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
Walgett's direction is set out in its Community Strategic Plan 2025–2035, endorsed in June 2025 after consultation with more than 500 residents, and delivered through a Delivery Program 2025/26–2028/29 and an Annual Operational Plan. The 2026–27 plan prioritises road maintenance, community asset upgrades and reliable water services.
The council manages local roads, town water and sewer, waste, parks, libraries, airports, swimming pools and artesian bore baths, and planning, across 22,308 km² of north-west NSW with about 5,500 residents in Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri and a string of smaller villages and opal fields. Its four Community Strategic Plan themes are Our Society, Our Environment, Our Economy and Our Civic Leadership.
Council reported a small operating surplus on the OLG measure in 2023–24 (operating performance ratio 1.8%) but misses the own-source revenue benchmark at 41.4%, meaning grants carry a large share of its income, and misses the infrastructure renewals and backlog benchmarks. The 2026–27 Annual Operational Plan applies the IPART rate peg of 3.3%, levies no special rates, and raises the annual Waste Management Levy from $82 to $200 to fund bringing the shire's landfills up to a compliant standard.
Underway now
Lightning Ridge water supply upgrade — cooling and chlorination
Review of Environmental Factors exhibited Apr–May 2026; decision statement published May 2026Lightning Ridge has an untreated artesian water supply: water is drawn from underground bores and distributed through enclosed storage and pipes, with no treatment plant, filtration or permanent chlorination. Council has exhibited a Review of Environmental Factors for a water supply upgrade that would add cooling and chlorination infrastructure, and is separately progressing a No. 2 bore pipeline replacement with National Water Grid funding. The 2026–27 Annual Operational Plan also carries a Collarenebri Water Treatment Plant storage container and bore-line extension design work toward the Grawin opal fields.
Source: Walgett Shire Council — Lightning Ridge Water Upgrade, Review of Environmental Factors
Waste services brought in-house and a new Waste Management Strategy
In-house from 1 July 2026; consultation Sep–Oct 2026; strategy due early 2027Council took over operation of the Walgett and Lightning Ridge waste facilities from a contractor on 1 July 2026, saying the change was needed for safe and compliant service delivery. The annual Waste Management Levy rose from $82 to $200 to fund compliance works, including safety and biosecurity infrastructure and the construction of waste transfer stations. Seven remote landfill sites are to be transitioned to transfer stations over about 36 months, Council plans to take over the Lightning Ridge yellow community-bin collection in November 2026, and recycling options are to be considered through the Waste Management Strategy.
Source: Walgett Shire Council — Walgett Shire Waste Management Changes
Planned / committed
Amazing and Accessible Walgett — Safer Cities: Her Way 2
Announced July 2026; works from late 2026 through to late 2027Council secured $1 million from Transport for NSW's Safer Cities: Her Way program to upgrade the Euroka Street to Pitt Street corridor via Fox Street — the route connecting the Walgett Multipurpose Health Centre, the sports precinct, the PCYC and several accommodation providers. Council will co-design improvements including lighting, wayfinding, CCTV, accessibility works and public art.
Source: Walgett Shire Council — Awarded $1 million for "Amazing and Accessible Walgett"
Recently delivered
Kookaburra Court — vacant building converted to housing
Delivered in just over four months; state award August 2026Council converted a long-vacant community building in Walgett into eight flexible accommodation units, delivered largely by its own workforce, to provide housing for essential workers and visiting professionals and accessible independent-living options for older residents and people with disability. The project won the Culture Change Innovation / Excellence in Planning and Development Services award at the 2026 Local Government NSW awards, where Council was the most-nominated council in its division with six finalist nominations.
Source: Walgett Shire Council — Council wins state award for Kookaburra Court transformation