News
Tourism figures Fire danger remains across the west for 2022 close to best on record Cobar Shire Council’s tourism figures collected for 2022 of 27,999 visitors are close to being the best ever visitor figures on record. Council’s Tourism Manager Demi Smith reported the annual visitor figures at last Thursday’s Tourism Committee meeting at the Cobar Bowling & Golf Club. Demi said we had been on track to record our best year yet, however with flooding closing the Kidman Way Road from October to December, it had a significant effect on the visitor numbers over the final quarter of the year. She said 2022 was however the museum’s best ever year for visitors with more than 11,500 passing through the doors and helped to create their best year of revenue to date. The visitors had travelled from every state and territory in Australia along with 271 visitors from overseas. Also boosting the visitor numbers last year were 1,727 visits to the museum by Cobar residents! That trend looks like it will continue with Demi reporting visitor figures for January 2023 were tracking better than last year. Demi also advised the meeting the next two phases of the museum’s upgrade projects have been delayed due to increasing building costs. She said the plans for the coach house upgrade and underground mining centre are currently being re-configured to meet the budget.
Cobar Shire Council mail@cobar.nsw.gov.au PO Box 223, COBAR, NSW, 2835 Peter Vlatko, General Manager
OFFICE CLOSURES The Council Administration Office and Service NSW will be closed daily from 8am to 10am until Friday March 10, 2023 due to the conversion of Council’s Electronic Record Program. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
The NSW Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) fire extinguisher, each in good working order.” is warning residents to remain vigilant as Mr Lennon said grass fires travel much faster the hot, dry weather continues this week. than bush fires because grass ignites so quickNSW RFS issued an urgent warning last ly. Thursday of the increased risk of grass fires “Far West District residents need to ensure across the Far West District ahead of the ex- they have an up-to-date Bush Fire Survival pected heatwave conditions over the weekend. Plan and know what they and their family will While there were no reported fires in the do if a fire threatens their property,” Mr LenCobar Shire over the weekend, NSW RFS Act- non said. ing District Manager, Brad Lennon said the “You should also make sure you have downGeandale, Nymagee, Canbelego and Mount loaded or updated the new Hazards Near Me Hope RFS resources and crews were called NSW app and set Watch Zones to receive accuupon to help out with a fire in the Girilambone rate and timely information.” area (off Booramugga Road) and also to anoth- The NSW RFS provides the following advice er fire in the Nangerybone State Forest (near about protecting properties from grass fires: put Nymagee). Both are reported to have been fire breaks in place around assets and standing started by lightning strikes on Friday night. crops as well as boundary fences; check your Mr Lennon said during hot, dry conditions, farm equipment is in good working order and is grass fires can start easily and spread rapidly, ready to deal with a fire; be aware that slasher threatening lives, property, crops and stock. and mower blades can spark if they strike rocks “I urge Far West District landholders to be or metal, causing dry grass to ignite; and to aware of this threat and of the risks associated register Static Water Supply sources on your with using machinery outdoors,” Mr Lennon property, such as dams, swimming pools and said. water tanks, with the NSW RFS, which will “Every landholder should be prepared for fire assist firefighters in a fire emergency. and have firefighting equipment on hand, such For more information and resources, visit as a full knapsack, spray pumper or a handheld www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare
Mining makes a significant contribution Results from the latest NSW Minerals region last financial year included over $347 Council’s annual Member Expenditure Sur- million on wages and salaries, and $228 milvey have confirmed mining’s ongoing criti- lion for goods and services purchased from cal economic contribution to the Cobar Lo- over 715 mining supplier businesses across the cal Government Area (LGA), as well as to region, an increase in the number of supply the overall North Western region of NSW. businesses of around 90. In the Cobar LGA, participating mining com- NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee panies supported over 600 local jobs and di- said an economic analysis of the survey results rectly injected $100 million into the local econ- found the $591 million of direct spending of omy. the 27 participating mining companies in the The $100 million of direct mining spending last financial year contributed around 12 per in the Cobar LGA last financial year included cent of the GRP of the region’s economy durover $64 million on wages and salaries, and ing this period. $36 million for goods and services purchased “These very strong results highlight the imfrom over 116 local mining supplier business- portance of mining for the North Western rees. gion’s economy, and for mining communities Across the North Western region participat- across the region,” Mr Galilee said. ing mining companies supported over 2,934 “Mining clearly continues to provide ecojobs, the second highest number of jobs report- nomic strength and stability to communities in ed in the decade-long history of the survey. the region, supporting thousands of local famiThe same companies also directly injected lies and businesses.” $591 million into the North Western region’s He said with an election approaching, these economy in the last financial year, the third strong results are a timely reminder of the imhighest level of spending in the region since portance for Cobar residents considering their the survey was first undertaken. vote based on who will best support a strong Direct mining spending in the North Western mining sector into the future.
ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 5pm, Thursday February 23, 2023 Open to the public Agendas and business papers are available to the public now. Copies are available from the Council Administration Office or may be downloaded from website: www.cobar.nsw.gov.au/council/ council-meetings Page 6 The Cobar Weekly Wednesday February 22, 2023
