What makes a strong community?

DARRELL TIEMENS, MAYOR, NARRABRI SHIRE COUNCIL

What makes a strong community?

I’ve been thinking about that question a lot lately.

It’s certainly not just roads, parks or buildings. They’re important, of course, but they’re only part of the picture. A strong community is built by people who take pride in where they live, look after one another and invest in the future.

That’s something I see every week as I travel around the Narrabri Shire.

Whether it’s volunteers serving at a community event, a sporting club maintaining its facilities, a farmer helping a neighbour or council staff repairing roads after another busy week, these are the things that quietly strengthen our communities. They rarely make headlines, but they matter.

Council has a role to play in that too.

Across the shire our outdoor crews continue grading roads, maintaining parks and sporting fields, repairing infrastructure and keeping our towns looking their best. It isn’t glamorous work, but it’s essential. When these everyday services are done well they’re often taken for granted. When they’re not, everyone notices.

The same can be said for water.

Managing PFAS while maintaining a reliable town water supply has been one of the most technically challenging issues council has faced. It has required significant work by our Infrastructure team and close cooperation with a range of government agencies.

The encouraging news is that Narrabri’s drinking water continues to meet Australian guidelines and remains safe to consume. Council is continuing to investigate both short and long-term solutions, and I will keep pressing the NSW government to ensure local ratepayers are not left footing the bill for infrastructure that should rightly be funded by the state.

Another important part of a strong community is safety.

The Narrabri Shire remains one of the better places in New South Wales to live, work and raise a family. That is something worth protecting.

Unfortunately, like many regional communities, we’ve seen incidents of property crime, vehicle theft and graffiti. Much of this offending is opportunistic. Criminals don’t need many opportunities. Sometimes all they need is an unlocked car, a shed left open or valuables left in plain sight.

There are simple things every one of us can do. Lock your home. Lock your vehicle. Lock your shed. Install good lighting if you can. Consider security cameras. Most importantly, if something doesn’t look right, report it. Looking after each other has always been one of the strengths of country communities, and it remains one of our best defences against crime.

However, community vigilance is only one part of the solution.

Our local police do an outstanding job under increasingly difficult circumstances, and they deserve our full support.

They also deserve to work alongside a fully staffed police force. I will continue advocating for the NSW government to urgently fill the vacant police positions across the Narrabri Police District.

Regional communities should not receive second-class policing simply because of their postcode. Community safety is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of government.

Finally, a reminder that the 2026 Census will be held on 11 August.

Completing the Census takes only a few minutes, but the results help determine future investment in hospitals, schools, roads and community infrastructure. Every person counted helps ensure regional communities receive the funding and recognition they deserve.

Building a strong community doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because people care enough to contribute, whether that’s volunteering, supporting local businesses, looking after their neighbours or simply taking pride in where they live.

That spirit has always been one of the Narrabri Shire’s greatest strengths. Long may it continue.