Late last month, Councillor Isaac Gordon, Councillor Doug Gordon, the General Manager and I met with the NSW Aboriginal Affairs Deputy Secretary, Shane Hamilton. It was much welcomed news that NSW Department Aboriginal Affairs would like Brewarrina Council to pilot a new community-based consultative model outside of the current Local Working Party model to engage our First Nations community more effectively. This is an extremely important and unique opportunity for us to play a transformative role in the way not just local government, but all levels of government engage and consult directly with First Nations communities – not just the organisation that represent them. We can go straight to the people and make a real difference. I look forward to sharing more details on this welcomed opportunity in the coming months as the program is formalised.
In June, we had the privilege of hosting Rose Jackson, NSW Minister for Water, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health and Youth, along with Member for Barwon, Roy Butler.
During their visit, we were able to showcase our wonderful Baiame’s Ngunnhu (Fish Traps) and delivered updates on key local projects. It was good opportunity to present many issues across all ministerial portfolios during an extensive three-hour tour of the region. Our discussions primarily centred around the urgent issue of housing, allowing us to show Minister Jackson firsthand a clear perspective on the specific challenges our community faces. We also presented the Minister our recently finalised Housing Strategy, which details strategic recommendations for progress in this area. Both Minister Jackson and Mr Butler received copies of the strategy for review, with promises for further consideration and future advocacy openings.
Opportunities like this, to get Ministers out and about in our communities, are crucial for building understanding and influencing policy decisions. Thank you to Minister Jackson and Mr Butler for taking the time to listen, engage, and commit to working with us on these critical issues. Your visit is a positive step toward meaningful collaboration and real progress for our community.
I, like over 9,000 others, thoroughly enjoyed my time at the third annual Brewarrina Blizzard in the first week of the winter school holidays. I can’t stress enough the importance of such community events.
Seeing the overwhelming response from not only our community and from across the whole region but as far afield as Queensland, Victoria, Sydney, Moree, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth, Narrabri, Boorowa and Mudgee was very heartening.
So much work goes into this event, and I want to acknowledge the entire team at Council for their contribution, the sensational food vendors, sponsors and everyone who took to the ice and visited Bre over the week.
Brewarrina host many regional events each year and it’s something as a community we should be very proud of. I look forward to doing it all again next year.
The NSW Minster for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison, recently reached out with a very important opportunity for our region. The NSW Government and Transport for NSW are set to deliver a Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan (SRITP) for the Far West in early 2026, and they want to hear from us to help them develop it.
The plans are designed to maximise community, business, industry and government collaboration in mapping out the priorities for the planning and development of transport services and road infrastructure.
Whether it is your daily journey, or the transport services you depend on, your feedback is invaluable. Visit haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/sritp/far-west to make a submission via an interactive map and share your experiences, challenges and what you believe can make the Far West’s transport network better.
If you want to be part of the conversation, you can also email engage.sritps@transport.nsw.gov.au to find out more about engagement opportunities and how you can contribute.
Construction of two new box culverts on the Brenda Road, Goodooga, is set to begin during the first week of August. Due to these works, the road will be temporarily closed until around early October, pending weather. Local access for commuting will still be permitted via a side track. The construction work will take place approximately 20km from Goodooga along the Brenda Road at Misfortune Creek Crossing. These essential works are set to improve connectivity and safety especially during wet weather.
As part of Council’s commitment to maintain all our roads to a high standard, the Roads team has developed a guide for the Unsealed Road Grading Maintenance works and a grading program to allow for each unsealed road in the Shire to be graded throughout the year. The program will provide our residents with assurance that all roads will be graded to consistent standards.
Completed maintenance grading work due to flood damage over the past month has included 46 kms on the Narran Lake Road, 15 km on the Goodooga Brenda Road, 50 km on the Byrock Nidgery Road and 35 km on the West Culgoa Road. Work is also progressing on the Goodooga Lyangboyd Road and West Culgoa Roads with 40 km and 5km respectively of grading recently completed.
It was wonderful news to hear Council has been actively supporting the revitalisation of the Brewarrina Golf Club. The club, which has been inactive in recent years, is undergoing a structured reactivation process, with the revival expected to create a valued social and sporting hub for the community.
Council’s support is structured to help the club achieve long-term operational independence, while reactivating an underutilised community asset. Council will continue to monitor progress and provide staged support as the club works toward full self-sufficiency. We wish them all the best, and should you be a local sporting club or organisation that needs help or guidance getting back up running, get in touch with Council’s Economic Development team.
I was very proud, alongside my other Councillor colleagues, to endorse a motion from Councillor Trish Frail requesting we begin a process to change the name of the Kamilaroi Highway from Walgett to Bourke to the Ngemba Highway.
Councillor Frail has already spoken with the Kamilaroi clan, who support the request, acknowledging that section of the highway does not pass through any of their traditional cultural land.
It is an exciting initiative and one I am very pleased to be a part of. I look forward to sharing more information as we begin the process, including community consultation and support.
Elected to Council – 2024
Elected to Council – 2024
Elected to Council – 2024
Committees – Roads and Maritime Services Regional Consultative Committee & Western Regional Weeds Committee
Elected to Council – 2021
Elected to Council – 2021
Committee – Tourism & Cultural Committee
Elected to Council – 2021
Committees – Murray Darling Association, Big Sky Library, Brewarrina General Cemetery Committee, Water Users & Tourism & Culture Committee.
Elected to Council – 2021
Committees – Aged Care, Brewarrina General Cemetery Committee & Heritage Committee.
Elected to Council – 2008
Email- markbrown2839@gmail.com
Committees- Aged Care Committee, Big Sky Library & Traffic Committee.
Elected to Council – 2008
Committees – Brewarrina General Cemetery, Tourism & Cultural Committee.
Elected to Council 2017
