The popular vacation and tourist centre of Parkes is located in the Central West Region of New South Wales, close to Forbes about 290 km west from Canberra and 340 km south west of Sydney. Parkes was first settled in the 1850's as a gold mining town during the Gold Rush era. Parkes has many attractions, great amenities and fabulous facilities for vacationers and for travellers seeking a weekend away. The Bogan and Lachlan Rivers provide wonderful fishing for Murray cod Freshwater Catfish and Golden Perch. Tourists has a fabulous array of attractions to choose from including the local historical museum and car museum, several beautiful National Parks. One famous attraction is the giant CSIRO radio telescope dish that was used during the NSAS Apollo Moon Missions, and was the centre piece for
the famous movie `The Dish`. Parkes is a friendly heritage town with a thriving community and a comprehensive commercial centre that services a rich rural district and local mines. On the second week in January every year, Parkes hosts hundreds of Elvis Presley Impersonators who gather for a 5 day Festival Program that includes more than 100 individual events. Some of other many attractions, activities and events in Parkes are: Peak Hill Gold Mine, Goobang National Park, Bushmans Hill, the site of the first gold mine in Parkes, Pioneer park Memorial Museum, The famous Motor Museum and Craft Corner and the Henry Parkes Museum.