Customer Relations, Communications & Lifestyle
30 September 2024
Gunnedah Shire has about 1500 small businesses with less than 20 employees, making the small business sector a vibrant part of our economy.
October is NSW Small Business Month, and Gunnedah Shire Council will celebrate our Shire’s small businesses by offering a number of events where owners and employees can network, develop skills and gain knowledge.
Gunnedah Shire Council Director Community and Development Andrew Johns said small businesses added to every aspect of life in Gunnedah Shire and covered a huge range of industries and interests.
“We’re very lucky in Gunnedah Shire to have such a variety of small businesses, from coffee shops to electricians, and property agents to gift shops,” Mr Johns said.
“Each one brings something unique to the economy and makes it just that little bit better to live in what is already a great place.
“In NSW Small Business Month, Gunnedah Shire Council will partner with other agencies to help people build on their networks and their knowledge. Events such as these can take a business to the next level of sales or services, or help make a business more sustainable.”
NSW Small Business Month will begin in Gunnedah with a Launch Breakfast on Tuesday, 1 October at the Railway Hotel hosted by the Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce and Gunnedah Shire Council. As well as a buffet breakfast, the event will a panel of knowledgeable speakers. The panel will include owner/director for Blush & Bloom Skin and Beauty Caity Byrnes, Namoi Valley Plumbing owner/director Jake Dawson, Whitehaven Coal General Manager, Community Engagement Darren Swain, and Reverence Road owner Renee Neale.
Tickets are $20 and are available through www.gunnedah.org.au
On Tuesday, 15 October at 4-6pm, a free Communicating with Customers for Connection and Growth session will be held at the Courthouse Hotel with Keira Gifford of Raw Confetti.
Keira will help unlock market leading strategies for effective customer communication, and help you take a deep dive into your digital presence. Attendees are asked to bring their questions and their laptop.
The event is free, but bookings are required through www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1294893
There will be a Future Forward – Services NSW event in partnership with NORTEC from 9.20am to 12.30pm at the Smithurst Theatre on Wednesday, 23 October. During this interactive workshop, attendees can gain an understanding of the transformative power of AI and how it can drive innovation in your business.
This event is free, but bookings can be made through https://mybusiness.service.nsw.gov.au/business-connect/event/qxew9xe6zj
The final event is Beyond the Fields: Women in Ag Morning Tea at the Carroll Gap Farmhouse from 9.30am to 11.30am on Wednesday, 30 October.
This free event will include morning tea, networking and information dedicated to empowering women in agriculture. Guest facilitators will be Julia Pursehouse from The Farmer’s Florist, Stewart Michel from Michel & White Lawyers, Melissa Bowman from Farm Business Resilience Program and Karen Grimm from Gunnedah Shire Council.
The event is free, but bookings are required through www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1294808
The list of events is:
- 7.30-9am Tuesday, 1 October, 2024: Launch breakfast at the Railway Hotel, Gunnedah
• $20. Bookings www.gunnedah.org.au/event-details - 4-6pm Tuesday, 15 October, 2024: Communicating with Customers for Connection & Growth at the Courthouse Hotel, Gunnedah
• Free. Bookings www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1294893 - 9.30am-12.30pm Wednesday, 23 October, 2024: Future Forward – Services NSW at the Smithurst Theatre, Gunnedah
• Free. Bookings https://mybusiness.service.nsw.gov.au/business-connect/event/qxew9xe6zj - 9.30-11.30am Wednesday, 30 October, 2024: Beyond the Fields: Women in Ag Morning Tea at Carroll Gap Farmhouse
• Free. Bookings www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1294808
Caption: The crowd enjoys the Small Business Month 2023 Launch Breakfast.
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Media and communications team contact: communications@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au or (02) 6740 2100.
September 30, 2024
A new Deposition Centre has opened at Gunnedah’s Waste Management Facility, making it easier and safer for people to deposit their waste.
The new centre, located on the site of the Waste Management Facility and accessed through the Quia Road entry, has been constructed to allow everyday users of the facility to deposit their waste away from the main landfill area.
Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Waste Sheridan Cameron said the new centre went a long way towards avoiding many of the hazards associated with the operation of a landfill site.
“Depositing waste at a landfill site can be an unpleasant experience, and too often brings residents into contact with landfill machinery and commercial users who may have large vehicles,” Mrs Cameron said.
“This new Deposition Centre, funded through Gunnedah Shire Council’s Domestic Waste Management budget, makes depositing your rubbish a safer, cleaner and more pleasant experience.
“People can come in and deposit their waste away from the main landfill. It allows enhanced waste screening making it easier for Council to ensure recyclables are separated and no hazardous waste is mixed in with household waste.
“This is a significant improvement for Gunnedah Shire’s waste management services.”
The waste deposited at the Deposition Centre will be removed and processed by Gunnedah Waste Management Facility staff.
Fees for use of the facility will not change.
Gunnedah Shire Council asks people to be patient while they navigate the new system for the first time.
Caption: Gunnedah’s new Deposition Centre has now opened.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
The emphasis is on fun and creativity in the September-October school holidays with the latest Gunnedah Shire Council School Holiday Program!
Council has partnered with Gunnedah Conservatorium and the NSW Government to present Spring into Performance, a free four-day workshop from Tuesday, 8 October to Friday, 11 October for 12 to 24-year-olds that will take the young performer from strategies for stage fright through to exploring new opportunities.
Bookings are essential and will be open from Monday, 23 September through www.gunnedahconservatorium.com.au.
The Gunnedah Shire Library also has a great program of events, from Book Buddies for 0-7 years, to Crafty Creations, both at Gunnedah and Curlewis for 7-12-year-olds.
There’s also plenty to do at The Cultural Precinct, with holiday movies including The Wild Robot, Harold and the Purple Crayon and Transformers One. There is a self-guided sensory tour available at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery, the Civic Theatre and the Visitor Information Centre, and kids can pick up a Koala Kwest sheet from the Civic to accept the challenge to find the cheeky koalas hidden in Conadilly St business windows.
Summer pool hours start from October 5, and the pool will be open from 5.30am to 7pm from Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 6pm on Sundays.
The School Holiday Program also lists details of great activities hosted by the PCYC, Gunida Gunyah and Gunnedah Health & Fitness Co, including the Keepit Commando challenge on Saturday, 12 October and a Developing Resilience session on Friday, 11 October. There are also details for a Catapult Challenge at Wolseley Park on Tuesday, 1 October.
Some activities require bookings, so please check out the full program and details at www.thecivic.com.au/youth .
9 September 2024
Industrial action by Electrical Trades Union workers is causing weeks of delays and cost impacts on the Gunnedah Regional Saleyards Redevelopment Project.
Gunnedah Shire Council Director Planning and Environmental Services Andrew Johns said the Electrical Trades Union’s decision to stage industrial action within Essential Energy has impacted subcontractor and machinery availability and cost the Saleyards project in the order of $12,000 in abortive costs so far.
“Industrial action will not only mean significant additional unnecessary costs, but it will also lead to delays in occupation of the new Saleyards facility,” Mr Johns said.
“Electrical work at the Saleyards as part of the Highway intersection works requires a whole lot of ancillary arrangements, including traffic control and the support of other skilled professionals. Each delay means all of those arrangements have to be rescheduled at extremely short notice, and all of this adds to the project cost.”
The Gunnedah Regional Saleyards Redevelopment Project is being funded through the NSW Government in partnership with Gunnedah Shire Council. It includes the new truck wash, a saleyards administration building with café and offices, a saleyards upgrade with new roof, and new technology. Work is expected to continue through to the end of this year.
The project will ensure the Gunnedah Regional Saleyards remain an important facility both to Gunnedah Shire and to the NSW livestock industry.
Caption: A panoramic view of work on the Gunnedah Regional Saleyards Redevelopment.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
11 September 2024
The program that has helped launch hundreds of local young people into the first step of their careers has opened for applications for 2025.
The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund has seen close to 500 scholarships awarded since it began more than 20 years ago.
Gunnedah Shire Council General Manager Eric Groth said the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund was a partnership between business, the local community and Gunnedah Shire Council that was an investment in the future of regional New South Wales.
“The Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to local students who are under 25 to help them pursue the next step of their education,” Mr Groth said.
“Over the years, we have seen many students use the funding to help with expenses such as textbooks, relocation, living expenses or tuition fees. It can make a big difference when a regional student is taking that first step towards their chosen career.
“It has assisted students further their training and education at university, TAFE and other accredited organisations, and study everything from the arts to law, engineering, health and education.
“We have also seen many young people go on to make a difference in their chosen career in regional New South Wales, including those who have come to work as teachers, medical professionals and a range of other professions that are very important to Gunnedah Shire.”
Young people can apply for a Gunnedah Community Scholarship and take a look at the guidelines online at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au. Applications close on Wednesday, 8 January 2025 at 5pm to allow time for students to receive university offers.
In 2024, 28 young people were assisted in starting their education adventure through the fund.
If you, your business or community group would like to become a sponsor of the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund, please contact Council on (02) 6740 2100 or council@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au
Find out everything you need to know, including application forms, here... https://www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au/index.php/community/community-services/grants-sponsorship/item/955-gunnedah-community-scholarship-fund
Caption: Some of the recipients of the 2024 Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund at the presentation earlier this year.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
9 September 2024
If your four to eleven-year-old and the rest of the family love a fractured fairy tale, then Little Red in the Hood could be just the ticket.
This interactive, educational live performance for children is coming to The Civic in the Gunnedah Cultural Precinct for two shows – 11am and 1pm – on Wednesday, 25 September.
Little Red loves her Granny – and her neighbourhood!
She is like a super-hero in a hoodie, watching out for her neighbours’ houses when they are away and always on the lookout for litterbugs and people who don’t know how to recycle.
Every story has a troublemaker and the troublemaker in this story is Walter, the Big Bad Wolf. He is a bit more medium-sized and cheeky than big and bad, but he has his beady eye on Granny’s chocolate cake.
This 50-minute show by Jally Entertainment is a very different twist to the classic Red Riding Hood with great educational messages.
Tickets for the performances at 11am and 1pm on Wednesday, 25 September are $15 and are available through LIVE THEATRE & EVENTS, The Civic Cinema I Gunnedah. Tickets are selling fast so don’t miss out.
Caption: Little Red in the Hood offers some lively and educational action for kids.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
4 September 2024
Gunnedah Shire has welcomed 15 new residents to Australia with a Citizenship Ceremony held today at the Civic.
Gunnedah Shire General Manager Eric Groth said the event, catered by Red Cross, was held ahead of Australian Citizenship Day on 17 September.
“We live in a beautiful part of a great country, and we are proud to welcome 15 new citizens to Australia,” Mr Groth said.
“Today, we welcomed people who were born in Fiji, the Philippines, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Pakistan and South Africa, who will add to the wonderful, vibrant mix of people and cultures we already have in Gunnedah Shire. This is always a special day in our calendar.”
Congratulations to:
• Rajendran Krishnan Mudaliar (born in Fiji)
• Jenneza Canoy Hickman (born in the Philippines)
• Rhea Atienza Aceveda (born in the Philippines)
• Corenna Renae Doolan (born in New Zealand)
• Pham Dang Phuong Tong (born in Vietnam)
• Emori Waqavulagi (born in Fiji)
• Marinus Abraham Jacobus de Wilde (born in the Netherlands)
• Jhonacel Ancero Bronola (born in the Philippines)
• Muhammad Hashir Siddiqui (born in Pakistan)
• Johan Frederick Weilbach (born in South Africa)
• Barendina Petronella Weilbach (born in South Africa)
• Kayla Weilbach (born in South Africa)
• Tracey Elizabeth Castle (born in New Zealand)
• Nicole Alexandra Castle (born in New Zealand)
• Jack Michael Castle (born in New Zealand).
Every year, Australia welcomes thousands of new citizens for Australian Citizenship Day.
Caption: New citizens are welcomed as Australians by Gunnedah Shire Council.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
3 September, 2024
Gunnedah’s Wandobah Reserve – Off Leash Dog Park will open this Saturday, and dogs of Gunnedah and their owners are invited!
Gunnedah Shire Council Director Infrastructure Services Jeremy Bartlett said the Off Leash Dog Park had been created at the request of dog owners throughout Gunnedah and would provide a place where dogs could play and mingle within a fenced area.
“The Wandobah Reserve – Off Leash Dog Park is an important new park for our Shire,” Mr Bartlett said.
“It is a secure fenced area where dogs and their owners can enjoy a bit of exercise and socialising.
“The construction and final design of the Off Leash Dog Park is a direct result of an extensive amount of community consultation that was undertaken as part of the project. The features include a secure double gate entrance, separate yards for large and small dogs, clear signage, bins, dog waste bags, agility equipment, water fountains for both owners and dogs, seating and also lighting for safe entry and exit.
“The park includes play equipment for the dogs that has utilised materials from other Council facilities, offering a great environmentally and budget-friendly solution.
“We invite dog owners to come and take a look and enjoy the park, remembering to please follow the information on the signage and to be mindful of other users.”
The Wandobah Reserve – Off Leash Dog Park will officially open with an event from 10am to 11am this Saturday, 7 September. The event will include a Best Dressed Dog Competition run by the Animal Welfare League of NSW Gunnedah, with free microchip checks and Companion Animal Register updates available.
Caption: Awaiting the final touches: The Wandobah Reserve – Off Leash Dog Park will open on Saturday.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
27 August 2024
A new exhibition to open at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery on Friday, 6 September is an adventure into the transformation of the human body from infancy through to old age.
Manilla’s Marilynne Barnes, whose own journey as an artist has seen her work with other talented artists and study fine arts, works in a variety of mediums and styles but remains true to one subject.
“Quite often, my exhibitions look like they have been done by different people,” she says. “I just can’t settle on one style. The only thing that is constant is the human form.”
Fascinated with the shape and language of the human body, Marilynne Barnes creates works that range from drawings to acrylics to oils, and often mixes mediums to achieve the desired mood.
The exhibition – A Lifetime of Change – will feature more than 40 works, many of them new, with artworks for sale.
“These are paintings and artworks of different stages of life, both male and female, from children through to adolescents and old age,” she says.
Everyone is invited to the opening of A Lifetime of Change at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery at 6pm on Friday, 6 September with free entry. The exhibition is open every day until Friday, 11 October with free entry.
For more information, visit www.thecivic.com.au
Caption: A section of Marilynne Barnes’s work The Golden Glow.
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Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
19 August, 2024
Two community drop-in sessions will be held this week for people who want to learn more about the draft Master Plans for Kitchener Park, Wolseley Oval, the Showground and the Riverine Precinct (including Donnelly Fields), which are all currently on public exhibition.
The following drop-in sessions will be held outside Gunnedah Newsagency in Conadilly Street:
- Thursday, 22 August, 2024 – 3-5pm
- Friday, 23 August, 2024 – 9-11am
The draft Master Plans provide Council with direction for these four much-loved open spaces and have been created following community consultation for each site.
The documents are available for review at Gunnedah Shire Council’s Administration Building at 63 Elgin Street, Gunnedah or on Council’s website at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au
If you have feedback on the draft plans on exhibition, please make a submission via the following methods:
- Email council@infogunnedah.com.au with the name of the plan in the subject line. Please include your name and contact details
- Complete an online form via the Contact Us section of Council’s website
- Post your submission to Gunnedah Shire Council, PO Box 63, Gunnedah, 2380 or hand it over the counter at Council’s Administration Building at 63 Elgin Street, Gunnedah.
Submissions will be accepted through until 5pm on Monday, 23 September 2024.
ENDS
Media and communications team contact: (02) 6740 2100.
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