If you're thinking business, consider the possibilities that Gunnedah has to offer:
A well-developed transport infrastructure linked to the rest of Australia and particularly the seaports and airports of Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane - a pathway to the world.

• A labour pool with ready access to training and education facilities
• An abundant supply of energy, raw materials and open space for manufacturing facilities
• Ready access to the Internet, and technical support services
• A well-structured business incentive program with a supportive and forward thinking Council

With significant improvements in road, rail and regional air links and the new era of rapid communication systems, Gunnedah is strategically located relative to the major metropolitan and regional centres on the east coast of Australia.

Gunnedah is within a few short hours by air from Sydney in the south and Brisbane to the north. Major roads and rail transport interchanges connect some of Australia's most important agriculture producers to the major international ports of Sydney, Brisbane and Newcastle.

Gunnedah is the centre for a number of regional industries exporting to overseas markets. These include grain production, cotton processing, animal feed production, brick manufacturing, leather processing and coal mining. The area has a diverse and skilled employment base.

Whether your business is ready to expand or relocate, or you are considering a new enterprise, Gunnedah presents a very real opportunity to help you grow.

For more information please contact Council's Economic Development Department on 02 6740 2100.

The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund is an initiative of our local community and provides an opportunity for our local youth to succeed in their tertiary education by encouraging students to embark on a journey of lifelong learning by financially supporting those moving on to pursue tertiary studies.

The fund was established in 2003 and has assisted hundreds of local students over the many years. Scholarships have covered many disciplines including accounting, agriculture, allied health, animal science, law, architecture, arts/theatre, civil engineering, education, information technology, medicine, nursing and social work.

The fund is open to all local students under 25 years wanting to further their training and education at university, TAFE, or an accredited training organisation.

A scholarship can help with expenses like:

• Purchasing textbooks,
• Relocation and other travel costs,
• Living expenses, and
• Contribution towards tuition fees.
  
  

The Pamela Helen Rickard Scholarship

Gunnedah Shire Council can now add a new scholarship to our extensive list – "The Pamela Helen Rickard Scholarship".

Very generous sponsors, who have asked to remain anonymous, have donated a substantial amount of funds for this scholarship, which are to be disbursed as $2,500 per student, per year, with a maximum of three full-time students per scholarship year, to attend the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, preferably to study Asian Studies, Economics or Business Management. In the event that no student is looking to undertake studies in these areas, there is the potential to look at a scholarship for a student who will be enrolling in any other ‘full-time’ course at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. The funds will be disbursed each year until all expended.

The sponsors have created the scholarship in honour of Pamela Helen Rickard, who was the Dux of Gunnedah High School in 1969. Pamela attended the Australian National University from 1970 to 1972, undertaking a combined Asian Studies/Economics degree and was a prize-winner in Economic History.

Pamela spent many years in administration at Monash University, including in the role of assistant to the Dean of the Faculty of Law in the 1990s, utilising her strong personal skills backed by her academic studies, including a Graduate Diploma in Business Management.

The sponsors said Pamela was always very proud of her Gunnedah roots, and believed deeply in the value of education and the encouragement and provision of opportunities for young people.

Sadly, Pamela has passed away and in honour of her memory, the scholarship will be open to students of the Gunnedah Shire to support their undergraduate studies at the Australian National University, Canberra.

A note was found among Pamela’s last writings that talked about the establishment of a fund to help Gunnedah students. Thank you to our anonymous sponsors and thank you to Pamela Helen Rickard.

Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund Applications have now opened

Applications for the 2025 round have now opened.

You can find the application form here: Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund application form 2025 

Applications will close on 8 January, 2025.

For more information about the fund, please contact Gunnedah Shire Council on (02) 6740 2100 or council@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the Scholarship Fund can do so by sending their donation to:

Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund
Gunnedah Shire Council
PO Box 63, Gunnedah NSW 2380

Applications for 2024-25 Round 2 are open. Closing date is Friday, 22 November, 2024.

Each financial year, Council invites eligible community and sporting groups and organisations to apply for financial assistance under Section 356 of the Local Government Act 1993.

The program has been in place for 20 years, and is designed to aid the continuation of existing local projects or help fund projects that meet the needs of our growing community. The level of funding available under the program is dependent on the project but can be up to $5,000 (GST exclusive) with priority given to those applications that demonstrate benefit to their organisation but also the broader community.

Eligibility
• Community and Sporting Groups located within Gunnedah Shire;
• Applicants must be non-profit and community based;
• Applicants must be incorporated bodies or auspiced by an incorporated organisation;
• The grant sought must be of a non-recurrent nature;
• The grant amount requested must be $5,000 or less (GST Exclusive);
• Projects must not have received funding from the State or Federal Governments or other sources including Council for the same purposes for which Council funds are sought;
• Applicants must clearly indicate which funding stream they are applying under (Community Small Grants OR Sports Small Grants);
• Council encourages applications, which target communities in the outlying villages; 
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations and other multicultural organisations are encouraged to apply;
• Applicants are only eligible for funding once every two (2) years; and
• Organisations under an existing financial Agreement with Council are ineligible to apply.

 Declaration of Expenditure – S356 Small Grants 2023-24 - FILLABLE

Declaration of Expenditure – S356 Small Grants 2024-25 - FILLABLE

Policy

POLICY - Small Grants under Section 356 LGA - Adopted 21 June 2017

Forms

2024-25 Application_S356 Community Sports Small Grants.pdf

For more information on the 2024/25 round, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Community and Social Planner on (02) 6740 2100 or email council@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.

The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund, an initiative of our local community, provides an important opportunity for our youth to pursue their tertiary education.

The fund commenced in 2003, and was established in part as a constructive response to the alarming facts presented by Professor Ingrid Moses (former Vice Chancellor of UNE Armidale) that this region has one of the lowest post-secondary education retention rates in the country. This initiative is the only known fund of its kind in NSW, which is a great initiative for the Gunnedah Community.

It is only through the generous donations from members of our local community that we are able to continue to offer financial scholarships to our young people who wish to undertake further studies. 100% of all donations are distributed directly to our local students.

For more information on the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund please click here.

The school holidays are a great time to develop new skills and participate in fun activities!

Gunnedah Shire Council offer a school holiday program for both Primary and High school aged kids to participate in each holiday period.

For the latest School holiday Program, click here. To book school holiday activities, visit The Civic. 

The Role of the Youth Services Team is to provide leadership, skills development and empowerment opportunities for 12-25 year olds in the Gunnedah Shire.

Initiatives that support this objective include the quarterly School Holiday Program and the annual celebration of NSW Youth Week. 

For more information on any of the Youth program, please contact Council's Youth Development Team, Gunnedah Shire Council on 02 6740 2100 or email council@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au 

Street lighting infrastructure in Gunnedah Shire is provided by Essential Energy. Repairs to street lights are undertaken by Essential Energy and not Council, however Council does notify Essential Energy of street lights that are not operating or are experiencing other faults.

Any member of the community can also report faulty street lights and should do so directly to Essential Energy by way of the on-line reporting system.

Check out: 

Essential Energy - Streetlight Information and Forms

Gunnedah Shire Council has implemented a CCTV program for the Gunnedah central business district (CBD) with CCTV extended to include the eastern end of Conadilly Street.

The CBD CCTV Program has been highly successful and seeks to:

• Support local businesses through the prevention and reduction of street crime in the CBD
• Reduce alcohol related offences via an increased fear of detection and apprehension
• Improve the public’s general feeling of safety and security in regard to the CBD
• Provide accurate identification of offenders and events
  
  

CCTV POLICE REGISTER

If you have a CCTV system at your business or residential premises, you can help the police solve crime by registering your details online via the NSW Police Force CCTV Register ('the Register'). The Register is a database established to record the location of CCTV installations across NSW. Information stored in the Register has been collected and will be used for operational policing purposes.

Click here to access NSW Police Force - Register my business or residential CCTV details

• Register or update your business or residential CCTV details online
• Delete your business or residential CCTV details online
• Download a CCTV Register Brochure (PDF)

A range of fact sheets explaining the new laws are now available:

Since 6 July 2015, smoking is also banned in commercial outdoor dining areas including:

• A seated dining area – an area in which seating is provided and in which food that has been purchased and served on plates or packaged for immediate consumption is consumed – but only while food is being consumed or is available for purchase there;
• Within 4 metres of a seated dining area on licenced premises or at a restaurant; or
• Within 10 metres of where food is sold or supplied for consumption at a food fair.