The next Civic Cinema Sensory Sessions will take place at 5.00pm Friday 21 July 2017 with the family movie ‘Cars 3.’ The Civic has partnered with GoCo and Connections 4 Kids to create a safe, accepting environment for children and young adults with diverse sensory needs.

Sensory Sessions feature soft sound and low light throughout the movie, free range seating, a quiet corner outside the movie theatre for anyone who needs a break, and an intermission for everyone to have a stretch and move around.

‘We’re really looking forward to providing an inclusive opportunity for people who may not usually feel comfortable attending a movie,’ Chris Frend, Tourism and Cultural Precinct Supervisor said.

‘We hope that by providing regular, ongoing screenings it will create an opportunity for families to have an outing together. The whole community is welcome to attend, and we anticipate many people will prefer the sensory friendly environment,’ he concluded.

Tickets prices are standard, with concessions available for students, seniors, DVA Gold Card and Companion Card holders. For more information please contact The Civic on 67402266, or to stay updated about available sessions go to www.thecivic.com.au or follow ‘The Civic, Gunnedah’ on Facebook.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

Fresh tenders for the Gunnedah Memorial Pool Complex Upgrade Project will be sought after only one tender was received for the $7.8 million project.

At last night’s meeting, Gunnedah Shire Council decided to seek fresh tenders and quotations for the proposed works from suitably qualified contractors for the works outside the standard tender process. The lack of competitive tenders and the need to obtain the best value for money for the community were cited as reasons for not accepting the tender received.

General Manager, Eric Groth said Council would now source prices from appropriately qualified contractors for the project.

“Council’s decision means we are able to negotiate with contractors and evaluate quotations for individual elements of the project to ensure that the community receives a quality outcome at the best price” Mr Groth said.

Council’s Architect’s GHD and the project management team will now directly seek quotations from construction firms and pool specialists for the works.

“New prices will be obtained for the overall project as well as specific construction elements to allow Council to fully evaluate the costs,” Mr Groth said.

It is anticipated that the new tendering and quotation process will take eight weeks to complete.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

Gunnedah has long been known for their Australia Day Celebrations. This year, the inaugural ‘Aussie Day Bake Off’ was a huge local success and garnered national media coverage that resulted in an exciting phone call.

Winner of the ‘men’s division’ Colin Formann from Gunnedah Shire Council was contacted by producers of ‘The Great Australian Bake Off’ to ask if he would like to put his skills to the test on the reality TV show.

Mr Formann was delighted by the approach, however declined the offer, due to the fact that the cake was “the first and only thing he has ever baked”. However, he did supply the show with names of some of the other winners of the ‘Aussie Day Bake Off’ so that other local bakers may pursue the opportunity should they wish.

The ‘Aussie Day Bake Off’ Inaugural event saw around 20 wonderful creations and raised $1200 for the G.S. Kidd bus fund and the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund.

“It’s really good news that Gunnedah’s Australia Day Celebrations are being recognised. I hope we see some local talent on the show as a result. It’s a great advertisement for Gunnedah and our community” Gunnedah’s Australia Day Working Group Chair Colleen Fuller said.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

Gunnedah Shire Council is providing an opportunity for the Gunnedah community to participate in workshops at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Centre Studio space this Saturday and Sunday with this month’s feature artist Gavin Coote. Gavin Coote’s Exhibition The (Non) Humans of the North West is currently exhibiting at Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery until the 5th of March, 2017.

Gavin’s collection of expressive and spontaneous paintings and ink drawings are reminiscent of Australian art world greats such as: Reg Mombassa, Pro Hart and the notorious Adam Cullen. This style of art will be explored and unpacked within Gavin’s workshops.

The Gavin Coote workshops are set to be playful and light-hearted workshops experimenting with drawing and painting activities for any age and any ability level.
The classes vary slightly from Saturday to Sunday but each workshop will begin with gestural drawing and contour drawing activities. This will be followed by large-scale painting activities, where each participant starts a painting and other participants finish it as a collaborative journey of creation.

Participants are asked to bring along a large canvas. Paints and paintbrushes are provided but if there is a preferred paint or brush participants would like to use, please bring along.

The Gavin Coote workshops are a place to play and explore different and modern approaches to painting and drawing. The workshops are $50 a day from 11:00 am -2:00 pm with light refreshments provided. Walk-ins are welcomed but bookings are preferred through www.thecivic.com.au or through the Visitor Information Centre at 83 Chandos Street or Council’s Administration Building at 63 Elgin Street, Gunnedah or by calling 67402100.

Gunnedah’s Young Access Group will resume in March 2017; exploring pottery alongside Gunnedah Pottery Club. Young Access focuses on providing opportunities for young people with a disability to discover, explore and socialise through art and other hobbies in a supported environment.

Each Saturday in March, Young Access will meet at The Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Studio from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm to experiment with different pottery techniques. Pat Tobin will be the facilitating artist with members of the Gunnedah Pottery Club volunteering their time to provide hands-on support and share their skills to create an enjoyable atmosphere for everyone involved.

Young Access is an initiative of Gunnedah Community College, GoCo, and Gunnedah Shire Council, drawing on members of the community to participate in the workshops.

Young Access will resume from 10:00 am–12:00 pm on Saturday the 4th of March and again on the following Saturdays the 11th, 18th and 25th of March 2017 at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Studio Space. Young Access is for young people ages 15 years and over with an enrolment fee of $20 for 4 weeks. For enrolments and information, please contact Gunnedah Community College on 02 6742 5630.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

'Pots and Paints’ is an upcoming exhibition featuring retrospective and new works of active renowned regional artists Judy Baker, Annabel Hoskins and Louise Baker.
This exhibition is a feast for those who enjoy the traditional approaches to art and excellent technical ability as it will contain several different artistic techniques including painting, drawing, printmaking and sculpture explored through numerus mediums including oils, pastels, etching, and solar printing alongside vast array of firing and pottery techniques.

Judy Baker is one of Gunnedah’s lifelong members of the Gunnedah Art Society. Judy first exhibited her artwork of her daughter Louise, in the second annual Currabubula Art Show, in 1965 nearly 52 years ago. Judy is still an active within the Gunnedah Arts scene and continues with her arts practice.

Judy’s daughter Louise Baker is one of Gunnedah’s dedicated artists and is a very active member of the Gunnedah Pottery Group as well as Two River Arts Council’s Visual Arts Group. Louise is a prolific artist and lends her hand to any medium.

Annabel Hoskins is a Tamworth based artist who has exhibited in numerous regional shows and galleries. Her paintings capture the activity and essence of her subjects.

‘Pots and Paints’ will be feature a vast collection of works at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery Friday 10th of March, 2017 to the Sunday 2nd April, 2017. The official opening of the exhibition will be conducted by former Gunnedah resident and artistic great, Yvette Hugill at 6:00 pm Friday the 10th March 2017 at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery. For more information, please Contact Gunnedah Shire Council on 02 6740 2100

The opening of the exhibition is an event within the Senior’s Week Program. Go-Co will be providing transport to and from Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery for the opening. For more information and transport bookings please contact Go-Co (02) 6740 2254.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

The North West Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan is a comprehensive document supporting a Regional approach to invasive weed management in the North West Region. The final draft is being put out for public consultation over the next two weeks.

The plan sets about formalising an approach to weed management across the region, enhancing a state wide program for invasive weed control and ultimately contributing to the invasive weed component of the new Biosecurity Act 2015.

A review into weed management carried out by the Natural resources Commission (NRC) identified a number of changes in the way weeds could be managed state wide. One recommended outcome from the review was that weed management programs across the state were inconsistent and that a more strategic approach was needed when carrying out private and public property inspections, capturing and recording data, and importantly, when managing new and emerging incursions of priority weeds.

The majority of the recommendations made by the NRC have been adopted, the most prominent being that of ensuring a regional coordinated approach to weed management, as opposed to individual programs being managed by various State Government agencies.

The North West Regional Strategic Weed Management Plan has been drafted in close consultation with all stakeholders involved in weed management in NSW, and is a document which will form the framework of regional weed management programs in the North West.

A public consultation roadshow headed by the Northwest Local Lands Service commences this week with information sessions being held across the North West.

Gunnedah Shire’s session will be held this Thursday the 16th of February in the training room at Council’s administration building in Elgin Street commencing 9.30am.
For further information contact Gunnedah Shire Council Senior Weeds Officer Lee Amidy on 02 6740 2100.

For information on dates and venues in other locations contact North West Local Land Services

www.northwest.lls.nsw.gov.au  |  www.facebook.com/northwestlocallandservices 

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we’re inviting you to go on a blind date – with a book! Library Lovers’ Day is 14th of February and Gunnedah Shire Library have partnered with GoCo to help you find your true literary love - just think of us as your hardcover cupids.

If you are looking for a long-term reading relationship, local cafes around Gunnedah have Blind Date with a Book Boxes, just pick a book up and take it home. No wining and dining necessary, it’s the perfect date.

If you’re more of the read ‘em and leave ‘em type, Gunnedah Shire Library has a romantic Wishing Well, full of blind date books to borrow. And like a blind date, the books can hide a pleasant surprise; some of them contain a little red heart. Bring the heart back into the library to claim a prize.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, so all books are wrapped with paper. You won’t know what you’re getting until you’ve got it – just like a blind date! Remember, love is blind, and a good time with a good book is the best way to celebrate Library Lovers’ Day.

For more information, or to become a Library Lover, contact Gunnedah Shire Library on 02 6740 2190

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100.

GoCo Community Transport is pleased to introduce The GoCo Run, a regular transport option servicing Tambar Springs, Mullaley, Premer, Curlewis, Carroll and Breeza.
The GoCo Run will provide a weekly bus run to complement the existing range of community transport services, which include door to door transport for medical appointments, buses for shopping and social events, and half price taxi fares.

GoCo have been providing affordable transport to the Gunnedah community since 1988, and ‘The GoCo Run’ is an extension of this service.

‘The GoCo Run will provide safe, flexible and efficient transport for the residents of the villages and surrounds,’ GoCo Community Transport Coordinator Suzi Beard said. ‘This will be a huge benefit to the community, especially those experiencing transport disadvantage and isolation” she concluded.

The GoCo Run will be operating in each of the villages one day a week:

• TUESDAY- Carroll
• THURSDAY- Tambar Springs, Premer, Mullaley
• FRIDAY- Curlewis and Breeza

Wheelchair accessibility is available and an on board carer can be supplied on request. Return trips are just $10. Bookings are essential to secure a seat.

For more information or to make a booking, contact GoCo Community Transport on 02 6740 2254

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen 6740 2100

Held during March each year, the Weeks of Speed Festival is a unique programme of heart-thumping speed and speed-related activities and great family friendly entertainment.

Organisers plan new events each year and in 2017 the Weeks of Speed programme bursts into action on Saturday March 4 and will continue each weekend thereafter, finishing on Sunday March 26, 2017.

Download the Weeks of Speed Programme 2017, see what’s on and head to Gunnedah for some great action packed, family friendly entertainment.