The Parkes Elvis Festival is celebrating the King's birthday with a 'Roustabout' carnival theme.
Brian Johnston listens to the mysterious sounds of distant galaxies within the 'giant ear' of the Parkes radio telescope.
From harvest festivals to street car cred,Lee Atkinson explores some crowd-pleasing events.
Stathi Paxinos finds comfort and lobster on a train ride from Brisbane to Melbourne.
Lisa Perkovic finds the best places to star-gaze during the Year of Astronomy.
The sky is the limit in the International Year of Astronomy - and it's about time,writes David Whitley.
Parkes Major centre famous for the huge Parkes telescope situated to the north of the town. Parkes is a country town of some 10 500 people situated on the Newell Highway between Forbes and Peak Hill,364 km west of Sydney and 339 m above sea-level. A rural service centre with a strong commercial and industrial base Parkes possesses an expanding economy and population,thanks in part to a wool combing plant and the North Parkes copper and gold mine,the largest metal mine in NSW,which opened in 1994. It is a major wheat-storage centre in a rural district that also produces other crops,wool and livestock.