Infrastructure Updates

Water / Sewer Maintenance Activities
Water service repairs at Thurlagoona Avenue have been carried out in addition to the repair of a cracked water main in Violet Street.

Training
As part of Council's on-going commitment to staff training, the Water / Sewer staff have completed a training course on High Pressure Water Jetter and Non-Destructive Digging.

Mulching
The Parks and Open Spaces Team have been busy this week mulching garden beds in Maitland Street, Narrabri.
This is done as part of regular maintenance activities; at this time of year, it helps for weed protection and keeping the garden beds warmer as it cools down. Additionally, it ensures our streets look great for Anzac Day.

Rangari Road Grading
Rangari Road is a major Regional Road which Council maintains. Council graders were on site this week performing maintenance activities - this has been occurring regularly due to the nature and use of the road. Council will continue to search for grant funding as it is estimated $10 million is required to upgrade the unsealed section of road.

Narrabri Netball Courts
Fencing is nearing completion and line marking is set to be completed next week.

Dangar Park Upgrades - Narrabri
Funded through the NSW Government's Resources for Regions Program, the Dangar Park (Narrabri) upgrades are coming along, with the Parks Team doing an outstanding job of upkeep. We should see the security fencing works starting throughout May with the tender for grandstand infrastructure now closed.

Tenders
This week, both the Construction of Kerb and Gutter and Design Construction of Guest and Selina Street Shared Pathway tenders had their compulsory -re-tender meetings. These were attended by four contracting companies.

Stormwater Maintenance
This week as part of regular maintenance activities, the Roads Team completed maintenance as well as an upgrade on the Belar Street stormwater system. This included draining clearing and replacing the headwall.

Culgoora Road
Sealing is scheduled for early May, with base stabilisation works completed and culverts installed.

Wee Waa Tennis Courts
Works have commenced to remove asbestos material in the old clubhouse. Works on the new multi-purpose courts will begin in May.

Wee Waa Levee Feasibility Study
Design progressing to 80% expected next week.
As per grant funding guidelines, an independent review is required to be completed by Public Works Advisory (PWA) - this process has been initiated by and PWA will complete their review on the 80% design. Stakeholder engagement is on-going, notably this week - with conversations with TfNSW regarding the interaction of the raising in the section of the levee on the Kamilaroi Highway. Discussions with UGL Regional Linx are ongoing in regard to the gates on the rail line.

Narrabri Landfill Piggyback Cells 2-3
Design in progress and nearly completion by specialist external consultant. Stakeholder engagement is on-going, discussing requirements from both an environmental and planning perspective.

Tullamullen and Violet Street Bridge
Geotechnical testing being completed at both bridges over the school holidays. These investigations are required as they will inform the new bridge designs. Please note, flood studies are also in progress. 

Regional Drought Resilience Plan
The team from Meridian Urban have completed 8 days of community consultation across the region and have had got some great insights. 

Pilliga Road
Sealing of next section is scheduled for early May.

Culgoora Road
Sealing delayed due to weather, now scheduled for early May.

Slashing
Completed on Culgoora Road. 

Boggabri Transfer Station
Has now re-opened to residents.

Gas Chlorine Dosing Systems
Comprehensive maintenance of our Gas Chlorine Dosing Systems is well underway. Major maintenance includes replacing and recalibrating critical components of each system to ensure uninterrupted and efficient operations of the dosing machines. This includes leak detection testing, callibration of dosing and analysers, replacement of filters, gaskets, regulators etc. Trility, the company engaged to do major and minor maintenance (annually) have already completed works at a number of sites. They will provide Council a comprehensive report on all sites maintained. 

Regional Drought Resilience Plan

Consultants on site this week and next week completing community engagement.

Doreen Lane (North) rehab

Construction commenced on the second section of the North rehab.

Baan Baa Transfer Station

Asbestos material has been removed and the site is currently being capped.

At this stage, Council is anticipating the opening of the Boggabri Transfer Station next week, pending weather.

SR030 – Culgoora Road
First layer of DGB underway. Seal scheduled mid-April.

Alma Street Bore, Wee Waa

A shaft within the bore pipes suffered a significant failure last week, leading to the destruction of internal fittings and bearings. This unfortunate event rendered the Alma Street Bore non-operational, prompting the request for a public advisory in Wee Waa regarding water consumption moderation over the Easter long weekend.

Council engaged a contractor who has now successfully extracted the damaged pumps and pipes, initiating repairs on the fittings, bearings, pipes, and shafts. The Alma Street Bore is now fully functional, having undergone comprehensive maintenance.

It is important to note that the Alma Street Bore site's system, despite the successful repair, remains aged and potentially prone to future failures, which could incur significant time and financial costs for maintenance. To mitigate this risk, Council are considering the replacement of the current system. This upgrade would significantly reduce maintenance time, potentially to just a few hours.

Baan Baa Bulk Water Station

Council has recently completed a comprehensive upgrade of the station, after a long period of being non-operational. This upgrade includes almost everything from updating the sim cards and connections to replacing older components with new ones, more durable materials and other enhancements. These improvements have significantly enhanced the station's functionality and reliability.

Water/sewer general maintenance activities

General maintenance activities such as unblocking manholes and sewer lines around Taylor Street SPS, repairing communications on Alma Street Reservoir for telemetry purposes, and flushing asbestos pipes as part of our proactive program to enhance water quality by removing biofilms.

Dangar Park, Wee Waa irrigation

Installation underway.

Pilliga Bore

Following recent damage to the bore head a fence has now been erected to minimise any further damage from occurring.

Narrabri Netball Courts
Asphalt installation commences next week.

Boggabri Shared Pathway
Works ongoing. 
100m of concrete poured last Wednesday.

Pilliga Road
Works on stage 10 & 11 to commence this week.

Culgoora Road
Subbase complete.
Import and lay DGB20 commencing.

Wee Waa Flood Immunity Feasibility Study
Consultant engaged and initial time provided indicates commencement following Easter.

Doreen Lane Rehab (Northern Section)
Commenced.

Doreen Lane Rehab (Southern Section)
Project is due to start in late April, following the completion of the Northern Section rehab.

Town Street re-seals
Works scoped and contractor engaged t commence in April.

Yarrie Lake Circuit Road Upgrade
Stakeholder engagement in progress with meeting held earlier this week.
Design and tender preparation in progress.

Bellata Transfer Station
Waste stockpiles removed and site clean up performed by waste attendants as part of normal servicing duties.

Waste Stockpiles Improvements
Work completed to improve and identify stockpile areas by the Waste Team.

Roadside Slashing
Councils slasher has been busy on local roads, and is currently on Old Gunnedah Road before moving to Turrawan Road and Maules Creek Road.

Scrap Metal
Contractor has serviced Maules Creek and Baan Baa Transfer Stations and Narrabri Landfill stockpiles.

Baan Baa Transfer Station
Cleaned and tidied as part of usual servicing.
Fire breaks installed around the site by Waste Attendant staff.

Narrabri Netball Courts
Retaining wall and back fill to be completed this week. 

Sports Field Lighting
Pre-tender meeting for sports field lighting held last week.

Boggabri Shared Pathway
Construction in Vickery Park has commenced. 

Sports Field Line Marking
Line marking has commenced on a number of ovals this week in preparation for Winter Season and trial games.

Gwabegar Hot Water System
Hot water system has been installed at the Gwabegar toilets / showers as per community requests.

Pilliga Road
Final trim for bitumen sealing to be completed this week. 

SR030 - Culgoora Road
Stage 2 construction: subbase is close to completion. Read to import and lay DGB20.

Killarney Street Gutter Replacement
Roads team have recently replaced a section in Killarney Street next to the Bowling Club. Works on section in Kogil Street to commence shortly. 

Storm Water Boxes
Roads team are working on repairing a couple of storm water boxes that have collapsed and caved in on the corner of Doyle and Reid Street and corner of Fitzroy and Barwan Street.

Narrabri Netball Courts
Final concrete pour scheduled, retaining wall and fence expected to be completed this week.

Splash Pads
Tender being finalised and advertised early April. Current Operational Plan (1yr plan) is stage one only, which includes all pre-construction activities and construction next financial year.

Boggabri Shared Pathway
Works are progressing well, contractor currently ahead of schedule.

Doreen Lane: First Stage Rehab
To commence in the next two weeks.

Lighting Upgrades (Design and Construction of Oval Sport Field Lighting, within Narrabri Shire)
Tender for lights has been advertised, closed 11 April. Pre-tender meeting scheduled for 14 March.

Pilliga Bore
Bore damaged by vehicle.
The bore has been repaired and permanent fencing is in the process of being procured.

Shade Sail: Cooma Oval
Previously damaged in a storm.
Contractors inspected and have been engaged to perform removal and rectification works, beginning next week.

Narrabri Netball Courts

Storage shed is underway. East and Northern side of Rugby Union fence completed, Southern side is 3 quarters finished.

Dangar Park Grandstand Tender

Pre tender meeting held.

Boggabri Shared Pathway

Works are progressing on Caxton and Merton Street.

Boggabri Waste Facility Update:

• Boggabri waste facility remains temporarily closed.
• A Clean-Up Notice from the NSW EPA has now been issued to Council and in response, a suitably qualified contractor has been engaged to commence the clean-up of Boggabri Transfer Station commencing Monday 4^th of March 2024.
• Cleanup is expected to take 4-5 days if there are no delays are unexpected issues arising.

Wee Waa Freight Route – Woomera Creek Road

Contract award due 1 March 2024.

Doreen Lane First Stage Rehab

To commence in March.

Hydrant Stop Valve Maintenance

Continuing in Narrabri West. Has been completed in Pilliga, Gwabegar, Bellata and Wee Waa and parts of Narrabri. Once Narrabri is finished it will be Baan Baa and Boggabri.

Selina and Doyle Street Reservoirs

GHD awarded contract for design of new stairs at Selina and Doyle Street reservoirs.

Water Main Renewals

Commencing in March will be water main renewal and Wee Waa Street Boggabri, Fitzroy Street Narrabri and Boolcarrol Road Wee Waa.

Pilliga Road Rehab Stage 9

Works underway, photos attached.

SR017 Old Narrabri Road

Works underway, photos attached.

Narrabri STP Auger

Tenders received for the supply and installation of a new STP Auger.

Culgoora Road

Works on going, tie-in, from new section to current alignment, works commenced last week.

Old Narrabri Rd Intersection

Works progressing well, see images attached. The contractor has moved on to the next section of work situated close to the intersection hence traffic lights are now operational prior to the interaction due to proximity.

Wee Waa Freight Route – Woomera Creek

Tender closed, assessment on-going. Report to be received by Council during the Feb Ordinary Council Meeting to accept successful tender.

TfNSW Newell Highway Upgrade Update

Pilliga Road Upgrade

Stage 8 sealed last week. Photos taken the day prior to seal.

Narrabri Netball Courts

Works have commenced on the retaining wall however have seen a slight delay due to rain.

Boggabri Transfer Station

The Boggabri Waste Transfer Station is currently undergoing a thorough cleanup after suspected asbestos-containing materials were discovered, possibly dumped over the weekend of 3 to 4 February. We are working closely with the EPA, which is conducting a comprehensive investigation. While the station remains temporarily closed, a temporary facility for general waste is available on Tip Road for Boggabri residents. For residential bulk waste disposal, please use the open and operational Baan Baa facility. Kerbside collections are continuing as scheduled.

Culgoora Road

 Ongoing works on Culgoora Road have completed the select fill stage, and the sub-base phase is set to commence.

Kaputar Road 

Council recently completed maintenance works on Kaputar Road, coordinating with National Parks, which temporarily closed the road for their maintenance activities.

Pilliga Road

 Stage 8 of Pilliga Road is scheduled to be sealed this week.

Hydrant Maintenance Program

 Council has recently finished hydrant maintenance work in Wee Waa, Pilliga, Gwabegar, and Bellata. The team is currently working through Narrabri before heading to Baan Baa and Boggabri. The maintenance is crucial to ensuring access to water for firefighting, and it involves marking and servicing yellow markers for town water supply and white markers for stop valves.

Repairs to Pump Stations 

Repair works on Sewer Pump Stations have been completed to ensure the efficient operation of the network.

Water Meters

 The water team is actively investigating and repairing zero-consumption meters across the shire. This ongoing work typically involves replacing water meters or transmitters.

Water Quality Sampling

Regulatory water samples have been completed as part of the ongoing requirements to ensure Council's compliance with drinking water standards.

Narrabri Netball Courts:

The construction phase of the project has commenced with the Northern fence being removed this week, followed by the construction of the retaining wall.

Freight Route:

Tender Meeting: A recent tender meeting for the Freight Route project saw the participation of four contractors.

Mowing:

The recent rainfall has led to a surge in mowing activities. The Parks and Open Spaces team is continuing to work through on mowing tasks to ensure the maintenance of green spaces.

Water Services:

Rehabilitation works for sewer manholes in Boggabri have commenced. These works are shown in the below images. 

Culgoora Corner:

Work on the Culgoora Corner project continues to progress well. 

Narrabri Netball Courts:

The construction phase of the project is set to commence this week, beginning with the installation of site fencing, followed by the construction of the retaining wall.

Wee Waa Freight Route:

The tender for the Wee Waa Freight Route was advertised last week, and several contractors have confirmed their attendance for the pre-tender site meeting scheduled for this week.

Kerb and Gutter:

Preparations for the tender of the Kerb and Gutter project have begun, marking a crucial step toward advancing the project.

Boggabri Shared Path:

The contract for the Boggabri Shared Path has been finalised, and the contractor is scheduled to commence work this week.

Mowing:

Despite the challenges posed by recent wet weather and plant downtime, the Parks and Open Spaces team is actively catching up on mowing tasks to ensure the maintenance of green spaces.

Splash Parks:

Tender preparation for the Splash Parks project is currently in progress, indicating progress towards the next phase of development.

Narrabri Dangar Park:

Fencing installation on the Northern side of Narrabri Dangar Park has been successfully completed, enhancing the park's infrastructure.

Culgoora Corner:

Work on the Culgoora Corner project is progressing well, with accompanying images showcasing the advancements made.

Old Narrabri Rd Intersection:

The contractor has transitioned to the next section of work at the Old Narrabri Rd Intersection, focusing on material removal and importing subbase to facilitate further construction.

Updates on Pilliga Road:

Scheduled works are set to recommence next week, ensuring continued improvements and maintenance.

Culgoora Road Corner:

Ongoing works are progressing at Culgoora Road Corner.

Mowing in Parks and Open Spaces:

 The Parks and Open Spaces team is actively engaged in mowing tasks, although wet weather conditions may impact some operations. Notably, the Boggabri Cemetery has recently benefited from a fresh mow, completed early last week.

Boggabri Masterplan:

The second community engagement session for the Boggabri Masterplan recently took place, attracting a great turnout. Community feedback continues to show support for the master plan, with excitement about the future of Boggabri. Option A is emerging as the favoured choice among community members, as indicated by the results received so far. 

Boggabri Masterplan

TfNSW Spring Creek Bridge:

TfNSW has officially advertised tenders for the construction of the new Spring Creek Bridge. Additional details can be found in the attached media release.

Media Release(PDF, 151KB) 

Pilliga Road

Construction is currently at the halfway mark, and we anticipate resuming activities in February. Please find images below showcasing the completed sections of the project.

Leards Forest Road Rehab

Project successfully completed; see below image.

Floodgate Upgrade Wee Waa Levee

Please see below image of floodgate which was upgraded late last year near the lagoon. Another floodgate upgrade will also be completed early this year. This configuration of the floodgates ensures operators are removed from having to go near any flood waters during flooding and reduces the amount of issues that have occurred with flood gates setup within the levee.

Culgoora Road Corner

Work is ongoing; however, progress was temporarily impeded last week due to recent rainfall.

Old Narrabri Rd Intersection

Work is currently underway with WTC on-site, with some delays observed due to adverse weather conditions.

Flood Damage Update

The Priority Unsealed package, including the gravel re-sheeting of Cotton and Tulladunna Lanes, has been successfully completed. Council is awaiting additional approvals to proceed further.

Hydrant and Stop Valve Maintenance

Contractors actively working on the streets of Wee Waa, carrying out hydrant and stop valve maintenance. This ongoing program is in full swing, dedicated to ensuring seamless access and optimal functionality of Council's fire protection infrastructure and stop valve network.

The scope of works involves the inspection and servicing of approximately 700 fittings in Wee Waa, Pilliga, and Gwabegar. Phases will extend to other townships within the shire.

Boggabri Masterplan

A successful community engagement session was conducted before Christmas, with numerous individuals visiting throughout the day to review the plans and engage with the team, as depicted in the image below. Initial feedback from the December meeting indicates strong community support for the master plan, with residents expressing admiration and excitement about the future of Boggabri. At this early stage, Option A is emerging as the preferred choice among community members who have shared their thoughts on the two options. We look forward to further discussions during the next engagement session scheduled for the 17th of January.

Boggabri Masterplan

Letters to Ministers

Letters advocating for the improvement of Kaputar and Rangari Roads have been sent to The Honourable Jennifer Aitchison, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads. This initiative was officially recorded in the minutes of the December Ordinary Council Meeting.

2023-12-20-Letter-to-Julie-Paton-RNSW1939-Narrabri-West-Freight-Activation-Project.pdf(PDF, 134KB)

2024-01-10-Letter-to-Hon-Jenny-Aitchison-re-Rangari-Road.pdf(PDF, 232KB)

Slashing and Mowing

Slashing being completed on the Kamilaroi Highway this week. The Parks and Open Spaces team are busy mowing where they can (wet weather inhibiting some ability). Please note due to a staffing issue Pilliga and Gwabegar have seen a slight delay to mowing (also due to weather) however a contractor is attending sites this week to rectify.

Gwabegar Road

Road has been graded recently, however due to large amount of recent rain fall further grading is scheduled this week.

West Precinct Project

Late last year Council was notified that the funding of this project will cease. Council has faced many issues with this project, with no construction approval to date from UGL for the rail component. Council has been negotiating with Infrastructure NSW throughout the whole 2023 to hold on to funding and unfortunately this has been the outcome. A report will be presented to the Feb Ordinary Council meeting on background and way forward.