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
Tenterfield's direction is set by its Community Strategic Plan 2025–2036 (adopted 28 May 2025) and the Delivery Program 2025–2029 with the Operational Plan 2026–2027 (adopted 22 June 2026). The dominant themes for this term are rebuilding a disaster-damaged road network, holding services together on a small rate base, and working out how the general fund is funded over the long term.
The council groups everything it does under five Future Directions — Community, Economy, Environment, Infrastructure and Leadership. It manages 1,688 km of local roads, water and sewer for Tenterfield and Urbenville, waste (kerbside plus six village transfer stations and the Boonoo Boonoo landfill), parks, the saleyards, the library and planning, across a 7,324 km² shire on the Queensland border with about 7,000 residents. Its Delivery Program is the elected council's statement of commitment for its four-year term.
The adopted 2026–27 budget forecasts $53.7m of income against $49.6m of expenditure and a $26.3m capital works program, of which $13.5m is the transport network. Excluding capital income the budget shows a $6.5m operating deficit, and the council's Long Term Financial Plan 2025–2036 states the general fund 'is under immense pressure' without either reduced service levels or increased revenue, most likely from a special rate variation. The Delivery Program carries a corresponding action to develop SRV scenarios for the local roads network and to adjust the rating model for greater equity between categories.
- Tenterfield Shire Council — Community Strategic Plan 2025–2036 · Adopted 28 May 2025
- Tenterfield Shire Council — Delivery Program 2025–2029 & Operational Plan 2026–2027 · Adopted Jun 2026
- Tenterfield Shire Council — Long Term Financial Plan 2025–2036 · 2025–2036
- Tenterfield Shire Council — Integrated Planning & Reporting · Aug 2026
Underway now
Molesworth Street Bridge replacement
Street closed from 19 August 2026; works expected to run about 10 months, to approximately mid-2027Molesworth Street is closed between Duncan Street and Scott Street to all motorists and pedestrians while the bridge over Tenterfield Creek is replaced, with a signed detour via Duncan, High and Scott Streets and the creek-side footpath near the bridge also closed. Civil Mining and Construction is the principal contractor; access to nearby properties including the Tenterfield Bowling Club is being maintained. The project is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package.
Source: Tenterfield Shire Council — Molesworth Street closure for bridge replacement works
Disaster recovery repairs to the local road network
2026–27 Operational Plan; multi-yearThe transport network is by far the largest single line in the council's budget: $26.6m of revenue and $13.5m of capital expenditure in 2026–27, most of it grant-funded disaster-recovery work on a 1,688 km local road network. Accelerating approved road infrastructure disaster repairs was named by the Mayor as one of the council's continuing priorities on taking office in October 2024.
Source: Tenterfield Shire Council — Delivery Program 2025–2029 & Operational Plan 2026–2027
Village landfill and transfer station improvements
Ongoing; $5.0m of waste capital expenditure budgeted in 2026–27Council operates waste transfer stations at Tenterfield, Drake, Urbenville, Legume, Liston and Torrington, with commercial and building waste directed to the Boonoo Boonoo landfill by appointment. The council notes that its rural and village landfill improvement work is cited in the NSW Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041, and the 2026–27 budget allocates $5.0m of capital expenditure to waste management services.
Planned / committed
Long-term funding for the roads network — SRV scenarios and a rating-model review
Delivery Program action across 2025–2029The adopted Delivery Program includes an action (5.3.3.3) to develop special rate variation scenarios to flag the need to increase funding availability for the local roads network and remove the deficits shown in the Long Term Financial Plan, and a companion action (5.3.3.2) to adjust the rating model for greater equity across rating categories. The council did not apply for a special variation for 2025–26; any future application would go to IPART and require community consultation first.