This year’s bushfire season has potential to be especially dangerous according to a UNSW fire expert, who is urging people to get prepared and mitigate the risks. It is forecast the southern hemisphere is entering into an El Niño climate cycle and a surge in global temperatures.

1. Clean out gutters

Leaves and other vegetation can easily accumulate in gutters around your house. Cleaning gutters is one of the main ways to ensure that your house does not catch fire in a bushfire situation.

2. Get your water tank ready

After clearing the gutters, it’s good to hose them with water, which reduces the chances of hot embers sparking a fire. This should also prompt you to ensure you have a reliable supply of water should it be needed to dampen down approaching flames.

3. Clear bushland around your home

This means trimming overhanging trees and shrubs, mowing long grass and removing the cuttings. It’s also important to remove any flammable materials around your house such as outdoor furniture, paint cans, and even door mats.

4. Be evacuation-ready

Have a clear and concise plan to evacuate if conditions become too dangerous. Prepare fully by keeping up to date with local bushfire information via TV, radio, websites, social media, and special apps such as ‘Fires Near Me’.

5. Fireproof your property

Fire retardant paints are available which could prevent your house from being badly damaged or even destroyed in a bushfire. Such paint could help protect you and your family in the house if evacuation from a bushfire proved impossible.

INGREDIENTS

Crust Ingredients

1½ cups roughly chopped dates

½ cup roughly chopped almonds/cashews

½ cup shredded coconut

½ tsp vanilla essence (optional)

2 tbsp melted coconut oil

4 drops Young Living’s Lemon essential oil

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

2 cups raw soaked cashews

½ cup coconut milk

½ cup maple syrup or honey (to taste)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 – 6 drops Young Living’s Lemon essential oil (to taste)

1 cup sliced strawberries 

Strawberries for decorating (optional)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, blend all the crust ingredients together until a sticky dough forms.

2. Press the crust into the bottom of silicone cupcake moulds, then place in the fridge to set while you make the cheesecake filling.

3. To make the filling, blend together all the filling ingredients except for the strawberries in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. You may add more sweetener and/or Lemon essential oil to taste and blend again.

4. Spoon half the mixture (leaving the rest to make the strawberry layer) into the cupcake moulds and smooth leaving room in each mold for the pink strawberry layer.

5. Add the sliced strawberries into the remaining filling mixture and blend until smooth. Spoon the strawberry layer on top of the first layer, smooth the top, add strawberry slices, if using and place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours to overnight.

6. When ready to serve, remove the cheesecakes from the moulds, let them thaw for 5 – 10 minutes and then enjoy! 

If you’re like the rest of us, you’re keen to save money on your power bills! The Forbes Library have stepped in to help, partnering with Forbes Council and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment’s Sustainable Council and Communities Program (SCC) to provide community access to the Save the Power Kit for loan from Forbes Library.

The Save Power Kit provides tools and useful information to help households measure how they use power at home. It also identifies simple actions that households can take to save money, power and reduce impacts on the environment.

The kit can help identify the biggest users of electricity in your home and describes many easy, low cost things we can do at home to use less power and save money on bills, without changing your lifestyle. The Save Power Kit contains: Power-Mate lite, stopwatch, infared thermometer, light meter and thermometer.

The kits come with full instructions, a power mate to test the power use of appliances on stand-by, thermometers to check for drafts and heating and cooling, stopwatch and light meter. Even when an appliance is on standby, it can draw power, adding unnecessary costs to your power bills.

A guide book is included, and there is an action plan to allow each borrower to record results and plan improvements and savings. Best of all, it can be borrowed for free from Forbes Library.

There are 37 Councils across NSW who are members of the program. Call Forbes Library on 6852 1463 to reserve the Save Power Kit.

Flood-impacted residents across the Cabonne Shire can now apply for modular homes, with the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government expanding its temporary accommodation program following last year’s successful caravan rollout.

Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said modular homes are now being installed. “These pods will complement the 110 caravans we already have in place, giving residents more options and more support while they continue their recovery journey.”

“It’s important people remain as close as possible to their own home and connected with their community while they undertake the difficult clean-up and rebuilding process, that’s what the modular homes will allow,” said Steph.

Flood-impacted residents in the Cabonne Shire can apply for the Pods on Private Property Program by visiting their local Recovery Assistance Point, calling Service NSW on 13 77 88 or sending an email to: housingtaskforce@resilience.nsw.gov.au.

Caravans are continuing to be provided through a partnership between the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government and accommodation provider Camplify. Flood-impacted residents who have previously received a caravan and are eligible for a modular home will be able to transition.

More information at: www.nsw.gov.au/floods/recovery/temporary-housing.

Forbes residents will no longer have to worry about disposing of problem waste as the town’s first Community Recycling Centre has opened at Lot 1 Calarie-Daroobalgie Rd, Calarie. 

The centre is the first of its kind in Forbes where residents can drop off paints, oils, gas bottles, fluoro lights, smoke detectors, batteries and other items, free of charge. 

The centre, established with the support of a $93,500 grant from the Environmental Trust, is the 99th facility to open in NSW, joining a network that has to date collected more than 17,000 tonnes of problem waste.

Forbes Mayor Phyllis Miller said the new facility offered a permanent, free drop-off solution, that would make problem waste disposal very convenient for locals. 

“We are very proud that we have been able to bring this new facility to our region and it will no doubt help in the clean-up process with the recent flood event,” Phyllis said. 

“Local residents should check if their flood impacted waste is eligible and are encouraged to use the centre to assist with recovery.” 

The Forbes Community Recycling Centre is purpose-built for residential customers only, and is open 8:30am to 5pm daily. 

The centre accepts household quantities (20kg or 20L) of the following problem wastes for free: water and oil based paint, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, motor oils, other oils, car batteries, household batteries, smoke detectors, fluoro globes and tubes, aerosols. 

For more information visit: www.epa.nsw.gov.au/wastegrants/index.htm

The Local Community Food Drive organised by Woolworths in Forbes and Parkes will help deliver food relief to those experiencing hardship in the lead-up to Christmas. 

The initiative started on Wednesday, and Forbes and Parkes Shire customers are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items. A specially marked Local Community Food Drive trolley has been placed in each store, and donated items can include: breakfast cereals, pasta, rice and instant noodles, canned fish or meat, spreads (peanut butter, honey, jam); and baked beans and spaghetti. 

Food insecurity is a harsh reality for many Australians with more than half a million households struggling to meet food needs, and more than two million households having gone hungry in the last 12 months, according to the 2022 FoodBank Hunger Report. 

Within these households, the number of children affected has increased by 100,000, resulting in 1.3 million children grappling without having food on their plate. 

Woolworths stores are working closely with local food charities to ensure Forbes and Parkes Shire residents in need will receive the donated items, along with fresh food to the value of $250 in time for the upcoming festive season. 

The Food Drive is a frontline community effort to help provide a solution for hunger relief, which has been exacerbated by the rising cost of living and changes in household living arrangements. 

“We’re asking Forbes and Parkes Shire customers who are in a position to do so, to join us in donating to the Woolworths Local Community Food Drive on their next grocery shop, by simply adding non-perishable items to our trolleys. By making a small donation, you will be helping the wellbeing of our local community, providing them with the essentials they need,” said the managers of the two stores. 

Customers can donate in-store until 15th November.

There are 30,000 species of native orchids in Australia and some of them can be found in the Central West in areas like Weddin Mountains and Mount Canobolas.

These were some of the amazing facts presented to members at the Forbes Garden Club’s July meeting with guest speaker Colin Bower from Orange who is an entomologist and botanist.

He captivated the 39 people at the meeting with his presentation about insects and orchids, and explained that orchids often take their names from their appearance, such as ‘bearded’, and ‘ducks’.

Colin also delivered a serious talk on pollination, and in thanking him Meg spoke of the humorous side of the sexual behaviour of bees.

The club’s bi-annual flower show will take place on 15th October, and members are encouraged to support the event with an entry. Volunteers are also required on the day, as well as seedlings and cuttings for the plant stall. Donations for the raffle which can be bought along to the next meeting at the home of Trudy & Mark Mallick at 16 Greens Road. In the event of wet weather, the meeting will be held at Northside Chapel in Johnson Street.

The club’s garden trip is on 19th September to Mayfield Garden. The cost is $60 payable at our August meeting, and includes coach travel and entry to the gardens. Please bring your own lunch.

A special thank you to all who participated in th flower of the month competition. First place went to Max Swift with a spectular Camellia. The second and third places were also Camellias and went to Pam Bass and Margaret Swift. 

The raffle was won by Sylvia Glasson, and the second prize by Irene Ford.

Now is a good time to start tidying up in the garden as spring is just around the corner.

By Sweet Pea

 

Check if receipts are thermal. Run your fingernail firmly across the paper and if its thermal it will leave a mark. Make sure you check both the front and back side of the receipt. 

Thermal receipts cannot be recycled. The ink used on the ‘thermal’ type paper contains BPA (now banned in specific types of plastic) and is tricky to remove during the recycling process. Due to the type of ink used that contains BPA it is easily transferrable and contaminates what it comes into contact with. 

Unfortunately thermal receipts need to go into general waste, or you can refuse receipts and ask the business to email them if you need to keep them for record purposed.