There is a changing of the guard at Forbes Arts Society. At the recent AGM Dr Karen Ritchie Chairwoman of Forbes Arts Society officially resigned from her seat and Trudy Mallick was overwhelmingly voted in to take the chair position. Karen may have stepped down from the chair, but she has taken the role of Secretary and Dr Keith Mallette remains as the ordinary member.

“During my two-year term as President of the Forbes Arts Society (FAS), much effort has been expended commencing and progressing the projects of the NSW State Government Restart Grant program – ‘Boosting the Lachlan Valley Economy through Art Embedded in our Amazing Environment, Forbes NSW,” said Dr Ritchie.

The funded project consists of the Sculpture Down the Lachlan Trail between Forbes and Condobolin, redeveloping the Gum Swamp area with refurbished and new bird hides, walkways and sculptures and purchasing and redeveloping the derelict, former Forbes District Ambulance Station into an art gallery and cultural hub.

“The past two years have been incredibly busy but very exciting and stimulating and I would like to extend my thanks to the hard-working members of the FAS.”

Incoming President Trudy Mallick thanked Dr Ritchie for all her efforts.

“I am indebted to the work Karen has commenced as Chair of the Forbes Arts Society and look forward to completing the building and the sculpture trail in 2022. The next twelve months will be an exciting and no doubt challenging time for all of us, however the sculpture trail and bird hides will be wonderful attractions and the culture centre will be an incredible meeting place and art gallery for the townspeople and visitors to Forbes alike.”

Donato’s Pre-Christmas Visit To Forbes: NSW Shooters Party member and State MP Phil Donato came to Forbes before Christmas to visit the Forbes Handicraft Centre and Men’s Shed. Donato, a champion for the electorate, was on hand to meet and greet volunteers and check out the recent developments.

“It’s a pleasure to support the ladies at the Forbes Handicraft Centre, who recently applied for grants funding to install new shelving, display cases and a quilt hanger,” said Donato in a statement on his Facebook page.

He also arrived just as the guys from the Forbes Men’s Shed were installing the quilt hanger – a pleasant surprise for all. “Congratulations to you all,” Donato said to the group.

Platypus Gallery Going Into Temporary Hiatus: The other big change for Forbes Arts Society is the Platypus Gallery is going into a temporary hiatus while the new culture centre is built. The centre will host a brand-new Platypus Gallery, along with a gallery for touring artwork, event rooms and a contemporary cafe. Platypus Gallery is closed and all the works will still be in the shop and online. For more information about the project or for online shopping, visit www.forbesartssociety.com.

Congrats To Ryan Browne: For the second year in a row KMWL’s Ryan Browne has been selected to compete in the ALPA NSW Young Auctioneers Competition at the Sydney Royal Easter Show! Well done Ryan!

Certificate Of Service For Hodder: Captain Brian Clarke recently presented Former Firefighter David Hodder with his certificate of service for 17 years with Forbes Fire and Rescue 294.

Firefighter Hodder began his career on 16th February, 2003 and finished 19th April, 2020 due to other commitments. During his time as an outstanding Firefighter he received a National medal for service, Unit commendation for courageous action and NSW Fire Brigade long service and good conduct medal.

“David Hodder will always be a part of Forbes Fire and Rescue station due to his committed service whilst in the Brigade,” Captain Brian Clarke said.

“We would like to thank David Hodder for his service and wish him and his family all the best in the future from all of us at Fire Rescue Forbes 294.”

 

Sandbag Collection In The CBD: Council will be collecting sandbags in the CBD area in the lead-up to Christmas, 13th December – 22nd December. Please call Council on 6850 2300 to register to have a pallet delivered to your shopfront to ensure you are not missed. We ask you to load the sandbags onto the pallet and ring to let us know the pallet is ready to be picked up. This service is only available for the CBD area and residents in the urban areas are advised to use any sandbags that are no longer needed to top-dress lawns and gardens. Your garden will thank you!

Platypus Gallery Showcases Its Latest Exhibition For 2021: Platypus Gallery is supporting the extended talents of all local artists. Each participant was asked to create an artwork that depicts a line from a song or poem that depicts the Rhythm of Life. The theme is a unique way of creating art that each artist has a reference point other than a scene. A song or poem can bring other emotions to the surface of the artist and extend their outlook into a deeper emotion. Rhythm of Life is an eclectic slew of submissions that will appeal to all ages. As the Christmas season is here, an artwork is a unique gift for friends, family, or work colleagues. For more information please contact: Elizabeth King Elizabeth. king@forbesartssociety.com 0467606073

Rural Financial Counseling Services Available: For those looking for rural counselling advice and information, John Beer – a Rural Financial Counselor, is an expert at navigating the Rural Assistance Authority. At present Forbes Shire is still classified at Category B – which means low interest loans and some freight and transport subsidies.
The assessment for the impact on the farming community is currently being undertaken by DPI in order to determine other support but we don’t know what the result of that will be. Of course the flood is still impacting our shire so this assessment is going to take time. Please see the link for more: www.raa.nsw.gov.au/disaster-assistance/declared-natural-disasters Contact John on john@rfcsnsw.com.au or 0408 973 723. www.rfcsnsw.com.au

 

 

Disaster Relief Expanded As H-E-L-P Only An SES Away: Last week the NSW SES Forbes Unit called upon H-E-L-P from the NRMA Insurance chopper to assist with transporting people and resupply drops to two flood affected communities in Forbes. For the past ten years, NRMA Insurance has been the Principal Partner of NSW SES. The partnership focuses on engaging with and empowering local communities to understand their local risks, and take steps to manage that risk through preventative action. Find out more about the partnership here https://bit.ly/3xSaBTm

Cultural Art Workshop and BBQ December 20: Head down to the Forbes Youth and Community Centre for a Cultural Art Workshop and BBQ in Partner with Yoorana Gunya and Binnal Billa.
Date: Monday, 20th December
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Registrations essential
For ages 9 and over.
To register go to: www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/community/community-services-and-information/families-and-youth-services/youth-programs

Elders Team Up With Salvos This Christmas To Help Needy: Big congrats to members of the local Elders Real Estate team who have partnered with Forbes/Parkes Salvation Army for their annual Christmas appeal to help those in need this holiday season. Great effort guys!

Poppy Makes A Splash! And what about Poppy, who fetched top price of $24,000 at the inaugural Working Dog Challenge Trial and Auction in Carcoar? Her old owner, Forbes’ Nathan Morris, says she’s an obedient, quick learner with a calm temperament and loads of potential still to develop for her new owners.

Rotary Markets Saturday Dec 11 at Victoria Park: Saturday December 11th the Rotary Ipomoea Market will be held in Victoria Park, corner of Harold St & Court St, Forbes and not Lion’s Park like normal. COVID rules apply and the event kicks off at 8:30am.

Templar Street Update: The seating around the trees in Templar Street is now complete! How fantastic does it look? You will see there are handy power stations for easy access to charge your phone and for when the space is being used for events. Let us know what you think.

 

$20 Million Support For Domestic Violence Victim-Survivors: More domestic violence victim-survivors will receive critical support with a $20 million relief package for more than 180 NSW specialist frontline services being delivered. The announcement comes as an annual international violence prevention campaign 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual international awareness campaign that begins every November 25th – the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – and runs until World Human Rights Day on December 10th.

The $140 million boost is part of the 2021-22 NSW Budget, which committed a record $687 million over four years (including $80 million in Commonwealth funding) to improve victim safety and reduce family violence reoffending. For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63) or Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491).

TAFE NSW Forbes New Course: TAFE NSW Forbes has an exciting new course available face to face in 2022, Certificate II Salon Assistant. This course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to aid with client services in a hairdressing salon. This course will be run on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am until 4pm for 1 Semester. Start date: 2/2/2022 – End Date: 16/6/2022

Saturday December 4 Riverside Community Gardens: On Saturday December 4th, there will be a presentation morning tea at the Riverside Community Gardens from 10am. Donations will be made to Forbes & District Town Band, Forbes Toy Library, 97.9 Valley FM Community Radio, Forbes and District Lions and Forbes Rotary Club.

‘First Lap’ Swim Voucher Extended To Kindy Kids! The NSW Government’s new learn to swim voucher program will be expanded from preschool-aged children to include kindergarten kids who missed out on lessons due to COVID restrictions.

From December 1st, eligible children aged 3-6 can access a $100 ‘First Lap’ voucher for swimming lessons with an approved provider. Find out more and get signed up to the program mailing list: www. sport.nsw.gov.au/firstlap

$6 Million WNSWLHD Rural Health Boost: Regional and rural communities across NSW will benefit from more investment including $6 million for biomedical equipment upgrades across the Western NSW Local Health District. In a real win for the region, Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the additional funding will help deliver more health services, jobs and infrastructure needed in the bush.

 

Boys To The Bush Help Out During Floods: In another outstanding initiative, Boys To The Bush, Nathan Corliss and some guys were on hand cooking a BBQ last week for hungry flood affected victims and volunteers. It was exactly what was needed at the time and didn’t go unnoticed. We are lucky to have such a tremendous organisation around these parts!

White Ribbon Event At Binaal Billa: Yesterday Binaal Billa held a White Ribbon Day event to acknowledge the pandemic of male driven domestic violence towards women. Currently, 1 in 6 women (1.6 million) have experienced physical violence or sexual violence by a current or previous partner since the age of 15. Sadly, one woman a week dies at the hands of a man known to her. Locally, Binaal Billa remains on the front foot and their efforts have been tremendous. Well done to Deb and the team.

Northparkes Indigenous Scholarships Open: Northparkes Indigenous Scholarships are now open for applications with up to $10,000 for technical degrees and $5000 non-technical. Applications close Friday December 31 and info can be obtained from www.northparkes.com

Congratulations On 50 Years Betty! When we discuss institutions around Forbes one that comes to mind is Betty Trevorrow who last week celebrated 50 years as a legal secretary at Kneebone & Associates. A big congratulations on an outstanding achievement and here’s to many years more!

Community Gardens Special Days Planned: On Saturday December 4th, there will be a presentation morning tea at the Riverside Community Gardens from 10am. Donations will be made to five local community groups with donations from the profit raised from the Costa Open Day on May 29 this year. All groups invited are attending and include – Forbes & District Town Band, Forbes Toy Library, 97.9 Valley FM Community Radio, Forbes and District Lions and Forbes Rotary Club. Donation amounts will be revealed on the day as will the bright new T-shirts displaying the Community Gardens groups new promotional flags.

More Training Offered: Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee, has announced more than 3,500 fee free training places will initially be offered across 40 different short courses to prepare for the busy Christmas retail period with more places to be added based on demand. Visit – https://bit.ly/2YAaQFn

It is becoming a habit the past few years – first COVID-19 and now floods, have been the reason our essential service personnel are stepping up to the plate once again. One can only marvel at our amazing volunteers and support staff.

From the Lachlan SES Forbes Unit to Forbes Hospital and Health staff to Forbes Police and Forbes RFS – everyone has come together again when the community has needed it most. It is what makes our essential workers incredible – the selflessness and utilitarian belief that helping your neighbour eventually means everyone can succeed. It’s also what makes Forbes unique and it has been on show again this week – our spirit. A spirit no disaster can break.

By the time many of you read this most of our volunteers will have been running on fumes all week. They are tired and giving it their best – for all of us. We appreciate all you do for our little town – thank you!

Pipe’s Laid At Goldridge Estate: Work is well underway on the installation of Goldridge Estate’s sewer infrastructure. “Forbes Shire Council is committed to delivering for the community and this project will deliver much needed residential land with all the associated services to ensure Forbes can continue to grow and thrive,” said Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM. The Strategic Planning Statement 2040 released earlier this year identified extensive future growth within Forbes, specifically in the northwest area (where the new estate is located) which is attractive to buyers due to being well out of the flood zone.

Life In Colour Art Exhibition: Don’t forget the Life In Colour Art Exhibition until December 4 at the Platypus Gallery, 111 Lachlan St. Forbes. It is amazing! More info at www.forbesartssociety.com

Chelsie Farmer Fundraiser A Success! Well done to everyone who helped raise $30,000 for the CHELSIE FARMER FUNDRAISER last week! It was a great effort by the Forbes community supporting such a good cause. A big thank you to the Forbes Golf and Sportsman’s Hotel and all the businesses who jumped on board to support Chelsie and her family during this difficult time.

White Ribbon Day Today: White Ribbon Day is today November 19 and the day is about shining a light on the concerning and alarming DV rates and the ongoing epidemic of men’s violence towards women. Get involved today with any number of events across the region. Go to – www.whiteribbon.org.au

Australia Day Nominations Open: Austrlia Day nominations are open and categories include the Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year, Senior Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year. The awards are open to residents across the Forbes Shire. Nominations close at 5pm, Sunday 9 January 2022 and can be sent to community@forbes.nsw.gov.au

Great Work Forbes Dominos! Forbes Dominos has struck again, this time donating pizzas to Forbes Police, Forbes Hospital and Lachlan SES Forbes Unit volunteers! Great effort Tre Griffin and the team for supporting our essential servicemen and women!

NAIDOC Celebrations: Last week Forbes Public School students and other schools and groups across the region acknowledged NAIDOC Week after various cancellations and postponements due to COVID. You can see some fabulous work on display at the Lachlan Street fence at Forbes Public School! Well done everyone!

Cenwesttours Forbes helping the ill

If you are a friend or a relative of someone who has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, please let the team at Cenwest tours Forbes know so they can take you or your loved one on an idyllic one-hour countryside Forbes Sunset Tour in their beautiful limousine absolutely FREE.

The team at Cenwesttours Forbes love Forbes and those that have supported them over the years and want to give back to such a caring community. The tour includes a bottle of wine of your choice plus a cheese platter on the banks of the AMAZING Lake Forbes all totally free of charge. Times like this, lasting memories are most appreciated. Cenwesttours Forbes, really are going the extra mile! Great work!

Fundraiser for Chelsie today at the Golfy

Come down to the Forbes Golf and Sportsman’s Hotel TODAY November 12 from 4pm and help raise some much-needed funds to help support Chelsie Farmer and her family. Chelsie was involved in a very serious and traumatic motorbike accident and suffered severe life-threatening injuries on 22nd October. She has a long road ahead of her and her recovery journey will be even longer. 100% proceeds will go to the family and Chelsie – see you there! Stevie, Rheeba and Sabrina.

Are you a new mum or new mum to Forbes?

Forbes Community Health will be running a Telehealth Virtual new mum’s group for all the first-time mum’s or mum’s new to the area. This is a great way to meet new people, get advice or support and even make lifelong friendships. The group is on Monday’s from 10am for another 5 weeks. For registration details mum’s can contact Jane on 6850 7300 or via email jane.omalley@health.nsw.gov.au

Child and Family Health Nurse

A drop-in clinic is held every Tuesday at Forbes Preschool. Entrance is via the side of Preschool near the Tennis Court. No Appointments are necessary and your child or siblings do not need to be enrolled at Forbes Preschool to see the CFHN. CFHNs can do Blue Book checks and assist on a range of topics from breastfeeding to developmental milestones. COVID-19 precautions in place including QR code check-in. For more Information please contact Denise via email denise.hopkins@health.nsw.gov.au or phone 6850 7305. Alternatively, you may contact Forbes Community Health Reception on 6850 7300.

 

Last Drinks For Grant And Kim At The Van

After 19 years Grant and Kim Clifton will be clocking off the last time at Forbes most well-known pub – the Vandenberg Hotel. “It is time for us to hand it over to new owners,” they said in a statement on their Facebook page last week.

“What an amazing 19 years we have had here in Forbes, reinvigorating the “Old Van” that will hopefully give it another 100 plus years of trade!”

The popular local couple also paid tribute to the many punters that have graced the beautiful old bar since they took over in 2002/3. “To our loyal customers, our fantastic staff both present and past, our families and friends we say a big thank you for helping us achieve what we set out to and that is to create a great country pub!”

The new owners were due to start sooner except for COVID however it is all action stations now as restrictions have eased across NSW. “We wish the new owners every success and we hope the Vandenberg Hotel gives them as much as it has given us but now it’s onto our new adventures!”

New Payment Help Women Escape Violent Relationships

The Federal Government has announced a new one-off payment of up to $5,000 to help women establish a life free of violence. Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has welcomed this saying “No-one should have to put up with violent relationships and what’s more they should not be condemned to staying in violent relationships because they can’t afford to leave”.

Women can apply for the payment through the UnitingCare Network. More information is available at unitingvictas.org.au/escaping-violence-payment

Regional Banking Taskforce Established

A Regional Banking Taskforce has been established by the Federal Government to assess the impact of bank branch closures on regional communities. The Taskforce will bring together banks and other key stakeholders to assess how bank branch closures have impacted local communities and work collaboratively to identify possible solutions.

Minister for Regionalisation Bridget McKenzie said the taskforce will provide a platform to establish how branch closures, has affected those living in the regions. “As we have heard, bank branch closures in the regions also affect the liveability of towns, and so I am pleased to announce this Taskforce will be looking at how we can keep banking services in rural Australia.”

The Co-Chairs of the Taskforce are: Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Housing and Minister for Homelessness, Social and Community Housing the Hon. Michael Sukkar (as Co-Chair) reporting to the Treasurer and Senator Perin Davey (as Co-Chair) reporting to the Minister for Regionalisation, the Hon. Bridget McKenzie.

The Taskforce will hold its first meeting in early November and will release an issues paper for public consultation.

Small Business Grants Available

The NSW Government is helping small businesses bounce back from the pandemic with up to $640,000 in grants available to help organisations host events to generate new ideas and connect with fellow entrepreneurs. Grants of up to $2,500 for local councils and $3,500 for chambers of commerce, industry associations and not-for-profit groups are available to help them organise events for the fifth NSW Small Business Month in March 2022. Further details on how small businesses and supporters can participate in NSW Small Business Month will be released soon. For more information visit: smallbusinessmonth.nsw.gov.au

LVW Says Flooding Could Have Been Averted

It’s the elephant in the room and Lachlan Valley Water believes the ongoing flooding across the Lachlan Valley could have been averted if Wyangala Dam wall had been raised sooner.

The Wyangala Dam Wall Raising Project when complete will increase the dam’s capacity by 53 per cent – or an additional 650 gigalitres. The proposed project will see the dam wall height also raised, increasing the (FSL) Full Supply Level by approximately 10 metres.

Rain consistently across the year, water releases from Wyangala together with downstream tributary inflows has seen plenty of water flow through the Lachlan creating ongoing flooding.