Media Releases

Mungindi Boil Water Alert 

The Boil Water Alert for Mungindi, in place from Tuesday 28 January continues until further notice and review from NSW Health. Water used for drinking or food preparation should be brought to a rolling boil to make it safe. Kettles with automatic shut off switches can do this. Water should then be allowed to cool and stored in a clean container with a lid and refrigerated.

Bottled water or cool boiled water should be used for drinking, washing uncooked food (e.g. salad vegetables and fruit), making ice, cleaning teeth, gargling and pet’s drinking water.

Dishes should be washed in hot soapy water or in a dishwasher.

Bottled water is available at the Mungindi Council depot between 8am to 10am on Saturday 1 February 2025.

Please preserve the bottled water for your fellow residents who may find it difficult to boil and store water.

Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) to Reopen on Saturday, 1 February 2025

We are pleased to announce that following essential upgrades and repairs at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) the program and wellness pools will reopen tomorrow, Saturday, 1 February 2025, at normal hours from 8am to 6pm. The reopening follows a closure beginning Tuesday, 7 January 2025, due to a failure in aging equipment in the plant room.

General Manager Natalia Cowley expressed her gratitude to the local contractors, businesses and other suppliers involved in this essential maintenance project. "I would like to thank the contractors and businesses who worked diligently to ensure the successful completion of this important upgrade," she said. "We also want to thank the community for their understanding and patience throughout the closure, and we are excited to welcome everyone back to the pools."

The closure allowed for the installation of new chemical tanks, a chemical dosing recirculation system, dosing pumps, and upgraded pipe work, fittings and valves.  SafeWork NSW has also lifted the prohibition notices, confirming the upgrades meet all necessary safety requirements.

The completion of these upgrades ensures the safety of staff and visitors and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to enjoy the MAAC.

Gurley Landfill 

Due to the severe windstorm and the resulting damage in the Gurley district, the Gurley landfill will be opened for extended hours, tomorrow 1 February from 9am to 4pm.
Please ensure your waste is separated for recycling purposes, and please follow the directions of the staff.

Welcoming Council’s Interim General Manager, Natalia Cowley

Following the December resignation of Council’s permanent General Manager, Council has welcomed experienced General Manager Natalia Cowley to the role on an interim basis, with Ms Cowley commencing earlier this week.

Ms Cowley has shared her excitement about her role and her eagerness to engage with the Moree Plains Shire community.

"I am looking forward to meeting all Council staff," said Ms Cowley. "I have been impressed by the openness and warmth of the passionate staff I have already had the opportunity to meet. It is clear to me that everyone is dedicated to serving the community and making a difference."

This marks Ms Cowley’s first experience in a small rural town following delivering impressive results for larger regional councils and she is looking forward to exploring and enjoying the welcoming experience of Moree and the wider shire.

"I’m embracing the chance to explore more of Moree and its surroundings. I’m already appreciating the warm weather and most importantly, the warmth of the community so far," she said.

Ms Cowley acknowledged the ongoing support from Mayor Susannah Pearse, "I thank the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Councillors for their warm hospitality and generosity, and I am looking forward to working closely with Council to deliver on their vision for the community and engaging with residents to help shape the future of the region," Ms Cowley added.

As Interim General Manager, Natalia is committed to driving positive change and fostering strong relationships between Council, the community and local stakeholders. Her passion for service, combined with her fresh perspective, will guide her as she takes on this important leadership role.

Mayor Pearse remarked “Ms. Cowley is a General Manager with an impressive track record of turning council finances around and delivering long awaited community projects.”

“As an award-winning financial expert, we are especially looking forward to working with her to develop our budget, improve value for your ratepayer money and ensure the long-term financial sustainability of our organisation.”

“Council would like also like to extend our sincere thanks to Director Planning and Development Darryl Fitzgerald for undertaking the role of acting General Manager for the past few weeks”.

In line with Office of Local Government Guidelines, Council will soon begin recruitment for the 5-year General Manager contract.

Image – Moree Plains Shire Council’s Mayor, Susannah Pearse with Interim General Manager Natalia Cowley

Potable/Drinking Water Quality

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) testing

Moree Plains Shire Council recently participated in the NSW Health-arranged per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) screening for local drinking water supplies.
PFAS chemicals—or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances—are synthetic chemicals found in many everyday products. They have been widely used in many industrial and consumer applications as they are effective at resisting heat, stains, grease, and water.

The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) have set values for the amount of PFAS in drinking water that a person can consume on a daily basis over a lifetime without any appreciable risk to health. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&RMC) has stated that drinking water supplies that comply with the current ADWG are safe to drink.

On 26 November 2024, Council conducted a sampling of treated water from the Shire’s drinking water supply systems in screening for the PFAS suite of chemicals.

The analysis confirmed that all PFAS analytes for Moree Plains Shire drinking water supply were below the limits of detection, indicating that Moree Plains Shire drinking water meets both the current Australian Drinking Water Guidelines for PFAS chemicals and the recently released values in the draft NH&MRC fact sheet, as indicated in the table below:

*Units: microgram per litre (µg/L), nanogram per litre (ng/L)