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Forbes Phoenix

Our Gal -Coralie Crouch

June 27, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what is the best thing about living here? I came to Forbes in 1968 as an Art teacher. I left in 2000 and we returned to retire here in 2017.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I am now retired but I taught at Forbes High School until 2000 and in Newcastle until 2017. I now work in my pottery studio Serendipity and take occasional classes. What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? I like to read and engage in creative writing. My main passion is pottery and other forms of art. I also play squash and tennis for fun.

What makes you proud? I feel proud when I meet past students who remember the experiences and good times they had in my art lessons.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why? I would be a dog because dogs give the best example of how to behave in a humane manner. Fidelity is their motto.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The opening line is very revealing and still relevant.

What is on your bucket list? My bucket list is to stay active, to continue sharing my pottery knowledge and not to lose my sense of humour.

What are you really good at? I am good at trying to achieve my goals which are to stay healthy and creative.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? My best holiday was when I backpacked with my friend around Europe visiting many famous Art Museums.

What makes your day? My day is made when I share my studio with enthusiastic students and visitors. My other best time is when I have an occasional glass of wine with long time Forbes friends.

Have you used the Forbes Hospital services in the past year?

June 27, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

Shirley Myers: Both my husband and myself have used the Forbes Hospital in the last two months.

 

Fiona Stevenson: No. But I am a member of the Friends of the Forbes Hospital.

 

Grace Dawson: Yes I have. Probably about five months ago I did.

Our Bloke -Callum Newell

June 20, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I’ve lived just out of Forbes for my whole life. There’s always something to keep me busy whether it is at work or on the farm, that is what I like about living here!

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I work at Moxey Farms. I enjoy the challenges of the job and the freedom of not being in an office and the variety of work we do.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends? On weekends I like taking the Harley out for a ride, having a few drinks with mates and occasionally going down the Coast.

What are you really good at? I don’t think I am good at much, but I’d have to say working and annoying my missus!

What is your pet hate? People that dirty my ute or leave the windows down when there’s dust everywhere.

If you could have a super power what would it be and why? To be able to fly so I can get places quicker.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? When I went to Europe for a month last year.

What makes your day? Coming home to a happy house makes my day.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I am mad about trucks.

Our Gal -Jolene Jones

June 13, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what is the best thing about living here? I have lived in Forbes all my life. The best thing about living in Forbes is being able to bring up our children in such a great community with so many of our family and great friends.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I work for the Forbes Shire Council as the Events Officer. I love my job, being a member of the Community & Tourism team allows me to be involved in attracting people to our great town to showcase all our shire has to offer and helping community organisations hold successful events is very rewarding.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? I love spending time with my husband and our four amazing children. Travelling and watching the kids play their sports and catching up with our closest friends and their families.

What makes you proud? My children – We have great schools and sporting organisations in Forbes and I take great pride in my children doing well, either at school or in their chosen sports and activities.

What are you really good at? Planning – I love making schedules for all my family and making sure everyone knows where they need to be and when!

Tell us about your best holiday ever? Sounds boring – but a family holiday to Lake Conjola. We had a lovely cabin on the lake with native birds and kangaroos at our doorstep. The kids loved it and it was very relaxing.

What makes your day? Getting home from work and my 3 year old son rushing to give me a cuddle is a great feeling.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I have Dutch heritage – my Father was born in the Netherlands and moved to Australia as a child and we still have family there.

 

Our Bloke -Clynt Breen

June 6, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

 

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what do you like about living here? I moved here about 13 years ago. I lived here for a couple of years before spending some time in Sydney and then Canberra. I came back to Forbes in 2016.

Where do you work and what do you enjoy most about your work? I am part of the IT team at the Catholic Education Office. It’s a great place to work. There’s a lot of variety in what we do which I like. It’s a relatively new field of work for me and it’s certainly challenging. Occasionally you might have to pretend a little to know what you’re talking about.

What do you do to unwind after work or on weekends? There’s not much unwinding happening at the moment. My four and two-year-old aren’t really interested in it. If I can get one TV show in each night I’m happy.

What are you really good at? Some say I’m an okay guitarist.

What is your pet hate? Our pet. Well, her behaviour anyway. We have a labradoodle. She chews everything. I had about eight pairs of thongs and I’m down to zero.

If you could have a super power what would it be and why? I wouldn’t mind having a photographic memory. That way I might have a shot at winning the occasional argument. I’m often hearing the words “I told you this already”.

Tell us about your best holiday ever? I’d have to say my first road trip to Byron Bay while I was at Uni. A friend and I went up there for the Splendour in the Grass music festival. We did a lot of surfing back then (it was actually bodyboarding but surfing sounds better). There wasn’t much trip planning (we had no accommodation or even tickets), but we survived the week and had a great time.

What makes your day? Seeing my boys sleeping soundly in their beds each night. It makes all the craziness and chaos that led up to it totally worth it.

Our Gal -Imogen Steele

May 30, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

 

How long have you lived in or around Forbes and what is the best thing about living here? I have lived in Forbes all my life and the things I like most about Forbes is the style of the town and all of the great events we can put on and most importantly  friendly people.

Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? I am a student at Forbes High School and am in Year 8, I currently work at the Sweet Three Vintage Van and the Round About Bakery.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? My favourite thing to do when I have free time is horse ride, dance, go for runs with my dog and spend time with my family and friends.

What makes you proud? I’m proud of how I’ve given new things a go and I’m proud to have such good friends and family.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why? I would either be a bird because you can go anywhere you want at any time, or an endurance horse so that I could explore trails and be able to eat a lot.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? My all-time favourite TV show is McLeod’s Daughters and I don’t have one particular favourite song because I love way too many but the oldies are definitely the best!

Tell us about your best holiday ever? My best holiday ever would always be going to Port Macquarie because I don’t only get to go to the beach but I get to see family.

What is on your bucket list? I don’t really have a bucket list but my main priority is to live life to the fullest!!

Our Bloke -Harley Stewart

May 23, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How long have you been living in Forbes and what do you like most about it? I have been living in Forbes for 14 years. I like the slow lifestyle and the friendly atmosphere.
What do you currently do and what do you enjoy about it? I am enjoying retirement.

What is your favourite thing to do when you have free time? I have been running long distance all my life and still run twice per week. I have been learning French for four years. I also enjoy playing croquet and playing 500 at the Men’s Shed.

What makes you proud? My proudest moment was at the Olympic Games in Munich, watching New Zealand winning the gold medal for rowing. I was playing rugby in England and decided to go at the last moment.

If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why? I would choose a cat! You get two meals a day with snacks, a nice bed and with a few gentle purrs you get a cuddle from your carer.

What is your all-time favourite movie, song and/or book, and why? My favourite movie is “An Innocent Man” and my favourite singer is Andrea Bocelli.
Tell us about your best holiday. The best holiday for my wife and I, was taking three generations of family around the Pacific on a cruise for seven days over Christmas.

 

Our Lil’ Gal -Milarni Holmes

May 16, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How old are you? Four.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes? Um… forever.

Who are your parents? Brad and Sam.

Where do you go to school? At preschool.

What do you love most about school? Playing duck duck goose.

What is your favourite sport? Athletics.

What is your favourite food? Chocolate and lollies.

What do you do in your spare time? Play.

If you could have a super power what would it be? Saving people.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I go to Aboriginal dancing with dad. Sometimes but not always.

Our Lil Bloke… Ari Hogan

May 9, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

How old are you? Four.

How long have you lived in or around Forbes? Nine weeks. (Ari was born in Forbes).

Who are your parents? Ash Hogan and Kate… they work all the time.

Where do you go to school? Preschool and Bright Beginnings.

What do you love most about school? Playing outside.

What is your favourite sport? Basketball.

What is your favourite food? Dippin eggs.

What do you do in your spare time? Just play normally.

If you could have a super power what would it be? I want to have a rope and axe so I can get the baddies.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself? I like fishing and when I was three I caught one… just once.

Why is Anzac Day so significant to you?

May 2, 2019 by Maggi Barnard

Kerry Walker: To show respect to family members and other people who have and still are serving in the war.

 

Valerie Ball: To commemorate the sacrifice made by those for our freedom and liberty.

Wilma Hepburn: To honour the soldiers that died in all the wars and to remember them and all the suffering they endured.

 

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