Jamie Walsh, liked the idea of a free newspaper and had supported it from the start, while Cr Chris Roylance felt it was a great asset for the community as the paper reached everybody. Rayleen Paradowski of the Forbes Services Club said many out of town people loved reading it to find out what to do in Forbes.

As we continue to Live Local, Love Local, Support Local by covering positive and uplifting stories in our community, we hope there will be many more milestones to celebrate.

A Toast To The 25th NSW Small Winemakers Show

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Entries are open for the 25th NSW Small Winemakers Show 2016 to be held at the Forbes Youth & Community Centre. Judging will commence on 22nd August and conclude on 24th August, while entries close on Monday, 11th July.

The show is open to all NSW and ACT wine producers that crush a maximum of 500-tonnes annually. The show is not open to any winery that is wholly owned or partowned by a large wine producer. The show has gone from strength to strength over the past 25 years. It grew from only 81 entries from 13 wine producers in 1991, to 580 entries from 91 wine producers in 2015.

To celebrate this special year of judging, some of the favourite judges and chairmen of the past 25 years were invited. Mike De Iuliis of De Iuliis Wines in Pokolbin returns as Chairman of Judges for the third year. He feels the show is more relevant today than it has ever been. “I think the longevity of the show is a testament to its relevance to the industry. It is such an invaluable tool for a small wine business to be able to have your wines assessed alongside your direct competitors.”

Wine Show President, Mark Watts, is also looking forward to the 25th year of the show and to welcoming back some familiar faces. The exhibitors’ tastings will be held on Friday, 26th August between 4.30 and 8.30pm at the Forbes Youth & Community Centre. The tasting will be open to the public from 6:30pm.

The presentation dinner, showcasing the trophy winning wines, will be held on Saturday, 17th September from 7pm at the Forbes Town Hall. For more information and entry forms go to the show website – www.nswwineshow.com.au or email smallwine@nswwineshow.com.au

Hospitals Win Major Award

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Next time you visit a new mother in the maternity ward at Forbes or Parkes hospitals, follow the signs to Yinaagalang Nguranggu – Wiradjuri for woman’s place. If you need pathology, look for Guwany Barramali – to take blood.

A project to integrate Wiradjuri language signage and translations into the new Forbes and Parkes Hospitals has won a top award in the Western NSW Local Health District. A record number of 50 projects were entered for the Chief Executive’s Award at the Western NSW Local Health District’s annual Living Well Together Health and Innovation Awards. Lachlan Health Service’s Mali Marambir Ngurang: to make better place Lachlan was named the winner.

The project also received a Highly Commended in the category Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Health Disadvantage. The project provided for key directional signage around the hospitals to be written in English beside the Wiradjuri interpretation, which is then translated back into English.

Local Wiradjuri Elders worked closely with Dr Stan Grant, co-author of the Wiradjuri dictionary, to ensure the words were correct and close to their English meaning. The project aimed to make the hospital spaces more inviting and less daunting for Aboriginal people. More than 20 key places in the hospitals have bilingual interpretation. The English translations also helps to educate non-Wiradjuri people about the Wiradjuri language. For example, the Wiradjuri words Marrin Mumali (to rub the body between the hands) points to the physiotherapy department and Mungarr Ngadhurinya (care for kidneys) points to the renal department.

Ngaagigu Mulunma, (to see inside) is used for medical imaging and Ngurang Mindyali (to be fixed fast) are the words for operating theatre. Waluwin Ngaan (healthy mouth) points the way to oral health and Wambuwanbunmaldhaany (medicine maker) points to the pharmacist. The NSW Government provided $113.7 million to redevelop the Forbes Hospital and build a new Parkes Hospital.

Turning Into A Police Officer For A Day

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Lachlan Local Area Command invited local community leaders to get a taste of aspects of police work as part of an initiative to develop a greater knowledge and understanding of policing. The second Community Awareness of Policing Program in Local Area Commands (CAPP in LACs) was held at Parkes Police Station recently.

Participants in the program experienced various aspects of police work, including highway patrol, defensive tactics, criminal investigation and forensics. “CAPP in LACs is an exciting community engagement project that offers the opportunity for our community leaders to get to know us and the diverse range of services we have to offer,” said Lachlan Local Area Commander, Superintendent Chris Taylor.

“The program provides members of the community a chance to experience what it is like to be a police officer. It is a real eyeopener, showcasing the varied and complex duties of policing.”

Participants included Councillor Chris Roylance, representing Forbes Shire and the Forbes Business Chamber; Councillor Barbara Newton, Deputy Mayor of Parkes Shire; Stefanie Loader, Managing Director, NorthParkes Mines; Jenny Doecke, Aboriginal Medical Service, Murrin Bridge; Michael Ostler, Principal of Parkes East Public School and Councillor Dennis Brady, Lachlan Shire.

Beware Of Tax Scams

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Police Stations in the Lachlan Local Area Command have received a number of enquiries from the public about alleged phone calls from the Australian Tax Office (ATO). The caller claims to be from the tax office and states the person owes money. If they do not pay it immediately, a warrant will be signed for their arrest.

“We often see this type of scam pop up at this time of year,” said Senior Constable Daniel Greef, Crime Prevention Officer at the Lachlan Local Area Command. He said the ATO does not operate like this, nor are warrants issued in this way (except in the movies). “We all need to remain vigilant when taking phone calls as scammers have a variety of methods they use.”

If you receive a call from someone claiming they have an arrest warrant and demand you pay a fee, hang up and do not respond. Do not give personal information to anyone on the phone, unless you made the call and the phone number is from a trusted source.

For more information on scams, please check the Scamwatch website: www.scamwatch.gov.au.

Cameras To Stop Vandalism

June 30, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre received a welcome gift this week of $13, 600 for the funding of two closed-circuit television cameras. Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack made the announcement on Tuesday as part of the Safer Streets program that supports communities at the grass roots to help address crime and anti-social behaviour.

“This has come as such a big surprise and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” said Aileen Allen, Secretary of the Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre. “We keep on spending money we should be using for development, because of vandalism at the centre.” Michael said the cameras would be beaming images straight to the Forbes Police Station to ensure the culprits were caught and faced the full punishment of the law.

Forbes Shire Deputy Mayor Graeme Miller said he was pleased the funding had been announced as the centre had a lovely setting at the lake and needed to be respected and not damaged. “The Forbes Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre Inc has done a great job with the development of the centre and unfortunately it has been the target of vandalism since it opened in 1996,” said the Deputy Mayor. Plans are underway to place at least eight Aboriginal sculptures around Lake Forbes if a grant application is successful. New barbeque facilities were recently installed. Aileen wants the whole community to enjoy the facilities any time.

Eisteddfod Big Draw Card For School Dance Groups

June 23, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

Competition among schools has increased in the 23rd annual Forbes Eisteddfod, which ended in Forbes yesterday. With prize money of $500 for the school with the most points, there has been a rise in entries from schools this year, according to Helen Hurley, President of the Forbes Eisteddfod Committee.

Helen said approximately 1,400 entries were received for the eight different categories. This meant more than 2,000 children and adults went across the stage for the five days of the Eisteddfod. Every session had a packed Town Hall to capacity with about 200 parents in attendance.

Participants not only came from Forbes but from all over the Central West and even further afield, including Grenfell, Parkes, Bathurst, Griffith and Leeton. The individual categories were open to participants of all ages. The competition started on Saturday with piano, and vocal on Sunday. On Monday the first school groups were on stage in the instrumental category, while the speech and drama section was on Tuesday. The most popular category this year, school dance groups, had its turn on Wednesday. Many schools entered for this competition. Other categories for groups were for bands and school choirs.

On Tuesday the Red Bend Catholic College choir were awarded a first place. Each category had prize money, medals or scholarships to be won. There were 250 scholarships, which cover tuition fees, up for grabs. The adjudicator this year was Mel Philip from Toowoomba. She is qualified under Eisteddfod rules and able to judge all the different categories.

Helen said the individual dance competition of the Eisteddfod would take place during the second week of the school holiday. A different adjudicator, who can judge all types of dance, has been asked for this competition.

A voluntary committee giving talented people in the region a platform to perform every year runs the Forbes Eisteddfod. The idea for an Eisteddfod dates back to the 12th century in Wales when it was a Welsh festival of literature, music and performance.

The current format comes from an 18th century revival of the Eisteddfod. There are many Eisteddfods held across Australia, including the Australian National Eisteddfod.

By Maggi Barnard

Mayoral Notes…

June 23, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

This week I attended the National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra with Deputy Mayor Graeme Miller. There were many and varied topics on the agenda including NBN blackspots and mobile phone coverage issues as well as funding opportunities through the Federal Government.

On Thursday afternoon Riverina MP Michael McCormack was in town to announce $10,500 for the Forbes Amateur Swimming Club. This funding was made possible through the Stronger Communities Program and will help bring the clubhouse up to scratch. Our Grants Officer Andrew Rawsthorne did a great job in helping the swimming club apply for this grant. If you need any help with grant applications, don’t hesitate to give him a call.

I attended the official opening of the Parkes Regional Airport upgrade and the dedication of the late Robert Wilson Terminal on Thursday morning. Robert was a great Local Government colleague and a wonderful mayor of Parkes Shire Council for 23 years. It was lovely to see his family representing him at the occasion.

The Federal Election is just around the corner on 2nd July and pre-polling starts at the Town Hall on Monday. Absentee voting is also available during a Federal Election, make sure you don’t forget to vote. With the amount of rain we have had this week, please don’t drive in flood water and if you are driving in wet weather, drive very carefully.

Have a great week, stay safe and God bless.
Mayor, Cr Phyllis Miller OAM

Camping And Caravans

June 23, 2016 by Maggi Barnard

The annual Lachlan Valley Caravan Bush Rally was held at the Kiacatoo Hall grounds last week. The popular rally saw 29 caravans arrive to enjoy a week of camping in a bush setting beside the Lachlan river. Campers were serenaded by resident muso’s Rod, Rob, Jim and Colleen.

Each morning the campers feasted on dampers with the camp cooks seeing who could cook the best before a plate of jaffles and toast for breakfast and pots of soup on hot coals for dinner. The club would like to thank all the woodcutters for the firewood they gathered and Judith Buttriss for keeping the coals alight in the early hours.

For those who haven’t seen it, The Church in the Paddock was another highlight with its lovely domed ceiling and mosaics. As the weather turned wet the campers retreated to a hall for their Biggest Morning Tea, with tasty food coming from the caravans, decorations and raffles. A total of $617 was raised, with all money going to Cancer Research. The mood of the rally turned silly when members dressed up for the skit pantomime, Cinderfello. Helen Pitt and Ruth Armstrong gathered all costumes for a hilarious few hours!

President, Peter Bright, then presided over the club meeting, welcoming all for attending and reports were read and business discussed. It was noted that Lachlan Valley are one of the four biggest clubs in NSW.

Lots of games of rummy and scrabble were enjoyed over the week while fishing and games of tennis were popular for those who were fit along with bush walks. At the end of the week winter seemed to quickly set in so all campers were happy to head back to their home comforts!

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