Parkes is a modern town of 10,500 people and is located on the western Edge of the Great Dividing Range within the Central West Slopes and Plains region of New South Wales. It covers an area of 5919 square kilometres and has a Shire population of 15,300. The Parkes Shire is made up of the township of Parkes, as well as the smaller villages of Peak Hill, Alectown, Bogan Gate, Cookamidgera, Trundle and Tullamore.
From a gold rush town of the last century, Parkes has progressed to become a thriving commercial centre servicing a rich agricultural district.
Parkes Economic Strengths:
- Mining - Mineral Resources
- Agriculture
- Transport & Accessibility Hub
- Tourism
- Government Services
- Industrial Diversity
- Agriculture
- Tourism
- Industrial Diversity
The Parkes Shire offers a relaxed friendly country way of life with a full range of services and facilities, free of noise, traffic jams and city violence. Parkes has also developed as an important inland hub of the nation's transport network.
Parkes Shire residents enjoy a quality of life enriched by:
- Country/Town/Village lifestyle
- Strong community spirit
- Wide recreational opportunities
- Large variety of strong sporting associations and facilities
- Vibrant commercial & industrial base
- Scenic attractiveness
- High throughput of inter and intra state traffic
- Air and rail services
- Road access to other major centres, to Sydney and to Regional attractions
- Strong tourism influences
- Sound rural economy
- Competitively priced land
- Comfortable climate for much of the year
- Panoramic views from Memorial Hill
The topography in the shire can generally be described as flat to undulating. The area forms part of the catchment for two main river systems, the Bogan and the Lachlan Rivers, which are major tributaries of the Murray-Darling Basin System. Most watercourses in the Shire are not permanent, being reduced to a series of waterholes for the majority of the year.
Rainfall varies across the Shire with the eastern part receiving slightly more than the western part. From the rainfall data gathered over the past 104 years the average rainfall per annum is 588 mm.
Attractions
The Parkes Visitors Centre is located on the Newell Highway at the northern entrance to Parkes, in the grounds of scenic Kelly Reserve. Parkes Shire offers an array of attractions to complement your visit. Check out the list below to help plan your visit and to not miss out on any hidden gems. For further details on any of these attractions, contact the Parkes Tourist Information Centre on (02) 6862 4365 or email Parkes Visitor Information Centre.
- Bushman's Hill
- Cedar Cafe & Art Gallery
- Craft Corner
- Garden Bower Studio
- Goobang National Park
- Henry Parkes Museum
- Memorial Hill
- Mugincoble Wheat Terminal
- Olympic Pool
- Parkes Motor Museum
- The Dish - Parkes CSIRO Radio Telescope
- Parkes Shire Library
- Tourist Drives & Walks
Accommodation
Parkes Shire boasts quality accommodation and has 12 motels, which provide collectively almost 1000 bed spaces; 8 hotels that offer accommodation to suit any budget; 4 caravan parks set in beautiful settings and a quality Bed & Breakfast accommodation at an affordable price.