More than 500 wines from across NSW and the ACT will be judged when the 34th NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show gets underway in Forbes later this month.

This year 511 entries from 95 wineries have been received, exceeding expectations ahead of judging, which starts on Monday, 24 August.

The show’s entries showcase wines from a broad range of wine regions throughout NSW and the ACT, providing judges with an extensive field of wines across multiple classes.

Returning as Chair of Judges is Mark Richardson, Senior Winemaker with Tyrrell’s Wines in the Hunter Valley, who will lead the judging panel throughout the three-day show.

Wine lovers will also have the opportunity to sample the entries during the annual Public Tasting at the Forbes Town Hall on Friday, 28 August from 6.30pm. Tickets are $40 per person which also includes finger food throughout the evening.

The NSW Small Winemakers Wine Show will conclude with the Gourmet Wine Dinner at Club Forbes on Saturday, 19 September, commencing at 7pm. Guests will enjoy a four-course menu matched with a selection of this year’s trophy winning wines. Tickets for the Gourmet Wine Dinner are available for $130 per person.

You can save $10 if you buy Public Tasting and Gourmet Wine Dinner tickets in one transaction. Tickets are available at www.123tix.com.au/events/53915/nswsmall-winemakers-wine-show.

For more information call 0418 237 051

This is a call out to all story lovers to join Parkes Shire Library for National Simulta­neous Storytime 2026 (NSS) as we come together to read Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller on Wednesday, 27 May 2026 at 12pm.

Parkes Shire Library is proud to be part of this much-loved national tradition for its 26th year, hosting a free event featuring a live performance of this year’s chosen book, Luna Roo the Kangaroo Baller.

Written by football veterans Adam Jack­son and Adrian Lloyd, and illustrated by Jake Minton, the story follows rookie cap­tain Luna Roo as she leaves nothing on the pitch while leading FC Outback in a thrilling face-off against Bush United. Faced with a spider goalkeeper, snakes in attack and bubbling nerves, Luna must trust her skills and her teammates to soar to victory. Luna Roo theKangaroo Baller captures the ex­citement of the game while sharing a heart­warming message about courage, team­work and determination.

“Come and cheer for Luna Roo as she finds her inner strength on the field in this energetic underdog story,” said Parkes Shire Council’s Cultural, Education and Li­brary Services Manager, Kerryn Jones.

NSS is held annually. Each year, a picture book written and illustrated by Australian creators is read simultaneously in librar­ies, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other locations across the nation.

To join the live performance at Parkes Shire Library, RSVP via events.humanitix.com/national-simultaneous-storytime-2026-parkes-library or contact the Library on 6861 2309. A reminder that the Peak Hill Library will celebrate National Simultaneous Storytime on Tuesday, 26 May at 11:30am with an extra special Storytime planned for local families.

Agricultural machinery owners and opera­tors are invited to pick up a free “Moving Harvest Machinery” USB from all agricul­tural machinery retailers and rural supply stores in the Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shires areas. The USBs will also be availa­ble at the Councils’ Administration Offices.

The ‘Moving Harvest Machinery’ USBs contain all the relevant notices for safely and legally moving agricultural machinery, combinations and trucks on the road, along with other useful information.

Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Coun­cils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor, said the Councils develop and distribute the USBs each year to help farmers and contract harvesters have all the relevant information at their fingertips – and they are usually extremely popular.

“Safety and compliance during the busy harvest period is very important. Operators need to be aware of their responsibilities and ensure that all warning devices and travel requirements are adhered to. Regu­lations do change and these USBs help to ensure that people have up to date infor­mation.

“The USB contains the relevant notices, operator guides and other useful informa­tion. The USB also contains a live “link’s” document, which provides the web address for the documents on the USB and other useful tools and information. It is advisable to regularly check the National Heavy Ve­hicle Regulator’s website (www.nhvr.gov.au) for updated notices and/or changes to operating conditions,” Ms Suitor said.

There are over 800 USBs available – so call into your local agricultural machinery retailer, rural supply store or the Parkes, Forbes or Lachlan Shire Council Adminis­tration Offices to collect yours before they are gone.

“This year we also have a limited num­ber of windscreen stickers to give away.

You can attach these to your machinery as a quick reference guide for travel require­ments such as pilots, lights and signage.”

Ms Suitor said.

Aussie Croquet was played on Saturday 30 August, with only 10 in attendance. Only the bravest played because of the cold winds. However those who played enjoyed the morning despite the cold.

All three games were won by Rex Toole whilst two game winners were Russell An­derson, Cheryl Toohey, Peter West and Elvy Quirk. Well done to those players.

On Tuesday 2 September Golf Croquet was played with 38 in attendance. It was a beautiful spring day, and it was great to see Marie Spry back playing after a break away.

A gentle reminder that the Annual Gen­eral Meeting is coming around during Octo­ber and please take time to think what posi­tions you would like to hold for the coming year. Membership renewals of $20.00 are due before 30 September.

Spring is here and the weather is getting much better so should you be interested in a game of croquet, then come down to Hal­pins Flat on a Tuesday by 9.15am and you can try your luck, whilst being paired with an experienced player to get to know the ins- and-outs of the game.

By Elvy Quirk.

A Coalition Government will triple capacity at the new Eugowra Children’s Community Centre in long day care, increasing avail­able places for 0-5 year-olds from 15 chil­dren to 45 children.

Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud said the Coalition would deliver $1 million to fully fund the long day care component of the new Eugowra Children’s Community Centre, ensuring local families have child­care availability and affordability.

“This exciting announcement is about making sure Eugowra families – who’ve al­ready been through so much – can access quality childcare close to home,” Mr Little­proud said.

“We know regional childcare isn’t just about affordability but availability. Increas­ing placements to an extra 30 children in long day care is significant and will help many families in Eugowra.

The new facility will replace the temporary modular building that’s been in use since the devastating 2022 floods and marks a major step forward in Eugowra’s recovery.

The Nationals candidate for Calare Sam Farraway said the announcement was a huge win for local families. “I’m proud to announce that the final million dollars has been secured to fully fund the long day care component of the new Eugowra Children’s Centre.

“Access to childcare shouldn’t be a bar­rier for any family. This investment means Eugowra’s youngest residents have a safe, modern place to learn and grow, while giv­ing local parents the chance to work, study and contribute to their community. Getting Eugowra back on track means backing families,” Mr Farraway said.

The Elvis Festival in Parkes, renowned for its vibrant celebration of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, will see SEQ-based musician Rheanna Leschke on the Cambridge Hotel outdoor stage. With her signature blend of pop, rock ‘n’ roll, and country, Rheanna is very excited to be back, as a band, at the Cambridge Hotel, with their good vibes and enthusiasm.

“I love the energy in Parkes for the Elvis Festival,” says Leschke. “The people here really make it something special. The fa­miliar faces I see in the audience and new faces in the crowd when I’m playing, put sparkles in my heart.”

Having shared the stage with some of Australia’s music icons, including Normie Rowe, Pixie Jenkins and Carter & Carter, Rheanna has continually impressed audi­ences with her smooth tone, soulful de­livery, and engaging performances. Her strong musical roots, deep connection to her audience and a growing body of origi­nal work, makes Rheanna an artist for mu­sic listeners and lovers of all ages.

Her original compositions have been fi­nalists in the Tamworth Songwriters Asso­ciation Competition, reflecting her skill as a writer and performer.

This March, Rheanna is set to release her own original music, marking an excit­ing new chapter in her career. “It has been a journey bringing my music to life. I’m so excited for the upcoming release and I’m stoked for when everyone will be able to hear it too.”

Rheanna Leschke is proudly endorsed by ProMusicAustralia. Make sure to catch her at the Cambridge Hotel, find her and follow on @rheannaleschke instagram/fa­cebook — stop by and say hello!

The Homegrown Parkes event is an op­portunity for local and regional businesses and individuals who are processing, repur­posing, sewing, propagating or producing fabulous local products, to share their skill and products with the community.

Homegrown Parkes was recently award­ed the Community Spirit and Inclusion Award at the 2024 Keep Australia Beautiful Tidy Towns NSW Awards.

Demonstrations will again be one of the highlights of the 2025 events, highlighting processes for using locally produced food and products with the aim of encouraging locals to grow produce in their own back­yard – or at least increase their conscious­ness of food miles and purchasing locally.

Education is an important part of Home­grown Parkes, encouraging our commu­nity to grow and prepare their own produce and supporting local and regional small businesses is an important element of the event. The inclusion of a Crop Swap at the event allows locals to share excess pro­duce and encourage others.

Homegrown Parkes will provide an op­portunity for visitors and locals to fill their Saturday in Parkes with plenty of good food and local produce! The autumn event will be held on Saturday, 29 March and the Spring event will be held on Saturday, 11 October. These events are being held be­tween 9am and 2pm in Cooke Park.

The Homegrown Parkes Committee, consists of members of Central West La­chlan Landcare, Parkes Community Arts and Parkes Shire Council.

If you are interested in joining us for ei­ther Homegrown Parkes events, make sure you follow our social media, find out more information via our website at https://cen­tralwestlachlanlandcare.org/get-involved/homegrown-parkes/ or contact Marg Ap­plebee on 0418 611 053 or homegrown­parkes@gmail.com

This National Bullying No Way Week (12th-16th August), Triple P is reminding the community to help children stay safer online and stop cyberbullying before it impacts children.

Carol Markie-Dadds, Triple P International Country Director, high­lighted the urgency of this issue, noting Triple P’s largest-ever sur­vey of parents and carers found 8 out of 10 parents are concerned about keeping children safe from online dangers like cyberbullying.

“Bullying, whether it’s online through text or social media, or in person, has a significant impact on children’s emotional and physi­cal health, and puts children at greater risk of mental health con­cerns, like anxiety or depression,” Ms Markie-Dadds said.

Delivery of the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program to parents and carers of children in Australia is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. Par­ents and carers can access free, online parenting support 24/7 at triplep-parenting.net.au