“She was a breath of fresh air” – that’s how Parkes mayor Ken Keith described Parkes Shire Council’s Destination Development Manager Kelly Hendry when she first walked onto the scene in 2001.
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2017 officially marks 10 consecutive years Kelly has clocked up with council, who recognised her service during the April 19 monthly meeting.
She first started with council as Tourism Coordinator in 2001, a role she held just short of five years after relocating to Parkes from Sydney where she grew up, to take on the position.
In 2005 Kelly left Parkes but returned just two years later to take on the role of council’s Events Officer.
Within months she was re-appointed Tourism Manager at the Visitor Information Centre, a position she held until 2015 when a re-structure took place and she became Destination Development Manager.
“Kelly was a fresh face straight out of uni,” Cr Keith said.
“She was a breath of fresh air into our tourism department and she has done a fabulous job.
“She was our secret ingredient into the Elvis Festival, she helped take it from where it was to the wonderful festival we have today.
“She’s been an incredible asset to Parkes these past 10 years.”
Kelly thanked the councillors and council staff, and thanked them for hopping on board of tourism.
“It seems like only yesterday that I moved to Parkes, but Parkes also now very much feels like home,” she said.
“The community of Parkes has always been so welcoming and accommodating, and Parkes is a really special place with a lot going for it, I couldn't see myself living anywhere else.
“Parkes Shire Council is a wonderful employer and is very proactive in growing the visitor economy, and also very supportive of its staff.”
Kelly said she enjoyed the variety in her work with council, from working with local businesses and tourism operators to being involved with the many and varied events hosted locally.
“There is always something new and exciting to work on,” she said.
"There are many highlights throughout my time with council thus far, including the growth and ongoing success of the Parkes Elvis Festival and other major events.”
Other highlights for Kelly include the development of the Henry Parkes Centre and CBD projects – including public art installations and illuminations, infrastructure improvements such as to Goobang National Park and the Peak Hill Open Cut Gold Mine, development of the Parkes ‘It All Adds Up’ brand and the overall growth of its visitor economy.
“Parkes Shire continues to grow and prosper, and I am proud of the part that tourism plays in that,” she said.