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Forbes Phoenix

Our Gal – Deanna Williams

February 14, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have lived here for three years and my husband and I lived 60km outside of Forbes for 33 years. I like the people; I’m a country girl and I love the country and I really enjoy our dragon boat club.

What was your first job? I did my nurses training at St Vincent’s in Sydney and we were paid for it back then, so that was my first job.

What makes you laugh the most? My grandchildren make me laugh.

If money were no object, what would you do with your time? Travel and see Australia in the caravan.

Describe your dream holiday? Travelling around Australia in the caravan with an open-ended date, coming home whenever I wanted to.

What is a favourite childhood memory of yours? Our family holidays with my father, mother and siblings. Swimming in the dam and doing farm work. Hayrides and swimming in Manor Creek every New Year’s Day. Attending debutante balls and getting dressed up.

If you could live in any time or place, where and when would that be? I don’t think I’d live anywhere else but Australia, and now is fine, I’m happy with where and when I am. I would like more time though, life has become so busy.

If you could share a meal with any three people, past or present, who would they be? Geoff, my husband. I’d also love to share a meal with a couple of old nursing friends.

Our Bloke – Patrick Sukkar

February 7, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I have been here for eight years, it’s a good balance between a quiet town with plenty to do.

What was your first job? I was a kitchen hand, helping my mum in a Lebanese restaurant.

What makes you laugh the most? My wife Sienna does, she’s got a really positive outlook.

If money was no object, what would you do with your time? I’d probably study philosophy and hang out with my mates.

Describe your dream holiday? A place that has warm water, no sharks or box jellyfish or anything that can kill me in the water. Where I can lay in the sun without being sunburnt.

What is a favourite childhood memory of yours? I used to play cricket with my dad, I normally don’t like cricket, but I enjoyed playing it with my dad.

If you could live in any time or place, where and when would that be? I wish I was born in America right after WWII. I think the 50’s and 60’s would have been a great era to live in with all of the social and technological changes and innovations. It was the perfect time to be an engineer.

If you could share a meal with any three people, past or present, who would they be? I’d love to have lunch with my two best friends Peter and Michael.

Our Gal – Sienna Sukkar

January 31, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I’ve been here for three years. I like the convenience of everything.

What was your first job? I worked in a fish and chip shop on the promenade in Blackpool, England.

What makes you laugh the most? My 18-month-old daughter, she’s a lunatic.

If money was no object, what would you do with your time? I’d spend my time travelling the world and I’d hire a nanny to come with me and take care of the kids.

Describe your dream holiday? I’d like to go back to America with my husband Patrick and our kids and take a campervan on Route 66.

What is a favourite childhood memory of yours? Riding my horses and being at the stables with all my horse friends.

If you could live in any time or place, where and when would that be? I’m quite happy with when I’m living now and I like living in Australia.

If you could share a meal with any three people, past or present, who would they be? Manu, Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver so that they can make me an amazing dinner.

Our Bloke – Father Simon Apablaza

January 24, 2020 by Maggi Barnard

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.

Our Gal – Alexandria Irvine

December 20, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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.

Our Bloke – Neil Gilmour

December 13, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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.

Our Gal – Melissa Brown

December 6, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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.

Our Bloke – Jack Buckley

November 29, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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.

Our Gal – Tracey Herden

November 22, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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

November 15, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

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.

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