Council continuing to seek feedback on draft Community Vision and Strategic Directions

COLLEEN FULLER, MAYOR, GUNNEDAH SHIRE COUNCIL

Council is continuing to meet with residents to get feedback on our draft Community Vision and Strategic Directions, which will help shape Gunnedah Shire’s Community Strategic Plan 2027–2037 – the roadmap for our shire for the next 10 years.

Keep an eye on our socials and website for the details of our upcoming community pop-ups in Mullaley, Piallaway, Breeza and Gunnedah. If you can’t get to a pop-up, you can visit our website for more ways to participate or call council.

We’re halfway through NSW Small Business Month, which got off to a great start last week at the popular business breakfast at The Railway Hotel. The breakfast is one of five free events council and the Gunnedah and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry are running to celebrate and support our business community.

Thank you to all the business owners and their teams from so many industries who took the time to get together before their busy days started, including chamber president Michael Broekman and staff from the Gunnedah branch of CommBank. A big thank you to The Railway for their hospitality and providing a filling breakfast, and The Cup of Cosy for warming everyone up on a chilly morning with coffee.

Our second event was held on International Day of Rural Women (15 October) and was a great opportunity to network and hear from local women on the key themes of leadership, innovation and resilience. It’s important that we take these opportunities to appreciate all that women do at work, at home and in the community to help our shire thrive.

There are still three free events remaining in the calendar for Small Business Month – come along to workshops on managing money, AI and Canva. Visit council’s website for all the details.

Council is receiving applications for the 2027 round of the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund and we are looking for help to continue this valuable initiative, which supports our young people.

The scholarship fund is an initiative of our own local community, and the first of its kind in NSW. The fund is open to students who want to further their training and education at university, TAFE, or an accredited training organisation.

It aims to assist young people with the start-up cost of their studies, and has assisted future doctors, engineers, nurses, agronomists, teachers, IT specialists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, paramedics, social workers and many more returning to our region to practice their skills.

If you would like to be involved in supporting this initiative, a financial contribution can be made directly to the Gunnedah Community Scholarship Fund. All the funds are distributed directly to the successful local students, and any contribution, however small, can make all the difference.

To donate to the fund, or to find out more, contact council on (02) 6740 2100 or email [email protected]

If you know a local student under the age of 25 who is seeking to further their education or training at a university, TAFE, or an accredited training organisation, tell them about the scholarship. The eligibility criteria and application form can be found on council’s website. Applications close at 5pm on Friday 8 January 2027.

Submissions have now closed for The Xander Memorial Men’s Exhibition – the first community exhibition at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery dedicated to men and the male form.

I encourage you to come along at 6pm on Friday 16 October and see this special display in memory of the late Alexander Bayliss, an animation artist and a loved member of the Cultural Precinct team. The exhibition will continue until Friday 20 November.