Escapee nabbed after

200km police chase

AN ALLEGED prison escapee has been arrested and charged after leading police on a 200km chase in a stolen car yesterday (Wednesday) through Central Western centres including Cudal, Eugowra, Cowra, Forbes and Parkes.

The escapee allegedly avoided three sets of road spikes deployed on roads at Cudal, Eugowra and Tichborne between Forbes and Parkes.

He was finally stopped after police set down a fourth set of spikes on the Newell Highway south of Dubbo.

Right: An artist’s impression of the alleged pursuit route. The stars represent approximate sites where police deployed road spikes.

Police say about 5:30pm yesterday, Highway Patrol officers noticed a Toyota Hilux in Cudal that matched the description of a vehicle stolen earlier from a property at Running Stream near Mudgee.

The 22-year-old inmate of Lithgow’s Kirkconnell Correctional Centre had allegedly absconded while clearing undergrowth with other prisoners at a pine forest at Running Stream on Monday.

Police began a search of the Cudal, Cargo and Canowindra areas after he evaded officers at Cudal.
The Hilux was located by an officer attached to Cowra police approximately 10km north of Canowindra. The utility changed direction, heading towards Cudal, and the officer gave chase.
Police deployed a set of road spikes at Cudal, but the driver avoided them by swerving off the roadway on to a grassy verge and the pursuit continued.
A second set of spikes was set up by police at Eugowra, however, they were again avoided. The driver then continued through Cowra, Forbes and then to Parkes, police say.
Road spikes were again deployed at Tichborne, and again the driver swerved around them.
Police continued the pursuit as the car headed along the Newell Highway through Parkes and north towards Dubbo.
Just near Goobang Rd, Highway Patrol officers laid down a fourth set of road spikes which damaged two of the vehicle’s tyres. The driver continued on the rims for a further 11km until the tyres shredded.
The driver was arrested and taken to Dubbo Police Station where he was identified as being an alleged prison escapee.
He was taken to Dubbo Base Hospital for medical assessment. On his release from hospital he was returned to Dubbo Police Station and charged with escaping lawful custody, police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly (Skye’s Law), drive while disqualified, drive in a manner dangerous, steal motor vehicle, and break, enter and steal.
He was refused bail and is due to appear at DubboLocal Court on September 15.

A resident of Running Stream allegedly spotted the man on Tuesday morning, but he escaped into heavy scrub after a police foot chase in the area off New Olivers Rd.

The alleged escapee was serving three years’ gaol for traffic offences, police say.

Vandals to be fenced

out of Mulyan Oval

COWRA Shire Council has approved $25,000 to fence out vandals from Mulyan Oval.

“Over recent years council has addressed reports from residents regarding vandalism to the fields, goalposts and the amenities building and it is envisaged fencing of the site will curtail future vandalism at the ground,” says Mayor of Cowra, Bill West.

Right: Mulyan Oval in Cowra.

The council received correspondence from a neighbour of the oval earlier this year in which the writer said living near the oval was similar to living in the Bronx area of New York. He cited continuing incidences of vandalism, trespassing, urinating on fences during AFL games, golf balls being hit towards houses and people.

The proposal includes fencing of the oval on the Bourke St frontage with an allowance for nose-in parking and main entrance gates, and permanent access for pedestrian usage via a gate adjacent to the main entrance.

The fencing will be black powder-coated steel security fencing. Ground users will be provided a key to allow access. The rear of the two vacant council-owned blocks off Victor St will also be fenced.

Cr West says the council is conscious of the need to provide safe and enjoyable facilities for the public and the improvements will allow for greater use of the oval by Cowra residents.

Man arrested over

knife-point robbery

Above: The Cowra barber shop allegedly robbed on Monday afternoon.

POLICE have arrested a man over the knife-point robbery of a barber shop in Cowra on Monday.
About 1pm yesterday (Tuesday), detectives arrested a 24-year-old man from Sydney’s Doonside at a house in the village of Billimari near Cowra.
He was taken to Cowra Police Station and charged in relation to an incident about 5pm on Monday when the barber shop in Kendal St in Cowra was robbed by a knife-wielding man.
The barber and a male customer were not injured.

The man reportedly is expected to appear before Cowra Local Court today (Wednesday) on charges of armed robbery, alleged shoplifting in Orange, malicious damage to a hotel in Cowra, and breach of parole.

Meanwhile, the body of a man aged in his 50s has been found in a Redfern St unit.

A concerned neighbour called police about 2pm on Monday.

Cowra police say there are no suspicious circumstances and a post mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of the man’s death.

Noonbinna village gets

own council committee

Above: The village of Noonbinna on the outskirts of Cowra.

THE village of Noonbinna now has its own committee to liaise with Cowra Shire Council.

The eight-person committee’s formation has come about after ongoing discussions with community representatives about the use of the Noonbinna Hall. The council formalised the new body at its August meeting when it resolved to establish a Noonbinna Village Section 355 Committee.

The committee’s role is to act as a point of contact for Cowra Council in all community matters relating to the village, and to liaise with the council in relation to the use of Noonbinna Hall.

Village residents Barbara Moorby, Robert McKeown, Carmel Trethewey, Peter Jennings, Myra Francis, Les Felstead, Kelli Felstead and Sylvia Jennings have been appointed to the committee

“The benefits of the formation of this committee are mutual,” says Mayor of Cowra, Bill West.

“Council will liaise with the committee on matters such as the use of the hall, infrastructure, services and other community issues and for the residents it provides an avenue for them to express the community’s views to council.”

The Noonbinna Village Section 355 Committee is one of a number of such bodies formed under Section 355 of the Local Government Act to undertake duties as delegated by council.

Recycling junk to make

art for new Cowra award

ENTRIES are rolling in for the Recycled Art for Cowra Award (RAFCA) – 64 entries had been received by late Thursday and still more are expected.

The community is invited to participate in the inaugural RAFCA. The competition is the brainchild of the Cowra Tidy Towns & Urban Landcare Committee and is designed to encourage the community to re-use waste materials and create works of art.

Right: This eye-catching echidna, displayed by one of the competition organisers, Carolyn Waldon, was crafted by St Raphael’s Central School Year Eight student, Luke Chalker.

The competition is divided into categories for pre-schoolers, infants, primary students, Years Seven to 10, Years 11 and 12, community groups with a youth focus (Scouts, for example) and an open section for adults. Entries close on Monday August 30. Entry forms are available from Lisa Robertson on 6340 2069.

Entrants in the pre-school, infants and primary competitions can make their sculpture out of recycled paper, plastic or fabric. All other entrants can use those materials as well as metal, glass, wood, rubber and tyres. Sculptures must depict an Australian animal, but the way in which that animal is depicted is completely up to the entrant.

The winner in the open category will receive prize money of $5000 – an increased sum thanks to funding from Cowra Shire CouncilV and Tidy Towns. Winners in each of the other categories will also receive cash prizes of varying sums.

Everywhere man

returns to Cowra

Above: I've Been Everywhere writer Geoff Mack and his wife Tabby.

THE author of the iconic Australian song I’ve Been Everywhere, Geoff Mack, has visited Cowra as special guest at the luncheon to celebrate National Meals on Wheels Day.

The Cowra Bowling Club auditorium was yesterday (Wednesday) packed with clients of the organisation and its many selfless volunteers.

Mr Mack, who penned the song made famous by Lucky Starr in 1962, was accompanied by his wife of 50 years, Tabby, a former comedienne and dancer.

Although Mr Mack no longer performs, he did bring a DVD of his performance of the song some years ago. He also won success with the American, German and Japanese versions of the song. In 1963 the Country Music Fraternity in the United States presented him with a citation for composing Hank Snow’s chart-topping version of the song.
Mr Mack began performing professionally in 1944 while still in the RAAF. He was in Borneo at the time, singing around the camps and messes, when he was asked to support Gracie Fields before an audience of 18,000 troops.
On his return to Australia, he toured New South Wales with Barton’s Follies tent show and worked the Tivoli circuit. He went to Japan to perform for the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces and finished up as a radio announcer on WLKS, the voice of the forces.
Moving to England in 1948, he worked there and in Europe for the next six years. In Germany, Mr Mack met his wife Tabby (nee Francis), and they married in 1953. They then motorcycled overland to Sri Lanka (called Ceylon at the time), shipped it to Fremantle in Western Australia and rode across the Nullarbor Plain, arriving in Sydney in December 1954.

With entertainer Lucky Grills they formed Carol’s Varieties, the last of the big tent shows, and toured the eastern states for 10 months each year until 1965.
Mr Mack did much club and festival work in the following years and in 1978 was immortalised in cement at the Tamworth Hands of Fame. He then toured the country with Slim Dusty until 1983.
In the entertaining interview below with CCN Editor, Garry Starr, he reveals a link with Cowra that dates back to the early 1960s when he performed his then new song I’ve Been Everywhere in a marquee behind the Imperial Hotel, one of the first times he had performed it.

Cowra songstress, Melissa Robertson, also performed for Meals on Wheels audience and included some of her latest songs, one of which was recently short-listed for the Australian Songwriters Association’s annual competition. Unfortunately, she is unsure which song was nominated.

Right: Part of the large crowd at Cowra Bowling Club to celebrate National Meals on Wheels Day.

Cowra/Grenfell Meals on Wheels manager, Denise Makin, while thanking the special guests, told the audience the local service employs seven staff and provides meals seven days a week to clients.

“The Cowra service has 94 active volunteers who deliver meals weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. Meal runs can take one to one-and-a-half hours to complete,” said Ms Makin.

“Volunteers provide, with the meal, daily contact with our clients which is just as important as the meal its self. We provide service to 176 clients at present from four different suppliers, totalling 28,500 meals a year.”

To hear the interview with Mr Mack, click the PLAY icon on the audio panel below.