Wagga Wagga City Council weekly
Events & Tourism
Events & Tourism
A major light and sound show, a pop-up dining hub featuring local produce and producers, an impressive line-up of national and local live music and the everpopular ice rink are the highlights of this year’s Festival of W.
Returning for the second year, Festival of W encourages locals and visitors to Wagga Wagga to pull on their winter woollies and enjoy 16 days of immersive experiences in our city.
The festival, which kicks off this weekend, will transform the Wollundry Lagoon precinct.
“An addition this year is the cosy pop-up dining experience called House of FoW, offering local, winterwarming food and beverages, and live music sessions,” Destination & Events Coordinator Kimberly Parker said.
“It’s the perfect starting point for your Festival of W experience. Grab a snack and something to drink, head out to see the amazing light and sound shows, take a turn on the ice-skating rink and then come back to the House of FoW for a fireside nightcap.
“House of FoW will be open this weekend and from Wednesdays to Sundays throughout the festival.”
Elements of the festival will also celebrate 2023 NAIDOC Week (2 – 9 July) with Wiradjuri and First Nations programming included throughout the 16-day event.
One of the festival highlights will be the memorable large-scale light and sound show ‘Lightvision: A Wagga Wagga surface to sky light journey’, featuring four spectacular light zones in the Wollundry Lagoon festival precinct.
“Council has collaborated with renowned Australian light art and visual design artists Mandylights to design, produce and deliver ‘Lightvision’,” Ms Parker said.
Wagga Wagga has been named the venue for the New South Wales Touch Association’s (NSWTA) Junior State Cup Southern Conference carnival for the next three years.
NSWTA this week named Wagga Wagga the winner to host the 2024,
2025 and 2026 carnivals after an extensive tender process saw the city’s facilities edge out a number of quality tenders to host the prestigious titles.
It follows Wagga Wagga hosting the carnival from 2019-23 at the Jubilee Park precinct.
Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout has welcomed the announcement that the city has secured the titles for another three years.
“Wagga Wagga has hosted this event for the past five years and it has been hugely successful for both the NSW Touch Association and our local community,” Cr Tout said.
“It’s a great reflection on our city’s ability to host these types of top-level events and carnivals and on the quality of our sporting facilities. The venue has received great feedback on the quality of the playing surface and the layout of the venue.
“We look forward to welcoming all the players, families, supporters, organisers and volunteers back to the Jubilee Park precinct.”
Making the announcement, NSW Touch General Manager Dean Russell said the Association received some excellent
submissions for the tender to run the carnival for the next three years.
“We are very pleased to be coming back to Wagga for another three years of the Junior State Cup,” Mr Russell said.
“The work and interaction between Council and Wagga Wagga Vipers Touch Association has been one of the key factors in our decision.
“With the level of support provided by the community, Wagga Wagga has proved to be an excellent venue for one of the State’s most prestigious junior events.”
Cr Tout said Council staff and the NSWTA and Wagga Touch have created a great working relationship over the five years of hosting the event.
“Council has also partnered with Charles Sturt University to address accommodation requirements in the city across that weekend,” Cr Tout said.
“It will open its doors next February and provide additional beds for visitors.”
The Southern Conference carnivals will be held at Jubilee Park from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 February 2024, Friday 14 to Sunday 16 February 2025 and Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February 2026.
“This stunning light and sound experience has been inspired by our city’s natural environments, Wiradjuri culture and community stories.”
There will be a free, one-night-only special live music event on Saturday 8 July, with a line-up including Australian artists Sycco, Hatchie, Tom Snowdon, Muesli the band and Wagga Waggabased DJ Vino and Vinyl.
Also on Saturday 8 July, festival folk will be able to enjoy a roving performance, live ice carving and the addition of more food vendors.
“Ice skating will be back again at the Victory Memorial Gardens this year, which is always a crowd favourite,” Ms Parker said.
“Due to the popularity of the rink, we strongly encourage anyone wanting to ice skate this year to pre-purchase their tickets online to avoid missing out. Also, remember to dress warmly as it is pretty cold when you’re skating around the rink.”
For Skate Wagga Wagga ice skating tickets and the full Festival of W line-up, head to visitwagga.com/fow
Touch carnival in Wagga Wagga for three more yearsRETURNING: NSWTA Junior State Cup Southern Conference carnival is heading back to Wagga Wagga.
Wagga Wagga City Council is advising motorists of changed traffic conditions on the western end of Lord Baden Powell Drive, with works to upgrade the road expected to start early next week.
The works near the Museum of the Riverina site will start on Monday 3 July 2023 and will take approximately 15 weeks to complete, depending on weather conditions.
Council's Senior Project Manager
Tim Morris said the upgrade will make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross Lord Baden Powell Drive from the Botanic Gardens to the Museum of the Riverina and other businesses along that side of the road.
“It will also make the precinct livelier and more accessible by improving the connection between the Botanic Gardens and museum," Mr Morris said.
“The upgrade also prioritises safety for vehicles exiting the Museum of the Riverina access road or Kurrajong with those already travelling on Lord Baden Powell Drive.”
The first 4 to 6 six weeks of on-site works will primarily involve preparing the construction site.
“These preliminary works include approved vegetation clearing and the creation of a temporary access road to ensure visitors and staff can still access the museum during construction,” Mr Morris said.
Lord Baden Powell Drive will remain open during these early works with a reduced speed limit of 40 kilometres per hour in place during work hours.
Work will be carried out between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
After preliminary works, when construction starts, the road will be closed to through traffic.
The full road closure and detours will be communicated in advance so road users can plan ahead.
The project is funded by the Australian Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.
For more information about the project, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ lbpdupgrade
For real-time information about changed traffic conditions that affect your journey on Lord Baden Powell Drive and all roads across all New South Wales visit livetraffic.com
An eye-catching and insightful touring exhibition developed to highlight positive solutions to tackle the impacts of climate change has been installed in the Wagga Wagga Civic Centre arcade.
Future Now is an Australian Museum interactive exhibition, which demonstrates how local communities can create a brighter future and a more sustainable way of living.
It features three free-standing pods which represent solutions for home, urban and rural living entitled ‘Smart Towns,’ ‘Clever Homes,’ and ‘Caring for our Country’.
Each pod comprises a diorama featuring scale models and audiovisual content that bring sustainable landscapes to life and highlight innovative solutions for tackling the impacts of climate change.
Wagga Wagga City Council
Environmental Education Officer
Christina Reid is encouraging residents of the city and surrounding communities to come along to the Civic Centre and explore the benefits of sustainable living through this new exhibition.
“Future Now shows us what a sustainable future might look like, and what we can do as individuals and communities to help achieve it, including some of the technologies and techniques we can put in place in our home life, villages, towns and cities,” Ms Reid said.
“The exhibition ties in with work Council is doing in the strategic planning, urban development, environmental sustainability and net zero emissions space.
“It also connects beautifully with the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery’s ‘GREEN 2023: Year of Environmental Exhibitions & Programs’.”
Future Now will be on display until Wednesday 27 September 2023.
Community groups or schools interested in organising an educational tour of the exhibition should contact Christina Reid at Council on 1300 292 442.
FUN IN THE SUN: Wagga Wagga City Library Agile Library Service brings the library to wherever you are! On Monday 10 July at 2pm it will be at the Botanical Gardens for school holiday fun.
The Wagga Wagga City Library has activities for all ages and interests, with free and fun programs organised every day of the school holidays starting Monday 3 July and continuing until Monday 17 July.
The events will commence with the Book Launch for Kids on Monday 3 July at 2pm, featuring award winning author Anita Heiss launching her new children’s picture book: Bidhi Galing (Big Rain).
If movies are more your style, a surprise Family Movie event will be running on Friday of both holiday weeks (July 7 at 10.30am & July 14 at 5pm). The movie titles will remain a surprise until it starts, but it comes with a guarantee of a family-friendly fun time!
Storytime at the Botanic Gardens will be held on Monday 10 July at 2pm, an afternoon where kids can read a joyful book in the sun (weather permitting) with the Agile Library Service van. (In the case of rain, the event will be located inside Mary Kidson Hall).
The fun does not end in Wagga Wagga; Tuesday 11 July will see a Print ‘n’ Go workshop held in Ladysmith and accompanied by the Agile Library, from 10am – 12noon at the Ladysmith Memorial Hall. Get your creative juices flowing and design and print your very own library tote bag!
The school holidays will finish with an All Ages Bingo afternoon on Monday 17 July at the Wagga Wagga City Library at 2pm, welcoming all levels of expertise, with prizes up for grabs after every game.
All these events are organised by the friendly staff at Wagga Wagga City Library, with materials for each activity provided, including an advertisement of ‘bad puns at no extra cost.’
Due to limited availability, bookings are essential for the Book Launch for Kids and All Ages Bingo.
Find more information about these school holiday events at waggalibrary. com.au/whats-on
Time for nurturing mother Norah to be cared for!
After raising her kittens at the shelter, this sweet, affectionate, lady looking for a lap to snuggle in.
The adoption fee for Norah is $262 and includes: microchip, lifetime registration, vaccination, desexing, flea and worming treatment, FIV test, and ID tag.
Administration Officer
$2,211.18 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 2 July 2023
Mechanic $2,771.44 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 9 July 2023
Mechanic Supervisor $3,001.30 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 9 July 2023
Senior Strategic Planner
Attractive remuneration package based on skills and experience
Closing: Monday, 10 July 2023
Truck Driver (Water Cart) $2,058.70 gpf + super
Closing: Monday, 17 July 2023
Truck Driver (10M Truck and Dog) $2,211.18 gpf + super
Closing: Monday, 17 July 2023
Truck Driver (Patching Truck) $1,998.18 gpf + super
Closing: Monday, 17 July 2023
gpf = gross salary per fortnight
Enquiries: 1300 292 442
For more details and to apply, visit:
Wagga Wagga City Council is an EEO employer wagga.nsw.gov.au/ jobs
BAYLIS ST BETWEEN MORGAN ST AND THE WOLLUNDRY LAGOON BRIDGE
Date: Monday 3 July 2023
Duration: 9am to 12pm
Reason: NAIDOC Week 2023 - parade
Detour: As per signs
PINAROO DR (BETWEEN DARRI ST AND DALMAN PARKWAY) AND DALMAN PARKWAY (BETWEEN KAROOM DR AND PINAROO DR) – NIGHT WORKS
Date: Wednesday 5 - Friday 7 July 2023
Duration: 6pm to 6am
Reason: Pavement rehabilitation works at intersection
Detour: Road closures in place. Local residents will maintain access to their properties
BAYLIS ST BETWEEN MORROW AND FITZMAURICE STs
Date: Saturday 8 July 2023
Duration: 8am to 11.59pm
Reason: Festival of W event
Detour: As per signs