Media Releases

Winter Festival - Temporary Road Closure 

Council is excited to deliver the Winter Festival which forms part of the Open Streets Program funding, granted by Transport for NSW, Vibrant Streets Package.

The Open Streets Program aims to inject vibrancy into our streets and help create thriving local places that support businesses, creative sectors, and the community through events and activations.  To ensure a festive and enjoyable experience for all attendees, expanded road closure areas have been designated to accommodate to temporarily close a street(s) and bring them alive through community events allowing people to enjoy and safely access.

In light of the Winter Festival, Council wishes to advise that there will be a temporary road closure on Balo Street, between Heber and Gwydir Streets, from 5am on Saturday 27 July until approximately 6pm, Sunday 28 July 2024. The closure is essential as this is a requirement of funding received, that the event sees a temporary road closure in place.

Balo street will be transformed into a vibrant safe place for families to come together and indulge in an array of food/coffee/dessert options and participate in a number of free activities, Skating Rink, Giant Snow Globe, Mechanical Snow Board, face painting, live entertainment, roving entertainers, a fire & illumination show, sensory and craft activities.

The Moree Community Library will remain open during the festival, offering a quiet chill out space with sensory activities as well as some arts and crafts.

During the closure period, motorists are advised to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience.

Signage and detour information will be prominently displayed to guide traffic safely around the affected area.

Local businesses and residents in the vicinity are encouraged to plan accordingly for the temporary road closure, with emergency services having been notified and arrangements in place to ensure minimal disruption.

We are looking forward to seeing our community come together for this event.

Public Forum on Domestic Violence and Coercive Behaviour

Mayor Johnson, along with Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan spoke at the domestic violence public forum held at the Moree Masonic Centre today.

With keynote speakers addressing the well-attended forum that centred around domestic violence and coercive behaviour. Nicole Youngberry from Centacare shared the programs Centacare implement and provides, along with hearing from a domestic violence survivor.

This forum was held by the Moree branch of the Country Women’s Association, with attendance from other prominent agencies within Moree.

So that no call for help goes unheard.

In 2021, Moree Plains Shire Council proudly teamed up with DV Safe Phone to deliver useable working phones to be re-purposed to assist victims of domestic violence. We have sent approximately 200 phones and tablets to this worthy cause to date.

We all have unused and unwanted phones laying around and charger cables. If you are thinking of upgrading your phone, we urge you to donate your old phone(s) and charger(s). Supporting a victim of domestic violence with a safe phone will ensure they can call for help when it matters most.

Having a second phone hidden away is an important part of a victim's safety and exit plan. It also provides security with the ability to call for help in an emergency.

The DV Safe campaign is aimed at collecting working phones, testing the phones for functionality, ensuring that all user data has been erased, and redistributing working mobile phones to victims of domestic violence, through registered domestic violence and law enforcement agencies, safe houses, crisis centres, and volunteers Australia-wide.

How you can help in other ways

If you don’t have a phone to donate, you can still help support a victim in need by making a tax-deductible monetary donation at www.dvsafephone.org/donate.
As a charitable organisation registered with Deductible Gift Recipient Status, all donations over $2AUD are tax-deductible in Australia.

The gift that keeps on giving

Any phones delivered to the DV Safe phone campaign that cannot be used or repurposed by DV Safe Phone are then sent on to Mobile Muster.
The donation of phones to these programs help to continue the recycling process by reusing phone parts allowing for a sustainable, circular system that benefits everyone on the planet.

Recycle your old unwanted phone(s) and charger(s) by dropping them off at Council!

Council’s Customer Service, level 2, 30 Heber Street, the Moree Waste Management Facility at 57 Evergreen Road, Moree or Regional Australia Bank.

Family and domestic violence support services:

• 1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
• Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
• Mensline: 1300 789 978
• Lifeline (24-hour Crisis Line): 131 114
• Women's Crisis Line (NSW): 1800 656 463

Photo - (L-R) Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan, Cr Mekayla Cochrane, Moree CWA president Joy Holmes and Mayor Mark Johnson.

Thank you for your tenure - Mayor announces he will not seek re-election

As the term for our current Council comes to an end, not seeking re-election is our current Mayor Cr Mark Johnson. The decision to step down from Council stems from a personal perspective.

 “I feel it's appropriate to let the community know of my decision not to run for another term on Council. This decision is very much a personal one.

My Council term has come off the back of a very busy and lengthy professional career. It is now simply time for me to step back and spend more time with my expanding family and pursue non-business and non-council interests for a change.

I will forever cherish and be extremely grateful for the opportunity firstly, the community gave me and then my fellow Councillors gave to me to become the Mayor of what I strongly believe to be ‘the mighty Moree Plains Shire’. 

I am proud and privileged to have fulfilled this role: a role that is always challenging but equally so rewarding.

I am passionate about our Shire and the people who call it home and have welcomed the opportunity this position has given me to be able to advocate for our Shire at all levels of government and for greater community outcomes.

Like those before us, this Council will wish to have achieved more, and that will always be the case. We have worked hard and done our very best. As Mayor, there have been many highlights including.

• After many hurdles the process of redeveloping the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) with the very fortunate success of a $9.5M from Commonwealth grant funding
• The progression of the Civic Precinct project 
• The refurbishment of the Bank Art Museum Moree (BAAM) which is to reopen in the coming weeks
• The strengthening of our relationship with the Minns NSW Government which has provided
  • Re-confirmation and commitment of $225M for the Special Activation Precinct (SAP)
  • $13.4M ‘placed based initiatives’ to improve the youth crime in Moree
• Significant progress in the ‘Burnt and Derelict Housing Enforcement Program 2024 – 2025’
• Heavy advocacy around the missing 22km for Inland Rail
• Record high investment in our Shire road network
• Projected budget surplus and planned debt reduction for the 2024/25 financial year
• The restructure of Council’s Senior Management team.

During my time, Moree Plains experienced the October 2022 flooding event. That will always be a memory of mixed emotions for me. Firstly, the sadness of the sheer devastation and loss for our communities but mainly, the resilience, care and the ‘just get in and do it’ attitude the Shire showed during that time. It gave me great hope to witness that we can come together as one when we need to.

I note and commend the contributions of our current Deputy Mayor and all the Councillors for their commitment and selfless approach to fulfilling this most important community role, thank you so much.

To the Council team and in particular General Manager Kelvin Tytherleigh, I thank you for the support you have shown this Council and the effort you put in every day for the Shire. It has been a privilege to work alongside you.

On a separate note, nominations for the next Council term will open on 5 August 2024. For me, there has been no greater sense of contribution than becoming a Councillor. I know many capable and passionate residents from all parts of the Shire would make great Councillors. I would encourage you to consider this very important role. Council is in a good position and amid yes, a challenging period but more so a very exciting period in our history”, stated Mayor Mark Johnson.

Mayor Johnson was elected for 2 years and 9 months term (a reduced term as a result of the 2021 election being rescheduled due to COVID-19)

Thinking of running as a Councillor?

Are you interested in getting involved and influencing what happens in your local community? Consider becoming a Councillor.

Councillors play a very important community leadership role and influence the decisions that council makes about what happens in our community. Councillors influence change by being part of the decision-making process.

Councillors, in partnership with Council staff, are part of a team that shapes the strategic direction of the Shire and determines the policies for the services delivered to the community Councillors are an important part of:

◾ determining local government policies
◾ developing and monitoring strategic plans and budgets
◾ making sure the Councils resources are used fairly for the benefit of all community members; and
◾ overseeing the allocation of the local government’s finances and resources.

You could be a Moree Plains Shire Councillor if you are:

◾ Interested in improving your community;
◾ 18 years or over on election day; and
◾ A resident or ratepayer of Moree Plains Under the Local Government Act, you may be disqualified or ineligible to stand for Council if you do not meet certain criteria.

Individuals that get elected at the local government elections will receive council-based training and other support to help them understand and be successful in the role. Council will meet some expenses including training, conferences, travel and provide tools such as telephones and office equipment to use for Council business.

Council provide support to help Councillors who have a disability or other special needs. To recognise what Councillors, do for their community, individuals receive an annual fee, paid monthly, from Council. Moree Plains Shire Council will be running pre-election information session on “Becoming a Councillor” with opportunities to discuss the roles and responsibilities of Councillors in their communities.

Prospective candidates can check out https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/public/my-local-council/become-a-councillor

Annual Pool Close Down at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC)

We would like to advise that the annual pool closure at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) will take place from 29 to 31 July 2024.

The annual shut down will allow Belgravia Leisure to complete regulated works before reopening on 1 August.

Parallel to the regulated works being completed, Council continues to work on remediation/upgrades within the Centre to the passive and active artesian pool(s).

Upon reopening in August, the passive pool will be closed for refurbishment and shortly thereafter the wellness pool will come online as the public artesian pool, offering Patrons an alternate artesian experience. 

Unfortunately, there will be a short period where no artesian pools are available, while this changeover occurs.

From 1 August 2024 entry to the pool will be charged a $2 for all aquatic users (excluding the waterslide and aqua programs). 

These changes will not affect the Aqua Movers’ program as this will continue to be facilitated in the program pool.

Once the wellness pool opens, due to its size, there will be a 30 patron limit at any one time.  To address capacity issues, we will be running one hour booking slots for patrons who wish to soak in the artesian water.

To help facilitate this, bookings can be made with Belgravia Leisure on (02) 6752 2272.

During this time, we cannot take group bookings for the wellness pool.

 The changes at the MAAC will bring into effect:

• $2.00 entry fee for everyone over 5 years of age (excluding aquatic programs, gym/fitness and slide fees).
• During the redevelopment of our outdoor artesian pools all Aquatic Memberships will be on hold.
• 30 patron and one hour session limit in the wellness pool.
• We encourage all patrons to call and make bookings for the wellness pool, to avoid disappointment.

The MAAC will recommence under the same operational times of Monday to Friday 6am to 7pm and Saturday and Sunday 8am to 6pm.

General Manager Kelvin Tytherleigh acknowledged “that the continual works do see interruptions and we understand that the Centre not running at full capacity, therefore, we have reduced the pool(s) entry fee to a flat $2.00. Council appreciates the community’s understanding as we continue to work on the redevelopment of the MAAC”.