Louise loves to inspire

• Former Condobolin resident, Louise Perram-Fisk, has been awarded the prestigious Silver Medallion for Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award.

By Sally Willoughby.
Former Condobolin resident, Louise Perram-Fisk, was honoured with the prestigious Silver Medallion for Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award in Queensland on Monday as part of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women’s International Women’s Day celebrations.
The Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award (AWWA) was developed to recognise individuals who are leading the way in reducing gender disparity, promoting equity and women’s advancement in the workplace.
Driven by a commitment she made at the QBR Queensland Business Woman of the Year 2008 awards to give back to other women and enable those who are hampered by location or roles significant employment opportunities, Louise devised a mentoring program titled the Inspiring Women Series to empower women to be the best they can at both a personal and professional level.
As Director at the Department of Transport and Main Roads within the Queensland Government, Louise said such an award was important to showcase and reflect on the achievements of women in the workplace.
“It is a great honour to be named among the cohort of amazing women addressing gender diversity issues across Australia,” Louise said.
“It has been and continues to be a privilege to be a champion for women who may not have a voice, or an opportunity.
“This is certainly just the beginning of a journey by myself and others to build on the work done by our mothers and grandmothers before us, and support each other moving ahead,” she said.
Louise, who was born in Condobolin, said one of the key features of her program was its ability to be accessed by women in regional and remote areas across Queensland with 37% of participants from those areas.
Louise’s Inspiring Women Series covers subjects including personal branding, strategy for life and career, taking calculated risks, striking the balance and raising your visibility and selling yourself and comes as a self-paced 12 week program.
Launching in May 2009, 409 women have graduated from the Inspiring Women Series with another 400 who commenced in February and a further 400 due to commence in May and August.

Rex displays Creative Genius

For 111 years, the district exhibits have been a magnet for visitors to the Sydney Royal Easter Show with a large percentage of over 900,000 Show patrons passing through the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome to witness the five colourful and artistic displays of produce from throughout NSW and South East Queensland.
This year, Condobolin’s Rex Press will be the creative genius behind the Western District Exhibit (WDE), since his appointment late last year as designer of that display.
Towards the end of last year the WDE committee approached all show societies within its district with their annual appeal for produce and volunteers for the 2010 exhibit and at the same time also sought applications from a new designer.
Rex, a member of Condobolin’s show committee, was immediately interested in the project and presented a proposed design to the WDE committee who sought someone with “a natural artistic flair, a talent in graphic design or architecture or just an enthusiasm for working with natural produce on a very big scale.”
And a very big scale it will indeed be – the exhibits are 17 metres wide at the back wall with a depth of 10 metres and incorporate more than 100 different types of produce including fresh and preserved fruit, vegetables, wool, grains, hay, grasses, wine and smallgoods.
The massive displays, the largest in the world, are made with over 10,000 pieces of fresh produce and as well, fresh produce from the exhibits can be purchased daily.
All produce displayed in the WDE is sourced from the western district which extends from Windsor to Broken Hill and Coonabarabran to Forbes.
Secretary for the WDE committee, Alan Smith, said “The biggest challenge is to incorporate the produce into the design.
“It’s a unique artistic opportunity to work in a format with material you wouldn’t normally use.”
Rex’s role, having submitted his design, is now to be available for working bees to provide guidance on construction over the coming weeks and on a full-time basis in the 10 days prior to the opening of this year’s Royal Easter Show.
The WDE committee is always looking for volunteers to assist with manning the exhibit, even if just for a short time – it’s a great way to be part of a major event and chat with Show patrons as they pass by the displays and also to promote this region of the State. If you feel you may have a little time to spare while at this year’s Royal Easter Show, contact Carol-Ann Malouf (ph 6895 2274) for further information.

Revolution begins

• Above: The digital revolution: Daniel Patton and Jackson Anderson were working hard in their lunchbreak last week.

By Sally Willoughby
A new era of learning and teaching is sweeping through Condobolin High School with Year 10 students receiving a mini laptop as part of the government’s pledge to give every year 9 to 12 student a computer.
CHS Digital Education Revolution Technical Support Officer, Bob Gill, said the laptops come with a wireless connection and $5000 worth of software including the full version of Microsoft Office, Adobe programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver and Flash CS4 Professional.
“These programs give the students access to more technically advanced programs which will help them study more efficiently,” Bob said.
Access to the advanced software is designed to enable students to assist with assignments and take notes in class as well as create videos, edit photos and make presentations for class assignments and projects.
The software provided also gives students access to programs commonly found in the modern office workplace which could aid easier transition into full time employment.
Each laptop has filters to block inappropriate material from websites.
With teachers also receiving laptops as part of the initiative, Deputy Principal, Robyn Walsh, said the old days of chalk and talk are over with a new era of teaching taking place.
“These computers are as much a teaching tool as they are a learning tool,” Robyn said.
“We have interactive whiteboards that are a projection of the computer and teachers are utilizing certain websites within the subject context that the whole class can look at and work with in class time,” she said. It is anticipated Year 9 will receive their laptops by the end of term two this year.

Wyangala Update

Wyangala Dam currently sits at 7.7% (as of 8 February) facilitated by rainfall in early February which saw 37 giga litres inflow into the dam.
The Office of Water’s released March communiqué states that inflows into the Lachlan River downstream of Wyangala Dam from tributaries and local runoff from heavy rains have provided approximately 43 GL which will ensure that flows will reach the bottom end of the river.
The communiqué also stated that Booberoi Creek received good inflows from the February rainfall which allowed the downstream two thirds of the creek to flow and provided an opportunity to divert more water into the upper reach of Booberoi Creek for stock and domestic supplies.
As a result of these increased inflows downstream of Wyangala Dam, releases from the dam have been reduced to around 250 to 300 mega litres a day.

Rotary provides funding boost for CareWest Lodge

• Rotarians Michael Timmins and Dave Carter present CareWest Lodge Fundraising committee member Kim Jones with their donation.

By Sally Willoughby.
The Condobolin room of the two million dollar Care West Lodge in Orange received a boost last week with Rotary donating funds to the facility that will house cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment and their carers.
In their second donation to the Care West Lodge, Rotary made a contribution of $2280 which they raised as a commission in conjunction with Forbes Rotary for selling tickets in a car raffle.
Member of the Condobolin Care West Lodge Fundraising Committee, Kim Jones said that Rotary’s donation brought Condobolin’s efforts that much closer to their $50000 goal.
“With this donation we have raised $28000 which is a significant amount and we hope the cancer fundraising dinner in May will further that,” Kim said.
Care West Lodge started as an initiative through CENTROC who lobbied to have radiotherapy services in Orange to assist affected people from having to travel to Sydney for treatment.
“Once the radiotherapy service was committed to we decided to fundraise for accommodation to go with the radiation service,” Kim said.
The total funds raised across the CENTROC region is one million dollars, halfway to the two million dollars it will cost for the overall facility.