Plenty happening around shire during festive season

As we move into the festive season, there is plenty happening around Narrabri Shire, and I am pleased to share some highlights. Our community is in full swing preparing for Christmas, and there are a few important updates I want everyone to be aware of.

This Friday, December 12, we will have two Christmas carnivals lighting up our shire. In Boggabri, Vickery Park will come alive between 6 and 9pm with food stalls, lawn games, a jumping castle, and a visit from Santa. Meanwhile in Narrabri, Maitland Street will be bustling from 5pm with stalls, great food, and late-night shopping. I will be attending both events, and I hope to see many of you there as we celebrate the season together.

Our Christmas Pop-Up Shop is also open in the old Rockmans building, showcasing the wonderful creations of local artists and home-based businesses. It is a perfect opportunity to find unique gifts and support local talent. I strongly encourage everyone to shop local where possible. Christmas is an important period for many of our small businesses, restaurants, and hotels, and your support helps sustain them throughout the year. We are fortunate to have such a wide range of excellent shops right across our towns, and it is important that we continue to back them.

I also want to provide a quick update on council’s Christmas holiday hours. The council administration Building will close from 4pm on Tuesday, December 23 and reopen on Monday, January 5 at 9am. Waste and recycling collections will continue throughout this period, with only a minor change on Christmas Day, where collections will move to Friday, December 26. The Narrabri Waste Facility will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, while transfer stations will operate as usual except for commercial waste, which is not accepted at these sites. During the Christmas break, council staff will still be rostered for urgent or emergency matters, but we ask that routine enquiries wait until offices reopen in January.

Minor works are also continuing behind The Crossing Theatre and Visitor Information Centre as part of the Tourism Hub project. These works will run until December 19 and will be carefully managed to minimise disruption. Thank you to everyone for your patience throughout this improvement process.

Finally, I would like to address a topic that has attracted attention in recent weeks. There has been misinformation spread by some people suggesting that certain councillors are anti-renewable energy in relation to the proposed large lithium battery installation in the Town Hall Car Park. This is simply not the case. Throughout the year, as we considered the proposal, it became clear that many of our community were unaware of the project and that while those who were aware were broadly supportive of the project, many had concerns specifically about the proposed location at the Town Hall Car Park. This was never about stopping the battery project. Councillors received significant community feedback expressing concern about the proposed location, and we have a responsibility to act on that feedback and represent the interests of the people we serve. When community feedback highlights both limited awareness and genuine concerns about suitability, it is our role to pause and reassess. That is exactly what we did.

I wish everyone a safe and joyous Christmas season. Let us enjoy the festivities, support our local businesses and events, and look forward to a bright new year.