NSW · Mid North Coast · Local council, made simple
Nambucca Valley Council
A largely rural Mid North Coast council on the Nambucca River — around 21,000 people across coastal towns and river-valley villages like Nambucca Heads, Macksville, Bowraville, Valla Beach and Scotts Head, on Gumbaynggirr country. The council runs the local services you use every week — waste, roads and bridges, water, libraries, parks, development — 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.
Open for your feedback
See all →Things Nambucca Valley Council wants your say on right now. Your view counts for more before the deadline.
- Open — see source for the closing date
Advertisements & Documents on Exhibition
Have your say →
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.
2025–26 rate peg: 4.6%
Open →Budget & financesHow financially healthy the council is, measured against official benchmarks.
Meets 6 of 9 OLG financial benchmarks
Open →Crime & safetyNambucca Valley's recorded crime rates, side by side with the NSW average.
3 of 12 major offences below the NSW rate
Open →Mayor & councillorsWho represents you — and where to read their official profiles.
Mayor: Gary Lee (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: (02) 6568 2555
Open →City profileThe basics: how many people live here, how big the area is.
Population: ~20,986 (2023–24)
Open →What's happening
4 updatesAuto-collected from Nambucca Valley Council's public channels and drafted in plain language (pending review).
- Have your say
Advertisements & Documents on Exhibition
Advertisements & Documents on Exhibition
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Council allocates childcare funding, backs Macksville Preschool expansion
At a June 2026 council meeting, councillors resolved to allocate $100,000 to a childcare reserve and to contribute $80,000 towards the expansion of Macksville Preschool.
What this means for you: The decision directs council funds toward local childcare capacity; the council's meeting records set out the detail and any conditions.
Source: News Of The Area — Childcare back on Nambucca council agenda
- Development
Valla Urban Growth Area moves toward Stage 1 land release
The council is progressing the Valla Urban Growth Area mixed-use precinct, funded by a combined $11.2 million from the Australian and NSW Governments plus $17 million from the council, with Buuluga Road works reported for May 2026 and Stage 1 industrial land expected to be released to the market later in 2026.
What this means for you: If the project proceeds on schedule, new industrial (and later residential) land near the Pacific Highway could be released, part of the council's economic-development plans following the highway bypass of the valley's towns.
- Policy
Gary Lee elected Mayor; James Angel elected Deputy Mayor
Gary Lee (Independent) was declared the directly-elected Mayor of Nambucca Valley on 30 September 2024, and at the new term's first meeting councillors elected James Angel (Independent) as Deputy Mayor.
What this means for you: This sets the council's leadership for the 2024–2028 term; the nine-member council is undivided (no wards), so all councillors represent the whole LGA.
Source: News Of The Area — Gary Lee officially elected as Nambucca Valley Mayor
Email alerts aren't switched on yet
We haven't started sending email, so we're not taking addresses for now. New items from Nambucca Valley Councilshow up under “What's happening” above as we find them, each linked to its official source.