Friday, 29 May, 2026
East Tamworth Rezoning Proposal
Council will make a submission to the Department of Planning, Housing and infrastructure in opposition of a proposed rezoning near the Tamworth CBD due to a lack of information in the proposal about water supply.
The proposed rezoning from Homes NSW for 16.5 hectares of government-owned land within the Tamworth Regional Local Government Area aims to amend the Tamworth Regional Local Environmental Plan 2010 (Tamworth Regional LEP) to allow for up to 213 new homes.
Council is supportive of Tamworth Regional Council and the significant growth being experienced across the Tamworth region. This growth delivers substantial benefits not only to Tamworth but to the broader region.
While Council remains supportive of the residential and industrial growth of Tamworth Regional Council local government area, Council must maintain its position that this growth and its demand on natural resources, such as water, should not come at the expense of other local government areas and their existing populations and industry, or their growth.
Council savings and efficiencies update
Councillors received an update on efficiency gains and operational savings within Council.
In November 2024, Council resolved to find $930,000 through efficiency gains and operational savings over the three-year period of 2025 to 2028 and receive a report on the progress by 30 May annually during this period.
Since the last report was presented, Council has realised $846,266 in savings and $75,187 in efficiencies. A full report is available in the May Ordinary Meeting Business Papers on Council’s website.
Proposed road names on public exhibition
Three proposed names for road reserves in the Gunnedah Shire are on public exhibition for 28 days.
‘Hunts Road’
The road reserve extending North from Oxley Highway between Lot 1 DP 1273331 (Koala Sanctuary) and Lot 327 1116024 does not currently have a gazetted road name, despite being a public road reserve. It is proposed that it be named ‘Hunts Road’ in keeping with its location in relation to Hunts Road.
'Wilkinson Road'
The road reserve currently known as Ruvigne Road, between Lot 141 DP 751010 and Lot 5 DP 841781, aligns with Wilkinson Road, which extends from the intersection to the North is defined as part of Wilkinson Road because there is no constructed connection between the subject section of road and the remainder of Ruvigne Road. The renaming of this road reserve will not affect the naming of the road reserve extending Southeast from the intersection of Oxley Highway.
'Delander Road’
The road reserve currently known as Boddington Road, between Lot 1 DP 121582 and Lot 107 DP 755501, extends between Wightman Road and the intersection of Boddington Road and Ormiston Road. However, only the northern portion of the road reserve, off the intersection of Wightman Road is constructed and does not extend through to Ormiston Road or the separate section of Boddington Road, creating two separate roads with the same naming title, which may cause confusion for road users and emergency services.
The proposed road name ‘Delander Road’ is derived from Council’s Naming of Public Infrastructure Register and is the name of a land standing Gunnedah family.
The resolution is on public exhibition at Council’s office at 63 Elgin Street and online at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au. Submissions should be received no later than 5pm on Monday, 29 June, 2026.
Opposition to Tamworth Intervalley Pipeline and Off-River Storages Project
Council has allocated $10,000 to an Advocacy and Communications Strategy to relay its opposition to the NSW Government’s proposed Intervalley Pipeline from Keepit Dam and Split Rock Dam to Tamworth.
The Strategy’s purpose is to ensure Council adopts a clear, evidence-informed and transparent position on water security that protects the long-term interests of the Gunnedah Shire community while engaging constructively with State Government and regional partners about the Tamworth Intervalley Pipeline and Off-River Storages Project.
Following the endorsement of the funds, Council will ask other councils in the Regional, Rural and Remote Water Security Alliance to make a contribution, and the strategy will be further developed and refined based on Council's direction.
Proposed changes for Section 356 Small Grants Programs
Council’s Section 356 Community and Sports, Arts and Cultural, and Access Incentive grants will be combined into one grant program with a retained level of funding.
The decision resulted from a review of the three grants programs and focused on streamlining and simplifying the delivery of the Section 356 Small Grants to maximise the number of local organisations applying for and receiving Section 356 grants.
A draft policy for the new Small Grants Program includes key changes such as the removal of restrictions that made community groups or organisations ineligible if they already receive financial assistance from Council.
The Small Grants Program draft policy is on public exhibition for 28 days at Council’s office at 63 Elgin Street and online at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au. Submissions should be received no later than 5pm on Tuesday, 23 June, 2026.
Murray-Darling Basin Authority 2026 Basin Plan Review - Joint Submission (Regions 11 and 12)
Council has lodged a joint submission for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority 2026 Basin Plan Review.
The submission has been prepared collaboratively with regional councils and stakeholders and reflects a coordinated regional position developed through the Murray Darling Association, highlighting issues of significance to communities in the Northern Basin.
Signatories include Balonne Shire Council, Bourke Shire Council, Gunnedah Shire Council, Gwydir Shire Council, Inverell Shire Council, Liverpool Plains Shire Council, Narrabri Shire Council, Paroo Shire Council, Tenterfield Shire Council, Toowoomba Regional Council and Walgett Shire Council.
Draft Blackjack Creek Flood Study Update
Councillors have endorsed the Gunnedah Shire Council Blackjack Creek Flood Study Update following a public exhibition period.
The study was reviewed and updated by Council and Lyall & Associates Pty Ltd after Council successfully obtaining a grant from the NSW Government Floodplain Management Program 2022.
The document has been developed to align with the NSW Government’s Flood Prone Land Policy, which provides a framework for how local government should manage flood liable land. The activities within the study are also in line with the NSW Government’s Flood Risk Management Manual (2023) and framework for implementing the policy to achieve the policy’s main purpose.
Changes to roads operations, traffic committee framework
Following endorsement, Council will take on the authorisation and delegation of prescribed traffic control devices and regulation of the Traffic Roads Act 1993 Road Transport Act 2013, as available for delegation by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) on 1 August, 2025 and that Council will implement this "instrument" as of 1 July, 2026.
In association with this "instrument", Council will adopt the operational framework for the Local Traffic Forum (LTF), which replaces the existing Local Advisory Traffic Committee (LATC).
The implementation of the “instrument” enables the following:
- Authorises councils to use the signs, markings, and devices that appear in the Road Rules 2014 known as ‘prescribed traffic control devices’; and
- Allows Council to ‘regulate traffic’ on an unclassified road for purposes that go beyond roadwork, such as closing a road to allow an Anzac Day march.
Local Traffic Advisory Committee recommendations
Council endorsed the following recommendations from Council’s Local Traffic Advisory Committee (LTAC), now known as the Local Traffic Forum (LTF).
Kelvin and Rangari roads intersection
Support for the presented signage and line marking plan for the intersection of Kelvin Road and Rangari Road with a view to improving safety at the intersection.
One-way traffic
Council will start preparatory work on the conversion of Stock Road between Links Road and Apex Drive to one-way only in each direction on either side of the park area median.
Council Officers will return to the LTAC (LTF) and Council with a compliant signs and lines plan for consideration reflecting one-way operations.
Any plan would need to be distributed to the local residents, schools and bus operators to invite feedback before the plan is finalised and reconsidered by the LTAC (LTF) and Council.
2026 AgQuip
That the 2026 Ag-Quip event occur subject to the provision of required notifications, risk assessments (Special Event Transport Management Plan), Schedule 1 Form – Notice of Intention to Hold a Public Assembly, insurances, Traffic Management Plan, Traffic Guidance Scheme and Road Occupancy Licenses (prepared by Council).
The documents would also need to be provided to the NSW Police for consideration by Oxley District Command.
Changes to water restriction usage times
Residents will be able to water in the morning or the evening under a proposed change to Council’s 2024 Drought Management Plan.
In response to community requests, Council would allow watering from 7am to 9am when water restrictions are in place if the change is adopted following a 28-day public exhibition period. Currently, watering is allowed between 6pm and 8pm in daylight saving time and 5pm to 7pm all other times.
The proposal does not increase the total allowable watering duration and the change is not expected to affect Council’s water supply during periods of water restrictions or drought conditions if residents adhere to the two-hour limit.
The draft updated Drought Management Plan is on public exhibition for 28 days at Council’s office at 63 Elgin Street and online at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au. Submissions should be received no later than 5pm on Friday, 26 June, 2026.
Caption: Gunnedah Shire residents can have their say on whether Council’s 356 Arts and Cultural, Community and Sports, and Access Incentive grants programs should be combined into one program. Pictured are previous recipients of 356 Community and Sports grants.
ENDS
For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100 or communications@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.
