TTHHEE VVOOIICCEEof Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

November,

2013

Details on page 2

Mike Keegan, Carla Rodeghiero, Mike Coley

Crookwell / Bigga / Binda / Tuena /

Grabben Gullen / Laggan /Taralga and

Big Hill areas:

Roads, bridges and tips: 0429 786 659,

Water and sewer: 0407 496 358.

Gunning / Dalton / Breadalbane /

Collector / Jerrawa areas:

Roads, bridges and tips, water and sewer

0427 454 206.

Postal address: For all offices is:

PO BOX 42, Gunning NSW 2581

Crookwell office

Ph: (02) 4830 1000, Fax: (02) 4832 2066,

Gunning office

Ph: (02) 4845 4100, Fax: (02) 4845 1426,

Taralga office

Ph: (02) 4840 2099, Fax: (02) 4840 2296.

Council’s Email

council@upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au

Web Site

www.upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au

Justice of the PeaceJustices of the Peace in N.S.W. serve thecommunity primarily by administeringoaths or affidavits and taking statutorydeclarations and affirmations; witnessingsignatures; and attesting and certifyingdocuments. The Upper Lachlan Shire Council havepeople serving the community in thiscapacity at our Council offices inGunning and Crookwell.If you are in need of such services pleasecontact the Council office nearest to youto arrange an appointment.

Page 2

Police and Fire all areas anytime dial 000

Email:hspirek@upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au

Phone: 024830 1000

Published by the Upper Lachlan Shire

Council

Editor: Hank Spirek, Media Officer

The publisher accepts no responsibility for

any of the advertisement notices.

All such advertisements are published at the

risk of the contributor who by forwarding

advertisements agrees to indemnify the pub-

lisher and warrant that the information

is accurate and is neither deceptive nor

misleading, in breach of copyright, in breach

of any laws and regulations.

The Voice

CROOKWELL

Crookwell Hospital

13 - 15 Kialla Rd Crookwell

Phone: 02 4832 1300.

Crookwell Health Care Centre

17 Kialla Rd. Crookwell

Phone: 02 4843 2500.

*Medical, *Pathology, *Orthopaedic Surgeon,

*Physiotherapist, *Audiologist, *Massage

Therapist also available.

Open Monday - Friday: 9 am to 5 pm.

DR. R THANGAVELU M.B.B.S, M.S.

110 Goulburn St. Crookwell

Phone - 4832 1006.

Open Monday - Friday: 9 am to 6 pm

Saturday: 9 am to 12 pm

* Practice Nurse, * Audiologist,

*Mental Health Nurse

GUNNING

Gunning District and Community Health

Services

101 Yass Street, Gunning

Phone: 02 4845 1166.

Open Monday - Friday: 9 am to 4 pm.

*Community Nursing Service, *GP Clinic,

* Seniors Day Program, *Respite Care,

* Equipment Loan, *Pathology Clinic,

* Early Childhood Clinic, *Women’s Health

Clinic, * Physiotherapy, * Podiatry,

* Short-term ‘after hospital’ assistance,

* Social Support, * Frozen Meal Service,

*Occupational Therapy

TARALGA

Taralga Community Medical Centre

* Bunnaby Street, Taralga

* Clinic Hours: Thursday 9.30 am to 11 am

* Phone (Goulburn) 4823 0200

(Taralga) 4840-2011

GOULBURN OUTREACH SERVICES

TO TARALGA

Taralga Community Centre

Bannaby Street

Services available by appointment:

Phone: 4827 391

* General Nursing

* Child & Family Clinic

* Women’s Health/Breast Care Nurse

* Diabetes Education

* Podiatry

MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE

UPPER LACHLAN SHIRE

IMPORTANT COUNCIL

SERVICES DETAILS

TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

GET WIRELESS AT

YOUR LIBRARY

Crookwell and Gunning Library

clients can now connect to FREE

wireless broadband, during library

opening hours. All you need is your

personal Wi-Fi enabled devices such

as a laptop, tablet computer or smart

phone and to be inside your local

Library.

Connecting to the network is simple,

however you will need a device with

standard inbuilt wireless or wireless

LAN card/USB. Your device must

be configured to ‘Obtain an IP

address automatically’ (DHCP).

Unfortunately, Library staff are

unable to provide technical assis-

tance to configure equipment for

wireless access and printing is not

available via Wi-Fi.

You are asked not to leave your lap-

top or other devices unattended as

the Library staff cannot ensure the

security of your equipment or

personal items.

As with any Wi-Fi connection, we

cannot guarantee that the connection

is secure from end to end and is not

being monitored. The Library

assumes no responsibility for any

damage, direct or indirect, arising

from your use of the wireless serv-

ice, including viruses, adware or

spyware.

While battery operated/cordless

devices are preferable limited power

points are available in the Library.

This new service has been provided

to our Libraries through the

NSW Government’s Revitalising

Regional Libraries program.

Zinio Digital Magazines

To complement our collection of

eBooks and eAudio, Your Library

now provides full cover-to-cover

access to the latest editions of a

range of magazines.

Through our website at

www.stlc.nsw.gov.au patrons of the

Upper Lachlan Shire Library Service

now have unlimited multi-user

access to complete digital maga-

zines, easily viewed on any Internet-

enabled device.

Zinio is a platform offering access to

thousands of popular magazines.

While anyone can register for a

Zinio account and purchase their

own digital magazine collection, the

Southern Tablelands Library Co-

Operative has partnered with RB

Digital to provide access to a small

collection of magazine titles that

library members can download for

FREE.

Once you have logged in using your

library membership number and PIN

you will be asked to create an

account using your email address.

This is so you can create your own

library of titles and be notified of

new issues.

Zinio is the world’s largest news-

stand and bookstore. Through the

ZINIO UNITY™ reading platform,

readers can move seamlessly within

each publication page between text,

interactive graphics, animated illus-

trations, videos and much more.

To use this service simply use the Go

to Zinio for STLC Libraries link on

our website where you will also find

a comprehensive Zinio User Guide.

Don’t forget that membership to

Your Library gives you access to

thousands of books, magazines,

music CDs, DVDs and talking

books, plus free use of our Internet

PCs and Wi-Fi; and membership is

free to all residents of the Upper

Lachlan Shire.

Opening hours

Crookwell Library is open Monday,

Tuesday, Thursday and Friday

10:30am – 5pm, Wednesday 1.30pm

– 5pm and Saturday mornings from

10:00am – 12:00 noon.

Gunning Library is open Tuesday

and Wednesday 2 pm – 5 pm,

Thursday 1 pm – 5 pm and Friday

10 am – 5 pm.

LIBRARY BIZby Kerri-ann Pratley

Continued from page 1

HEALTH - SHEEP EQUALS

A UNITED COMMUNITY

Crookwell Showground was a hive of activity on Friday,

October 11, 2013 with two events taking place at the

showground and the basketball pavilion.

Health and Well Being Expo

Visitors were treated to The Crookwell Health and Well

Being Expo which featured 55 exhibitors showcasing their

services.

Featured at the event were support services such as, The

Cancer Council, Alzheimer’s Australia, Hume Employment

Services, Guide Dogs Australia, Sleep Disorders Australia,

and Essential Personnel. Local community groups such as

the Crookwell Men’s Shed and the Lions Club were also at

the event, and Emergency services were represented by the

SES and the Police Service.

Crookwell Hospital’s Health Services Manager Mona Timo,

said that the Expo, “is a great opportunity for people to see

what services are available locally.”

Stud Sheep Field Day

The other event taking

place on the day was the

second annual Stud

Sheep Field Day. The

event was the brain child

of Crookwell’s Nathan

King along with the

AP&H Society and local

livestock agents who

realised that local farmers were travelling great distances to

source new sheep genetics.

It was well attended by stud breeders from within the Upper

Lachlan Shire region, with 16 studs representing four

different breeds of sheep. Studs at the field day included:

John Williams’ “Thalabah” Merino Stud from Laggan and

Kim and James Weirs’ “Pinewalla” Poll Dorset Stud in

Crookwell, which recently won recognition at the Bendigo

Ram Show in Victoria.

Paul Anderson from Crookwell’s AP&H Society said, “The

aim of the field day is to give local stud owners an avenue

to display their livestock and attract business from outside

and within the region. The benefits will flow from this field

day and encourage the economic viability of the sheep stud

industry within the Upper Lachlan Shire.”

Thank You

I would like to take this opportunity to

thank Council for their support on my re-

election as Mayor and Clr James

Wheelwright as Deputy Mayor of Upper

Lachlan Shire. My goals for the year

ahead will be to maintain the great team

work we have and to improve the services

we provide to the community. I hope to

see MR 248 East, the Crookwell - Taralga

Road upgrade finished; a commitment

from the State Government to seal State

Road 54 to Bathurst; TV reception

upgrade in Crookwell; and the completion

of the Gunning – Dalton water supply

upgrade to name just a few.

LGNSW first Annual Conference

A Council delegation comprising Deputy

Mayor, Clr James Wheelwright; the

General Manager, John Bell and myself

recently attended the first annual confer-

ence of Local Government NSW

(LGNSW) association which is the forma-

tion of the former Local Government

Association of NSW and the Shires

Association of NSW. The conference was

held at Sydney Town Hall from 1-3

October, 2013 with delegates from 152

Councils attending.

Highlights from the conference included a

civic welcome by Cr Clover Moore, Lord

Mayor, City of Sydney; a presidential wel-

come from Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM Joint

President LGNSW. The Governor of

NSW, Her Excellency Professor Marie

Bashir AC CVO, officially opened the

conference. Guest speakers included the

Minister for Local Government, the Hon

Don Page MP and the Leader of the

Opposition, Mr John Robertson MP.

One of the main topics on the agenda was

local government reform and amalgama-

tions. A report by the independent panel

will support the State Government’s poli-

cy of no forced amalgamations, however,

it will be recommending strengthening the

role of the Boundaries Commission and

indicating mergers should be put in the

mix of reforms. The County Council

options will be revised, including manda-

tory participation for special local govern-

ment services as well as supporting the

establishment of a state-wide planning

authority. The panel’s report will also rec-

ommend the coordination of strategic

regional planning between the Department

of Planning, the Division of Local

Government and the Department of

Premier and Cabinet.

Other key issues discussed at the confer-

ence included the new planning system

and Local and State Government relations.

A.R. Bluett Award

At the annual conference, Upper Lachlan Shire

Council was announced as the runner-up in the

prestigious A.R. Bluett Memorial Award that is

considered to be the “highest accolade to

which a Council can aspire.” It is a great hon-

our to be shortlisted for this award and to be

runner up. Our success is due to the great

effort, over the last 12 months by all our staff -

Indoor and Outdoor, our Managers, Directors,

the General Manager, as well as my fellow

Councillors. Thank you all for the top effort

and commitment to our great Shire. Although

we did not win, our application highlighted the

significant projects we have achieved during

2012/13 that have resulted in improved servic-

es and numerous benefits for the Shire commu-

nity. These projects include: the upgrade of

Taralga water supply and sewerage scheme, the

Gunning-Dalton water security improvement

program, and the ongoing program of road

infrastructure capital improvement works. Our

efforts in being able to deliver a wide range of

quality services to the community within a

challenging global financial environment have

been recognised by our nomination for this

award.

Page 3TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villagesof Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

CongratulationsI would like to congratulate Clr JohnShaw and Clr James Wheelwright on theirre-election as Mayor and Deputy Mayorrespectively, of Upper Lachlan Shire.Their dedication to making the Shire abetter place to live for the community is atestament to their hard work and efforts. Ilook forward to working with both Johnand James over the next 12 months.

LGNSW first Annual ConferenceA council delegation recently attended thefirst Annual Conference of the newlyformed Local Government NSW(LGNSW) Association. Whilst attendingthe Conference, Upper Lachlan ShireCouncil’s delegates attended worthwhilemeetings with various Ministers,Departmental Representatives, neighbor-ing Councils and industrial suppliers,including:1. Andrew Huckel, Deputy Chief of Stafffor the Minister for Roads and Ports;2.Hon. Katrina Hodgkinson MP, Ministerfor Primary Industries; and3.Hon. Pru Goward MP, Minister forFamily and Community Services.The conference was effective in that itaddressed the current issues that are facingLocal Government including: Councilrestructuring and amalgamation; LocalGovernment Financial Sustainability;Waste, particularly illegal dumping ofasbestos/hazardous materials; the newPlanning System; and Local and StateGovernment Relations. It is very relevantfor Upper Lachlan Shire Council to attendthis annual Conference to ensure thatregional Councils such as ours have avoice and a vote. In addition, the standardof presentations and guest speakers pro-vide important information and the bene-

fits achieved from networking with otherCouncils and trade exhibitors provide thecriteria for Council to attend this event.Being the first annual Conference of thisnewly formed LGNSW Association, therewere some teething issues, however welook forward to attending futureConferences organised by the LGNSWAssociation.

Financial Audit ResultsIntentus Chartered Accountants (formerlyknown as Morse Group) have completedan independent Auditor’s Report withrespect to Council’s annual GeneralPurpose Financial Statements and SpecialPurpose Financial Statements. The auditfor Council’s 2012/2013 annual FinancialStatements was undertaken on 12September, 2013.All performance measures used by theDivision of Local Government indicateUpper Lachlan Shire Council is in a soundfinancial position to meet all provisionsand liabilities. The Financial Statementshighlight Council’s Unrestricted CurrentRatio of assets to liabilities is 4.48:1. Ingeneral terms, Council is in a strong finan-cial position thanks to good management.Its policy of low borrowing and low debthas provided this position. The Auditors

commended Council’s outstanding debtmanagement with its Unpaid Rates andCharges at a low 2.79% in 2013. The StateAverage for similar sized Council’s is8.74% with the State average for unpaidrates and charges being 5.31%. An unqualified audit report was issuedwithout any outstanding issues to report,and all reporting deadlines and obligationswere met. The auditors thanked Councilstaff for their preparation and co-operationduring the audit process.

Farewell Hank Spirek In November, Council bids farewell to oneof its dedicated and qualified staff mem-bers, Media Officer, Hank Spirek. Hankhas worked for Upper Lachlan ShireCouncil for 8 years and has achievedmuch during his time with us. One ofHank’s major achievements was the cre-ation of “The Voice” newsletter, a quarter-ly publication that is mailed to each resi-dent in the Shire. “The Voice” alsobrought recognition for Council when in2009 it was the recipient of the R HDoughty Award, which recognises leadingpractice in Communication Managementin Local Government. We wish Hank allthe very best in his future endeavours, ashe focuses on his love of painting and thearts. Good luck and farewell Hank fromall at Council.

GENERAL MANAGER

JOHN BELL

MAYOR CL. JOHN SHAW

FESTIVAL 2/3 NovemberFREE Vineyard & Winery Tour

FREE Jazz Band

WIN $258 Case of Wine

Cellar Door open daily 10am - 5pm

Cafe Lerida open Saturday, Sunday &

public holidays 10am - 5 pm.

FREE live music on Sundays

Federal Hwy, Lake George

Turn off at Gunney VC Rest Area

T 02 6295 6640 or 02 4848 0231

www.leridaestate.com.au

Mayor John Shaw and Deputy Mayor

James Wheelwright re-elected to their

positions.

GREAT WORK

JUST THE

BEGINNING

Residents and visitors to Crookwell have

applauded the recent renovations being

carried out at Crookwell’s amenities

block.

The work was begun in September and is

part of Council’s Capital budget for

2013/2014.

This year’s financial budget will not be

sufficient to complete the enhancement of

the facility. However, Council is seeking

outside funding from the NSW

Government’s ‘Community Building

Partnership’ program and other sources.

It is the long term goal of Council to

revitalize the entire structure for the bene-

fit of residents and visitors.

Page 4 TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

2012/2013 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Financial Statements and external Auditor’s Report were presented to the Ordinary

Council meeting on 17 October 2013. Intentus Chartered Accountants issued an unqualified

independent Auditor’s Report, for the period ended 30 June 2013, with respect to Council’s

annual General Purpose Financial Statements and Special Purchase Financial Statements. A

complete copy of the Financial Statements is available on Council’s website.

Sound Financial Position

The result of Upper Lachlan Shire Council’s operations for the year ended 30 June 2013 is

summarised in the following table:-

Note 6 to the Financial Statements states that Council’s Cash and Investments held at 30 June

2013 total $17.078 million. A breakdown of these amounts is shown in Note 6 (c) which

states total external cash restrictions, i.e. restrictions for water supply, sewerage, Section 94

contributions, unexpended grants and domestic waste, totals $9.995 million.

The internal cash restrictions total $6.521 million, i.e. employee leave entitlements, plant

replacement, uncompleted works, gravel pit and rubbish tip remediation, and infrastructure

reserves. There remains $562,000 unrestricted cash, which increased from $291,000 held in

2011/2012.

All the performance measures used by the Division of Local Government indicate Upper

Lachlan Shire Council is at present in a sound financial position to meet all provisions and

liabilities. Note 13 to the Financial Statements highlights that Council’s Unrestricted Current

Ratio of assets to liabilities is 4.48:1 and Rates and Charges Outstanding Percentage is 2.79

per cent.

Note 13 to the Financial Statements and the Sustainable Finances Health Check summary

provide further information with respect to the financial management and performance of

Council and comparison to previous year’s results.

First home buyers in NSW now have until

January 1, 2016 to claim an extra $15,000

towards heir new home, plus stamp duty

savings.

The First Home Owner Grant (New

Homes) Scheme has been extended by two

years, in a bid to encourage prospective

home owners to purchase newly built

homes.

Designed with the first home buyer in

mind, Hotondo Homes’ new Milestone

Range, together with the recent changes to

the grant, have made it easier to get into

the housing market.

The range consists of eight new affordable

designs reflecting the demand for smaller

blocks of land. Each of the homes have

been cleverly designed to fit a narrow

frontage maximising the use of space.

Featuring 5 single storey and 3 double

storey designs, the Milestone Range caters

for the full spectrum of first home buyers’

needs, without compromising on practical-

ity and style.

One of the new home designs featured in

the Milestone Range is the single storey

Primo. Standing at just 9.56m wide, the

Primo has been well organised to max-

imise space, incorporating three bed-

rooms, single car garage and storage

throughout.

Local Hotondo Homes’ builder, Phillip

Meares, believes that given the generous

first home buyer grant offered by the NSW

Government, the Milestone designs repre-

sent the perfect opportunity to gain a leg

up on the property ladder.

“The vision was to create a range that

reflected the budget-

ary and lifestyle

requirements of the

first home buyer,”

says Phil. “The

homes are in line

with contemporary

style, maximising efficiency and function.

The Milestone Range is the ideal stepping

stone into the housing market.”

To further ease the process, Hotondo

Homes have developed three easy steps to

owning your first home, to ensure it is a

stress-free and fun experience.

3 steps to owning your first home

Step 1: FinanceOur builders are able to refer you to a

trusted mortgage broker/ financial institu-

tion that may be able to help you select the

perfect home loan package to suit your

lifestyle and budget.

Step 2: LandOur builders have relationships with local

developers to make sure you receive the

perfect block of land for your first home.

Step 3: HomeIt is time to turn your house into a home.

You have four colour schemes to choose

from, plus a choice of three façade

options.

To make an enquiry about Hotondo

Homes new Milestone Range, visit Phil

and Trish Meares and the team at 113

Marys Mount Road Goulburn, or call the

on 4821 2810. Phil & Trish look forward

to working with you.

YOU NEVER

FORGET YOUR FIRST

Bottom left L-R: Bob Campbell, Mick

Jones and John Hanley.

Top right standing and kneeling: Bob

Campbell and Fred Campbell.

Middle right: Women’s hand basin and

hand dryer

Total - Income from Continuing Operations

Total - Expenses from Continuing Operations

Page 5TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

The $10.8M Gunning and Dalton town

water supply upgrade is progressing well,

with major construction activities

underway on the new Water Treatment

Plant, 100ML Storage Reservoir and

Dalton Pipeline.

The new Water Treatment Plant is based

upon a Dissolved Air Flotation and

Filtration process and is capable of

delivering 1M litres of drinking water to

Gunning and Dalton each day. The system

will provide first class drinking water to

both villages well into the future.

The Water Treatment Plant is being

constructed by Laurie Curran Water Pty

Ltd under a design and construct contract

awarded by Council following an open

tender process. The new Water Treatment

Plant is expected to be fully operational by

April 2013.

The 100ML Storage reservoir is being

constructed by Divalls Earthmoving and

Bulk Haulage, who were successful in

being awarded the construction contract

following an open tendering process. The

100ML storage is designed to provide a

water supply buffer for both Gunning and

Dalton, providing drought and flood

secure town water supply.

The storage consists of a ‘turkey’s nest’

storage with earthen embankments, a

geosynthetic clay liner, and rock lining of

embankment internal batters. The dam is

to be filled by an upgraded pumping

station on the Lachlan River at the existing

town water supply off-take. Stored water is

then pumped directly to the new Water

Treatment Plant. Water is then pumped to

the existing Gunning service reservoir

from which it gravitates for town water

supply.

A 10.6km long 110mm diameter poly-eth-

ylene pipeline has been laid linking the

Gunning town water supply to the village

of Dalton. A pumping station at the

Gunning end of the pipeline is currently

being constructed. The pipeline will be

commissioned in parallel with the new

Water Treatment Plant and 100ML

Storage. Once operational the new system

will provide Dalton with town water

supply of a far superior quality than that

currently provided by groundwater bores.

This project has been made possible as a

result of funding from all three levels of

Government; the Australian Government

($5.4M) under its Strengthening Basin

Communities Program, The NSW

Government ($4.3M) under the Country

Towns Water Supply and Sewerage

Program and Upper Lachlan Shire Council

($1.1M) funded from its water fund

reserve.

Seeking direction

Upper Lachlan has sought direction from

NSW Health with respect to Fluoridation

of the upgraded Gunning and Dalton town

water supplies. If so directed Council will

include Fluoride dosing in the new Water

Treatment Plant.

GUNNING-DALTON WATER SECURITY IMPROVEMENT

The $1.5M Taralga Water Supply Upgrade

is nearing completion. The project

includes the construction of an ultra - fil-

tration water treatment plant and a new

service reservoir. The system is designed

to provide up to 300,000L of drinking

water to the village of Taralga each day.

The system will provide drinking water in

accordance with Australian drinking water

standards and has capacity to cater for

drought periods and for significant growth

in the village. The Water treatment plant is

capable of treating water from both the

Woolshed creek surface water source and

groundwater bores constructed in recent

years.

The upgraded system will result in a

substantial improvement in the reliability

of water supply and quality in the village.

As is the case in the majority of modern

town water supplies, the treatment process

includes the addition of chlorine to the

water. Chlorine has been demonstrated as

a safe and effective disinfectant of drink-

ing water, providing a stable residual dis-

infectant, helping ensure the ongoing

microbial safety of the water supply.

New system

Water from the new system is expected to

be provided to customers taps by early

November 2013. A mailbox drop will be

undertaken to notify residents of the actu-

al connection date, prior to the connection.

The change in the water is likely to take a

number of days as it settles throughout the

town reticulation system.

The project has been made possible by

shared funding contributions from Upper

Lachlan Shire Councils Water Fund, and

the NSW Government from its Country

Towns Water Supply and Sewerage

Program.

The project comes on the back of the

$7.5M Taralga Sewerage Scheme, and

results in the village of Taralga enjoying

first class town water and sewerage facili-

ties that cater for the needs of the village

well into the future. (reservoir and WTP

construction photos to follow).

Councils Manager of Operations, Luke

Moloney commented that, “while these

projects have been needed for some time,

Upper Lachlan Shire Council is proud of

its achievements in delivering quality

community infrastructure that helps

support the sustainable future of our

communities”.

TARALGA WATER SUPPLY UPGRADE

Gunning Water Treatment Plant Construction - October 2013

Dalton Pipeline Construction

Taralga Water Supply - New Water Treatment Plant Construction - October 2013

Taralga Water SupplyNew Service Reservoir

WORKS SCHEDULE

Council’s works department have a full

works schedule for the months leading up

to and into the New Year. Some of the

major projects that will be underway are:

Biala Street Reconstruction

This project is substantially completed

with revegetation works and general tidy-

up well underway. Bitumen sealing of this

project will be undertaken once the

Gunning water treatment plant and storage

reservoir are substantially complete.

Gurrundah Road Reconstruction

The pavement rehabilitation of a 4.2 km

section of Gurrundah Road is substantially

complete, apart from intersection improve-

ments at Mullens Creek Road. This works

is part of the pavement strengthening and

road safety improvements associated with

the Gullen Range Windfarm development.

In addition the abovementioned site near

Mullens Creek Road, Council will also be

undertaking Pavement rehabilitation

works on Gurrundah Road on a 1km sec-

tion starting near the Grabben Gullen

Road.

Grabine Road “Steep Hills”

Reconstruction and sealing Special

Grant

The formation widening, drainage

improvements and pavement strengthen-

ing of Grabine Road at 7.0 km to 7.9 km

(“Goat Hill”) has recxently been complet-

ed with the bitumen seal applied in mid

October 2013. The work will provided

residents and visitors to the Grabine area

with improved road conditions. Upgrades

on Grabine road will occur at selected

steep hill sections over the next three

years.

Reconstruction and Bitumen Sealing of

MR248 East

The continuation of the reconstruction and

bitumen sealing of MR248 East will target

the unsealed sections between

Carrabungla and Commissioners Creek

(1.022km) and the remaining 1.43km lead-

ing up to the eastern side of the Wowagin

Creek seal. Final pavement construction

has commenced on the Mt Rae to

Wowagin section.

Local Roads Gravel Resheeting

program

Council has allocated funds to gravel re-

sheet 38 km of its local road network. This

program will generally target the roads

with higher traffic volumes. Council has

1136 km of unsealed local roads, 42.4km

of Unsealed Regional Roads and 10km for

unsealed State Road.

Storm Restoration works

Council has completed the Storm

Restoration works resulting from the

December 2010 event. In addition to this

event Council road infrastructure also was

damaged during storm events in February

2012. Council has completed 60 per cent

of the repair works resulting from the later

event.

Bitumen Resurfacing Operations

Council will be commencing its annual

bitumen resurfacing program shortly.

Council will be completing a total of 38km

of reseals on its State, Regional and Local

Road network. Residents in Urban Area

affected by the reseals will be advised by a

letter.

With all of Council worksites your co-

operation will be appreciated with the traf-

fic control arrangements at the sites and

please drive with caution during these

projects.

Page 8 TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

PREPARING FOR

WINDY MONTHS

IS A BREEZE

As the traditionally windy months

approach, Essential Energy is reminding

residents in the Upper Lachlan Shire to be

cautious of powerlines and electrical haz-

ards.

Windy weather can cause trees and

branches to fall and come into contact

with powerlines, often resulting in power

supply interruptions.

Essential Energy’s Regional Manager

South Eastern, Phillip Green, urged

householders to be prepared for strong

winds over the next few months.

“In the lead up to what is traditionally a

windy time of the year, we encourage the

public to look up and check that trees,

branches and other obstructions do not

pose a hazard to overhead powerlines as

they can be blown into the lines in windy

weather,” Phillip said.

“If you find trees within close proximity

to powerlines - three metres or less - con-

tact Essential Energy to arrange an

inspection. Do not attempt to prune or

remove the trees yourself, especially if

they could fall across powerlines – it’s not

worth the risk.”

Wind speeds at this time of year often

reach well over 100 kilometres an hour.

As a precaution, residents should conduct

a risk assessment of their surroundings

before the windy weather hits.

“We encourage householders to clean up

their yards and remove loose debris,

which could be picked up in strong winds

and potentially damage powerlines,”

Phillip said.

Essential Energy also advises people to be

cautious when engaging in outdoor activ-

ities during strong winds.

“Windy weather may provide the perfect

conditions for flying a kite, but remember

to steer clear of overhead powerlines,”

Phillip said. “We stress the importance of

educating children on the dangers of kite

flying near powerlines and suggest par-

ents spread the word.”

Essential Energy advises that in the event

of a powerline coming down, people

should remain at least eight metres away

from the wires and anything in contact

with them. To report a fallen powerline,

or a supply interruption, contact Essential

Energy on 13 20 80.

For updates on storms in NSW visit

Essential Energy’s Storm Tracker tool at

http://www.essentialenergy.com.au/con-

tent/stormtracker. The website is updated

every 15 minutes with real time storm

information.

PROUD TO SPONSOR THE VOICE OF THE UPPER LACHLAN SHIRE

CHRISTMAS

CLOSURES 2013

The Crookwell, Gunning and Taralga Offices will be closed from midday on

Thursday, 19 December 2013 and will reopen at 9:00 am on Thursday, 2 January 2014.

The Crookwell and Gunning Library’s will close at 5:00 pm on Thursday 19

December 2013 and will reopen on Thursday 2 January 2014.

Crookwell Visitor information Centre – Closed 25 December, 2013 (Christmas Day)

and 1 January, 2013 (New Year’s Day). Open weekdays 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; weekends

and public holidays 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Crookwell and Gunning Swimming Pools – Closed Christmas Day only.

EMERGENCY SERVICE Gunning/Collector Area 0427 454206

EMERGENCY SERVICE Crookwell/Taralga Area 0429 786659

COUNCIL MEETINGS

NOVEMBER 2013 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2014.

Ordinary Council Meetings are to be held on the third Thursday of the month at the

Crookwell Council Chambers at 9am (there will not be a meeting in January 2014).

However, on November 21, 2013 the Ordinary Meeting of Council will be held in

Gunning starting at 9:30am.

Place Date Time

Gunning November 21, 2013 9:30 am

Crookwell December 19, 2013 9:00 am

Crookwell February 20, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell March 20, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell April 17, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell May 15, 2014 9:00am

Crookwell June 19, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell July 17, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell August 21, 2014 9:00 am

Crookwell September 18, 2014 9:00 am

WWHHAATT’’SS OONN IINN TTHHEE SSHHIIRREE OOFF VVIILLLLAAGGEESS

Page 9

SHIRE CALENDAR

Upper Lachlan Tourism

Find us onFacebook

Crookwell

Community Markets: first Saturday of each

Month.

CADS: latest production November 1 to 3 and

November 7 to 9. For more information:

info@cads.org.au

PO Box 299 Crookwell, 2583.

Rotary Swap Meet: Crookwell Showground,

November 7 to 9.Legendary Australian actor

and author William McInnes

is coming to town.

The Upper Lachlan Foundation

(ULF) has a new patron.

Renowned Australian actor

William McInnes has enthusias-

tically accepted the role. To celebrate this and

introduce Mr McInnes to the Upper Lachlan

community the ULF has organised a book

signing in Crookwell. William will be in

Crookwell for lunch and to sign copies of his

new book on Friday, November 15. The event

will be held at Crossroads Cafe in the centre of

the main street. On the day there will be a cer-

emony to award successful applicants their

cheques for this year’s round of funding from

the ULF. Further details will be available in

local media closer to the event. Please contact

the ULF on their web-site (www.ulf.org.au) or

phone 0427-224 839 for further details.

Team Penning: Crookwell Show Grounds,

November 16 and 17.

Lions Christmas Market: November 23.

Open Garden Scheme: Crookwell, Fullerton

and Gunning November 23 and 24.

Crookwell Native Flora

and Fauna Club:

Sunday, November 24,

2013. Annual General

Meeting 8:00 am at the usual spot in

Robertson Street. We will then proceed to our

Bird Hide in Todkill Park for a bird-watching

session, and then move to Malcolm and

Barbara Barlow’s place “Lachlanders”, on the

Redground Road for the AGM, followed by a

BBQ lunch.

The AGM will commence at approximately

11:00 am and will probably take about an hour

to complete. If you intend staying for the

BBQ, then please bring something to eat and

drink.

Ross Higginson, Secretary Phone: (02) 48 322

952 or Mobile: 0408 198 682.

Off Road Racing: Ray

Vesty Memorial Cup,

Crookwell Gravel Pit

December 1.

Crookwell Community Singers: December 8.

Crookwell Christmas in the Park:

Crookwell Memorial Park, December 14.

GunningWalking and jogging: you may have noticed

a bunch of ladies walking and jogging the

streets of Gunning. The ladies have regular

get-togethers and would like to put the word

out to the community that anyone of any age

or fitness level is more than welcome to go

along and join them. The more the merrier!

And it’s FREE! Healthy body + Healthy mind

= Healthy life. If you are interested please feel

free to contact Theresa Robinson on 0430 370

670 for more information.

Men’s Group: 11 am to 1.30 pm every second

Monday, usually at St Edmund’s Anglican

Church Hall, Biala Street. The program

includes guest speakers, cooking demonstra-

tions (and sampling!), discussion of current

affairs, men’s health matters, card games and

catch-up chat over coffee. All welcome.

Monday Group: 10.30 am to 1.30 pm every

week, usually at the Foley Centre. $10 per ses-

sion includes transport to/from, morning tea

and lunch, activities, guest speakers, craft,

bingo. All welcome. Please phone our office

before midday on Friday’s if you have not pre-

viously arranged to use our transport.

Tuesday Shopping Bus Weekly to Goulburn:

$10 return. Departs approx. 8.30 am from the

Old Gunning Courthouse. Picks up around

Gunning village and from Dalton (by prior

arrangement). Service is co-ordinated by

HomeCare Community Transport. Bookings

essential due to limited number of seats.

Phone Gunning Community Care before

midday on Mondays. For last minute bookings

or changes, phone Natalie at HCCT on

4824 0140 and leave a message.

Flower Show and Fete: Uniting Church

November 9.

Lions Market: last Sunday of each Month.

with Gardening Club raffle.

Greendale Fete: Uniting Church, Dalton.

Open Garden Scheme: Gunning, Crookwell

and Fullerton, November 23 and 24.

National Capital Orchestra: Saturday,

November 9, 2.00 pm with David Pereira,

cello.

Uniting Church Annual Flower Show:

Saturday, November 9, schedules are in the

shops.

Senior’s Christmas Luncheon: Saturday, 30

November.

Breadalbane Community Hall: Christmas

Social on Saturday, December 14.

TaralgaLions Market: first Sunday of each Month.

Southern NSW Team Sorting: Taralga

Showground, November 2 and 3.

Vintage Farm Field Days: Taralga Show

Grounds, November 16 and 17.

Taralga Christmas Carols: December 22.

Laggan Village Markets: (December 14) third

Saturday of each Month.

Bush Poetry: Laggan Pub first Wednesday of

each Month.

Carols by Glowstick, All Saints, December 7.

Page 10 TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

GOOD BYE

AND THANKS

As some of the readers might know this

will be my last effort as editor of the

Voice.

I have enjoyed the past eight years.

Seeing the Voice develop into the vehicle

for community information it has been a

real pleasure. In fact working on the

Voice has been one of the most enjoyable

positions I have ever had, and I have had

a few.

I would like to take a moment to thank

those that have made it such a pleasure;

especially the General Manager, John

Bell; Helen Peterson, Kerri-ann Pratley,

Sue Hassett, Sue Pearman, Paul Brown,

John Levien, Ann Darbyshire, Diane

Layden, the various Historical and Art

Societies, Tussock Tamers, Landcare,

Wires, and a host of others. but most of

all I would like to thank Madeleine, my

beloved wife who has managed to be sup-

portive when I probaly made that a little

difficult. Thank you all for your help and

support.

Also the advertisers that have put their

money into a project that has been of

obvious benefit to the community.

While I am off now to seriously revive

my art career in the Southern Highlands I

will never forget my time in Crookwell.

‘Geothermal Heating / Cooling

CHANGES

TO COUNCIL’S

FACEBOOK PAGE

The Upper Lachlan Shire Council’s

Facebook page was set up to relay vital

information, bulletins and advertise-

ments to Council residents such as: road

closures (especially in the event of

floods, storms and bushfires), waste col-

lection, water quality concerns, potential

grant funding opportunities and other

similar issues.

Unfortunately, the Council’s Facebook

page has been misused, by a few, as a

means to complain regarding issues that

Council considers important.

When residents use Facebook to lodge

complaints they are misdirecting their

issues and making it difficult for Council

to properly respond to their concerns.

Council has an appropriate complaint

management system procedure in place

to deal with resident’s complaints. If res-

idents have a complaint they have three

options: 1. they can describe their com-

plaint in detail and post their issues of

concern directly to the General Manager,

PO Box 42,Gunning 2581; 2. they can

phone Council on 02 4830 1000 and ask

to register a complaint to the appropriate

department, in the complaints manage-

ment system; and 3. lastly resident’s can

directly approach one of Council’s nine

elected Councillors with their concerns

(their contact details are listed to the left

and on the Council’s web page).

By following these three approaches res-

idents will both quickly receive assis-

tance in a timely manner and help

Council use their resources by following

best practice procedures.

Local Heritage Fund

2013-2014

Council recently invited applications

under the 2013-2014 Local Heritage Fund

Grant program and received 10 applica-

tions. The Program is now in its fourth

year and provides support to property

owners to undertake work to conserve

local heritage items.

The Program is part funded by the NSW

Heritage Grants, Office of Environment

and Heritage with grants offered on a dol-

lar for dollar basis.

The number of applications submitted for

2013-2014 has decreased although the

level of enquiry has been constant. There

are several major projects that are deserv-

ing of funding and all restoration projects

have the potential to benefit heritage

tourism and retention of community and

social history in rural areas. There is some

variety in the range of projects proposed

and some of the projects to benefit from

the 2013-2014 round of funding include:

1. Stables Restoration Project at

Breadalbane.

2. Grave Marking Project to mark

unmarked graves at a local Cemetery.

3. Restoration of Slab Cottage c.1900 in

Taralga which is a significant example of

slab construction and is an integral compo-

nent of a precinct of historical buildings.

4. Restoration work to a historic

Homestead in Binda.

5. Repairs and conservation work on a

stone/pise cottage in Golspie

All projects must be commenced by

February 2014 and completed by May

2014.

The Local Heritage Fund program is a

great opportunity for Upper Lachlan prop-

erty owners to undertake work on items

that have heritage and historical qualities

and values.

APOLOGY OFFERED Anti-wind farm activist Mr. HumphreyPrice-Jones at the September meeting ofUpper Lachlan Council offered an apolo-gy for comments he had made whileaddressing Councillors at the Augustmeeting.During his comments to Council at thattime Mr. Price-Jones said: “The questioncould be asked what kind of relationshipCouncil had with the developers” (refer-ring to the Gullen Range wind farm).At last meeting Mr. Price-Jones said thatit had not been his intention to adverselyreflect on Council staff.“All I was doing was placing emphasis onthe need for transparency.“If any comment I made did causeanyone offence, I apologise.”Mayor Cr. John Shaw thanked Mr. Price-Jones for his explanation.

Contributed by the Crookwell Gazette.

Mr. Price Jones standing behind

Councillor Culhane before offering his

“apology”.

Funny Hill National School

COUNCILLOR

CONTACT DETAILS

Lobbying Councillors

ICAC (Independent Commission Against

Corruption) have produced a brochure to

inform Councillors, the community and

other interested stakeholders about what

ICAC considers to be best practice in the

area of lobbying Local Government

Councillors.

The brochure may be downloaded

from the ICAC website at:

www.icac.nsw.gov.au or obtained by

contacting ICAC on (02) 8281 5999 or

1800 463 909.

Council Contact Details

Upper Lachlan Shire Council

Phone: 02 4830 1000

Fax: 02 4832 2066

council@upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au

Councillors Contact Details

Mayor, Clr. J. Shaw

PO Box 3

Gunning, NSW 2581

Ph: (02) 4845 1520

Fax: (02) 4845 1520

jsshaw@bigpond.com

D e p u t y M a y o r ,

Clr. J. Wheelwright

“Phils River”

Crookwell, NSW 2583

Ph: (02) 4834 2149

Fax: (02) 4834 2124

jmwheelwrith@hotmail.com

Clr. D. Obrien

14 Crown Street

Crookwell, NSW 2583

Ph: (02) 48320501

MOB 0409 821 003

Clr. J. Marshall

PO Box 7

Binda, NSW 2583

MOB 0408 976070

Clr. P. Culhane

Ph: (02) 4836 21 90

Fax: (02) 4832 2100

stoush@hotmail.com

Clr. M. Barlow

Lachlands, 619

Redground Road

Crookwell, NSW 2583

Ph: (02) 4837 3030

council@upperlachlan.nsw.gov.au

Clr. B. McCormack

“Aplsey” Taralga Road

Laggan, NSW 2583

Ph: (02) 4837 3258

Fax: (02) 4837 3311

Clr. S. Craig

764 Yalbraith Road

Taralga, NSW 2580

Ph: (02) 483 8138

Clr. J. Searl

PO Box 4002

Dalton, NSW 2581

PH: (02) 48456337

MOB 0405 060 347

Page 11

This page is proudly sponsored by

Local Benefits of Gullen Range WindFarm Demonstrated

Sydney, Australia – October 11, 2013

Anyone wondering about the benefits to

the region of renewables should just

follow the steady stream of trucks and utes

from Goulburn to Grabben Gullen.

Machinery, concrete, sand, gravel as well

as labour, services and equipment hire are

all being supplied by local companies to

the Gullen Range Wind Farm.

According to Goldwind’s Project Manager

Mr Ben Bateman at least 70 per cent of the

115 workers on the wind farm are locals

with $13 million already being spent on

goods and services in the local region and

$5 million spent on the local roads.

Goulburn earthmoving company Tutt

Bryant is one of the companies supplying

plant and machinery including loaders,

excavators, rollers, tractors and graders to

assist with road works, cabling, and to

help with oversized loads. Mr Ben Zyla

the local manager of Tutt Bryant said they

have engaged the services of a dozen or so

subcontractor companies to supply the

needs of the site and employed four addi-

tional staff to supply the workload. “Most

of the local earthmoving businesses

involved will have delivered over $2 mil-

ion of works to the project.

“This is a major boost to the local

economy as there are very limited large

projects on at the moment.

“The Southern Tablelands has long been

identified as a major wind resource area. It

is quite ridiculous for us not to take advan-

tage of this and turn natural energy into

clean power generation.

“Rural towns are struggling with limited

development. The area’s mainstay,

agriculture, is on a gradual decline so we

need to be making better use of the land.

“I know of a shearer who has left the

industry after many years and has been

re-trained to do maintenance on wind

turbines and has never been happier.

“The impact of wind farms on agriculture

and communities is very little compared

with the benefits.

“Sure the construction stage does impact

on locals with major road movements of

equipment to site, but in the process, we

keep work local and the developers

contribute major funding to upgrade the

roads after completion.”

In addition to the locals working on the

wind farm Justin said he is blown away by

the number of people the wind farm has

brought to the region to live and work on

the project during construction.

“I couldn’t believe the numbers of blokes

from out of town in the supermarket queue

in Goulburn the other day, who I know are

working on the wind farm.”

Tutt Bryant is joined by Divalls, APE

Earthmoving, Designcrete, Concrete 4

Goulburn, fencing contractors, pubs,

motels, and cafes all benefiting from the

wind farm construction phase. In addition,

to all the regional benefits the wind farm

will power approximately 60,000 homes

when it becomes operational in 2014

while continuing with its other agricultur-

al and farming activities.

Wind farm making the most of local

workforce

Locals are getting the lion’s share of the

jobs on the construction phase of the

Gullen Range Wind Farm.

Goldwind Australia’s project manager

Ben Bateman said wherever possible we

have tapped into the region’s skilled and

unskilled local work force.

“Seventy per cent of our team constructing

the Gullen Range Wind Farm comes from

the local area.

We’ve got local crane operators, truck

drivers, electricians, labourers and others.

A lot of these blokes know each other

from around the traps.”

Mr Jock Shutzendorff, who lives just out

of Goulburn, is one local who saw the

opportunity and went knocking on

Goldwind’s door.

“I spent 15 years operating heavy machin-

ery but now I am the Quality and Logistics

Coordinator for the Gullen Range Wind

Farm. It’s been a big learning curve and

I’m learning something new most days.

“A typical day for me includes taking

delivery of parts of the wind turbines,

inventory and some computer work.

“We’ve got a wide range of jobs from

managers, engineers, office staff, OH&S,

electricians, and other subcontractors such

as fitters, crane drivers, riggers and earth-

moving.”

Crookwell crane operator Mr Adrian Baty

is another local who saw the opportunity

to get involved in the project.

“Working on the wind farm has given me

a steady income and a chance to get more

experience of this growing industry so I

can get more work later,” he said.

Mr Shutzendorff agrees: “There are a lot

of wind farms in the region, it is a windy

place. Wind farms are a good source of

employment.”

Mr Bateman said the wind farm construc-

tion is progressing very well with

construction, commissioning and testing

to be completed by mid-2014 providing

jobs to locals in their own community and

injecting cash back to the region. The

project also includes almost $6 million in

upgrades to local roads.

Project Update

The construction program at GRWF is

progressing with significant milestones

being achieved. The final foundation was

poured on September 26 which, along

with the completion of almost all the

onsite roads, means that the civil works

involved on the project are now largely

complete. This means that construction

traffic will reduce significantly.

The switchyard for the project which con-

nects the project to the TransGrid trans-

mission network is now complete with the

contractors (UGL) now demobilising from

the site. This is a significant achievement

which allows the project to export green

energy to customers on the network.

The delivery of the components will be

extended to a further 10 weeks. As with

the current delivery schedules, all loads

will be carried through in the early hours

and under Police escort to ensure minimal

disruption to the local communities of

Goulburn and Upper Lachlan Shire.

Goldwind would like to thank the

communities surrounding Gullen Range

Wind Farm for their ongoing patience and

support during the project.

About Goldwind

Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology

Co., Ltd., is the largest manufacturer of

wind turbines in China, and among the

largest in the world. With strong R&D

capabilities, the Company is the world’s

largest manufacturer of permanent magnet

direct-drive wind turbines, representing

the industry’s next generation technology.

Goldwind is listed on the Shenzhen Stock

Exchange (stock code 002202) and the

Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (stock

code 2208).

By the 31st December 2012, Goldwinds

accumulated wind power installations

exceeded 15,000MW including more than

12,000 wind turbine units around the

world. That wind power generation capac-

ity is equivalent to 12 million tons of coal

saved per year or 29.91 million tons of

carbon emissions reduced per year or 16.4

million cubic meters of newly planted for-

est.

Goldwind Australia is a wholly owned

subsidiary and was established in 2009 to

serve the Australian and regional wind

power markets.

Goldwind Australia commissioned its first

Australian wind farm, the 19.5MW

Mortons Lane Wind Farm (MLWF), in

2012. MLWF is located in Victoria’s

western district within the Moyne and

Southern Grampians Shires. The wind

farm covers approximately 1,100 hectares

and is approximately 40 kilometres East of

Hamilton and 220 kilometresWest of the

city of Melbourne.

GULLEN RANGE WIND FARM

Photo: Local crane operator Adrian Baty

Town Planning

Engineering and Project Management

Flora and Fauna

On-site Waste Water

Bushfire Risk Assessments

If you’re thinking of building, subdividing or any form of

property improvement or development that requires the

consent of Council or other government departments then

we can help.

Please feel free to call us for an obligation free assessment

of your situation and advice on how we might be able to

help you achieve your objectives.

35 Montague Street, Goulburn.

(PO Box 1326)

Goulburn, NSW 2580

Phone 02 4821 0973

Fax 02 4821 0954

www.laterals.com.au

enquiries@laterals.com.au

TTHHEE VVOOIICCEE of Upper Lachlan Shire, the Shire of Villages

By Kay Muddiman

All our native animals have their individual

part to play in the scheme of things, and all

are important. However, because of the

appeal of the more well known ‘furred,

cute & cuddlies’, it is easy for other crea-

tures such as bats and reptiles to be over-

looked, indeed almost forgotten. We

should all be aware of the contribution

these ‘not so appealing’ creatures make

towards keeping our environment balanced

and healthy, and give them equal consider-

ation.

Some facts you may find interesting:

All bats in Australia are native species –

none of them are introduced.

There are two kinds of bats: large flying-

foxes or fruit-eating bats (often called

megabats), and the small insect-eating bats

(often called microbats).

Microbats eat a lot – up to three-quarters of

their own body weight in insects in a night.

Bats are natural aerial acrobats! While

most bats catch insects in their mouths,

they can also catch insects in their wing

membrane, flick them into the tail

membrane, and then grab them with their

mouth, all while in flight.

Shingleback lizard - eats mostly

vegetable matter, together with some

insects, spiders or scorpions. They have a

particular liking for flowers and will sea-

sonally gorge themselves on blossoms,

particularly yellow ones if given the oppor-

tunity. Almost unique in the lizard world,

shinglebacks find a compatible mate and

then continue to pair up with the same part-

ner every spring for 20 or more years.

Blue-tongued lizard - the legs are small and

can be overlooked, meaning the harmless

bluetongue, with its large triangular head,

is sometimes mistaken for a dangerous

snake and inadvertently killed. As well as

eating vegetation the Blue-tongue eats

insects, slugs and snails – making it a valu-

able addition to a garden!

For help with injured wildlife please ringour Rescue number – 4822 3888, our vol-

unteers will be only too happy to assist.

At the recent Local Government NSW

(LGNSW) Annual Conference held at the

Sydney Town Hall, Upper Lachlan Shire

Council was announced as the runner-up to

receive the prestigious AR Bluett

Memorial Award, considered to be the

“highest accolade to which a Council can

aspire”. The award is based on a Council’s

relative progress, irrespective of its size or

resources and it has been awarded annual-

ly since 1945. This year more than 20

NSW Councils were considered to receive

the AR Bluett Memorial award.

In its application for the award, Upper

Lachlan Shire Council highlighted the

significant projects achieved during

2012/13 that have resulted in improved

services and numerous benefits for the

Shire community, and detailed the new ini-

tiatives Council has embarked on that will

continue to build a vibrant Upper Lachlan

Shire.

The major projects highlighted include the

$20M project providing an Upgrade of

Taralga Water Supply and Sewerage

Scheme, and the Gunning-Dalton Water

Security Improvement Program; the ongo-

ing large program of road infrastructure

capital improvement works; and Council’s

outstanding governance in the areas of

Financial and Investment Management,

and Asset Management that allow Council

to deliver a wide range of quality services

to the community within a challenging

global financial environment.

The AR Bluett Memorial Award is judged

by three Trustees: Graeme Fleming PSM,

Beverley Geigerl OAM and Cr Bill Bott

AM. By Council’s selection as a finalist,

the Trustees visited Upper Lachlan Shire to

inspect the projects and view the benefits

achieved by the Shire community. As cur-

rent Trust Chairperson, Graeme Fleming

stated that Council should be very proud of

their achievement. “Being short listed is

not an easy task and Upper Lachlan Shire

Council should be congratulated.”

Front row L-R: Director of Works Phil Newham, Bluett Award Trustee, Beverley Geigeri OAM

and Mayor, John Shaw. Back row L-R: Bluett Award Trustee, Bill Bott AM; Bluett Award

Trustee Chairman Graeme Fleming;, General Manager John Bell, and Director of Finance and

Administration, Andrew Croke.

UPPER LACHLAN

ACHIEVEMENTS RECOGNISED

Above: A Shingleback sunning itself in

our garden.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE

‘NOT SO CUTE AND CUDDLY’

NEW RESIDENTS

INCENTIVE SCHEME

Just by deciding to move to UpperLachlan Shire, new residents are auto-matically entitled to receive a goods-and-services voucher package valued atover $200.00.The package, a joint initiative of UpperLachlan Shire Council and Businesses,provides practical assistance to new res-idents, as well as introducing them tomany of the local businesses in the com-munity.“Offering incentives is a great way towelcome newcomers to Upper LachlanShire, a great way to contribute to thegrowth of the Shire’s business sector,and a great way to strengthen UpperLachlan’s position as an excellent centrein which to live, work and invest,” saidBrenda Proudman, Council’s EconomicDevelopment Officer.To claim a voucher package, new resi-dents must visit one of Upper LachlanShire Councils’ offices located atCrookwell, Gunning or Taralga, or localReal Estate Agents with proof of perma-nent Upper Lachlan Shire residency. Toqualify, the property must contributecouncil rates to Upper Lachlan ShireCouncil. The package must be claimedwithin three months of moving to UpperLachlan Shire.For more information contact Council,Phone: 02 4830 1000.