Ratepayers are being slugged thousands of dollars in road closure costs to hold increasingly expensive community events in Gunnedah.

Multiple community events regularly request the closure of Conadilly Street in Gunnedah.

Events such as the Christmas Fair, Weeks of Speed vehicle parade, ANZAC Day march and more recently, the NAIDOC street march, are among those where temporary traffic changes are required.

In recent discussion regarding the future of Gunnedah’s Christmas Fair, Gunnedah Shire Council highlighted the “expensive and time-consuming process” of closing the main thoroughfare to traffic.

Council has the authority to reduce or waive fees for reasons including financial hardship, charity, natural disasters or sponsorship/in-kind support.

Community events such as Gunnedah’s ANZAC Day and the Weeks of Speed Festival regularly have fees waived for road closures.

Although the traffic changes come at no cost to the community groups involved, the expense is adsorbed by council and ultimately, the ratepayer.

The Gunnedah Times enquired how much these road closures are costing council and why the provisions are so expensive.

Although no specific breakdown of road closure costs was provided, a council spokesperson pointed to the Gunnedah shire’s 2025/26 Operational Plan for the cost of Gunnedah RSL Sub-Branch’s Anzac Day services.

Under the Facility Hiring Support Fund, the sub-branch receives a combined “annual allocation” of $6559 for the waiver of fees to support Vietnam Veterans Day, Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day in Gunnedah and Curlewis.

Council provides ceremonial support for all services but only the ANZAC Day marches in Gunnedah and Curlewis are affected by significant road closures.

The spokesperson said Gunnedah council also has a sponsorship arrangement with Australian Community Media where council provides the traffic planning and control for AgQuip.

In 2024/25, council also waived the costs for the Community Street Parade held in Gunnedah during the 2025 Weeks of Speed.

The Gunnedah Times reported in August 2024 that council waved $4043 for hire fees and payment for road closures involved with the Weeks of Speed Festival.

Ian Guest helps co-ordinate the Weeks of Speed vehicle parade on behalf of the Gunnedah Rural Museum which also supplies many of the vehicles and machinery items for the parade.

Mr Guest said council took care of all road closure procedures and associated costs for duration of the event.

The road closure is usually in place for about one hour, starting at 10am but organisers hope to push this back by 30 minutes next year.

The council spokesperson said closing local roads was not a straight-forward process.

“Road closures are an expensive and multi-layered process due to the need to meet numerous requirements stipulated by local government, Transport for NSW and NSW Police. No one-size-fits-all approach can be taken,” the spokesperson said.

“Due to increasing considerations, concerns around security and risk, a number of review and approval processes are required when council receives an application to close a road.

“Road closures must also be tabled and approved by the Local Traffic Advisory Committee and council.

“Costs will vary depending on the length of time the road must be closed and the type of activity proposed. To determine the cost of closure of a road requires considerations such as:

• The need for the development of a traffic management plan that sets out the placement of signage and equipment to effect the road closure;

• Supply of signage and equipment, plus labour to set up and pack down. This may include supply of trucks and other significant obstruction devices (for example large concrete blocks) should public safety be considered a high risk;

• Supply of labour to man stop/go points and redirect traffic when required;

• Supply of variable messaging boards and other signage to inform incoming traffic of the need to divert from the road closure area; and

• The need and method for advance communications for impacted people and businesses in the road closure area.

“Other considerations include the need to consider the impact of road closures on other activities that may be generating high volumes of traffic and management of the same; and the need to supply impacted people, businesses and the general public with information regarding diversions, and management of complaints.”

It was noted that a recent change of road ownership in Gunnedah also had no bearing on the cost of road closures.

Conadilly Street was transferred from state road to a council road jurisdiction on July 1 but this did not affect the cost of services, such as road closures.

“It just means the Transport for NSW Road Occupancy License is no longer required,” the council spokesperson said.

Council said all above considerations mean that the closure of a road can be a “costly and complex” exercise for local government.

“It is also a lengthy process and requires sign-off by Transport for NSW and NSW Police, as well as council before it can be undertaken,” the spokesperson said.