NSW Premier Mike Baird, Deputy Premier Troy Grant, Health Minister Jillian Skinner and Member for Orange Andrew Gee officially opened the new $40.9 million Forbes Hospital redevelopment on Tuesday. Mr Baird said the Forbes community now has access to a contemporary hospital that will meet their needs now and in the future.

“Forbes Hospital is part of our record investment in health infrastructure across the state and I’m delighted to see it delivered,” Mr Baird said. The new Forbes Hospital features an emergency department, inpatient unit, birthing suites for maternity services and clinical support services, including medical imaging. Mr Grant said Forbes may be a small community, but it deserves only the very best in healthcare.

“The people of Forbes deserve worldclass facilities and that is exactly what we have delivered as part of this redevelopment,” Mr Grant said. Mrs Skinner said Forbes Hospital now has the best of both worlds, with the new
state-of-the-art facility adjacent to the charming heritage building. “Forbes is one of the most beautiful hospitals I have visited across the state and I’m pleased it can now offer the level of services the community expects,” she said.

Mr Gee said patients and staff have been benefiting from the new building since moving in late last year.

With hot, dry and windy conditions continuing across the State, Essential Energy is calling on landholders to be prepared and alert for bushfire – especially around the electricity network. Regional manager Northern, Mark Summers, said that summer weather could be extreme yet safety measures could help reduce the risk of electrical incidents and bushfire.

“Preparation plays a large part in mitigating bushfire risk, so we recommend completing the Rural Fire Service’s Bushfire Survival Plan which helps identify potential hazards and ways to minimise them,” Mark said.

“Clearing leaves and debris from gutters, removing combustible material from around the home and ensuring vegetation isn’t encroaching on powerlines can help to protect your property from fire risk. “Any trees growing too close to powerlines should be reported to Essential Energy.” In the event of a bushfire, property owners who decide to leave their property are advised to do so early to minimise the risk of encountering fallen or sagging powerlines
across roads and other fire hazards.

“It pays to have a fuel-operated water pump and standalone water source on hand in the event of a power outage,” Mark said. “Never attempt to fight a fire that is burning under the electricity network, as powerlines can be damaged or sag in heat.” If you decide to evacuate your property, Essential Energy recommends turning off the main power switches in your meter box to reduce the risk of short circuits and surges.

In the aftermath of a fire, be alert for damage to the electricity network, stay clear of burning poles and notify Essential Energy immediately on 13 20 80 if you come across fallen powerlines. Essential Energy advises that power outages are likely to be lengthier than usual on days of Total Fire Ban as crews need to manually inspect powerlines to ensure the safety and reliability of the electricity network.

For more information on electrical safety, visit essentialenergy.com.au/safety or contact Essential Energy on 13 23 91.

The spectacular growth of Polaris with its huge range of ATVs and Side x Side models continued by out selling every other brand in every month this financial year with Australian farmers selecting Polaris models for their high specifications that belie their reasonable price tags.

Their unique and made for Australia UTE 570 Heavy Duty (HD) has become a sought after commodity on farms Australia wide and is the number one model in the big-bore (451+) ATV category, laying the foundation for the domination of this category with a share of 43.6%. It’s little wonder with its handy tipping Dump Box at the rear, powerful 570 EFI engine, power- steering and a conditional registration ready package to provide an easy option for farmers requiring legal access across roads between paddocks. It even features Australia’s first and only selectable 4-wheel Descent Control on an ATV.

Safety engineering innovations abound on all models and Polaris now boasts a range of twenty models with a Roll-Over- Protection-System (ROPS) with the Ranger, ACE and RZR models. The industry leading safety features include 3-point seat-belts whilst a number of models also include an interlock device, an optional management controlled speed management system (Speed Key), and 4-wheel descent control. These features combined with a range that covers petrol, electric and diesel options, there is little wonder that Polaris has commanded 49.1% share of side by side sales in 2015. The Polaris Ranger Diesel 1000 HD (Heavy Duty) is the number one Side x Side in Australia.

This winning form on Australian farms is paralleled on racetracks with the Polaris RZR XP 1000 winning the Australian Rally Championship for the fourth year in a row (Side x Side Challenge) in the hands of Cody Crocker ably supported by co-driver Greg Foletta.

The annual Forbes Vinnies Christmas Hamper recorded its most successful day last Christmas Eve, delivering hampers to 165 families in need. The hampers, donated by Vinnies together with Bernardi’s IGA, Red Bend Catholic
College, St Laurence’s, The Salvation Army, Forbes Central School, The Catholic Education Office, Eugowra Pre School, Presbyterian Ladies and Mrs Hurford, contained food items and vouchers to receive frozen goods.

The purchased and donated goods were sorted and packed by a team of Vinnies volunteers, led by the dedicated and talented Janet Blowes. During the lead up to Christmas, needy families are visited by the Vinnies team to see who would most benefit from a Christmas Hamper. Other organisations such as Centacare also help with delivery to some
of their contacts.

Event coordinator Rob Rob Priest said last Christmas Eve’s delivery was the most successful he had been apart of. “It was a very successful day. We delivered more hampers than ever, and I’ve been doing it for 10, 20 years now,” he said. The Hampers were delivered directly to the homes of needy families in Forbes, Eugowra and Trundle, on a single trip Mr Priest said took around two hours.

“At 7 am the delivery plan swung into action and another team of about thirty young volunteer drivers were parked at the back door like a line of taxis,” he said. “I would like to thank everyone involved. I’m only one man, but we have 30 people that help out on delivery day.” Mr Priest said he would like to thank all who donated food and made cash donations to supply the hampers. “A special big thank you also goes to those who gave their valuable time in preparing and delivering the goodies.”

A record-breaking 22,000 Elvis Presley fans from across the country and the world gathered in Parkes for the 2016 Parkes Elvis Festival. The event ran from January 6 to 10, with 380 fans arriving on the Elvis Express train that departed Sydney’s Central Station on Thursday 7.

Thousands gathered to welcome the train at Parkes Railway Station at 4.30pm, eager to commence five days of ‘King’-sized festivities. Last Thursday night, leading U.S. Elvis tribute artist Donny Edwards kicked off the
Festival in style with a huge Opening Night Concert, the first of four ClubsNSW Keno Feature Concerts across the weekend. Edwards was backed by the dynamic eightpiece Elvis In Concert Band.

In a Parkes Elvis Festival first, a preliminary round of the 2016 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest was staged at Parkes Leagues Club. Jack Gatto from Victoria placed first, followed by Moses Kassas from NSW in second place and Brendon Chase from New Zealand in third. Gatto will now travel to Memphis, USA, to represent Australia at the Contest Semi-Final during Elvis Week in August.

Last Saturday the highly anticipated North Parkes Mines Street Parade saw over 14,000 people line the streets to enjoy the fiesta of Elvis-themed floats, vintage cars, motorcycles, walking groups and marching bands. Live nonstop entertainment at the Cooke Park main stage kept the party going all day and into the night with well-attended free Concerts in The Park on Friday and Saturday nights.

The 2016 Miss Priscilla, Face of the Festival, was awarded to Helen Rowbotham, of Parkes. She received the sash from outgoing 2015 Miss Priscilla, Ashleigh Smith, at a gala dinner on Thursday night. Festival Director Emily Mann said it was heartening to see locals and visitors come together to celebrate the legacy of The King of ‘Rock’n’Roll’.
“This year’s ‘Fun In Acapulco’ Mexican theme saw everyone get into the party spirit. We are pleased to have delivered a successful and vibrant event for the Central West,” she said.

In 2017 Parkes Elvis Festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the theme ‘Viva Las Vegas’.

 

To wrap up the end of 2015, Ray White Rural Forbes held an auction at the Forbes Services Memorial Club on the 16th December 2015. There were two attractive rural properties going up for auction on the day and this ensured that there was a great crowd in attendance. This auction created a number of firsts for the group at Ray White Rural, as it was the first online auction conducted in regional Australia by the Ray White group.

The results have been impressive as this online auction enabled prospective buyers and bidders to log onto their computers, smart phones and ipads to participate in the auction, or to simply view the proceedings online. Buyers can now bid from the comfort of their own home, and indeed, buyers from around the world are able to be involved. “Tingarra” Forbes sold under the hammer with a very happy vendor and a successful purchaser.

At the moment “Sunnyside” Grenfell, which was passed in on the day, is open for further negotiation. It was a great experience for the team at Ray White Rural Forbes and something that they will be involved in in the future as they take more properties to auction. Ian Simpson, Director said, “ he was pleased with the results on the day and added that he can see the online auctions becoming a regular feature of property sales in the future.”

Forbes Family Dentists would like to officially welcome Dr Peter Thompson and Caitlin Herbert to their team.
Peter and Cailtin will join head dentist and practice owner Dr Danny Demosthenous as brand new additions to the team, expanding the practice to two dentists and one therapist. Pete studied a Bachelor of Dental Surgery
at Charles Sturt University in Orange and is happy to be staying in the Central West.

Pete practices in all areas of family dentistry and is really looking forward to getting to know everyone in Forbes.
“It’s a great town, and a great practice – I’m really looking forward to it,” he said. Caitlin studied a Bachelor of Oral Health at Charles Sturt University in Wagga. Born and raised in Eugowra, she is happy to be able to stay in the region and is really excited to start treating children and teens in and around the Forbes Shire.

Caitlin’s expertise will focus on helping children and the community understand the importance of regular dental care, healthy eating and good oral hygiene. Caitlin will be working closely with Dr Sandra Buchler, who comes to Forbes from Westmead Children’s Hospital one Friday a month. Dr Danny and the rest of the team are excited to have Pete and Caitlin on board. “They’re both lovely people. It’s traditionally been hard to attract dental professionals to regional areas, so we’re very lucky to have two locals who are happy to stay on and work in Forbes long term”.

The Forbes Family Dentists offer a wide range of dental procedures. They accept the Child Dental Benefits Schedule and Department of Veterans Affairs and they have a New Patient Promotion for only $199, This appointment includes:
• Detailed examination
• 2 bitewing x-rays
• Panoramic x-ray
• Scale and clean
• Fluoride treatment
• Comprehensive consultation
Call their surgery today to book your appointment 6851 5505 or head on over to their Facebook page and give them a LIKE to keep up to date with news and promotions.

Orange Picnic Races are holding their Annual Summer Race Meeting this Saturday January 16. This is a fantastic family day out at Towac Park with plenty of entertainment for everyone. From 12pm gates open and $7 from
each entry fee will be donated to Give me Five for Kids.

On course will be free kids rides and entertainment throughout the day. The day will feature a six race programme with full bar and betting facilities, with the first race getting underway at approximately 1pm. Fashions on the Field will also be a highlight of the day for the ladies and some gents with categories including best dressed lady, best millinery, best dressed gent and best dressed boy and girl with some fabulous prizes to win.

There will be fine local food stalls on course but if you are looking for a more private setting there are marquee options available on the website from packages through to hiring your own for the day.

Also available on the website are Family Hamper Packages which are made fresh and locally to order so check them out at www.racingorange.com.au.