What the council is working on
Recent deliveries, what's underway now, and what's planned next — drawn from the council's own plans, budgets and project pages. We report what the council has publicly said it's doing; every item links to its source.
The council's stated direction
Gilgandra's direction is set out in the Gilgandra Region Community Strategic Plan 2035 and a Delivery Program and Operational Plan 2026/27–2029/30, organised around four themes — Live, Enjoy, Grow and Lead — with a 2026/27 capital program dominated by a new sewage treatment plant and planning for a new recreation centre, alongside a regional drought-resilience partnership with Warrumbungle Shire and a long-term rethink of waste services.
Council runs local and rural roads, water and sewer, waste, parks, planning and libraries across a 4,831 km² shire of about 4,300 people — and, unusually for a council this size, also operates residential aged care (Cooee Lodge and Jack Towney Hostel), supported accommodation and disability services (Orana Living) and a supported-employment business (Carlginda Enterprises, which runs the waste facility's material recovery facility). Its Delivery Program translates the Community Strategic Plan into commitments for this term of council, with quarterly progress reports and an annual report back to the community.
The 2026/27 budget forecasts consolidated income of $87.29M against expenditure of $91.72M across all funds — a $4.43M deficit after depreciation, or a $3.49M surplus before it. Ordinary rate income is set at $6,397,602, the full 3.5% IPART peg. The largest single capital item is a new sewage treatment plant at $17M, with $8M allocated to Gilgandra Recreation Centre planning, $4.5M to the Schier industrial subdivision, $1.15M to an ICT roadmap and $800,000 to construction of the Warren Road medical precinct.
Underway now
New sewage treatment plant
$17M allocated in 2026/27The largest single item in Council's 2026/27 capital program is a new sewage treatment plant, budgeted at $17,000,000 for the year. Council's Sewerage Services Fund carries $17.7M of capital expenditure and $10M of capital income in the same year, alongside smaller works — a $360,000 sewer pump station upgrade, $250,000 of sewer main relining and a sewer inspection and rectification program.
Castlereagh Country drought resilience partnership
Hub launched 7 May 2026; Groundwater Access Toolkit released 18 May 2026With the Central West classified as drought affected, Gilgandra and Warrumbungle Shire councils launched a joint drought preparedness campaign and information hub under the banner 'Castlereagh Country'. Council followed it two weeks later with a Groundwater Access Toolkit developed specifically for the two shires, intended to give farmers, businesses and households locally relevant groundwater information. The work sits alongside Council's Castlereagh Country Drought Resilience Plan project.
Source: Gilgandra Shire Council — Gilgandra and Warrumbungle Shire Launch Drought Resilience Hub
Towards 5000 Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy
Draft on public exhibition; 10-year horizonCouncil is finalising a Gilgandra Region Waste and Resource Recovery Strategy to set a 10-year roadmap for landfill operations, recycling, community education, infrastructure and the financial sustainability of waste services. Council has said the Gilgandra Waste Facility is approaching a critical stage in its landfill operations, that recycling rates have declined over the past decade, and that it must prepare for potential State Government requirements to introduce FOGO kerbside collection by 2030. A 10-year waste financial model and a review of annual waste charges are to be prepared with the 2027/28 budget.
Source: Gilgandra Shire Council — Gilgandra Region draft Waste & Resource Recovery Strategy (Have Your Say)
Planned / committed
Hunter Park Precinct — Gilgandra Recreation Centre
$8M for planning in 2026/27Council has an active project page for the Hunter Park Precinct and a proposed Gilgandra Recreation Centre, with $8,000,000 allocated in the 2026/27 Operational Plan under the heading of recreation centre planning. Related placemaking work in the same year includes a $291,240 Windmill Walk extension and $60,000 of Coo-ee Heritage Centre upgrades.
Source: Gilgandra Shire Council — Hunter Park Precinct / Gilgandra Recreation Centre