NSW · Southern Highlands · Local council, made simple
Wingecarribee Shire Council
The Southern Highlands council, about 110 km south-west of Sydney and mostly above 600 m elevation — around 53,500 people across towns like Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale, Bundanoon and Robertson, known for cool-climate gardens, the Tulip Time festival and rural villages. The council runs the local services you use every week — waste, roads, water and sewer, parks, libraries — 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.
2025–26 rate peg: 3.9%
Open →Budget & financesHow financially healthy the council is, measured against official benchmarks.
Meets all 9 OLG financial benchmarks
Open →Crime & safetyWingecarribee's recorded crime rates, side by side with the NSW average.
11 of 12 major offences below the NSW rate
Open →Mayor & councillorsWho represents you — and where to read their official profiles.
Mayor: Jesse Fitzpatrick (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 680 888
Open →City profileThe basics: how many people live here, how big the area is.
Population: ~53,500
Open →What's happening
7 updatesAuto-collected from Wingecarribee Shire Council's public channels and drafted in plain language (pending review).
- Development
Moss Vale Wattle Hill and Park Leigh Planning Proposal
Council wishes to clarify that the recent determination regarding the Wattle Hill and Park Leigh Planning Proposal to proceed to a Gateway determination, was not a decision made by Council.
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Proposed funding change would strip $2.7 million a year
Wingecarribee Shire Council is strongly opposing a proposed change to the way Commonwealth Financial Assistance Grants are distributed to NSW councils that could see approximately $2. 7 million a year removed from funding available to our Shire.
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Community Announcements and Statements
Find all of our latest Community Announcement and Statements.
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Council and State Library partner to explore perceptions of safety
Council is partnering with the State Library of NSW to better understand perceptions of safety and how these perceptions shape their experiences of libraries and their surrounding precincts through a project at Bowral Library.
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Mapping Koala habitat across the Wingecarribee Shire
Council has released a series of maps showing areas of koala habitat and the vegetation that supports koalas across the Shire, helping to guide long-term koala conservation, planning and environmental assessment.
What this means for you: Open the source to see the details and any deadline to respond.
- Policy
Council's new single contact number is now live
Wingecarribee switched to a single contact number, 1300 680 888, which now reaches all council services, replacing the old main line and individual department numbers.
What this means for you: You can now reach any council service on one number — update your saved contact for the council to 1300 680 888.
- Policy
Operational Plan 2025/2026 & capital works program
The council's Operational Plan 2025/2026 sets out the year's services, budget and a capital works program of about $88M across roads, footpaths and water/sewer assets.
What this means for you: These documents show what the council plans to do and fund this year, including how your rates are used and which projects are prioritised.
Source: Wingecarribee Shire Council — Operational Plan 2025/2026
Email alerts aren't switched on yet
We haven't started sending email, so we're not taking addresses for now. New items from Wingecarribee Shire Councilshow up under “What's happening” above as we find them, each linked to its official source.