Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced a joint Commonwealth and State Government disaster recovery package this week, which includes $50,000 Small Business Grants. 

“We congratulate both the Federal and State Governments for moving so swiftly to ensure the Small Business Grant is announced and launched and we are particularly pleased to see that the first $25,000 will be paid out quickly” said Vicki Seccombe, Regional Director – Western NSW, Business NSW. 

“Central West businesses are incredibly resilient but these floods have really affected so many businesses and these grants will provide them with the support they need to get the doors back open and running.” 

Forbes Floods Donations and Help 

Forbes Shire Council has set up a GIVIT donation page to match you up with people who need help. If you want to donate go to www.givit.org.au/donate-items. If you need help call 1300 585 054 or email givit@forbes.nsw.gov.au 

Service NSW 

If you need to replace your licence, birth, death or marriage certificates after the flood, Service NSW has set up a mobile service in the Lawler Street car park to immediately help residents. This service will be available from 9am – 4pm until today (Friday) and will then be in the Recovery Assistance hub in the Town Hall concourse from Monday. 

The Forbes community is encouraged to let their imagination go in creating entries for the 10th Christmas Tree Festival next month.

Rotary Ipomoema has confirmed that the 10th Christmas Tree Festival will be taking place as planned from Friday, 2nd December to Sunday, 4th December.

All entries need to be delivered to the Forbes Town Hall from 7am on Friday, 2nd December.

Anyone can enter. No matter how big or small, your entry will brighten our community at this time when the spirit of Christmas is really needed.

Your tree could reflect your organisation, the festive season or have a Christmas message. There are no restrictions. A sewing group could decorate their tree with patch work decorations, for example. A school or pre-school can make paper decorations for a tree, while a choir could decorate a tree with musical notes or carols. A sporting group could make lots of ball shapes in Christmas colours. Welders may wish to weld a tree, or builders may like to nail up an entry. The possibilities are endless. 

The trees will be open for viewing from Friday afternoon and throughout the weekend. By coming to see the Christmas Tree Festival you will also assist Rotary raising important funds to share within our community at this time of need.

For more information call 0427 201 445 or 6851 5197.

Good news from Forbes High School is that six students and staff left for Sydney on Tuesday to take part in the School Spectacular Extravaganza. The group used the rest of the week for dress rehearsals and will be doing two performances today and two tomorrow. A bus load of students will also be going to Sydney today to watch the performance. On the photo are (L-R) Emma Dick, Angus Carpenter, Sarah-Jane Sullivan, Chloe Cowell, Logan Harvey and Hailey Mckeon Ovington.

The Trees are out. Each participating business will have a wonderful timber Christmas Tree out the front of their business or close to their front door. 

“We are so pleased to be able to offer $20 000 in prizes this year,” said Aaron Acheson of the Forbes Business Chamber. “It has been a tough year so the Forbes Business Chamber is delighted to have kept the draws to encourage local shopping.”

Due to the floods and businesses needing to clean up, the draws will begin on Thursday, 1st December with the first $500 being electronically drawn. Please make sure that your electronic entry is filled out correctly. All you need to do is scan the QR Code and fill in the details. There are 7 x $500 up until Christmas Eve and then 10 X $500, 1 x $1500, 2 x $2500 and 1 x $5000 which will be drawn on 24th December. 

Major sponsors and participants: Forbes Shire Council and Forbes Business Chamber. Gold Sponsor – Bernardis, Silver Sponsors -Terry Bros Carpet Court and the Forbes Phoenix. Bronze Sponsors – Flannery’s Pharmacy, Gunn’s Menswear and Embroidery, MD Steel, Steele Technology, Walkers Ag N Vet and WA Knights. “All the sponsors will have a QR code for you to scan when you shop in their business.” For those people who don’t have a phone, there will be a sign-on-sheet. Your details will be entered manually prior to each drawer.

Participating businesses: All of the above plus Acheson’s Mite 10, Allure On Main, Blue Sky Outdoors, Betta Home Living, Blush Organics, Bowns Sports Power, Brons Hair Design, ChapterTwo, Forbes Automotive Services, Forbes Central Butchery, Forbes Small Engines, HelloWorld, Hozpots Garden Centre, Isabel’s Place, Jessica’s Beauty, Life Pharmacy, Little Extra’s Lifestyle, Loomzys Fish n Fix, Made Of Fridays, McMillian Industries, News On Rankin, Phillip Wells Optometrist, Robbs Jewellers, The Bakehouse, The Book Dispensary, Turners Furniture One and Undercover Sleepwear and Lingerie.

“We hope the Find It In Forbes Christmas Promotion and Christmas Carnival will bring some fun and happiness to all,” said Aaron.

Forbes Christmas Carnival on 9th December from 5 – 9pm.

The Globe Hotel was surrounded by flood water on Wednesday morning. (Photos: Forbes Shire Council Facebook page)

Less than two weeks after the worst flood in decades, Forbes residents watched the water rise again this week to flood levels predicted to reach the record of 1952. 

At the time of going to print the water had already gone past the previous week’s levels and was on its way to the predicted 10.8m. On Wednesday morning about two-thirds of the town was inundated. 

“Residents can’t believe it could happen twice in such a short period of time, but they are resilient and everyone was working to fill sandbags,” Forbes Shire Mayor Phyllis Miller told ABC TV on Tuesday morning. “This is the worst flood I’ve ever seen. It is really heartbreaking. Our farming community and businesses are suffering terribly. We’ve got the Newell Highway closed, it’s terrible for the economy of a small rural town.” 

Residents poured their hearts out on social media echoing the Mayor’s feelings. A post by Forbes Medicine & Mind read: “It’s really cruel doing this again 11 days after the last flood. There is so much uncertainty. So much destruction already and we know there is still so much more water to come. There is so much loss. So much grief.” 

The RFS had to rescue 14 people from the roof of the Plainsmans Hotel in Forbes overnight on Tuesday, while an elderly couple, their daughter and their two dogs were rescued by a helicopter when their home was threatened by rising waters. 

The SES again had to transfer critical health workers to the hospital via boat as it was the only means for them to get to work. 

Recovery work from the previous flood was also hampered on Monday when the Newell Highway was closed between Forbes and Parkes and emergency crews could not make it to town. The rescue helicopters were also stuck at the Parkes airport as the Billabong Creek bridge was badly damaged in flash flooding at Parkes early Monday morning. 

NSW SES and the NSW Police Force are advising if you or your family have been displaced from your home due to flooding, it is important to register your details at Register Find Reunite website –https://register.redcross.org.au/ – a national system managed andoperated by Australian Red Cross. The service registers, finds andreunites family, friends and loved ones after an emergency, let others know they are safe.

In a life threatening emergency ring 000.You can also register at Forbes Evacuation Centre on 0476 978 072 or through the SES on 132 500.