Customer Relations, Communications & Lifestyle

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Christmas winners light up the shire

22 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire has once again celebrated the festive spirit with homes and businesses switching on their Christmas lights.

Twenty-six homes and businesses entered the Christmas Lights Competition, decorating their premises with everything from giant inflatable Santas to strings of illuminated stars.

Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Economy and Growth Susan Frater said the competition judges – Gunnedah’s Citizen of the Year Tracey Reid, Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce representative Sammi Bath and representatives from Gunnedah Shire Council – recently visited entrants who were scattered throughout Gunnedah and in the village of Curlewis.

“The judges reported they were amazed at the effort people had put in to help bring Christmas to Gunnedah,” Ms Frater said.

“There was a huge variety of displays from big inflatables and a frenzy of colour, to more elegant and simple displays. There was a giant Sydney Harbour Bridge, glowing rooftops, and Santas on sleighs, on skis, with surfboards and on tractors – it was difficult to pick the winners!

“The judges were impressed with all the entries, with a particular mention of the three twinkling displays at Curlewis.”

The Christmas Lights winners were:

Best Christmas Theme in a Village – Oaktree Retirement Village – the judges said the village was a “veritable fairy town”;
Best Decorated House – 17 Boronia Street – home of a million lights and the Sydney Harbour Bridge;
Best Theme – 18 Linden Place – a sweet gingerbread house theme;
Santa Street – Kurrajong Road – the wow factor from one end of the street to the other;
Best Dressed Shop Front – The Gunnedah Times with a very thoughtful display. Congratulations also to all the businesses who have created beautiful displays but did not enter; and
Judges’ Choice Award – 849 Preston Street, where one of the sons of the household has showed his love of Christmas with a magical display.

The judges also made a special mention of:

129 Edward Street for a wonderful effort including a star-studded tree;
5 Sanders Place for the variation and sheer number of lights;
37 South Street for a vibrant and colourful display; and
24 Reservoir Street for beautiful elegance.

“We would like to thank everyone who has put so much effort into helping to create that Christmas excitement for the whole community – from little ones through to grandparents,” Ms Frater said.

Caption:

Cr Rob Hooke presents Nikita and Agnes White with the Santa Street award for Kurrajong Road.

Nick and Sophie Mainey accept the award for Judges’ Choice from Cr Rob Hooke for their home in Preston Road.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Shortage of town planners delays progress in Gunnedah Shire

20 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Council is actively recruiting town planners to keep pace with rapid growth in Gunnedah Shire.

Over the past 18 months, 232 development applications have been lodged with Council, along with Customer Service Requests, street trading applications, planning certificates, and state significant developments, among other requests.

Most of the DAs are additions to homes (for example, sheds/pools/dwelling alterations), additions to commercial/Industrial, and new dwellings (based on June 2021-December 2022 figures), while other applications involve significant new development which could support the community’s economic growth into the future.

While it’s good news for the shire that the region is growing, Council’s Director Planning and Environmental Services Andrew Johns said a national shortage of town planners was putting pressure on councils. This pressure, combined with changes in State Government legislation, as well as a shortage of building certifiers and engineers, meant assessment periods for development applications had increased significantly.

“Unfortunately, the average time it takes for a development application to be assessed has blown out considerably. This is due to both staff shortages and the complex nature of the assessment process,” Mr Johns said.

Mr Johns said an average of three development applications were lodged with Council each week, coinciding with a period of severely under-resourced staffing.

“Gunnedah Shire Council has been operating with one Senior Development Officer and one Town Planner for some time and has only recently been successful in recruiting a second Town Planner who will start at Council in the new year,” Mr Johns said.

“The severe shortage of town planners available in Australia led us to undertake recruitment in other countries including New Zealand and the United Kingdom, but we have been unsuccessful due to the competitive nature of the industry.

“When the workload is especially high, we have at times employed locum planners, but it is a costly process and is not sustainable in the long-term.

“We are in the process of developing a position for a cadet, with the purpose of recruiting a candidate from the Shire, or one who wants to settle here permanently.”

Council’s Manager Development Assessment Wade Hudson said more than 50 applications were currently under assessment, and on top of the increasing number of applications, staff received an average of 8-10 customer requests a day.

“Many of these requests are residents or developers wanting to check on where their application is up to in the assessment process, questions about new developments, and exemptions to approve developments,” he said.

“Understandably, there has been frustration from some applicants because they are keen to see their projects progress, but we are hampered by staff resources and limits in complying development provisions.

“We assess DAs as quickly and efficiently as we can, but we’ve got more work to do than we have people to do the work, and a high number of applications currently under assessment.

“Our assessment team also has many other responsibilities which compete for our limited time. These include street trading approvals, preparing and issuing planning certificates, and reviewing and making comment on state significant developments.

“With aspirations of another successful recruitment, we are hopeful that in the new year we can future-proof our planning team and resolve the backlog of development applications so the shire can continue to grow and flourish.”

Caption: New dwellings are among the most common development applications received by Gunnedah Shire Council.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Summer fun locked in for January School Holiday Program

16 December, 2022

It’s summer and that means the school holidays are here!

Gunnedah Shire Council’s latest school holiday program is full of fun activities including skateboarding workshops, whip cracking, outdoor cinema, a free pool day, and theatre workshops in January 2023.

Louis Tennis Academy will run tennis coaching clinics in both Gunnedah and Breeza on Tuesday, 10 January, and Gunnedah Conservatorium is hosting a number of theatre and music workshops over a few weeks.

Splash into Summer with free entry for children to the outdoor pool at Gunnedah Memorial Pool on Wednesday, 11 January from 9am-6pm. There will even be a jumping castle!

Free skateboarding workshops are back on Friday, 13 January from 9am-11.30am. Places are limited, so book fast!

Learn whip cracking from the Wicks family on Tuesday, 17 January at the Griffith Pavilion in the Gunnedah Showground. The novice session is from 9am-10am and the advanced session is from 10.30am-11.30am.

Join us for an open-air screening of the new Dreamworks animation, The Bad Guys (PG) at Kitchener Park on Friday, 20 January from 6.30pm.

After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet - becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade, the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good.

Pack a picnic and bring along a chair or rug to enjoy an evening of family-friendly entertainment under the stars. Don’t forget the mosquito repellent! The Civic is also screening $10 movies including Avatar: The Way of Water, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Gunnedah Shire Library has school holiday fun that includes Book Buddies for 0-7 years, and Crafty Creations for 8 years plus. On Wednesday, 11 January, 2023, from 3.30pm-4.30pm test your galactic movie knowledge at a space movie trivia afternoon. There will be four people per space station and dress-up is optional, with prizes on offer. Parents are welcome.

There will also be Crafty Creations sessions at the Curlewis Library from 2pm-3pm on Monday 9 January, 16 and 23. To find out more about the library’s activities, visit the Gunnedah Shire Library Facebook page. Bookings are essential.

To find out more, and make bookings for Gunnedah Shire Council’s School Holiday Program, visit www.thecivic.com.au/youth

Caption: Whip cracking is making a return in Council’s summer School Holiday Program.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Pacific Australia Labour Mobility workshop strengthens partnership

15 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire has strengthened its partnership with its Sister City of Kolomotu’a, Tonga, and other Pacific Islands through a recent labour workshop.

Gunnedah Shire Council hosted a Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workshop to introduce local employers to the Federal Government program.

“This workshop, which was open to employers looking to fill labour gaps with reliable workers from the Pacific Islands or Timor-Leste, is a great step towards meeting a number of needs,” Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey said.

“Not only does it work towards addressing our labour shortage, but this scheme allows Pacific and Timor-Leste workers to find jobs in Australia so they can send income home to their families. They also often have the possibility of further training.

“We have a special Sister City Agreement with Kolomotu’a in the Kingdom of Tonga, and a tradition of employing Tongan nationals. Workshops like this one cement our relationship and open the doors for employers to learn more.

“This workshop also allowed businesses who already employ Pacific Island workers to share their knowledge and build support for Pacific Island workers within Gunnedah.”

The workshop was held by Pacific Labour Facility Regional Manager Fionnuala Dixon, who said that eligible businesses could recruit workers, through the PALM scheme, for seasonal jobs for up to nine months or for longer-term roles for between one and four years in unskilled, low-skilled and semi-skilled positions.

Cr Chaffey said a visit to Kolomotu’a by a Gunnedah delegation had shown just how important overseas jobs were to Tonga, where more than one-third of the country’s gross domestic product comes from money sent home by residents living and working overseas.

To find out more about the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme, visit https://www.palmscheme.gov.au/ or if you are interested in a further workshop, please email the Manager Economy and Growth at council@infogunnedah.com.au

Caption: The workshop allowed businesses who already employ Pacific Island workers to share their knowledge and build support for Pacific Island workers within Gunnedah.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Council lists Gunnedah Shire priorities for State candidates

15 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Council is calling on NSW State election candidates to commit to a list of priorities to address critical issues in Gunnedah Shire.

Council has endorsed a recommendation to approach candidates for the seat of Tamworth on five priority issues ahead of the March 2023 election.

Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey, who moved the recommendations in a Mayoral Minute at the December Council Meeting, said while there were many priorities for the Shire, it was important to identify the top five to seek the support of candidates.

“The Country Mayors Association of New South Wales and Local Government New South Wales have already identified priorities for the State election,” Cr Chaffey said.

“Our priorities align with these but are specifically targeted at the areas that will help Gunnedah to continue to grow and prosper. Now is the time to have our community’s voice heard at the state level.”

The five priorities endorsed by Council are:

Commit to funding Gunnedah TAFE and/or local Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) to deliver pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship courses identified as specific to the needs of the Gunnedah business community.
Create incentives that will enable an increase in the construction of affordable housing throughout the shire.
The Gunnedah Police Station is manned appropriately to allow for 24-hour policing by 1 July, 2023.
An acceleration and significant increase in road repair funding to allow for restoration and betterment to our local and regional road network to improve resilience throughout the shire.
A commitment that the Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment, as currently proposed will be fully funded and construction will start in early 2023.

“These are five critical areas for Gunnedah Shire,” Cr Chaffey said. “Training courses that work towards meeting our labour shortage and a commitment to a new four-year funding program called Building Country Homes would be a great start.

“Gunnedah is also fed up with the increasing level of crime. We have a growing population and we need 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week policing to support our existing local police officers in trying to combat the dramatic increase.

“It should also be no surprise that repeated flooding has left us with a huge amount of road damage. We support the Country Mayors Association of NSW’s call for the establishment of a Fixing Country Pinch Points Program to allow councils to plan for future works with certainty.

“Lastly, our promised Gunnedah Hospital Redevelopment has not yet started construction. We need certainty it will happen, and it will happen in 2023, regardless of which political party wins the election.

“Of course, there is more we need from the state and federal governments, but these five priorities are absolutely essential.”

Caption: Council supported the five state election priorities put forward.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Council to auction properties to recover long-standing debts

15 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Council will auction five properties on Friday, 31 March, 2023 to recover rates and charges that have remained unpaid for more than five years in the case of occupied land, or one year in the case of vacant land.

Gunnedah Shire Council General Manager Eric Groth said it was necessary to take the action in cases where every attempt to contact and obtain payment from the property owner had been unsuccessful.

“For these properties, this is the final step in a lengthy process to recoup rates and payments after every other avenue, including payment plans, has failed,” Mr Groth said.

“It is not something that is undertaken lightly, and is carried out in accordance with the Local Government Act 1993 which stipulates Council may sell land on which a rate or charge has remained unpaid for more than five years.

“As at 9 September 2022, a total of $18,523.82 was owed on these properties by various owners, and this auction will be held to clear the total outstanding amount. All of these properties are vacant land.”

Two of the properties are in Gunnedah, and there is one property in Breeza, Kelvin and Emerald Hill.

The auction will be carried out by Lakeford Real Estate at The Civic on 31 March, 2023 at 11am.

The Local Government Act 1993 states surplus funds from the auction of properties with outstanding debts are held with Council’s Trust Fund pending discharge to persons having interest in the properties. Where no claim is forthcoming, the balance of sale proceeds is remitted to the State Government in accordance with the Unclaimed Moneys Act.

Caption: The land auction will be held on Friday, 31 March, 2023.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Council’s Christmas closures for 2022-23

14 December, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Council’s Administration Building, Gunnedah Shire Library and GoCo will close at 12pm on Friday, 23 December for a two-week period. The facilities will not reopen until Monday, 9 January, 2023.

The Gunnedah Memorial Pool will open every day except for Christmas Day, and The Civic Theatre will be closed on Christmas Day, 27 December, 1-3 January 2023, and 9 January, 2023.

The Gunnedah Waste Facility will open each day except for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with an early closure of 12pm on 23 December. Rural Waste Facilities will be closed on 23 December, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, 30 December, and 1-2 January 2023.

Bins, including recycling bins, will be collected as usual across the Christmas and New Year period.

The Gunnedah Saleyards will cease operations following the final 2022 sale on Tuesday, 13 December and will reopen for the sale on Tuesday, 10 January, 2023.

The Visitor Information Centre and Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery will be closed on Christmas Day only.

For more details on closures, please see our Christmas Closure Calendar.

Gunnedah Shire Council wishes everyone a wonderful and safe Christmas and New Year break.

For urgent assistance over the Christmas closure period, please phone Council’s after-hours service on (02) 6740 2100.

Caption: Merry Christmas from Gunnedah Shire Council!

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

Roads

Potholes

While Council will do its best to ensure roadways are serviceable, it is not always possible particularly during periods of adverse weather.

Roads Authorities including Councils, cannot be held liable for everything that happens on their roads. It is extremely rare for Councils to be liable to pay for damage caused as a result of colliding with a pothole.

The following information will assist in understanding the reasons why claims will usually not be paid:

The main obligation is on the road user to drive/ride to the conditions and keep a look out.
Potholes are generally caused by a combination of weather and heavy traffic.
Council has immunity under legislation for claims arising in circumstances where Council had no actual knowledge of the pothole or lacked the resources to repair the pothole quickly and/or permanently.
Potholes cannot be permanently repaired when they are wet as the road base needs to be completely dry.
Negligence needs to be established in order for a claim to succeed.
The onus of establishing negligence rests with the person making the claim.
The onus of proving the cost is also upon the claimant.

We understand the current frustration of drivers, using local roads. But it's going to take some time to fix the roads, given we have had two years of unprecedented rainfall. This is currently the case throughout much of NSW, where many councils are dealing with extensive damage to their road networks.

We urge drivers to drive to the conditions and keep a look out.

If you still wish to proceed with a claim, Please contact our Customer Relations Team via any of the following methods, or use our online Contact Form

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday: 9.00am - 4.00pm

Telephone Enquiries: 8.30am - 5.00pm

Address: PO Box 63 (63 Elgin Street), GUNNEDAH NSW 2380

Phone: (02) 6740 2100

Fax: (02) 6740 2119

After Hours Emergency: (02) 6740 2100

Email: council@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au

ABN: 80 183 655 793

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ANZ Gunnedah branch closure ‘disappointing’

December 6, 2022

Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey says a decision to close the Gunnedah branch of the ANZ Bank is “deeply disappointing”.

ANZ announced this month the Gunnedah branch would operate on reduced hours ahead of permanent closure on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

“This announcement is a clear example of a business putting profits before people,” Cr Chaffey said.

“The ANZ Bank has been part of the fabric of Gunnedah since the 1950s – much longer if you count the time before their merger with the English, Scottish and Australia Bank. They have been in the same building at the intersection of Conadilly and Marquis Streets for more than 50 years.

“There are community members here who have been loyal customers to the bank since the branch opened. They continue to do their banking there, alongside local businesses who can’t do all of their banking online. How much profit has our Shire contributed to the bank over those years?

“We could also lose the three families of the skilled employees who work there, with no guarantee from ANZ they will be able to work remotely from Gunnedah.

“This decision – which I have been told by the district manager cannot be reversed – is absolutely disgusting. Our Shire and our economy is growing. In this era of even greater opportunities, our financial institutions should be increasing, not withdrawing their support for our community.”

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.

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Celebrate the season at the Gunnedah Christmas Fair

6 December, 2022

The Gunnedah Christmas Fair is almost here and you’re invited to share in the festive fun in the CBD from 5.30pm on Thursday, 8 December.

The free community event is supported by Gunnedah Shire Council and Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce and funded by the Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program.

Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey said the Christmas Fair was a bright spot in the year.

“After all the challenges of the past few months, our community needs events like these to reconnect and refresh. It’s always fantastic to see how many families come out for the evening and enjoy this festive event,” he said.

“There’s plenty to see and do – browse a variety of stalls, join in children’s activities including face painting, jump on an amusement ride, snag a sausage sandwich from the Gunnedah Rotary Club, and have a photo with Santa.

“It’s the ideal opportunity to catch up with family and friends, listen to some live local music, and do lots of Christmas shopping!

“Don’t forget to also pop into our local shops which will keep their doors open during the fair.

“If you live in Carroll or Curlewis, I encourage you to hop on one of the free shuttle buses so you can be part of this family-friendly community event.”

Free shuttle buses will be available to transport residents in Carroll and Curlewis to and from the fair:

Carroll Community Ground to Gunnedah - Departs 5.20pm, arrives 5.40pm
Gunnedah to Carroll Community Ground – Departs 8.45pm, arrives 9.05pm
Curlewis Commercial Hotel to Gunnedah – Departs 6pm, arrives 6.20pm
Gunnedah to Curlewis Commercial Hotel – Departs 8pm, arrives 8.20pm

Conadilly Street between Elgin and Chandos streets will be closed from 3.30pm to 9.30pm on Thursday, 8 December to allow for set-up and pack-up.

For more information on the Gunnedah Christmas Fair, contact Council on (02) 67 40 2100 or council@infogunnedah.com.au.

Caption: The Gunnedah Christmas Fair will bring friends, families and neighbours together in the CBD.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100.