Pam and Mal Nankivell:
Pam: I was only 13 and at boarding school at SCEGGS Moss Vale. There was great excitement and we went over to Tudor House, the preparatory school for Kings, and celebrated there.
Mal: I was in the Sydney South telephone exchange when the news broke and everyone in the city went mad. So did the phone calls! I went down to watch the gauge that monitored the number of calls and when it went on to the red, which happened very quickly – the danger line of course, they cut off all the lines except for the essential ones and the ones in public phones. After that I went outside into the crowd where I was swept along up to Macquarie Street and retreated into the Mitchell Library.
What do you remember about the day WW11 ended?
Kathleen Hutchison (with her husband Keith on their honeymoon at Sydney Central Station in June 1948):
I was 21 years old and living with my parents and two younger sisters. My older brother was serving in the forces. I vividly remember the day WWII ended. It was 15th August, which was the feast of the Assumption. I went with my girlfriends to mass in Griffith, a four mile bike ride from my home in Hanwood.
After mass we heard that the war had ended. We didn’t have to go to work as the shops had closed for the day. People gathered around the town, it was an exciting day. A wealthy man in Hanwood had been preparing for the end of the war and held a huge bonfire where everyone gathered to celebrate. Mr McWilliams of McWilliams Wines provided the wine for the festivities. Soldiers started coming home soon afterwards. The war years were very sad with many families losing family members.
I also remember food coupons being used to purchase the basic foods. Soldiers would travel by train from Temora to Griffith from all around the place and the girls loved going to the “two bob dances”. The soldiers were great dancers.
Warwick Tom:
Friday, 14th August 1945. I attended Parkes Primary School as usual and was in year 6, the year before progressing to high school. The school had installed radios for class lessons but this morning was to be a special broadcast, the announcement of the end of the war. We had already absorbed the fact that Japan had been hit with two atomic bombs but the announcement that they had surrendered still came as a surprise. The whole school paraded out on the playground cheering as many of the bells around town rang out. For a 12-year-old it was quite a day, needless to say we all had the rest of the day off.
What is the best thing you’ve done in your life?
Stephanie Fleming (5) and Sophie Haench (4)
Stephanie: I went on holiday on a house boat! Sophie: Playing with my dad and my brother Cooper.
Hudson Grey (4); Emmett Butler (3) and Benjamin Doughty (3)
Hudson: Playing with mum and dad and going on bike rides. Emmett: Going to the beach and for a boat ride. Benjamin Doughty: Going into a really high building to see my mum.
What did you enjoy playing in the school holidays?
Mason Wright (almost 3): I like the dinosaurs game I play with my brother. I like to roar like T-Rex!
Robert Ryan (6): Playing games with my friends like Duck, Duck Goose. Hide and Seek is my favourite. We also made up our own games.
Joshua Wright (6): I like playing Fortnite, the dinosaur game outside with my little brother, and the security game with my Mum before bed time, when I am in charge.
Who is your soccer hero or who inspires you to play?
Hayley Lawrence (9): My best friend Lyla. She’s not scared to get in there. Also my dad who played indoor soccer. I enjoy all sports.
Ryan Went (8): Ronaldo, because he has cool tricks. I like running around and kicking the ball, and would like to play like Ronaldo one day.
Makayla Soane (13): I like anyone who really gets into playing and who has good technique. I enjoy soccer to help me stay active, and have played it for about seven years.
Tell us about your dream car
Keith Turk: I has to be my Kia Sportage… just kidding. It is the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, because it was in Smokey and the Bandit.
Nevill Trainor: I am a car collector and have a shed full of them. One of my favourites is the 1972 Holden Torana GTR XU-1, but my best one is the Holden VK Brock Commodore.
Kevin Clark: I like the cars that came out when I grew up, like the Holden EH and the Mini Cooper S. I have owned both of these cars.
Do you prefer country living or city life?
Sue Ridley: I’ve been in Parkes all my life. It is just quieter and not a rat race. My extended family are here too.
Jack and Carmel van der Helm: We are originally from Parkes, but have been living in Melbourne for the past 47 years. We enjoy the peace and quiet, clean air and close proximity of everything in country towns, as well as cheaper real estate.
Kerry Buerckner: You could never pay me enough money to live in a city! It is more relaxed in the country. City people are so rushed. I was born in Parkes and love it here.
What is your message to the public during these turbulent times?
Chief Inspector David Cooper, Central West Police District
Chief Inspector David Cooper, Central West Police District: This year has certainly been one of challenges – as we all battled our way through a devastating drought and then the catastrophic bushfires – we thought things were finally starting to look up. Then COVID-19 hit and life has not been the same since. What these things have really shown is that our communities are adaptive, strong and resilient. What was considered “normal” in our day-to-day lives may never be the same again, but we have all managed to adapt and change the way we do things.
Internationally the “Black Lives Matter” movement has come to the fore and has brought with it many conversations. The actions of some police from overseas, as portrayed in the media, appear abhorrent. What I can say is that the police in Parkes support our community because they are part of the community. Our police and community relations are strong and have been built over many years. Police rely on the community for their support just as much as the community relies on police to maintain law and order. I look forward to continue working with the community as we move forward and face the challenges together.
What did you get up to during COVID-19 isolation that was memorable or enjoyable?
Dorothea Tom OAM: Out on the farm life went on as usual pretty much, but I did a lot more cooking and reading. I love reading and as the library was closed, I got into all the books I haven’t read for 30 years!
Bruce Prior: I kept on doing my two shifts per week on Valley FM, and ‘the bride’ and I did a lot of behind the scenes work at the Henry Parkes Historical Museum. It was a different kind of trip, as we will not be pulling the caravan out this year.
Rosemary Prior: I spent most of my time at the Henry Parkes Historical Museum where we had lots of archived ‘Pandora’s boxes’ to be opened and sorted. We found some amazing treasures, including a beautifully preserved sheep skin vest worn by a digger in World War I. This will soon go on display.
What role can we all play in national reconciliation?
Geoff Anderson: The current events in the USA are driven by separation and degradation of knowledge of people’s culture and a loss of cultural understanding of where people are from. This has led to many years of tension festering to a point of this eruption. Here in Parkes we teach our students the history of Australia and around Parkes. The students understand the history and whether they are Aboriginal or not they all understand and respect the land and the culture. By teaching language and culture, you’re teaching respect.
Sean James Cassidy: Help each other and acknowledge the past – the bad and the good.
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