Mayor’s Monthly Meeting Wrap: February 2025

Brewarrina Shire Councillors and I met for the first Ordinary Meeting of 2025 last Tuesday February 25. After a pause on meetings for the festive period and January break, we had a lot of important and exciting items to address.

Active Transport Strategy

Over the past six months, Council’s project team has been undertaking extensive research and community consultation to develop an Active Transport Strategy to enhance pedestrian and cycling infrastructure across all our towns and villages, ensuring safer and more accessible transport options for all community members.

The plan outlines key projects that have been prioritised based on community feedback, infrastructure needs, and funding opportunities, such as pathways connecting Barwon 4 and the river precincts, safe pedestrian routes between Brewarrina Central School the pool and oval, linking Goodooga town centre to the Artesian Baths, an all-weather connection to Goodooga Central school, traffic calming methods to reduce vehicle speeds in high traffic areas, and wayfinding and cultural signage. Some of these projects already have state and federal funding grant applications pending.

In fantastic news we received at the conclusion of the February meeting, we were very excited to learn we were one of only nine Councils across NSW to be successful in the Federal Government’s Active Transport Fund, with our Shire securing $4 million for two projects.

Brewarrina has received $3 million for the design and construction of four pedestrian and cycle paths that will connect the Brewarrina town centre with the iconic Barwon River, and Barwon 4 Aboriginal Reserve. This funding will allow residents a safe connection to town for the first time. The project will also include solar-powered lighting, shaded rest areas, seating, interpretive signage for significant cultural and historical locations along the routes, including the National Heritage listed Baiame’s Ngunnhu (Fish Traps), as well as formal lighting for the historical Barwon Bridge.

While Goodooga will benefit from $1 million for a connecting pathway from the town centre to the popular Artesian Baths. The funding also includes solar lighting, shaded rest areas with seating, water fountains, cultural wayfinding signage celebrating the region’s Aboriginal heritage and traffic calming measures, offering residents and visitors safe access to our most popular local attraction.

I look forward to sharing more news on the outcome of the remaining Active Transport funding projects and am very proud to be helping our community to become more active, connected and safer.

2025/26 Rates

Council provides many vital services to the community including maintenance of roads, parks and gardens, sporting and recreation facilities, town planning, tourism, waste management, and much more.

Your rate payments help fund and better our community, with rates contributing to about a third of all annual income.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has released their determination of the “rate peg” for 2025/26. The rate peg is the percentage amount a Council is allowed to increase their general income by for the year from rates. It does not equate to the total percentage individual rates will be increased by.

The rate pegs for 2025/26 range from 3.6 percent to 5.1 percent, with iPART allocating the specific rate for each individual Council based on a number of factors.

Brewarrina Shire Council was entitled to a 5.1 percent increase in their annual income for 2025/26, but after lengthy discussions with Councillors, we agreed that we would not endorse the maximum 5.1 percent, but rather a lower 4.1 percent for the 2025/26 financial year.

Specific rate amounts will be set later in the year during our budget planning period, and we will keep the community informed on that.

You can find out more about how iPART sets the rate peg by visiting their website https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/

Compulsory Acquisition of Crown Land on Church Street

Council will shortly begin the process for the compulsory acquisition of a parcel of land at 45 Church Street Brewarrina from Crown Lands next to two Council managed houses. The two Council houses were constructed by previous management without the correct development approval, so this acquisition will resolve this error while also providing much needed additional freehold land for Council to provide further critical staff housing.

Housing Strategy

Housing is a significant issue not just for our community but most of the state. Council was awarded a grant as part of the Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund that aims to enable and fast-track the delivery of strategic planning projects, technical studies, and policies that support increased housing supply, affordability, diversity, and resilience in regional NSW.

During our February meeting, the team who have been researching and developing our Housing Strategy presented their draft plan for endorsement.

The Brewarrina Housing Strategy addresses critical housing shortages and seeks to enhance liveability, attract workers, and ensure social stability. The plan has identified the gaps and opportunities for Council. It’s painted a stark picture of a critical problem. But now we have the strategy, we will be able form management plans and actions items year to year and enable us to collaborate and leverage the appropriate state agencies, and housing providers to overcome financial, structural, and regulatory barriers our community is currently facing. By strategically expanding our housing and infrastructure, we aim to stabilise our population and drive long-term economic growth.

Half Yearly Report

It was extremely pleasing to hear of the significant progress Council has made on key projects, infrastructure enhancements, and community engagement initiatives during the first half of this financial year, and the upcoming priorities for the remainder of this year.

Key achievements to date include the completion of the Jobs Gate Road Stage 3 and Goodooga Road projects, the Main Street makeover project moving into the detailed design phase, community endorsement of the Four Mile redevelopment, auditor confirmation of our robust financial position and sound management practices, and much more.

Priorities for the rest of the 2024/25 financial year include the Regional Housing Plan, advancing transport projects, and progressing with major infrastructure developments.

The full Half Yearly Report will be available on Council’s website shortly.

RSPCA Research Program

In more good news for our Council, I am very pleased to reveal Brewarrina Shire Council along with Walgett Shire Council in partnership with the RSPCA were successful in $200,000 in funding under the NSW Governments Environmental Research Round 2023/2024 to look at ways we can reduce the number of stray cats and dogs in our community and the impact this will have on threatened species. The Research program will take into account a number of aspects for Brewarrina, working with experts to find ways to reduce the stray dogs and cats roaming the streets. The research will be targeted at trailing multiple longer terms strategies such as de-sexing and working closely with families that have trouble taking care of animals.

I look forward to sharing further updates on this innovative program over the coming months.

Regional Drought Resilience Plan

The Australian Government, in collaboration with NSW Local Government Councils, is developing Regional Drought Resilience Plans to enhance the long-term preparedness and adaptive capacity of rural and regional communities facing increasing climate variability. These plans aim to deliver a proactive, coordinated, and regionally tailored approach to drought management, ensuring communities, industries, and ecosystems can withstand and recover from prolonged dry conditions.

Our Council along with Bourke, Walgett and Cobar Councils form part of what is known as Region 4 of the Drought Plans allocated areas. Following the formation of Region 4, the Far North West Joint Organisation (FNWJO) commenced work on engaging a consultancy to deliver a plan to the Government. The general consensus was for Councils to focus on water security which led to the actions and recommendation to undertake a Water Security Baseline Project to better understand both the risk and potential future threats to our current water infrastructure, and a Drought Preparedness Education and Social Revitalisation campaign.

Despite some concerns raised by Councillors, we have endorsed this plan, and look forward to Ministerial feedback later this month.