Conversation Convoy Heading To Parkes: Next Monday, 15th May R U OK? will be in Parkes as part of the R U OK? Conversation Convoy 2023. The R U OK? Conversation Convoy travels to regional communities around the country.

Determined to help all Australians understand the important role they can play in looking out for their friends, family and colleagues. R U OK? will be meeting with communities for a cuppa and a chat. We’ve also got some free resources to help communities know how to have an R U OK? Conversation.

You can find more at ruok.org.au including a schedule of public events and resources to help support local communities. R U OK? is grateful for the support we receive from our Conversation Convoy partners: Connor Menswear, Kit Kat, The Audi Foundation, Spirit Super and Nescafe. 

Event Registrations Now Open For Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week 2023: Being held from 4th – 8th September, the theme for Womens Health Week is: Helping you make the right decision for your health.

In its ten years, Jean Hailes Women’s Health Week has cemented its status as the leading national event dedicated to women’s health.

The 2022 campaign broke previous records with over 2,000 events and 250,000 attendees. The upcoming 2023 week is anticipated to be even bigger.

Event registrations are now open and free for all participating community groups, organisations and individuals. Event hosts will receive exclusive access to Jean Hailes health information, promotional materials and merchandise.

This year’s theme focuses on helping people make the right decisions for their health.

Register your event and find event promotional tools such as posters, name tags and templates by visiting womenshealthweek.com.au

Drop-In Community Sessions To Provide Updates On The Parkes Bypass: Community members can access the latest information on the Parkes Bypass project through two drop-in sessions to be held next week.

The two-lane corridor will feature five key intersections and two new bridges, including one over the rail corridor and a second over the bypass on Victoria Street.

The drop-in sessions will be held at The Little Theatre, 34 Bogan Street, Parkes on:

Tuesday 16 May, 9am – 6pm

Wednesday 17 May, 4pm – 7.30pm

The project’s engineering site team, hygienist and geologist will be on-hand toprovide more information and answer any questions from community members.

Rural Roads Alliance Outlines Infrastructure Priorities To Parliament: Newly-formed Rural Roads Alliance has this week given evidence to a parliamentary inquiry, reiterating its call for an emergency funding package totalling nearly $5.5 billion in next week’s Federal Budget. 

In the lead up to the Federal Budget, the Rural Roads Alliance is calling for an emergency funding package totalling nearly $5.5 billion, including: 

• A one-off injection of $1 billion over four years directed at regional road and infrastructure reconstruction for councils impacted by flooding and other natural disasters to ensure the rebuild is to a standard more resilient to future disaster events; 

• $800 million a year over four years for the Roads to Recovery Program; 

• $300 million a year over four years to address first and last mile freight productivity; and, 

• Targeted funding through the Roads of Strategic Importance program to improve the long-term climate resilience of freight networks. 

Cost Of Living Data Proves Need For Payment Reforms: The latest ABS Living Cost Indexes show pensioners and other government payment recipients are hit the hardest by rising cost of living pressures. 

National Seniors Australia Chief Operating Officer Chris Grice said the latest quarterly figures reveal a worrying increase with pensioner and age pensioner households recording the largest rise at 2.2%. Households receiving other government payments recorded a rise of 2.1%. “Under the current system, pensions are adjusted every six months, in March and September. This leaves recipients playing a game of catch up when inflation is unusually high.” 

Mr Grice said the federal government should index the pension more frequently during times of high inflation to help those most vulnerable. 

Coles Shoppers Helping To Clean Up Australia: Unilever Australia, maker of household staples including Omo, Rexona, TRESemmé, Dove and Streets ice creams, has partnered with Coles and Clean Up Australia to supply free Clean Up Kits to schools and communities across the country. From 3rd to 30th May, whenever shoppers buy one of Unilever’s participating products at Coles supermarkets or online, 10 cents from each purchase will go to Clean Up Australia. 

Take Time Out To Enjoy A Cuppa: On Friday,14th April Tullamore CWA had a very enjoyable morning catching up with friends and new members of the community. In these times, it is important for men and women to have face time to catch up, have a laugh and enjoy a morning together. The next morning tea will be held on Friday, 12th May at 10am at the Tullamore CWA Rooms. The CWA plan to hold a morning tea on the second Friday of each month and look forward to seeing you there.

CSIRO Study Uncovers The Secret To Long Term Weight Loss Success: CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has revealed that regular self-monitoring behaviours and tracking tools are the secret to losing weight – and keeping it off.

The study initially mapped the total weight loss of 6602 CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet members that had completed the 12-week program. It found 64 per cent lost a clinically significant amount (>five kilograms) of weight at one year, with a sustained average weight loss of 10.6kg, or 11.9 per cent of their starting body weight.

CSIRO research scientist Dr Gilly Hendrie said using tools and support frameworks to educate around diet and nutrition was critical for ongoing societal health and lifestyle improvements, especially given that 67 per cent of Australians are currently overweight or obese.

Find out more about the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet at www.totalwellbeingdiet.com.au

Fully Funded Drone Training For Farmers: Following the hugely successful training days in the region, the team are coming back again in May. If you own a farm or work in agriculture, you should be eligible for an AgSkilled fully-funded place to attend this course. The course aims to develop knowledge and skills in:

• Safe and efficient operation of drones in an agricultural context

• Australian laws related to the use of Remote Pilot Aircraft’s (RPA) for private use

• Collecting and processing data for use in creating a crop planting map or precision fertiliser program.

The course will be held in Tomingley on 8th May and in Parkes on 9th May. For more information contact Sharon Leach on 6951 2695 or email enquiries to: sharon.leach@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Forbes Flood Relief Concert Fundraiser: The Forbes Town & District Band in conjucntion with the Brisbane Water Brass Band will be holding a fundraiser to assist with the maintenance needed for the Forbes Town Band’s Hall in Rankin Street that was flooded twice in 2022. The event will be held at Club Forbes on Saturday, 13th May from 7pm – 9pm. Children under 5 are free, children aged 5-16 cost $10 and adults cost $20. Head along and enjoy a great night of music while supporting a great local cause. 

Research Funding To Tackle High Rates Of Dementia In Rural Areas: Thanks to a grant from the Dementia Australia Research Foundation, researchers will examine why people living in rural and regional areas are three to five times more likely to develop dementia than their city dwelling counterparts and what can be done to reverse this trend. 

Dr Ashleigh Smith said the Mid-Career Research Fellowship, worth $365,000, would enable her team to create dementia prevention strategies specifically tailored for rural and regional communities. “There are 12 modifiable risk factors for dementia including smoking, diet, exercise and social isolation and we have collected good data on how these risk factors impact people living in Australian cities. This Fellowship will enable us to go to regional and rural areas to collect data around these risk factors,” Dr Smith said. 

For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. People looking for information can also visit dementia.org.au 

Boost up for Winter: If your last COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection (whichever is the most recent) was six months ago or more, you may be recommended to receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine booster dose. 

A booster dose is recommended for: 

• Anyone aged 65+ 

• People aged 18-64 years who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 

The following groups are advised to consider a booster dose in discussion with their vaccination provider: 

• People aged 18-64 who are not at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 

• Children and adolescents aged 5-17 who are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

Book your booster today by contacting your doctor or local pharmacy. For more information on the 2023 booster, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/vaccination/get-vaccinated/boosters 

All Are Welcome To The Parkes Multicultural Art Group: Join in at 10.30am on Tuesday, 4th April at the Marramarra Makerspace, Parkes Library. Sonia has done a wonderful job getting the Waste To Art piece started and on Tuesday the group will look at ways to complete this piece, using second hand clothing, fashion pieces and fabric. Please bring a small plate of cultural food to share for morning tea. 

Roxanne Gallagher from the Marramarra Makerspace will also be speaking to the group about Makerspace and what is available. 

The Parkes Multicultural Art Group meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 10.30am. For further information please contact Sonia on 0400 990 001.

And The Lucky Winners Are…: Congratulations to the lucky winners of the Forbes and Parkes Phoenix Sydney Royal Easter Show competition:

• Forbes: Joanne Holmes

• Parkes: Teresa Byrnes

They will each receive a family pass (four tickets) to the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show, which is running from 6th – 17th April. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition.

Government Funding For Parkes And Peak Hill: Parkes and Peak Hill are amongst 176 regional towns to share in over 2.3 million dollars of funding for the following projects:

Parkes Bowling and Sports Club Kitchen Oven Upgrade to enhance the Parkes Bowling and Sports Club kitchen by removing the current industrial gas oven and installing a new one to increase the safety and capacity for use by the many non-sporting community groups that use the facilities the grant awarded to Parkes in the amount of $7,346.

Peak Hill Preschool Expansion to improve day care access for disadvantaged families by contributing to the development of a community-run long day care facility and community room in Peak Hill. The grant provided to Peak Hill was the amount of $10,000.

Local Filmmaker Involved In Movie Set To Air On Showtime In America: Dane Millerd was thrilled to spread the word of a TV and Streaming deal for his film Avarice, with Showtime in the US to an audience of 32 million subscribers. The thriller Avarice, shot entirely in WA with a talented cast and crew, was co-written by Dane Millerd and former Forbes local Adam Enslow. Dane recently held a special screening of the film in his hometown of Gunnedah which included a Q&A session.

Southern Cross Village Fete: Will be held on Saturday, 13th May, featuring a variety of stalls and entertainment. Highlights will include performances by Parkes School of Dance, Parkes Town Band, Parkes Community Choir and Peter Guppy with his Trishaw. Enjoy a BBQ lunch, coffee van, raffles, chocolate wheel, jumping castle, cake, produce and plant stalls. Funds raised at the fete will be used to enhance the life style of the Village residents. Be sure to head along for a great day.

Forbes To Host The 2023 Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW Branch Conference: From Thursday 27th to Saturday 29th April, Forbes will play host to representatives from Councils across NSW for the 2023 Australian Local Government Women’s Association NSW Branch Conference.

The program will focus on many aspects of disaster management with perspectives from government agency and not-for-profit support programs. Optional events on Thursday, 27th April include tours to Central West Livestock Exchange or an AMAZING Arts Tour, morning tai chi, lake walks and yoga.

In conjunction with the Forbes Business Chamber, a garden welcome reception will be held at the Forbes Anglican Church on Thursday evening. The conference will cilminate in a gala dinner to remember on the Staurday night. Registrations open from 1pm on Thursday 27th April at Forbes Town Hall.

Help When Disaster Strikes: Learn how to help your local community in times of disaster, such as floods, bushfire or storm events by heading along to a free, one-day training course on Saturday, 15th April from 9.30am – 4.30pm at the Red Cross Team Rooms, Church Street, Parkes. The course will cover topics such as: 

• Advocate for preparedness
• RediPlan
• Pillowcase Program
• Preparedness Workshops
• Evacuation Centre registration of affected people and provide personal support
• Psychological First Aid (PFA) during emergencies
• Provide outreach services and support people during recovery

Register before Thursday, 13th April by emailing kaedwards@redcross.org.au. For further information please call Greater Western Emergency Services Officer, Kerrie Edwards on 0417 216 617. 

Travel Back In Time To Trundle: Parkes Council is partnering with the Trundle P&A Show Society to host the Trundle Back in Time Vintage Rally & Tractor Pull. Funded by the NSW Governments Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program, the Trundle P&A Show Society is hosting this event between Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th March at the Trundle Showgrounds. 

The day will provide a gathering for the community and visitors to socialise and focus on mental wellbeing, showcasing the progression of rural and farming machinery from horse days to the modern era. 

Vintage vehicles, a swap meet, markets, live music, kids’ entertainment, sheaf toss, and bar and BBQ facilities. Troppo Bob will be there to entertain families and children with his comedy magic show and balloon modeling. 

The ute pull will start at 3.30pm followed by the sheaf toss at approximately 4.30pm. “All are welcome to have a go at this traditional country sporting event with great prize money to be won.” 

“This is a great opportunity to visit such a historically-rich part of the Parkes Shire and experience the sights and tastes of Trundle,” added Ms Nieves. For information visit www.visitparkes.com.au. 

First Home Buyers Saving Millions By Ditching Stamp Duty: More than 2300 first home buyers have opted in to the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s First Home Buyer Choice in the first two months of the initiative, saving a collective $89 million. 

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said that as part of the Liberal and Nationals expansion of its home buyer support, victim-survivors of domestic and family violence would be eligible for stamp duty relief currently reserved for first home buyers. 

Spike In Pig Numbers Needs Urgent Action: Farmers say an explosion in feral pig numbers on public lands in the north and west of the state has resulted in massive damage to properties and livestock. 

Across the state more than 34,000 hoofed feral animals – including pigs, deer and goats – had been culled since November, but the feral pig population was still enormous. 

Unless there is an urgent and coordinated control effort on all land – public and private – this problem will only get worse. 

 

Forbes Invitational Dragon Boat Regatta: The annual Forbes Invitational Dragon Boat Regatta gets underway this Sunday, 19th March on the beautiful Lake Forbes. Entries have been received from clubs and paddlers from right across the region including Orange, Parkes, Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Lithgow, Dubbo, Forbes and a special welcome to paddlers from the new Blue Mountains club who will be making their first trip to Lake Forbes.

The Forbes Daragon Boat Club are looking forward to a great day of friendly competition with like minded people from all across western NSW. Spectators are welcome to come along and enjoy the atmosphere of this wonderful local event and to cheer on the local team. Racing will commence at 8.30am and should be completed by 1.30pm. 

NAPLAN Testing Starts Earlier For NSW Schools: This week, around 400,000 students across more than 3,100 NSW schools have begun NAPLAN tests.

This is the first year that NAPLAN will be held in Term 1 for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. It means that parents, teachers and ultimately our students, will soon benefit from earlier results from NAPLAN tests. 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said these changes mean we will have a better picture of how a student is tracking earlier and can make sure that any extra support they need to catch up is provided sooner. “A big thank you to the teachers, NAPLAN coordinators and school principals for their efforts preparing for NAPLAN this year amidst the changes.”

Showtime Means It’s Competition Time: The Forbes & Parkes Phoenix are once again giving away tickets to the Sydney Royal Easter Show. We will be giving a away two family passes for four people to attend this years event, one to a Forbes family and one to a Parkes family. Check out further details of the competition on page four of this week’s paper and enter online via www.forbesphoenix.com.au or www.parkesphoenix.com.au. Good luck!

Temporary closure of Thomas Street, Parkes: Motorists are advised that a temporary road closure will be in place on Thomas Street, Parkes from Monday, 20th March for work to safely remove material containing naturally occurring asbestos, as part of the Parkes Bypass project. 

This work, between the intersections of Moulden Street and Reedsdale Road, will be managed by an external expert and all involved will wear appropriate protective clothing.

Thomas Street will be closed during works hours between 7am and 6pm weekdays and 8am to 6pm on some Saturdays for about eight months, weather permitting. 

Free Caravan Testing Days Worth The Weight For Owners: Caravan owners across western NSW will be offered free caravan weighing and safety advice during three events planned for Parkes, Dubbo and Moree in the lead-up to this year’s Easter break. 

Transport for NSW is hosting the free weighing days to educate caravanners about correctly calculating their caravan weight, how to load their caravan for even weight distribution, safe towing tips and ways to reduce the risk of being involved in a crash. 

“We welcome all caravan owners living in and around Parkes to book a free 20-minute session when we visit their town to have their caravan properly weighed,” Mr Lunn said. 

The local caravan weighing day will be on Sunday, 2nd April at Parkes Showground on Mitchell Street, Parkes from 8.30am- 4.30pm. Book online at www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=1013797& 

Figures show that between 2016 – 2020 there were 90 crashes involving caravans across western NSW and, sadly, three people lost their lives. 

More information on safe caravanning is available at https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/drivers/caravan-safety 

New And Consolidated Aussie Meat Trade Hub Launched Today: Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has today launched the Aussie Meat Trade Hub. 

The Aussie Meat Trade Hub is MLA’s new single source for resources and services to assist with buying, selling and marketing Australian beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat across global markets. 

According to Andrew Cox, General Manager International Markets at MLA, the greatest benefit of the Hub is that it brings together a wide variety of great promotional tools into one place. Users can also access everything through a single log in. 

“The Aussie Meat Trade Hub simply makes buying and selling the world’s best red meat easier. We’re very excited to showcase our product to more of the globe through this Hub,” Mr Cox said. 

Celebrating Success On International Women’s Day: NSW Farmers Vice President, Rebecca Reardon says, “We love to celebrate our driven and passionate women are making a difference in their communities. Rural and remote communities are held together by women who love where they live and the way they work.” 

“I would encourage every young woman to dream big and pursue whatever they want to do in life – especially if it involves getting into science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”