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
Narrabri Shire's direction is set out in its Community Strategic Plan 2025–2035 and a 2025–2029 Delivery Program with an annual Operational Plan and budget, shaped heavily by a town water-security crisis (PFAS contamination and water restrictions), the prospective Narrabri Gas Project, and long-term financial sustainability across a large rural area.
The council manages local roads, water and sewer, waste, parks and planning across a large rural LGA in North West NSW anchored by the town of Narrabri, with an economy built on dryland and irrigated agriculture (cotton, wheat, cattle) alongside gas and mining industry activity. Its Delivery Program is the elected council's statement of commitment for its term.
The council's own-source revenue (54.4%) and rates-outstanding (14.4%) ratios both sit outside the OLG benchmark in 2023–24, alongside an infrastructure backlog well above benchmark, so financial sustainability and asset renewal are recurring themes in its Integrated Planning & Reporting documents.
Underway now
Water security response — PFAS treatment & new bores
Funding announced Nov 2025After PFAS was found in two of Narrabri's three water bores in November 2024 and water restrictions began in October 2025, the NSW Government committed $4 million (plus an earlier $50,000 in emergency funding) for a portable water-treatment plant to process PFAS-affected bore water, and to investigate and deliver new production bores at Salesyard and Logan Lane. As of March 2026 the town remains on Level 3 water restrictions.
Source: NSW Government — New funding to safeguard Narrabri water supply
Financial sustainability & asset renewal
Ongoing via Integrated Planning & ReportingWith own-source revenue and rates-outstanding ratios below OLG benchmark and an infrastructure backlog well above benchmark in the 2023–24 time-series data, financial sustainability and asset renewal are recurring priorities in the council's Community Strategic Plan and Delivery Program. We present the ratios and their benchmarks; readers can judge from the sources.
Source: Narrabri Shire Council — 2025–2035 Community Strategic Plan
Planned / committed
Narrabri Gas Project — domestic gas supply MOU
Non-binding MOU signed Sep 2025Santos signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with the council for the potential supply of up to 3.2 PJ of natural gas per year, for up to 10 years, to businesses in a planned industrial precinct (the Northern NSW Inland Port) on the western outskirts of Narrabri. Supply is subject to pipeline capacity and Santos' final investment decision on the Narrabri Gas Project.
Source: Santos — Santos signs MOU with Narrabri Council for domestic gas supply from Narrabri Gas Project