How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived here for three years now. I love how people care about each other and how friendly they are. It’s a clean and pretty place with the lake and old buildings.

What was your first job? I’m a Priest, that’s my first job.

If money was no object, what would you do all day? (Laughs) What I am doing now.

Who is your hero and why? I suppose John Paul II inspires me because of his courage and the way he faces opposition. He remained Pope until death to show people the beauty in aging and death. He overcame communism and helped open a new branch of philosophy, he was the greatest man of our century.

What makes you laugh the most? Everything.

Describe your dream holiday. I don’t have a dream holiday but I love going home and seeing my family in Chile. I did a spiritual retreat in Italy and went to Ireland recently to find more about Saint Laurence O’Toole who is the patron Saint of the church here. Both holidays were amazing.

If you could share a meal with any three people, past or present, who would they be? Moses, Jesus and Elijah. There are a few great people I admire; they are Priests and nuns, but I see them all of the time. There are two Priests who are really close friends and a Nun in Chile, I love them, but if I can choose Jesus… (laughs) I think he (Jesus) was strong and kind and would have been a fun guy to party with.

What is a childhood memory of yours? When I sang. Since I was a kid I sang. I have always loved music.

If you could live in any time or place, where and when would that be? Now! Today I think we have a better life (than ever before); this generation is the most comfortable generation in the Western world.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived here since May 2018 and I love the muted colours of our landscape, grey misty winter mornings and the beautiful community of Forbes.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I work as Editor for the Forbes Phoenix. I love that it puts me in touch with so many interesting people and events happening here.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? I walk around the lake, take instaworthy photos of our landscape and hang out with my family.

What are you really good at? I love cooking and if I wasn’t writing I’d probably open a butter chicken bar in town.

What is your pet hate? Being stuck behind vehicles driving 30km below the speed limit and seeing dangerous take-overs on our little two-laned highways.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? To control time, pause everything around me or speed it up depending on where I am and what I need to get done.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? Ein El Sokhna on the Red Sea in Egypt. Very relaxing with breathtaking scenery, especially the contrast between the desert and sea.

What makes your day? When all three of my children eat their dinner without complaining.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I lived in Egypt for a year in 2017 and speak two dialects of Arabic, poorly.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I’ve been here for 39 years and enjoy the country lifestyle. The clear atmosphere and sheer beauty of the deep blue sky.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? A farmer originally, then had 20 plus enjoyable years in the tourist industry, mixing with people from different walks of life and backgrounds who were retired or semi-retired and a delight to deal with. I am now retired.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? Play a musical instrument and enjoy a single malt whisky.

What are you really good at? Too numerous to mention.

What is your pet hate? Unpunctuality.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? To make it rain. Allowing this very productive land to produce again, giving farming families hope for their futures and enjoy again the great pleasure of planning ahead.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? A tour of the northern capitals of Europe. Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Warsaw and Edinburgh. Travelling through countries with centuries of history and conflict, now living in peace.

What makes your day? Having achieved some of the things I set out to do.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I have the ability to see in the dark, relative to others.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived around here for 23 years, 22 of them at Bedgerabong and I love the community and the people.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I do a lot of volunteer work with Mainly Music and I am involved in the Grease and Oil Change, a mental health workshop that runs in February. I also work on the farm and just love being outside.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? I socialise and spend time with my family.

What are you really good at? I am not really good at anything, but I am average at most things. I’m pretty good at maths though.

What is your pet hate? I couldn’t say I hate anything.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? I’d love to fly and get from one spot to the next very quickly.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? In January my family and I go to Merimbula on the South Coast, and I don’t know if it is the best holiday ever, but I love going there every year.

What makes your day? I get joy from my relationships with other people, spending time with others. I especially get joy from my work with Mainly Music and spending time with the families and friends there.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I grew up in Dubbo where my mother and father had a butcher shop and I can still tie sausages today.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have been living and working in Forbes for three years now. I love Forbes for how friendly and welcoming everyone has been.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I am currently the Pharmacist in charge at Life Pharmacy next to Bernardi’s. I have been here for five months and previous to that I was working at Flannery’s Pharmacy. I enjoy the positive and professional culture the two pharmacies exhibit and the focus on improving the Forbes community’s health outcomes.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? I enjoy a few beers with my twin brother Tom from Orange, he’s always a laugh! And I also enjoy spending time with my family from Batemans Bay and Nyngan.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? To cure cancer, it has such a devastating effect on our community, working in health I see the burden and impact this causes our patients, families and friends.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? In January this year I went to Whistler with my girlfriend Britt and her family. The snow was fantastic, and it was enjoyable to see some of Canada – and to get away from Forbes’ heat.

What makes your day? When patients come in and give feedback on the treatment we have recommended to them. Most of the time it’s positive so we have helped their health outcomes. Other times it wasn’t so successful so we try another treatment option. Also, I love a joke of the day so if anyone is willing to share, come on in!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I have my pilot’s license and love to go flying. I’ve been flying since I was 15, before I could legally drive.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? Ten years, and I love that it’s easy to raise kids and the community is really lovely.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I am part of the Mainly Music team at Forbes Baptist Church, teach scripture at Forbes and Forbes North Public Schools, run a women’s bible study and I love and care for my family. I love telling people about Jesus and love serving the community, my family and friends.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? I love to swim in the pool with my kids and spend time with my family.

What are you really good at? Making coffee and talking to people.

What is your pet hate? Dusty wind and the amount of flies that are around at the moment.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why? To make it rain. I’d love to be able to make it rain so that we could have refreshment in the ground again.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? My best holiday ever was in Forster with my husband and two kids, my favourite holiday spot.

What makes your day? When I discover something new in the Bible that I haven’t seen before.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? My family and I lived in Mexico for a year in 2017.

Our Bloke – Shane Sallaway

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived here for eight years, I like the friendly people and the good community spirit.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I work for myself as a painter. I enjoy starting with something that doesn’t look too flash and ends up looking pretty good and doing work for nice people around Forbes.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends? Couple of cold beers, some golf and hanging out with the kids.

What are you really good at? Painting and golf.

What is your pet hate? People who talk behind other people’s backs.

If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? That’s a tough one, to be able to heal people when they’re sick.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? Taking the kids down the South Coast, where we go every year. It is a beautiful place with lots of other families like us down there enjoying themselves in the holidays.

What makes your day? Keeping my clients happy. Knowing I have done a good job and that they are happy with the finished product.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I can teach old dogs new tricks.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived in Forbes for just over a year, I moved in September last year. I’m originally from Darwin in the Northern Territory. I love the Lake and old architecture in Forbes as well as the feel of the country.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? Currently I’m a stay at home mum on leave from my job with the Department of Education in Dar- win.

What do you do to unwind after work on weekends? Looking after a toddler I rarely have time to unwind but I do enjoy eating ice cream and watching tv once he is in bed.

What are you really good at? Talking. I can talk my way through a wet paper bag. I am also athletic and competitive which makes me a good netball player.

What is your pet hate? Definitely unclean kitchen benches and dirty feet.

If you could have a super power what would it be and why? To be invisible so that I could play pranks on people and get away with it.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? My first trip to Bali, it was amazing to enjoy a drink on the beach and watch the action around you. I loved the food and relaxed culture of the place.

What makes your day? Picking up my son from daycare, playing with him and having fun.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? Not many people know that I have really long and curly hair that reaches down to my legs.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived in Forbes for 3 years. I like the friendly people, laidback atmosphere and the stunning lake around the town.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I work as a veterinary nurse for Lachlan Valley Vets. I enjoy caring for animals daily, regardless of the fact it’s not at all glamorous. I particularly enjoy all aspects of surgery and learning something new every day.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends? I enjoy spending time with family and my other half and love the quality time with my dogs and alpacas. I like to unwind by playing my guitar, cooking and playing music a little too loud.

What are you really good at? I’m awesome at halter training animals and making a pretty decent pork roast.

What is your pet hate? The many negative stigmas attached to mental health.

If you could have a super power what would it be and why? I would love super strength so shearing alpacas and moving heavy animals at work would be a lot easier.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? When I was 16, we snorkelled and spent a day on the water around Magnetic Island. It was so beautiful.

What makes your day? Coming home to my better half, playing with the dogs, listening to Post Malone and a cold beverage in my hand.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? Although we are having a break from it at the moment, I have an alpaca stud with my father. We show, breed, train and shear alpacas in our spare time and I love it.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I grew up on my family’s property at Murga and I had visited Forbes frequently before moving here at the start of this year.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I work at JR Richards in Parkes and I enjoy every day being an adventure, being non-routine and getting to spend it in a truck and meeting other people.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends? I work 6 days a week, so my day off on Sunday is usually spent catching up on sleep, spending time with my girlfriend and the dogs. I also enjoy fishing and being outdoors.

What are you really good at? I enjoy fixing things and getting things running again as I’m pretty mechanically minded.

What is your pet hate? Tomatoes and bad drivers.

If you could have a super power what would it be and why? Time travel so I can get through the few long days at work.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? When I was young, I went to Tangalooma in Queensland and fed wild dolphins. I’m going on holidays next month so I hope it will be memorable as it’s my first holiday in years.

What makes your day? Coming home to a killer dinner from the missus, especially her spag bol and cold beer.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I can do 3 out of 4 skills a country bloke shouldn’t own up to because he’s more than likely to get stuck doing it, which is: shear a sheep, milk a cow and put up a fence. I’m still to learn how to shoe a horse.