Wagga City Council
Explore the Museum After Dark
Museum After Dark.
Have you ever wondered what happens in a museum after the lights go out? Well, our area’s younger residents will soon have the opportunity to find out for themselves.
Wagga Wagga City Council is pleased to announce an upcoming program for young people called Museum After Dark, which is made possible with funding from the Office of Regional Youth as part of its Spring 2024 Holiday Break Half-Yearly Grant Program.
Young people are invited to come along to the Museum of the Riverina, Botanic Gardens site for the ultimate spring school holidays event to experience the museum like never before, on Saturday 28 September 2024.
There will be retro arcade games, Nintendo Switch tournaments, the Night At The Museum movie, sensory-safe spaces, dinner, fresh buttery popcorn and a DJ playing hits!
Council’s Youth and Community Development Officer Mel Fattore said the event idea is based on feedback received by local young people about the provision of safe, alcohol and drug free night-time activities for young people.
“We have heard from them that they want to see more free, alcohol and drugfree, safe and inclusive events aimed towards 12 to 18-year-olds in the school holidays,” Ms Fattore said.
“This free event is open to all highschool aged people and will be held at the Museum of the Riverina’s Botanic Gardens Site on Wiradjuri/Wiradyuri Country, kicking off from 5pm after the Spring Jam Children’s Festival.”
Museum Education and Public Programs Officer Angus Cawdell-Smith is keen to see young people experience the museum site in a new light.
“One of our key goals at the Museum of the Riverina is to be a place for everyone in our community and to use our spaces in new and creative ways,” Mr CawdellSmith said.
“The Museum After Dark program is an excellent opportunity to invite young people to the museum for a night of retro fun.”
Museum After Dark is an accessible event, providing free transport from various locations in Wagga Wagga and suburbs as identified through consultation with youth.
Transport has been identified as one of the key barriers to participation in
community activities and events for young people.
It was a priority in planning the Museum After Dark program that transport was considered so all young people can have the opportunity to be involved and safely access this evening event.
Museum After Dark is proudly presented by Council and has been made possible by funding from the Office of Regional Youth.
To book your spot or for more information about the event or the free transport available, please visit museumriverina.com.au/whatson/ events/museum-after-dark
VOTE NOW: Council’s Trainee Works and Playground Officer Cameron Webster and Council Works and Playground Officer John Conlan are encouraging residents to choose their favourite design.
Three new playgrounds: vote for your favourite
Wagga Wagga City Council is planning new playgrounds for Ken Schultz Park in Mount Austin, Ray Beddoe Park in Lake Albert and Lloyd Park in Lloyd, and is asking the community to vote for their favourite design.
Residents will be able to choose from three designs for each location, with voting now open online at our Have Your Say Wagga Wagga page.
Council Works and Playground Officer John Conlan said community input is an important part of the playground improvement process.
“We are putting out three design options for each playground and we want the residents in those suburbs to help in deciding which design is best for their neighbourhood,” Mr Conlan said.
“Each of the design options put forward for the three parks incorporate traditional playground equipment, such as swings and slides, as well as featuring bespoke elements.”
The Ken Schultz playground is located in the park on the corner of Ceduna Street and Nilma Avenue in Mount Austin, while the Lloyd playground is in the open space off Barton Avenue.
The Ray Beddoe playground is located in the open space to the west of Lakeside Drive, near the Wagga Wagga Country Club.
Mr Conlan said the playgrounds are regularly used by families in the surrounding area but are in need of a revamp.
“The site of the new playground at Ray Beddoe Park will be located closer to the golf course to take advantage of more open space.”
Residents can now vote for their favourite option by visiting haveyoursay. wagga.nsw.gov.au/playground.
Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 27 September 2024.
The total budget for the three playground replacements is $240,000. Council aims to commence construction of the winning design options at the end of the year or in early 2025, depending on the availability of equipment from suppliers.
CHECK IT OUT: Council’s Museum Education and Public Programs Officer Angus Cawdell-Smith and Youth Development Officer Melissa Fattore, along with Youth Community Coordinator with the Office for Regional Youth, Renee Cooper, are encouraging local young people to come along to
RETRO EXPERIENCE: Classic arcade games and Nintendo Switch tournaments will be among the free activities.
great boost for the city’s street events scene.
Funding boost to enliven the city's street-based event scene
This week Transport for NSW announced that Wagga Wagga City Council is one of 16 NSW local government areas to receive $500,000 towards a new project to streamline the delivery of streetbased events.
The Permit/Plug/Play Pilot Program funding allows councils to enhance event infrastructure in selected locations and improve management processes. This
Crack sealing works to help waterproof our sealed roads and shared paths
Local residents and motorists are advised Council contractors will be carrying out crack sealing works on several urban link roads and sections of the Active Travel Plan (ATP) shared path network across Wagga Wagga over coming weeks.
The works are scheduled to start on Monday 16 September, weather permitting, and should take approximately 12 to 15 days to complete.
Council’s Director Infrastructure Services Henry Pavitt says contractors will be doing hot-pour polymer bitumen crack sealing to waterproof the surface and prolong its lifecycle.
“Crack sealing is an important intervention maintenance technique that plays a critical asset management role in maintaining our extensive sealed road network,” Mr Pavitt said.
"The process is designed to stop moisture entering the underlying layer of gravel during wet weather through a crack in the asphalt or bitumen surface, which is the main cause of the onset of a pothole on a sealed road or path.
will reduce some of the costly expenses for community event organisers and make it easier to hold events more frequently in the long term.
Council’s Destination and Events Coordinator Kimberly Parker says the funding will be going towards Council’s Wagga Wagga Cultural Precinct Revitalisation Project to streamline event management for organisers while supporting the reduction of operational costs.
“The project, supported by funding from the pilot program, will activate the streets of Wagga Wagga and support streetbased events, such as the Festival of W,” Ms Parker said.
“In particular, the project will focus on the city centre, including Baylis Street
“It’s often one of the first treatments applied to the pavement to increase its longevity and is a very cost-effective maintenance practice.”
A report to Council in November 2022 on the state of our road network identified cracks in the road surface as the main contributor for potholes.
In response to the report, Council established a crack sealing budget to prioritise undertaking this proactive and preventative measure against pavement deterioration and potholes.
“In the first half of 2023, we carried out approximately $50,000 in crack sealing works, which covered 40,000 lineal metres (l/m) across 47 streets,” Mr Pavitt said.
“That budget was doubled to $100,000 in the 2023/24 financial year, where we covered around 70,000 l/m of crack sealing on almost 40 roads and shared paths, including the asphalt path around Lake Albert, the Pomingalarna Link and Kapooka Link
“Council plans to crack seal between 50,000 to 60,000 lineal metres in this latest round of works.”
The crack sealing work will be carried out in the following locations: Lloyd Road, Inglewood Road, Stanley Street, Lake Albert Road, Kooringal Road, Copland Street and Bourke Street, as well as ATP shared paths in Ashmont, Estella and Glenfield.
Works will be undertaken between 7am and 5pm each day, including weekends. Roads will remain open under traffic control.
Papercuts with Melissa Martin SAT 14 SEP, 10.30AM – 4.30PM
14 SEP, 9.30AM – 2PM ErinEarth, 1 Kildare St. Ladysmith Tourist Railway SAT 14 SEP, 10AM – 2PM Ladysmith Railway Station, 15 Kyeamba St, Ladysmith.
Unique State Art Space, 43 Tompson St. Willans Hill Miniature Railway SUN 15 SEP, 10AM – 2.30PM Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, Macleay St.
Native Candle Making Workshop SUN 15 SEP, 11AM – 1PM Little Black Duck Studio, 23 Guttler St, Uranquinty.
(Morrow to Fitzmaurice streets), Morrow Street (Baylis to Peter streets), and Burns Way, and will deliver enhanced economic, cultural and social benefits such as increased visitation to the city, resurgence of live music and events, and social interaction.
“This will see improvements to our existing procedures and plans which provide pre-defined arrangements and requirements to support recurrent, street-based events. The whole process will be more streamlined.”
Ms Parker says Council also wants to develop practical tools, making it easier for event organisers as they prepare for street-based activations.
“We’re looking to develop preapproved Traffic Control Plan (TCP) templates to simplify the online booking process for event organisers. These documents show the layout of signs, barriers, detour routes and other interventions required for a street closure to ensure safe vehicle and pedestrian movement.
“Additionally, Council will be looking to install enabling infrastructure for selected sites, such as bollards, electricity provision, lighting, and signage to help drive down the costs of staging events.”
Feedback and evaluation from the program will be shared with Transport for NSW.
For more information on the Permit/ Plug/Play Pilot Program, visit the Transport for NSW website at transport.nsw.gov.au
Bring adventure into your life with Milo!
This two-year-old male, smoky grey tabby cat has a very gentle and calm nature and is looking to settle down with a loving family. Milo, who is FIV positive, is available for adoption (ImpC24/0362) for $256, which includes microchipping, lifetime, registration, vaccination, desexing,
Riverside Markets SUN 15 SEP, 11AM – 3PM Riverside: Wagga Beach, Johnston St. Lazy Sundays at The Wild Vine – Josh McKellar SUN 15 SEP, 12PM – 3PM The Wild Vine, 1313 Oura Rd.
government elections Saturday 14 September. This is your chance to have your say about who sits on Wagga Wagga City’s council. To find out where you can vote: wagga.nsw.gov.au/ elections Don’t forget to vote!
Wheelchair AFL WED 18 SEP, 6.30PM – 8PM Bolton Park Stadium, Morgan St. Riverina Producers Market THU 19 SEP, 1PM – 6.30PM Hammond Hall, Wagga Wagga Showground, Bourke St. Earring Making Workshop THU 19 SEP, 6.30PM 8PM Little Black Duck Studio, 23 Guttler St, Uranquinty
Work in Progress: Nina Magrath FRI 20 SEP, 5.30PM Station Creative Workspace, 54 Johnston St. Booranga Writers’
STREET FEAT: Council’s Destination & Events Coordinator Kim Parker says the funding received from the pilot program is a
VITAL MAINTENANCE: Contractors will be carrying out important crack sealing works on sealed roads and shared paths across the city over coming weeks.