NSW · Riverina · Local council, made simple
Murrumbidgee Council
The Riverina council for Darlington Point, Jerilderie and Coleambally — about 3,700 people spread across almost 6,900 square kilometres of irrigated and dryland farming country, formed in May 2016 by the merger of Jerilderie Shire and Murrumbidgee Shire. It is one of the few small NSW councils still divided into wards, with three councillors elected from each town's ward. The council runs the local services you use every week — waste, water and sewer, roads, parks, libraries, pools — and sets your rates. Here's the snapshot, then the stuff that affects your week.
Everyday essentials
The things people actually need from the council — fast.
Get to know your council
The basics, in one tap — open any card for key facts and a link to the official source.
This year's rate rise, how it compares across NSW, and why bills differ.
2026–27 rate peg: 4.9%
Open →Budget & financesHow financially healthy the council is, measured against official benchmarks.
6 of 9 OLG benchmarks met (2023–24)
Open →Crime & safetyMurrumbidgee's recorded crime rates, side by side with the NSW average.
5 of 12 major offences below the NSW rate
Open →Mayor & councillorsWho represents you — and where to read their official profiles.
Mayor: Ruth McRae OAM (Independent)
Open →Elections & votingWhen the next council election is, and how voting works.
Next election: Sat 9 Sep 2028
Open →Contact & servicesHow to reach the council and report a problem.
Customer service: 1300 676 243
Open →Area profileThe basics: how many people live here, how big the area is.
Population: ~3,658 (2023–24)
Open →What's happening
3 updatesRecent items from Murrumbidgee Council's public channels, in plain language.
- Development
River Red Gum Estate plan changed to allow more manufactured and relocatable homes
Council adopted amendments to the River Red Gum Estate Development Control Plan in Darlington Point, allowing a wider range of manufactured and relocatable homes while setting design requirements — minimum floor areas, articulated street frontages, pitched roofs, verandahs or decks, and screening of underfloor areas — and clarifying the approval pathways for manufactured homes, relocatable homes and moveable dwellings. The changes followed a public exhibition that drew two submissions, one supporting greater housing affordability and one raising concerns.
What this means for you: If you are looking to build in the estate, more housing types are now permitted and the approval pathway is spelt out. The estate has 55 residential lots from 725 m² to 1,052 m²; council reported six sold at the time of the announcement, with two further lots retained by council for staff housing.
Source: Murrumbidgee Council — River Red Gum Estate opens the door to more housing choices
- Policy
Draft 2026–27 budget puts $7.3 million into capital works
Council placed its draft 2026–27 Operational Plan and Budget on public exhibition, proposing $7.3 million in capital works: $3.13 million for the capital roads program (mostly expected to be grant-funded), $90,000 for irrigation and pumping infrastructure at council facilities, and $80,000 each for the Coleambally and Darlington Point swimming pools. Submissions closed at 5pm on 24 June 2026 and were considered at the June council meeting.
What this means for you: This is the document that says what gets built and funded in your town over the year. Projects listed as underway or in planning include library spaces at Coleambally and Darlington Point, the Coleambally depot upgrade, the Jerilderie Medical Centre and the Darlington Point Early Learning Centre. The adopted plan and the year's fees and charges are on the council's Operational Plan & Budget page.
Source: Murrumbidgee Council — Draft budget outlines $7.3 million in capital works for 2026-27
- Have your say
Council consults on a four-day compressed work week
Council ran a further stage of community and staff consultation on a proposed four-day compressed work week, under which staff would work their full weekly hours across four longer days (Monday to Thursday) and council offices, depots and libraries would generally close on Fridays, with extended customer service hours on the other four days.
What this means for you: Council's Have Your Say page records that, after considering the feedback, Council resolved in July 2026 to move towards an agreement to commence a 15-month trial from 1 January 2027, to be reviewed after 12 months including a further staff vote. If it proceeds, the day you can walk into a council office would change — current hours are 8.30am–5pm Monday to Friday (9am–5pm at Coleambally), with a lunch closure.
Source: Murrumbidgee Council — Further consultation on Murrumbidgee's proposed four-day week
Email alerts aren't switched on yet
We haven't started sending email, so we're not taking addresses for now. New items from Murrumbidgee Councilshow up under “What's happening” above as we find them, each linked to its official source.