COMMUNITY STATEMENT JULY 2019 This statement captures the values and insights shared by Parkes locals, landowners and businesses. It has helped shape the draft master plan for the Parkes Special Activation Precinct. PLACE Master plan and precinct boundaries Relationship to town and Parkes is centrally located, we’ve surrounding farmlands Aboriginal cultural heritage got rail, we’ve got road, we’ve got ENVIRONMENT Biodiversity regional production and we’ll be Sustainability Trees and planting able to capitalise on these things. CONNECTIVITY Roads and rail Geoff Rice Water and waste water Energy and digital connectivity Pedestrian and cycling routes BUILT FORM AND LANDSCAPE Design principles for the look, feel and amenity Public spaces LAND USE AND INDUSTRY Designated sub-precincts for different uses Business attraction and investment Relationship between different industry types SPECIAL ACTIVATION PRECINCT PARKES COMMUNITY STATEMENT | 2 It’s a matter of taking the opportunity to use what we’ve got and use it in a different way. Geoff Rice GEOFF RICE Acknowledgement of Country LANGLANDS HANLON, PRESIDENT PARKES BUSINESS CHAMBER We acknowledge the Wiradjuri people who For the past fourteen years, Geoff and his Geoff and Renee have a nine-year-old daughter are the traditional land owners of the Parkes wife Renee have owned Langlands Hanlon, a and they would like her to have educational Region. The Wiradjuri is the largest Aboriginal livestock station and real-estate agency, right opportunities and employment options in nation in NSW, ranging from Albury in the south in the heart of town. The business has been Parkes or the region. “I’ve got nieces that have to Coonabarabran in the north and covering operating since the mid 1930s, and Geoff had to travel long distances to go to university about one fifth of the State. bought it from its original owner, Leo Herrity. and I’d love to see Clara have that opportunity The Wiradjuri lands were signposted with here in Parkes. That same opportunity.” Leo had the foresight to send Geoff off scar trees and these and any other remaining to get more experience before investing Langlands Hanlon has employed three trainees artefacts will be identified and respected in in the business. So he did. Geoff went to through a government trainee program. Geoff the development of the Special Activation live in Sydney, Bathurst and Forbes to get says traineeships are an important part of Precinct. We also wish to design places where the experience needed to purchase and supporting young people to live and work Aboriginal people are socially, culturally and successfully run Langlands Hanlon. in the town they grew up in. He encourages economically included. other businesses to tap into trainee programs, “Renee and I moved back to Parkes because especially to support future employment we could see the opportunities compared to opportunities with the Parkes Special other country towns. We grew up in Parkes, Activation Precinct. so to us it was coming home, coming back to where we belong and back to our families.” Geoff also encourages people to buy property in Parkes. Not because he’s in the real-estate “Parkes is centrally located, we’ve got rail, game – but because he truly believes in the we’ve got road, we’ve got regional production potential, opportunities and growth for Parkes. and we’ll be able to capitalise on these things “We’re getting interest from Western Sydney, and take our products and produce to the we’re getting interest from Melbourne, we’re world.” Geoff says it’s also about doing things getting interest from Brisbane, and a lot of differently, looking at what aquaculture can areas that wouldn’t traditionally look at Parkes, bring, more production of fruit and vegetables but they are now thanks to the focus that’s and flowers. “It’s a matter of taking the been put on Parkes. So, from an investment opportunity to use what we’ve got and use it point of view, huge opportunity.” in a different way.” 3 | PARKES COMMUNITY STATEMENT Foreword from the Honourable John Barilaro, Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional New South Wales, Industry and Trade Parkes is a region Parkes is a town with a big heart. For the That’s why, in July 2018, the NSW past 28 years it has embraced and grown Government announced Parkes poised for growth, the Elvis Festival, which now welcomes as the location for the State’s first not just because more than 26,000 visitors each year and Special Activation Precinct. attracts a worldwide media audience of This community statement is for you, of the energy and more than 200 million. Just up the road, the people of Parkes and reflects Trundle’s ABBA Festival continues the commitment of the what you love about the region you local tradition of celebrating music and live, work, play and thrive in. By community, but for having fun while showing off the wider listening to the Parkes community, region. It’s not just music though that puts its natural economic we can plan and design a Special the region on the map, radio astronomy Activation Precinct that meets the advantages. is another reason people come to community’s aspirations and needs, Parkes. The deep space discoveries that one that’s world leading, attracts continue to be made at the world famous investors and will ensure Parkes Dish are something else the area should continues to punch well above be proud of. its weight into the future. I look More recently the start of the inland rail forward to seeing progress on the construction and the establishment of first Special Activation Precinct in the National Logistics Hub, will allow the NSW, and to seeing Parkes reap the region to accelerate its dreams. Parkes rewards of this investment. sits in an enviable position at the cross roads of the east-west and north-south rail lines, giving direct freight links to all major cities in Australia and making it a perfect place for business investment and growth. Thank you Parkes This Community Statement for Parkes members of the community who have has been prepared in consultation with been part of this process to date, and the Parkes community, local businesses, for the valuable insights shared that Parkes Shire Council and the NSW will shape the future of Parkes. Department of Planning, Industry and For this Special Activation Precinct Environment. The community values and to be a success, we need you. As a sentiments captured in this Community member of the Parkes community we Statement have played an important want you to be alongside us every role in influencing the Parkes Special step of the way. Activation Precinct. Thank you to all SPECIAL ACTIVATION PRECINCTS Special Activation Precincts are economic development in regional dedicated areas identified by the NSW NSW to ensure regions are well placed Government to bring together planning to grow and meet future economic and and investment to drive jobs and community needs. economic activity. Precincts will support The NSW Government announced the industries in line with the competitive establishment of Special Activation advantages and economic strengths of Precincts as part of its 20-Year Economic each area. Vision for Regional NSW. The Precincts These Precincts will create jobs, attract will be delivered as part of the businesses and investors, and fuel $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund. SPECIAL ACTIVATION PRECINCT KEY ELEMENTS OF A SPECIAL ACTIVATION PRECINCT Government-led Fast track Government-led Infrastructure Business studies planning development investment Concierge To create upfront Streamlined planning and Tailored master plans for A solid business case for Targeted business strategic land use and environmental approvals to each precinct with a delivery roads, water, power, digital concierge services to attract infrastructure planning. provide certainty and confidence schedule that supports connectivity and social investment and support to business. This may include orderly development, infrastructure required for each businesses to establish and providing for land uses that suit sensitive to market functional, vibrant precinct. grow in each precinct. complying development or drivers, landowners and approval exemptions. infrastructure delivery. PARKES COMMUNITY STATEMENT | 4 The Parkes story The traditional land owners of the Parkes Parkes is known as Goobang region are the Wiradjuri people who Country, which is derived from have lived in the area for more than the Aboriginal Coleong Coobung, 40,000 years. The Wiradjuri nation is which meant ‘place of many wattles’. the largest in NSW, ranging from Albury The Aboriginal community of northern in the south to Coonabarabran in the Parkes and Peak Hill refer to themselves north covering approximately one fifth as the Bogan River Wiradjuri of the State. (Yuradjurray) people. In 1862 the discovery of gold in the area led to a tent town which accommodated thousands of gold seekers. A further discovery of gold in 1871 at the nearby Bushman’s Gold Mine helped the district to become one of the richest gold producing areas. On 1 December 1873, the name of the town was changed from Bushman’s to Parkes in honour of the then Premier, Sir Henry Parkes, and then in 1887 the town’s main street was named Clarinda after his wife. The Parkes region continues to be linked to gold mining, transport and agriculture, all of which are still thriving industry sectors today. Parkes Shire contains some of the most productive agricultural and grazing land in NSW. The area is known for wheat, barley, canola, oats, oilseeds and winter legume crops, alongside sheep grazing lands, which produce significant volumes for both the wool and meat markets. 5 | PARKES COMMUNITY STATEMENT PARKES SHIRE’S SIX MAIN ECONOMIC STRENGTHS: MINERAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE RETAIL ACTIVITY GOVERNMENT SERVICES Parkes Shire’s mineral resources sustain TOURISM ongoing mining activity These days Parkes Shire has six main economic strengths: mineral resources, agriculture, retail activity, government services, tourism and transport including developing as an important TRANSPORT inland hub of Australia’s freight network.