Wednesday July 2, 2025
Volume 40 No. 23
$2 inc. GST
The Cobar Weekly Pop-Up choir joins Sydney Youth Orchestras Pg 3
What’s in the State Budget for Barwon? Pg 3
Double celebrations for Aurelia Metals Pg 4
State Water Minister meets with Water Board
Plans to secure Cobar’s water supply into Cobar. kilometres of pipeline. the future were discussed when the NSW Cobar is one of the only towns in NSW that “These pump stations are part of our commitWater Minister, Rose Jackson, met with doesn’t have its own water source, relying on ment to deliver better water security and infraState Member for Barwon, Roy Butler and water to be transferred via the Albert Priest structure for Cobar,” Minister Jackson said. the Cobar Water Board yesterday. Channel, then pumped from Nyngan via 130 Continued Page 2. Minister Jackson and Mr Butler met with the Cobar Water Board to discuss long-standing plans for a new pipeline and pump stations from Nyngan to Cobar. “Cobar’s future prosperity relies on having access to water, not just for residential use but for our mines as well,” Mr Butler said. There are several areas of disagreement between the Cobar Water Board and the NSW Government around the cost of the project and who should contribute. There are also concerns the NSW Government has estimated pipeline construction costs at more than 10 times per kilometre the amount Cobar Shire just paid to build a smaller section. “I’m concerned that NSW Government cost estimates for the Cobar pipeline are way too high,” Mr Butler said. “This raises the risk of elevated water charges for our mines, and I don’t want to see anything effect their viability. “I’m also encouraging the NSW Government to bear a portion of the repayments on the pipeline, given they receive so much in royalties from the Cobar mines that will benefit from the project,” he said. One of the largest water infrastructure projects in Western NSW, a $49 million project that will deliver two new state-of-the-art pump stations at Nyngan and Hermidale, will soon Cobar Water Board members Cr Chris Deighton, Aurelia/Peak Mine general manager commence. Angus Wyllie, board president Doug Mackay, Cobar Shire mayor Jarrod Marsden, NSW The Minister said this project will “supercharge water reliability for Cobar” by Water Minister Rose Jackson, State Member for Barwon Roy Butler, MAC/CSA’s addressing critical risks of failure ensuring corporate environmental manager Michael Priest and Endeavor Mine general manager water can continue to be safely transferred to Matt Gill at yesterday’s meeting at the Council Chambers. Photo contributed