CREATIVE ARTS… Students from Forbes Public School received a certificate for participating in the Riverina and Central West Christmas Artwork Competition from Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack last Thursday. The second place winner of the competition was Alfie Quirk. Congratulations Alfie!

Obstacool coming to Forbes: Forbes Shire Council is bringing Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course designed for children big and small to Nelson Park. Free access for children will be available between 9am and 3pm on 22nd December. Each session lasts 45 minutes and commences on the hour. Children must be checked in by a parent or guardian and supervised during the time that they are in the course. Participation is open to any age above four.

CatholicCare Wilcannia-Forbes Art Competition: CatholicCare Wilcannia- Forbes is celebrating the artistic talent in our communities with its first Aboriginal Art Competition to be judged in January next year. “We want to showcase this talent by highlighting the art which captures the spirit of our region through this competition and subsequent exhibition,” CatholicCare Wilcannia- Forbes CEO, Anne-Marie Mioche said. “There is no set subject for submitted artwork but we look forward to pieces which will celebrate our culture and heritage, encourage greater understanding, acceptance and inclusion,” added Anne-Marie. Aboriginal artists aged 16 years and over, are encouraged to submit an artwork. Entries for the competition will close on 14th January at 5pm. The winning artist will receive $1,200, second place will be awarded $500 and $300 for third. Competition entry forms and terms and conditions are available by emailing agearen@ccwf.org.au or phoning 0404 125 840.

Pubs, Clubs And Bottle Shops Encourage Plan B: Determined to do their bit to reduce drink driving across the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Council areas, 57 pubs, clubs and bottle shops have joined forces to promote the Plan B campaign. Plan B is a state-wide initiative encouraging patrons to think about an alternative to driving home after a night out. During December, patrons at participating pubs, clubs and bottle shops will be invited to enter a competition to nominate a Plan B for getting home. “Catch a cab, walk home or throw a swag out on a mate’s floor – we don’t mind what your Plan B is, so long as it’s not driving home,” said Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor. “Every entry puts patrons in the running to win a swag valued at $250. The competition will be drawn on New Year’s Eve,” said Melanie.

NO TIME LIKE HOLIDAY TIME… The amazing pop up playground, Obstacool is coming to Forbes this December school holidays.

Obstacool coming to Forbes: Forbes Shire Council is bringing the amazing pop up playground Obstacool to Forbes this December school holidays. Obstacool is Australia’s biggest inflatable obstacle course designed for children big and small, with a series of inflatable climbing walls, tunnels and play elements aimed at helping children develop healthy, active habits. Obstacool will be set up in Nelson Park, adjacent to Forbes Preschool. Free access for children will be available between 9am and 3pm on 22nd December. Each session lasts 45 minutes and commences on the hour. Children must be checked in by a parent or guardian and supervised during the time that they are in the course. Admission is free and participation is open to any age above four. Children under the age of 16 require adult supervision.

Tough New Drink Driving Penalties: Stronger penalties for drink driving came into effect in NSW on Monday, 3rd December to help reduce trauma on our roads. Under the new laws, any driver who commits a low-range (blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 – 0.079) drink driving offence will be fined $561 and lose their licence immediately for three months. Penalties for first time drug presence offences detected on the roadside via NSW’s mobile drug testing program will include a fine and three month licence suspension. First time mid-range (BAC of 0.08 – 0.14) offenders will need to have an alcohol interlock device installed in their vehicle to prove they can separate their drinking from driving. Repeat offenders will face vehicle sanctions, including licence plate confiscation and vehicle impoundment.

Double Demerits for the Holidays: Double demerit points will be in force for 12 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 Friday, 21st December to Tuesday, 1st January inclusive for all speeding, seatbelt, motorcycle helmet and mobile phone offences. Please note that Friday, 21st December is a gazetted school day – so double demerits will apply to relevant school zone offences. The scheme is designed to encourage safe and responsible driving. Working in conjunction with financial penalties, double demerit points provide a strong incentive to drive within the law.

There will be 12 days of double demerits over the Christmas and New Year break.

TIME TO NOMINATE… Council is asking for nominations for 2019 Forbes Shire Citizen of the Year and Young Citizen of the Year. To download the nomination form visit: http://www.forbes.nsw.gov.au/…/comm…/australiaday-2019.aspx. Attending Australia Day celebrations this year was Steve Loane (Council’s General Manager), Michael McCormack (Riverina MP, Deputy Prime Minister), Kelsey Muller (2018 Young Citizen of the Year), Sue-anne Nixon (2018 Citizen of the Year), former mayor Graeme Miller and Philip Donato (Member for Orange).

Youth Survey reports mental health concerns is on the rise: Mission Australia have released its 2018 Youth Survey results which has revealed the rate of young people who are identifying mental health as a key national issue has doubled since 2016. Four in ten or 43% of young people identified mental health as the top issue facing Australia today. Sadly, the survey also highlights stress (43%), school or study problems (34%), and mental health (31%) as the top three personal issues of concern for young people this year. As well as addressing the top three barriers for young people trying to find work (school responsibilities (20%), lack of skills/experience (15%), and lack of jobs (12%), the survey also states close to one in 10 young people were less confident in their ability to achieve their work and study goals.

Australia Not On Track: A new United Nations (UN) report has found that Australia is not on track to meet its 2030 Paris cli mate target. “Without a credible climate policy, Australia is stuck in the barriers,” said the Climate Council’s acting CEO, Dr Martin Rice. Under the Paris Agreement, Australia promised to reduce its emissions by 26 to 28 percent by 2030. But today’s UN report says our greenhouse gas pollution levels are projected to remain at high levels rather than reducing in line with the 2030 target. “The report tells us that global carbon emissions increased in 2017 after three years of stagnation. Australia is one of the worst climate offenders. Our pollution levels have risen for three years in a row,” said Dr Rice. The goal of the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature rise this century to well below two degrees above the level prior to mass industrialisation. “We need to phase out fossil fuels like coal and accelerate the transition to clean, low-cost renewable energy,” said Dr Rice.

Summer Scorcher On The Cards: Australia looks set to experience another angry summer, with the Bureau of Meteorology’s latest Outlook indicating the next three months are likely to be hotter than normal. The Outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology finds the chance of an El Niño forming is 70 percent, roughly triple the normal risk. An El Niño typically brings drier and warmer conditions to eastern Australia.

CELEBRATING TIME… Forbes Shire Council is getting ready to celebrate International Day of People with Disability at the Forbes Olympic Pool on Tuesday, 4th December from 10am to 3pm. The day will be filled with pool games, face painting, water games, music, sports, free BBQ and more.

Considering Christmas lights? Think electrical safety first: As the festive season fast approaches and the decorations come out of storage, Essential Energy want those who install do-it-yourself Christmas displays to think first about some basic safety checks to prevent electrical incidents. Acting Regional Manager Northern, Jamie Warren said putting electricity safety measures in place prior to hanging decorations could provide peace of mind for a safe holiday season. “Ensure the home, garage and workshops are fitted with safety switches such as Residual Current Devices (RCD) or Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers to reduce the likelihood of electric shock,” Jamie said. When installing lights or illuminated decorations, check for damaged or frayed cords prior to use and always follow the installation instructions. Turn off power points or light switches before replacing light bulbs and minimise the use of extension leads when organising the display. “Do not cut, drill or hammer into rooftops, walls, floors or ceilings before thoroughly checking for electrical wires,” Jamie said.

Bernardi’s launch new $50,000 sponsorship program: Bernardi’s has announced their new sponsorship program ‘Building Better Communities’ which will see a total of $50,000 donated in 2019. Bernardi’s are calling on applications for the first intake of the program (running from January to June 2019) which will see $25,000 of the total awarded to beneficiaries in Forbes, Bathurst, West Wyalong, Blayney and Wagga. The second intake will begin in July 2019. The initiative is designed to get customers involved in the sponsorship process and to give them ownership over who Bernardi’s support as a business. Applications are open to all community groups and organisations and can be completed online at www.bernardis.net.au/community. Applications close on 14th December, with three beneficiaries announced shortly thereafter.

New children’s Crossing Flags for local schools: Thirty new Children’s Crossing flags have been delivered to local schools across the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils. Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said: “The delivery of the new flags is part of the Councils’ Children’s Crossing Agreement Program, which are resigned every two years. The agreement sets out the roles and responsibilities of both parties (school and Council) in relation to the use of the Children’s Crossing and the flags. The Program started in 2016 after it was discovered that there was confusion about how a Children’s Crossing operates.

Learning Support: The Bert Evans scholarship is available to first year apprentices to assist them financially and to provide extra support so that they can successfully complete their apprenticeship. All recipients must also show aptitude and a positive attitude towards their work and training to be eligible for a scholarship. Michael Cowan was only one of four successful applications in Western NSW to win this year’s scholarship. Training Services NSW aims to back all apprentices and help them on the road to success. Darren Cowan has had an excellent success rate with his apprentices and has proven invaluable in skilling the youth for the future in trade areas.

Boost To Blue Line: Member for Orange, Phil Donato acknowledged the NSW Government for finally responding to his calls for more police. “I am pleased the Government has now finally responded to my repeated calls for them to significantly boost the numbers of police over the next four years,” said Phil. “Following the extraordinary number of questions I’ve directed to the Police Minister, media interviews I’ve participated in alongside overworked and under resourced police officers, speeches and notices of motion I’ve delivered to Parliament, the Premier has responded by announcing an additional 1,500 police,” he said. Police Commissioner Fuller announced the NSW Police would commence recruiting now and the first 300 of the additional police will be delivered from 1st July next year.

Forbes White Ribbon Day: The Forbes Domestic & Family Violence Committee is inviting the entire Forbes community to walk with them in their annual White Ribbon Day March to be held today. The walk is in support of Australia’s campaign to stop men’s violence against women. Everyone will meet at Cross Street in front of Carpet Court at 10am and will finish in Victoria Park.

Rotary Ipomoea Christmas Tree Festival: Anyone can get involved in designing and creating a Christmas tree of any shape or material that reflects their love of Christmas time. Members of the community are invited to the official opening of the festival on Friday, 30th November at the Forbes Town Hall at 6:30pm. Enter a tree by phoning Helen on 6851 4930 or Sue-Anne on 6851 5197, or send an email to sueanne.nixon@hotmail.com. Entry fee is $5. Enter any type of tree.

The Forbes Railway Arts and Visitor Information Centre has various Christmas goodies available at the moment. Christmas cakes, puddings and gifts, just to name a few. Visit the centre this Saturday during their Open Day to see what treats you can find.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF… The Forbes Preschool team worked very hard putting together an immensely successful concert for the school’s 60 year celebration held in Nelson Park last Thursday. The school saw 1,000 family members and friends enjoying some spectacular singing and dancing.

Forbes White Ribbon Day: The Forbes Domestic & Family Violence Committee is inviting the entire Forbes community to walk with them in their annual White Ribbon Day March to be held on Friday, 23rd November. The walk is in support of Australia’s campaign to stop men’s violence against women. Everyone will meet at Cross Street in front of Carpet Court at 10am and will finish in Victoria Park. Here, our youth will share their thoughts on why it is so important to stand up and speak out against violence and how together we can all make Forbes a safer community for everyone. A free sausage sizzle will be provided for all participants.

Forbes Lions Car Boot Sale: The next Forbes and District Lions Club Car Boot Sale will be held on Saturday, 17th November. This will be held in the Lions Park beside Lake Forbes from 8am until 1pm. It will be our final sale for 2018 and proceeds from site fees will be donated to the Forbes Archery Club to help them get back on their feet. Members of the community are welcome to set up stalls to sell their wares. We cater for stalls of second hand goods as well as craft and produce stalls. Sites may be booked by phoning Peter on 0468 819 659 or Robyn on 6851 2209 or just set up and pay on the day. The cost is $10 per site. The Lions will be cooking up a storm on their BBQ with sausage sandwiches, bacon and egg sandwiches and the famous Lions Sandwich for sale. The Lions will also be selling tickets in a Hyundai car raffle for $1. If you have some items which need clearing out before Christmas or some Christmas goodies to sell come along on the day.

Rotary Ipomoea Christmas Tree Festival: Anyone can get involved in designing and creating a Christmas tree of any shape or material that reflects their love of Christmas time. Members of the community are invited to the official opening of the festival on Friday, 30th November at the Forbes Town Hall at 6:30pm. Enter a tree by phoning Helen on 6851 4930 or Sue-anne on 6851 5197, or send an email to sueanne.nixon@hotmail.com. Entry fee is $5. Anyone can enter any type of tree.

Head on down to the Visitor Information Centre Open Day on Saturday, 24th November from 9am to 2pm. The open day will feature tastings of local produce, Christmas cakes and puddings and many great gifts for Christmas. Children’s book author, Pat Clark will be there to sign her books and while you’re there, grab a delicious Devonshire tea as well.

SPECTACULAR… Our Canowindra Phoenix paper took out the top award for Best Business in Cabonne for 2018 at the Daroo Business Awards held last Friday night. The rest of the Phoenix team would like to congratulate and say how very proud we are of them! Well done to all the other winners. Here is the Publisher, Sarah Maynard accepting the Canowindra Phoenix’s award.

Forbes Lions Car Boot Sale: The next Forbes and District Lions Club Car Boot Sale will be held on Saturday, 17th November. This will be held in the Lions Park beside Lake Forbes from 8am until 1pm. It will be the final sale for 2018 and proceeds from site fees will be donated to the Forbes Archery Club to help them get back on their feet. Members of the community are welcome to set up stalls to sell their wares. We cater for stalls of second hand goods as well as craft and produce stalls. Sites may be booked by phoning Peter on 0468 819 659 or Robyn on 6851 2209 or just set up and pay on the day. The cost is $10 per site. The Lions will be cooking up a storm on their BBQ with sausage sandwiches, bacon and egg sandwiches and the famous Lions sandwich for sale. The Lions will also be selling tickets in a Hyundai car raffle for $1. If you have some items which need clearing out before Christmas or some Christmas goodies to sell come along on the day.

Huge Numbers For First Forbes CDS Golf Day: The inaugural Forbes Currajong Disability Services Charity Golf Day was held last Sunday at the Forbes Golf Club. The event, which was a fundraiser for Currajong Disability Services (CDS), was a three-person Ambrose team competition and attracted entries from Parkes, Forbes and Condobolin. In total there were 66 players. “We were absolutely floored with the interest and turn out for the event,” said CDS Communications and Marketing Manager, Dane Millerd. “We held a BBQ, lucky door raffles and trivia on the day as well. There was also a silent auction for some blue chip items,” said Dane. “In total there were 21 sponsors and 13 major prize events with final fundraising numbers still being counted. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our supporters. We couldn’t have a day like this without them!” said Dane. “The difference all our sponsors, staff, volunteers and contributors have made is immeasurable and it cannot be stated enough how much we appreciate all that has been done,” he added.

Scarecrow and Veggie Garden Competitions: Don’t forget the Scarecrow and Veggie Garden Competitions is on this Saturday from 9am at the Forbes Riverside Community Gardens.

Helen Carpenter was the winner of our Spring Photo Competition with this great photo. She has won a framed print from Farmer from Down Under. Congratulations Helen! Thank you to everyone who entered.

Forbes Country Music Club receives donation from RSL: Forbes Services Memorial Club General Manager, David Fitzgerald praised Forbes Country Music Club President, Phil Redding on Monday for the great work that has been done towards the Country Music Club this year. Being one of the club’s most successful years with the combined hard work of Secretary Helen Field, they were able to secure funding from many other major businesses this year. This paved the way for a very successful Forbes Talent Quest. This cheque will go towards next year’s Talent Quest. “I am honoured by the response and help given towards Forbes Country Music Club. This also helps us with fundraisers, where we too can give back to our community,” said Phil. Fundraising money has been donated to organisations such as the SES’s new sand bagging machine, the late John Rice fundraiser and this year’s members campout where a large amount was raised for the Cancer Council. “We are the guardians of the future. Without sponsors like the RSL, events such as the Talent Quest would be lost and there might be nothing for our future generations,” he said.

Water Notice Apologies: Council has been alerted that the recent water notices being received are a duplicate of the August accounts. Unfortunately an error has occurred at the mailing house which affects all water accounts that have been posted. Council is working to rectify this error and will have the correct accounts reissued as soon as possible. Water accounts received by email should not be affected. Council wishes to extend an apology for all ratepayers affected by this error and thank you for your understanding.

Water for skaters and their pooches: A new water bubbler has been installed at the Skate Park as part of the upgrades of this area. The bubbler includes a water fountain, drink bottle filler and a doggy bowl.

At the ski dam this summer: In the next few months some changes will be made at the ski dam. These include new and expanded playground equipment; beach area extended; new planting and irrigation in the gardens; upgraded amenities and new fencing and disabled parking and access.

Scarecrow and Veggie Garden Competitions: Don’t forget the Scarecrow and Veggie Garden Competitions is on next Saturday, 10th November from 9am at the Forbes Riverside Community Gardens.

CanAssist Forbes had some of their longstanding and hard working members receive award certificates at the recent NSW Centre for Volunteering Awards Night held in Bathurst. They were Chris and John Gorton, Lee Marsh, Kerry Dunstan and Carolyn Morrison, who was accompanied by husband Geoff.

THANK YOU’S ALL ROUND… Mega Farm Rescue Forbes had their ‘Thank You Night’ last Thursday. Council also donated a piano to their Gift of Music campaign where pre-owned musical instruments are repaired and revitalised, then distributed to disadvantaged children and youth in rural and remote Australia.

Older Australians Missing Out On Vital Exercise: A national survey by Australia’s national science agency has revealed how the health of older Australians could suffer if they don’t flex their muscles at least twice a week. The survey of more than 5,600 CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet subscribers found 65 percent of people aged 51 to 70 years, and 86 percent of people over 71, did not think resistance exercise was important for weight loss and overall health. “While resistance exercise is beneficial at any age, it becomes even more important as we get older and experience muscle loss associated with ageing,” CSIRO Principal Research Scientist, Professor Grant Brinkworth said. To learn more visit www. totalwellbeingdiet.com.

Competition Winner: Congratulations Colin Mckay! You have won a double pass to the Australian National Field Days. Please call 02 6344 1846 to claim your prize.

Eleven Beds Are Not Enough: Member for Orange, Philip Donato MP, asked the Minister for Mental Health, Tanya Davies MP to expand the Child Adolescent Mental Health Unit (CAMHS) in Orange. The CAMHS unit accepts admissions from 86 percent of the state across five Local Health Districts and has only 11 beds available. “There is sufficient space and infrastructure to double the number of beds. I’ve heard from families in the community whose child is placed on a waiting list. It is very stressful for everyone,” he said. The Minister’s response focused largely on community based treatment and keeping children out of hospital. “We aren’t talking about preventative measures here, we are talking about the most serious, acute cases whose last and only option is hospital.”

Helping Farmers Access The Farm Household Allowance: It is now easier for farmers to apply for the fortnightly Farm Household Allowance (FHA) hardship payment. The FHA application form has been changed and information sessions are being held on Saturdays at some regional Centrelink offices. Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud said: “The application form has been cut by a third. Farmers should also remember that a Rural Financial Counsellor (RFC) can help them fill out the form for free. To find out when and where the Centrelink information sessions are being held go to humanservices.gov.au/farmhouseholdallowance. To find out more or to make a submission online please go to https://haveyoursay.agriculture.gov.au/fha-review-2018.

It was National Kidsafe Day this week Tuesday. This is an initiative of Kidsafe Australia to increase awareness of unintentional childhood injuries and their prevention. Keep our kids safe around schools, by not making illegal and dangerous moves, like U-turns, three-point turns and double parking.

CONGRATULATIONS… Two hard working Forbes & District Lions Club members were honoured with the “James D Richardson” award at the Lions meeting held last week Tuesday. Graham Williams (middle) congratulated and thanked Raymond Judge (left) and Ian Bennett (right) for their hard work and dedication to Lions International and the community of Forbes.

Latest Competition: Don’t forget to enter our latest competition and you could be off to the Australian National Field Days. Fill out the form on the front page or enter via the website www.forbesphoenix.com.au or via Facebook.

Encourage Students to Nurture a Greener Future: Local primary schools and early learning centres are set to go on a journey to a greener future, with applications now open for the first round of the Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants program. The program is being funded from the sale of the Woolworths ‘Bag for good’. Sales to date have raised over half a million dollars towards the program which will help young Australians be hands-on with gardening and recycling projects. There will be at least 500 x $1,000 grants on offer in this round. To find out more and to apply visit: https:// landcareaustralia.org.au/woolworthsgrants. Applications close on 23rd November.

Spring Photo Competition: The Forbes Phoenix has teamed up with Farmer From Down Under Photography to launch a spring photo competition. We would love to see the great photos our readers can come up with. A wonderful prize is up for grabs – a framed picture donated by Farmer From Down Under Photography! Entries must be submitted to The Forbes Phoenix by Tuesday, 31st October. Entries can be sent to sales@forbesphoenix.com.au or via our Facebook page.

Forbes White Ribbon Day: The Forbes Domestic & Family Violence Committee is inviting the entire Forbes community to walk with them in their annual White Ribbon Day March to be held on Friday, 23rd November. The walk is in support of Australia’s campaign to stop men’s violence against women. Everyone will meet at Cross Street in front of Carpet Court at 10am and will finish in Victoria Park. Here, our youth will share their thoughts on why it is so important to stand up and speak out against violence and how together we can all make Forbes a safer community for everyone. A free sausage sizzle will be provided.

More than 180 people from all over Australia gathered in Forbes last weekend to take part in the Forbes Mega Farm Rescue. These amazing volunteers partook in a week of renovations to 14 farms in the Forbes district.