Forbes Phoenix

Humphrey B. Bear Premiers His New Live Elvis Tribute Show

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Humphrey B. Bear, the lovable and curious brown bear best known for his adventures on long-running Australian children’s television series Here’s Humphrey, will be premiering his brand-new live Elvis tribute show ‘All Shook Up with Humphrey B. Bear’ at the 2026 Parkes Elvis Festival. A long-time fan of Elvis, Humphrey can’t wait to ‘shake, rattle and roar’ as he and friends perform their ‘bearyspecial’ all-singing-and-dancing tribute to the King of Rock and Roll on the Cooke Park main stage at 11am, Friday 9 January.

The show promises five popular Elvis songs, tied together with Humphrey’s trademark humour and playful discovery in a memora­ble storyline for all ages. Humphrey is also excited to be roaming the festival grounds performing awe-inspiring magic tricks and illusions from 9:45am. You can also meet Humphrey at the Parkes Library from 1pm – 1.30pm and 2:15pm – 2.45pm.

Follow along with Humphrey’s adventures on the official Hum­phrey B. Bear YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@officialhum­phreybbear or visit his website at www.humphreybbear.com

Dean Vegas Has Performed Around The World As Elvis

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Dean Vegas has travelled the world but says “There is something special about performing in your home country (Australia).”

Dean Vegas grew up in Sydney’s housing commission area of Mt Druitt. He went to Dunheved High School and started his first job at the abattoirs in Sydney. He sang his first rendition of an Elvis song at his school play ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ where he performed ‘Rubberneckin’ which he has since added to his repertoire of Elvis songs.

Dean has since gone on to perform in Las Vegas, New Zealand, China, Sweden, Can­ada, Dubai, Norfolk Island, Lebanon, Malay­sia, and clubs and casinos across Australia.

Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis where Dean was given the key to the city by the Mayor of Tupelo. “That was an unbelievable feeling. I couldn’t believe that I was the first person in the world to receive the key after Elvis himself. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.”

This year at the Parkes Elvis Festival Dean will mainly be performing the MC work. “I am performing a 30 minute set on Saturday, and I will also be singing a cou­ple of Gospel songs on Sunday and I will be officiating the Elvis Wedding renewal on Sunday. I am looking forward to seeing all the beautiful couples there.”

“Parkes is being recognised all over the world. It’s an amazing festival and it keeps growing, it rates as one of the best in the world and that’s all credit to how the festival is run and to the Elvis fans that make it so special.” Dean said.

When Dean is not performing he organ­ises tours, where he takes people around the world. They travel while meeting new friends and seeing new destinations. So far, Dean has organised tours to the USA, Canada, China, Parkes Elvis Festival, Thai­land, Las Vegas, Norfolk Island. Tallangatta 50’s Festival, Port Pirie and Gracelands to name a few.

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Don’t Forget Your Parkes Elvis Festival Merch: Available during the festival, 2026 Parkes Elvis Festival Official Merchandise range in-store at ‘Elvis Central’ located on Festival Blvd, plus we have an exclusive range only available upstairs at the Parkes Leagues Club during the Feature Concert Shows. Note: Our clothing and souvenir range is available in store only at the Festi­val and is not available online.

 

The NSW TrainLink Elvis Express is proudly supported by Transport for NSW.

Parkes Elvis Express: Let the Festival fun begin! Parkes Railway Station will turn into party central at 3:30pm on Wednesday 7 January when The NSW TrainLink Elvis Express rolls into town. Come along, bring your best dance moves, and welcome the festival crew in true rock ‘n’ roll style.

Amitie: It’s the most wonderful time of the year, it’s the Parkes Elvis Festival 2026 and we are so excited to welcome you all to our fabulous town. Throughout the festival we will be performing practically everywhere so come along, say hi and join in on all of the festival fun.

Parkes Shire Concert Band: Musicians are invited to join the Parkes Shire Con­cert band in the Evolution Mining North­parkes Operations Street Parade on Fes­tival Boulevard. Taking place on Saturday 10 January from 9am – 10am, come along and enjoy the party. Contact Music Director Duncan Clement on 0405 035 164.

Can Assist Parkes: Don’t let those empty bottles and cans go to waste! You can turn your recyclables into real support for coun­try cancer patients by choosing CanAssist at your local Return and Earn machine. A small act can make a big difference.

Bluey Live Interactive Experience: See Bluey and her little sister Bingo during their Live Interactive Experience at Cooke Park Main Stage. Get ready to play Magic As­paragus, Magic Xylophone, Keepy Uppy and more with your favourite Heeler duo. Saturday 10 January, 10:45am on the Cooke Park Main Stage (after the Parade) This is a free event.

Cool Off In The Parkes Region Pools: Including Parkes Aquatic Centre, Peak Hill Pool, Trundle Pool, Tullamore Pool. Kelly Reserve Splash Park, is a free water play area for kids, offering shaded seating and picnic spots. Lake Endeavour is also a scenic spot for swimming, kayaking and picnics surrounded by nature. Pack your swimmers and make a splash. For more information visit: bit.ly/4fWlQzW

Don’t miss your chance to take home a piece of Elvis magic.

Castle Fit For A King: The Story Of Greg Page’s Elvis Museum In Parkes

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Tucked inside the Henry Parkes Centre stands a treasure trove that feels a world away from the Central West, it’s known as the King’s Castle, and is a tribute to the life and legend of Elvis Presley. What began as a personal passion for Greg Page, best known as the original Yellow Wiggle, has grown into one of Australia’s most remarkable private Elvis Presley collections.

Greg, a lifelong Elvis devotee, started gathering memorabilia long before the spotlight found him. His collection evolved from small keepsakes to rare and extraordinary artefacts, stage-worn costumes, personal items, vintage merchandise, and pieces that offer intimate glimpses into Elvis’s life and career.

When Greg chose Parkes as the home for his “King’s Castle,” it cemented the town’s unique connection to the global Elvis community.

Visitors wander through themed rooms glowing with nostalgia. Glass cabinets shimmer with rhinestones, iconic jumpsuits stand proudly on display, and handwritten letters remind guests of the man behind the music. Each item comes with a story, many told directly by Greg through video narration, creating an immersive journey that feels both personal and reverent.

More than a museum, King’s Castle is a labour of love and a gift to Elvis fans who travel from across Australia and beyond to experience its magic. It stands as a testament to how one person’s dedication can ignite a legacy.

Open every day, all year round and the perfect place to visit during the festival.

Bob And Anne’s Unforgettable Meeting With Priscilla Presley

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In November last year, Parkes Elvis Festival founders Bob and Anne Steel had the privilege of a one-on-one meeting with Priscilla Presley, at the State Theatre in Sydney prior to her show “Life After Elvis.”

Bob said, “I thought she was very approachable and I quite enjoyed being with her.” We asked Bob if hugging Priscilla was allowed, but he assured us, “Oh no, she hugged me.”

Anne laughed when recalling Bob said to Priscilla, “Give me your hand,” to which Priscilla asked why? Bob simply told her, “Because I want to hold it.”

What did they chat abut with Priscilla? “She talked about Elvis’ popularity. She’s very aware of the Parkes Elvis Festival, she knows it, and she’s over the moon that we’ve done it,” said Bob.

Bob and Anne’s daughter Tiffany told Priscilla they would love to have her at the Parkes Elvis Festival. There was some family debate as to her response to the invitation, with both Tiffany and Anne claiming Priscilla said, “You never know,” while Bob is adamant she said “Never say never!” It was agreed to let Bob have the last word on this one.

After her star encounter, while waiting for the others at bottom of the stairs of the theatre, Anne smiled at those who seemed to recognise her. People started approaching her, to share their own stories of the Parkes Elvis Festival, further proving its appeal.

12 Days Of Double Demerits For The Christmas Holidays

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Acting Sergeant Joshua Tolley who said “There will be more Police on the roads which means a greater chance of driv­ers being caught if they are doing the wrong thing.”

Double demerit points will be in force for 12 consecutive days over the Christmas and New Year period to improve road safety dur­ing the holiday season.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Coun­cils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Of­ficer, Melanie Suitor, said that double de­merit points would run from Wednesday 24 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026, inclusive for all speeding, seatbelt, motorcy­cle helmet and mobile phone offences.

Ms Suitor said “Drivers should ensure that they are well rested and not under the in­fluence of drugs or alcohol before they get behind the wheel. While driving, focus on driving. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by your mobile phone, follow the road rules and drive at a speed suitable to conditions.

And please make sure that you and your passengers are buckled up.

“Drivers should also check that their vehi­cle is ready for the journey too – check the brakes and tyres, check the levels of your engine oil, coolant and windscreen washer reservoir, make sure all your lights and in­dicators are working and ensure you have clear view,” Ms Suitor said.

Parkes Highway Patrol Acting Sergeant Joshua Tolley is warning drivers that they are at greatest risk of losing their licence during this period. “Too often we see the tragic aftermath of drivers making poor deci­sions. No-one wants to get a fine, lose their licence or worse still be involved in a crash.

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Thanks for helping make everyday living brighter in Forbes this Christmas – your support is appreciated.

K-HUB Forbes: The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal is back at K-hub Forbes. If you are in the position to brighten someone’s Christmas this year, you can drop a new, unwrapped gift under the tree in store which will then be collected by our local Salvation Army for local children in need this Christmas.

R U OK? As all of us process recent dis­tressing events, please know that support is available. It’s normal to have feelings of sadness, anger, hopelessness, or to feel overwhelmed. You can find a full list of free and confidential support services at https://bit.ly/3Me8D6Y

Rural Women’s Network: Know someone doing great things in vocational education and training? Nominations are open for the 2026 NSW Training Awards. From learners to teachers, apprentices to organisations – there’s a category for everyone. Apply today! https://education.nsw.gov.au/skillsnsw/nsw-training-awards/how-to-enter

NSW Health: If someone is experiencing mental health distress, or you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health, contact:

• Lifeline (24/7) crisis support 13 11 14

• Kids Helpline (24/7) support for children or young adults 1800 55 1800

• Beyond Blue (24/7) for mental health ad­vice and support 1300 22 4636

• Mental Health Line (24/7) on 1800 011 511 for advice and connection to spe­cialist mental health services

• Transcultural Mental Health Line (Mon to Fri, 9am – 4.30pm) 1800 648 911.

In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000). For more: www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/Pages/services.aspx

WIRES: Every year, WIRES assists many orphaned animals whose parents have perished on our roads. This is a difficult and time consuming responsibility shouldered by our carers. It is one they graciously ac­cept. But without your support, many ani­mals would not receive this life saving care. Learn more at https://hubs.la/Q03Y4Vqt0

Parkes Clean Future Alliance: With your help we can fight the NSW Government’s plan to send Sydney’s red-bin waste hun­dreds of kilometres to Parkes, to a waste incinerator near our farms, schools and homes. The Public Health Association of Australia states new incinerators should not be located near areas of food produc­tion and food grown near these facilities should not be consumed. Donate if you can and please share www.parkescleanfuture.org/action/donate

Forbes Garden Club Final Report For 2025

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Claire Haley, Michelle Mahlo and Robyn Liebich at the FGC Christmas luncheon.

Forbes Garden Club held our last meeting for the year at the Vandenberg Hotel re­cently, as we celebrated with a Christmas Lunch. President Marg Dent and helpers on the day had the Christmas decorations look­ing very festive, and over 30 members ar­rived, all dressed with a touch of Christmas.

The best dressed prize on the day went to Dave Sanderson with his marvelous Christ­mas hat.

Once everyone was seated Marg enter­tained with lots of jokes, presents and fun filled competitions, and all of our members showed their amazing skills whilst playing along.

The winners of the monthly flower com­petition for the year were Denise Thurston who took out 1st place, Lee Sanderson with 2nd place and Noel Hocking with 3rd place, each were presented with a lovely gift.

Our members were rewarded with a baked dinner served by our hosts at The Vandenberg Hotel, followed by a delicious apple crumble and ice cream. Not one per­son left hungry at the end of the celebration.

The Forbes Garden Club will now be in recess until the next meeting which will be held at the Forbes Men’s Shed on 24 Feb­ruary 2026 at 2pm, this will be our AGM.

Members of the Forbes Garden Club want to wish everyone happy gardening over the summer heat, and are looking forward to more rain.

A big thank you to club President Marg Dent, Secretary Robin Lyell, Treasurer Lloyd Gerdis, Programme organiser Denise Thurston and all of the committee members who made this a very enjoyable year.

Wishing all of the Forbes Garden Club and the Forbes Community a Happy Christ­mas and safe New Year.

By Green Thumb

Wild Summer Fun At Taronga Western Plains Zoo

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New arrivals are making a splash at Taron­ga Western Plains Zoo – NSW’s Best Major Tourist Attraction – this summer. The Dubbo Zoo, which claimed the gong at the recent NSW Tourism Awards, has welcomed four Black-handed Spider Monkey babies, three African Lion cubs, two Quokka joeys and a critically endangered Scimitar-horned Oryx calf this year.

“Lion cubs Kaari, Mzuri and Nguvu have turned into quite the handful for parents Marion and Lwazi as well as their four big sisters,” said Director Steve Hinks. “They love playing with and pouncing on their sib­lings, as well as anything they find in their exhibit from balls to sticks and even tree roots!” The best time to see the cubs is be­tween 10am and 10:30am.

The Black-handed Spider Monkey troop has welcomed four new arrivals to the Pri­mate Islands on Savannah Lake, and the awesome foursome can be spotted from Cafe Wild. The best time to see the troop is at the Spider Monkey feed between 12:30pm and 1pm daily.

The final new arrival is a Scimitar-horned Oryx calf. “This calf is a fantastic little am­bassador for his species, which is a true conservation success story. Once extinct in the wild, Scimitar-horned Oryx were rein­troduced to their native Chad by a coalition of zoos from the USA and Europe in recent years and have since been reclassified as critically endangered,” Mr Hinks said.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is open eve­ry day of the year including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. All tickets are valid for two days and include access to more than 10 free keeper activities, The Waterhole waterplay area, Waterhole Cafe and Frozen Coke Kiosk between 10am and 3pm. You can buy tickets online at taronga.org.au

Meals On Wheels Parkes And Forbes Donate 220 Meals That Matter

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When local families are forced to travel for medical care, something as simple as a hot meal can make an overwhelming time easier. A local fundraising effort by Meals on Wheels Parkes and Forbes has resulted in more than 220 meals being provided to Ronald McDonald House Orange.

The idea for the fundraiser came from a conversation about how often people from the Parkes and Forbes communities rely on Ronald McDonald House Orange when travelling for medical care.

Similar to Meals on Wheels services, the house relies heavily on volunteers and com­munity support to help provide meals for those staying there.

Recognising the shared values between the two services, Jamie Webb and Carolyn Rice from Meals on Wheels Parkes and Forbes proposed a simple but meaningful way to help — inviting Meals on Wheels clients and volunteers to donate the cost of just one meal to help fill the house’s freezers in the lead-up to Christmas.

Running throughout October, the initiative raised $1,780, which directly funded more than 220 meals. These meals will help ease daily pressures for families who are often far from home, supporting loved ones through

illness.

On 15 December, Jamie Webb and Caro­lyn Rice visited Ronald McDonald House Orange, where they met with Rebecca Walsh, Executive Officer of Ronald McDon­ald House Charities Central West NSW, to witness the arrival of the first delivery of meals.

The meals were kindly delivered by Sa­rah Thomas, Manager of Bathurst Meals on

Wheels, who generously supported the ini­tiative and will continue supplying meals as required by the house.

A tour of the facility provided an opportu­nity to share stories, experiences, and the strong sense of community that underpins all three services.

This fundraiser shows how small ideas supported by local communities can make a real difference during difficult times.

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