31 July 2019

Nominations are invited from members of the community to be part of a working group for Gunnedah Shire’s newest festival.

Council is seeking nominations for up to three community members for the Hay and Harvest Festival Working Group.

Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Economic Development Charlotte Hoddle said this was a great opportunity to help create an exciting new event on the regional calendar.

“The Gunnedah Hay and Harvest Festival will celebrate and showcase our local growers and produce,” Ms Hoddle said.

“This festival will become a permanent fixture for Gunnedah and has the potential to not only be great fun, but to introduce visitors to the best we have to offer in a fabulous and friendly atmosphere.

“It is expected to have significant economic benefits for the shire.”

The festival, expected to be held in the first half of 2020, will combine the successful features of the well-loved former Porchetta Day with Gunnedah Jockey Club’s plans for a new family event.

The festival has received seed funding of $17,000 through the federal government’s Building Better Regions Fund, along with $20,000 awarded to the Gunnedah Jockey Club through the Back to the Track program.

Working group meetings will be held twice a month.

Nomination forms are available from Council’s Administration Building, 63 Elgin Street or can be downloaded below, and must be submitted by 5pm on Monday, 19 August 2019.

 Form - Hay and Harvest Community Representative Nomination

For more information please contact Manager Economic Development, Charlotte Hoddle on (02) 6740 2100.

Photo Caption: Enjoying fine food… the way forward for a new Gunnedah festival.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

26 July 2019

Local Government Week 2019 will be held next week from July 29 to August 4, with a full schedule events to be held in Gunnedah.

The theme for 2019 is “Your Council”, looking at the many areas council is involved in throughout the community beyond roads, rates and rubbish.

“Council is so much a part of the community, from the care provided by GoCo, to our parks and sporting facilities, cultural precinct and library, and business development,” Gunnedah Shire Council general manager Eric Groth said.

“Our latest statistics show Gunnedah people made Gunnedah Shire Council facilities a big part of their lives in the 2018-19 financial year.

“They also show how busy council staff have been across a huge range of tasks including upkeep of roads and keeping the cattle moving through the saleyards.”

Gunnedah’s Local Government Week activities will begin on Monday, July 29 with a free tour of Gunnedah at 10am with tea, coffee and scones and jam to follow. The bus leaves the Visitor Information Centre in Chandos Street at 10am and returns at 11.30am.

Other activities during the week include: a free tour of the Waste Management Facility and Community Recycling Centre; free Upcycle Art Workshops with Jade Punch; Knit, Natter, Colour and Chatter at the library; and a Free Gamers Meet and Greet.

On Thursday, August 1, there will be a free barbecue bacon and egg breakfast with Gunnedah Shire Councillors in the Smithurst Theatre Courtyard at 7.30am. There will also be a free tree giveaway and presentation of the Business Partner Program.

At 5.30pm on the same day, there will be a free screening of A Plastic Ocean at the Civic, a documentary which began when journalist Craig Leeson went in search of the elusive blue whale and found something far more disturbing.

View Gunnedah Shire’s Local Government Week Program here.

Gunnedah Shire residents’ top pics for 2018-19

• Top day at the pool – Australia Day 2019 when 1501 people made a splash. The top month was January, with 14,791 visits.
• Top movie – The Incredibles 2, closely followed by Avengers: Endgame.
• Popcorn proved very popular at the movies, with 7008 containers sold. Medium was the most popular size, with 3006 sold.
• Top reads – The most borrowed books in Gunnedah Library were the J.D. Robb In Death series; second most popular was Nora Roberts (who is the same author under a different name). The most popular genre at the library was picture books, followed by Australian fiction, thriller/mystery, general adult, non-fiction and junior fiction.
• Biggest week of attendance at the Civic Theatre – July 12-18, 2018 (791 people attended)
• Top sporting field – Donnelly Fields is used by the most groups and activities, including cricket, oz tag, touch football, softball, Little Athletics, rugby, school athletics carnivals, school cross country, colour fun runs, Australia Day activities and NIAS training.
• Most popular library program – the Bookends Literacy Assist program, followed by Toddler Time, Brain Training and Junior Brain Games.

Some top Gunnedah Shire stats for 2018-19

• 118,189 cattle were sold through the Gunnedah Saleyards for a total of $87,421,410
• 1799 guideposts were repaired or replaced across the shire
• 11,809 potholes were repaired
• 2058.26km of maintenance grading on unsealed roads
• nearly 12.3 million square metres of roadside slashing
• Top month at the Visitor Information Centre – October 2018 – 1224 people (CMCA Rally was held during this time).

Local Government across the whole of NSW:

• Employs more than 55,000 people
• Looks after more than $136 billion of community assets
• Manages an estimated 3.5 million tonnes of waste each year

Photo Caption: Pop up tree day and Local Government Week Program

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

25 July 2019

Community groups and businesses operating throughout the Gunnedah Shire will be able to more easily find and apply for grants with the launch of the new Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder.

Gunnedah Shire Council is committed to supporting local businesses and community groups to grow and thrive, and has joined forces with Australia’s most powerful grant search engine, Grant Guru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop website for business and community grants.

The search engine, which is available through Council’s website or a Google search, allows you to find available grants and to filter grants by specifying location, industry and type of project. The website also provides advice and top tips for finding and applying for grants to maximise your chances of receiving the funding you need.

“There are a lot of great funding opportunities available throughout the year, but the process of finding and applying for grants can be daunting and time consuming, particularly for those organisations reliant on volunteers,” Gunnedah Shire Mayor Jamie Chaffey said.

“Many people also don’t know where to start looking and so miss out. This is an opportunity to strengthen our local businesses and community groups, and the shire’s economy.”

Gunnedah Shire Council’s Community and Social Planner Debra Hilton said the Funding Finder would help cut through the red tape.

“Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder will take the guesswork out of searching for grants and help groups and businesses navigate the process, by bringing over 845 grants worth $47.3B to one central location,” she said.
Start the journey by registering with Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder to receive email alerts about available grants.

To find, the Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder, visit www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au and look for the link under “community services” then “grants and sponsorship”.

For further information or assistance with registering, please contact Council’s Community and Social Planner on (02) 6740 2100 or email council@infogunnedah.com.au

Caption: Gunnedah Shire Council’s Community and Social Planner Debra Hilton and Mayor Jamie Chaffey take a look at the new Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

Gunnedah Shire Council is committed to supporting local businesses and community groups to grow and thrive, and has joined forces with Australia’s most powerful grant search engine, Grant Guru, to deliver a free one-stop-shop website for business and community grants.

Gunnedah Shire Funding Finder will take the guesswork out of searching for grants and help groups and businesses navigate the process, by bringing over 1,422 grants worth $59.7B to one central location.

Start the journey by registering to receive email alerts about available grants. Check out the Gunnedah Funding Finder here.

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

24 July 2019

Gunnedah Shire Council hereby calls for Expressions of Interest for the management and operation of the Gunnedah Memorial Pool Kiosk for the 2019/20 season.

Management and operation of the Gunnedah Swimming Pool Kiosk Expression of Interest documentation is available through Council’s website www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au and/or hard copies will be available at Council’s Administration Building, 63 Elgin Street Gunnedah.

Submissions addressing the selection criteria must be completed and returned to Council via email council@infogunnedah.com.au 

Closing date for submissions: 4:00pm Friday 30 August 2019.

Initial enquiries for documents should be directed to the Manager of Public Facilities, Ashley Gardner on 02 6740 2100 or email council@infogunnedah.com.au

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24 July, 2019

A new blue fixture is making a splash in Conadilly Street.

Gunnedah Youth Council members identified a need for a water refill station in the main street – and went beyond the standard bubbler to come up with a water cooler that even caters for thirsty furry friends.

Gunnedah Youth Council secured $1000 through a Pitch It competition at the 2017 NSW Youth Councils Conference to turn this idea into a reality.

The youth council put together a video to pitch their idea to install a fixed water refill station in the CBD area to encourage the community to drink more water and help reduce plastic waste.

The water refill station features a bubbler, a place to refill water bottles, and an area designed to be pressed on to fill up with water for pets.

The water station was installed close to the crossing at Bitter Suite Café by local plumbing and civil contractor PJ Hickman Plumbing, who completed the works assisted by funding from the Drought Communities Program.

Some interesting facts about water:

• Staying hydrated is essential for good health
• Only 1 in 5 plastic bottles are recycled
• Currently, one million plastic bottles are sold every minute worldwide
• Over 40% of plastic bottles end up as landfill or litter
• Drinking water throughout the day improves concentration
• The average price of 1 litre of bottled water is the same as 9000 glasses from your tap
• Around 70% of your body is water
• A plastic bottle takes more than 1000 years to break down.

Photo Caption: St Mary’s student Jesse Dick with the new water refill station.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

23 July, 2019

AgQuip might be Australia’s number one field days event, but it’s about to be joined by something different – NightQuip!

The NightQuip Night Market, an initiative of Gunnedah Shire Council in partnership with the Service NSW Easy to do Business Program, will be held on the footpaths of Conadilly Street on August 20 – the first night of AgQuip.

“This brand new event is already attracting a lot of interest,” Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Economic Development Charlotte Hoddle said.

“It will be a fun, vibrant evening featuring everything from hand-made goods and food, to the products of our main street retailers.

“This is a perfect opportunity for local businesses – who might be busy out in the field at AgQuip or don’t get much of a chance to interact with visitors – to show just what they have to offer.

“AgQuip attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year and this is a great way to spread the economic benefits.”

The NightQuip Night Market will start at 5pm on Tuesday, August 20 and finish at 9pm.

Calls for expressions of interest for market stallholders, food vendors and buskers are now open.

For further information or for a Stallholder Application Form, contact Council's Economic Development Team on 6740 2100.

Applications close at 5pm on August 6.

Photo Caption: NightQuip markets will add something special to AgQuip.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

19 July 2019

Gunnedah Shire residents will have a one-off opportunity to dispose of their bulky waste items for free.

Gunnedah Shire Councillors voted at yesterday’s ordinary council meeting to hold a Domestic Bulky Waste Disposal Weekend on September 21 and 22.

Gunnedah Shire Council Waste Management Superintendent Sheridan Cameron said the day was a great chance for residents to have a spring clean and dispose of items like old whitegoods, furniture and even tree loppings free of charge.

“Spring clean weekends have been successful in Gunnedah Shire in the past, and we will be offering another one in September,” Ms Sheridan said.

“This gives residents a chance to get rid of troublesome items and can go some way to combat illegal dumping.

“People will need to bring their waste to the Gunnedah, Carroll, Curlewis, Mullaley, Breeza or Tambar Springs waste facility. The amount of waste will be capped at one trailer-load per ratepayer.”

Items ineligible for the initiative include: chemicals, liquid wastes, tyres, commercial waste, medical waste, mixed building waste, items with refrigerant gas and contaminated waste.

ENDS

Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

22 July, 2019

Gunnedah Shire Council is looking at holding two events each year to help new residents to the shire feel at home.

At this week’s ordinary Gunnedah Shire Council meeting, councillors heard the Economic Development Working Group had suggested bi-annual events to welcome new residents.

“Gunnedah Shire is a great community, and we want new residents to not only feel welcome, but to easily make connections with people and groups they share interests with,” Gunnedah Shire Council Manager Economic Development Charlotte Hoddle said.

“This is a wonderful place to put down roots and raise a family.

“We would love to see local sporting groups, volunteer groups, community organisations and social clubs at these events meeting new residents and providing them with information.

“We have so many things to offer.

“This could help people who are recently settled in the shire feel very much at home.”

Dates have not yet been set for the events.

Photo Caption: Gunnedah Shire Council is planning events to welcome new residents to the shire.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.

18 July, 2019

Gunnedah is on the brink of the creation of a group to support new migrants to the shire and develop the multicultural appeal of Gunnedah.

Gunnedah Shire Councillors voted yesterday to hold an event to promote a new group called Multicultural Gunnedah.

Mayor Jamie Chaffey said the event would include an invitation to the man behind the successful Multicultural Tamworth group, Eddie Whitham, to be a guest speaker.

“Eddie Whitham recently spoke to Gunnedah’s Sister City Working Group,” Cr Chaffey said.

“The group has achieved impressive things in Tamworth, supporting migrants in areas including employment, housing, language difficulties and schooling, as well as helping them make friends within the community.

“Tamworth now has as many as 30-35 people becoming Australian citizens at every council meeting. That’s an amazing result and shows just how welcome people feel in the area.

“We need to support migrants in Gunnedah in the same way. We have a growing number of people here from a large variety of backgrounds. We want them to feel welcome and to stay in our shire.

“Multicultural Gunnedah could follow a similar path to Multicultural Tamworth as a voluntary organisation helping people who are new to Australia feel at home.

“It’s an exciting idea, and we hope Gunnedah embraces this chance to strengthen our community and celebrate cultural diversity within the shire.”

A date will soon be set for the event, which will be chaired by Cr Chaffey.

Photo Caption: Gunnedah Mayor Jamie Chaffey with new Australian citizens at a citizenship ceremony in Gunnedah.

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Media Contact: Eliza Gallen (02) 6740 2100.