What’s your vision for Wagga Wagga's city centre?
Wagga Wagga City Council has commenced community consultation to develop a new CBD Masterplan that will determine the future of our central business district.
The Wagga Wagga CBD Masterplan will support a vibrant and peoplefocused CBD, retaining its prominence as the activity centre within our fastgrowing region.
The preparation of a masterplan for the Wagga Wagga Central Business District (CBD) provides Council with the opportunity to activate, diversify and improve the CBD for the community.
It will produce a clear strategic planning and place-based approach for the future of the Wagga Wagga CBD and identify opportunities within the CBD to service population growth for 100,000 people, accommodate 1.4 million visitors annually, and support the region more broadly.
Council will be seeking feedback from the community, landholders, and business groups over the coming weeks to discover community aspirations and identify the vision for our CBD.
Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout said the
community's input to the development of the CBD Masterplan is key to its success.
"This is a pivotal moment for Wagga Wagga's future, and we need your input to guide the development of our CBD,” Cr Tout said.
“Your ideas will help us craft a CBD that reflects the growth and future of our city.
"I urge residents to engage with the process. We want to ensure we capture and understand our community's aspirations, to leverage this knowledge and position Wagga Wagga as a vibrant regional hub for generations to come."
Council will be seeking community input until Friday 26 April 2024.
The feedback obtained during this period will inform the development of a draft Wagga Wagga CBD Masterplan, which will be publicly exhibited later in 2024.
There are multiple ways to provide input to help shape the draft CBD Masterplan: an online survey, in-person at the Civic Centre, by phone or email.
An online interactive map is available on the CBD Masterplan project page where the community can place pins on the map and indicate what they love about the CBD, and share ideas for areas
of improvement.
A series of pop-up information stalls will be visiting various locations in the city and villages for members of the community to speak with staff about the masterplan.
More information is available at haveyoursay.wagga.nsw.gov.au/ wagga-cbd-masterplan
LAUGH IT UP: Comedian Dane Simpson and Civic Theatre Manager Claire Harris say there will be a show to suit all tastes in the packed line-up of the 2024 Wagga Comedy Fest.
Laughing all the way through the June long weekend
Wagga Comedy Fest is back in 2024 and promises to deliver all the laughs, with some of the country’s best comedians taking to the stage over the King’s Birthday long weekend, from 6 to 10 June.
Presenting more than 20 comedy shows and workshops over three venues, the line-up places Wagga Wagga’s local comedy festival firmly on the annual calendar of touring comedians and audiences.
Tickets are now on sale for the Wagga Comedy Fest, which features names like Mel Buttle, Wil Anderson, Geraldine Hickey, Tom Gleeson and ABC Radio’s Thank God It’s Friday
Civic Theatre Manager Claire Harris said the festival line-up continues to offer a show to suit all tastes.
It will open on Thursday night (6 June) with a free performance of Are You Pulling My Leg?
“The show sold out in its premier showing at Sydney’s Vivid festival, so we are thrilled to be able to bring the show to Wagga Wagga and offer it as a free performance to our theatre loving audiences,” Ms Harris said.
“If you like your comedy from big name TV comedians, we’ve got you covered. If you like things a little crazier and more unpredictable, you need to get your tickets for Garry Starr, Shad & Pete or Dirty Laundry.”
The Riverina Comedy Club House will play host to a program of workshops, improvised comedy and local talent curated by the Riverina Comedy Club.
Local personalities will take to the stage in the Great Wagga Comedy Fest Debate to open the Club House program on Thursday night.
The Comedy Fest will again deliver family friendly shows with affordable ticket prices to ensure that the kids don’t miss out on all the fun.
The Laugh Lounge will also make a return – the heated marquee in front of the Civic Theatre making a perfect base during the festival.
For program details or to book tickets, visit civictheatre.com.au
DEMONSTRATION TIME: The Pothole Pro machine works on repairing potholes on a section of Vincent Road in Lake Albert, as part of the week-long trial of the machine by Wagga Wagga City Council.
Pothole repair machine trialled on Wagga
Wagga roads
Council has been trialling a JCB Pothole Pro machine on several roads across the city this week, to determine its suitability for Wagga Wagga’s extensive road network.
At its meeting in December last year, Council agreed to engage Roadworx Industries to wet-hire the Pothole Pro machine for a one-week demonstration.
Director Infrastructure Services Warren Faulkner said it is part of Council’s focus on exploring different work methodologies and machinery for repairing potholes.
“The Pothole Pro is fundamentally a wheeled excavator with a profiling attachment on it, and a sweeper broom which sweeps the profiled road material into the bucket, and a jackhammer attachment which squares off the pothole,” Mr Faulkner said.
“The skid-steer loader we currently use as part of our pothole repair program also has a profiling attachment, a sweeper broom and a bucket, but the jackhammer is operated separately.
“This trial provides us with a direct comparison on the effectiveness and efficiencies of the two types of machines and what additional plant and resources will still be required.”
Council is also focusing on being more proactive on management of our roads.
“We are open to new ideas and technology, and I think we've demonstrated that with the recent rehabilitation of Cross, Johnston and Church streets, where we used geogrid technology,” Mr Faulkner said.
“We have also boosted our crack sealing program in the last 18 months, completing about $70,000 worth of crack sealing this financial year, in addition to $50,000 last financial year.
“Potholes occur because of a crack in the road. Funding is crucial to getting on top of crack sealing when they start to occur, and that has been the challenge for road authorities across Australia.”
The data gathered from the Pothole Pro machine trial will form the basis of a report to go to Council for consideration in the next two to three months.
SITE TOUR: Regional Cities NSW members at the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub and Special Activation Precinct at Bomen.
POP-UP STALLS: Keep an eye out for our pop-up stall and share your thoughts on the future of our community.
Wagga Wagga region showcased during Regional Cities NSW visit Attend a pop-up stall and have your say!
The shared challenges and solutions in growing regional cities have been in the spotlight in Wagga Wagga, during a visit by Mayors and Chief Executive Officers from regional cities across New South Wales.
Regional Cities NSW (RCNSW) was created to form a united voice to influence State Government policy and investment.
Each year, it selects two cities to visit as part of its annual regional site tour program.
This year, Wagga Wagga and Albury City Councils combined to host the RCNSW visit, which kicked off in Albury on Wednesday (6 March) and headed to Wagga Wagga on Thursday (7 March).
Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Dallas Tout said he was thrilled the alliance chose to visit this region.
“Albury, Griffith and Wagga Wagga have so much to offer in terms of our liveability, our business and industry opportunities and innovations, our vision for our cities’ futures and the projects and strategies we are developing to achieve those visions,” Cr Tout said.
“We’ve been able to showcase what is happening in our cities and some standout examples of strategic planning and investment in regional sites.
“Here in Wagga Wagga, this included visits to the Special Activation Precinct and the Riverina Intermodal Freight and Logistics Hub at Bomen.”
The members also toured the 1st Recruit Training Battalion at Kapooka and CSU's Digital Farm Complex.
Chair of Regional Cities NSW and Mayor of Dubbo Cr Mathew Dickerson said members were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit Albury and Wagga Wagga.
“Regional cities are stronger when we work together, and this regional site tour is an important part of collective problem solving,” Cr Dickerson explained.
RCNSW members have a combined population of 1 million people, or 12 per cent of the state’s population.
Council is holding pop-up information stalls with the aim of collecting community feedback on multiple Council strategies, projects and plans.
We’ll be continuing these visits over the next couple of months - check out the list below to see where these stalls will be coming next week:
Over the course of a number of months, Council has been visiting local villages and suburbs, community events, local shopping centres, schools and facilitating focus groups.
We’ll be continuing these visits over the next couple of months - check out the list below to see where Council will be coming next week:
Monday 11 March
10am – 11.30am
Agile Library Visit
Kapooka Community Centre
10.30am – 12pm
Seniors Festival
Wagga Wagga Senior Citizens Hall
Wednesday 13 March
9.30am – 11am
Agile Library Visit
Tolland Glenfield Neighbour Centre
10am – 11am
Seniors Festival
Menshed Wagga Wagga
Thursday 14 March
12.30pm – 2.30pm
Riverina Producers Markets: Wagga Wagga Showgrounds
Sunday 17 March
9.30am – 11.30am
Flipper Ball
Oasis Aquatic Centre
More pop-up sessions will be added to the list between now and April.
The best place to stay updated on session times is through Council’s Have Your Say website, and via the City of Wagga Wagga socials.
Residents are also encouraged to get involved online and read more details through our Have Your Say Wagga platform: haveyoursay.wagga.nsw. gov.au
Meet the perfect Penelope
Penelope (Miss Moo) is a one-yearold black and white female, who gets along well with other dogs and adores humans.
She has a fairly quiet personality, although she can get quite excited.
Penelope (Imp D24/0084) is is available for adoption for a fee of $357, which includes de-sexing, vaccination, de-worming, microchipping, lifetime registration and ID tag.
6971 4651 graswagga.com.au
Vacancies
Gallery Officer, Learning & Engagement
Remuneration: $3,039.20 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 17 March 2024
Gallery Officer, Digital & Programs (Part-Time)
Remuneration: $851.32 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 17 March 2024
Exhibitions Officer (Part-Time)
Remuneration: $2,060.90 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 17 March 2024
Museum Assistant – Collections & Programs (Part-Time)
Remuneration: $668.89 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 24 March 2024
Ranger
Remuneration: $2,422.82 gpf + super
Closing: Sunday, 24 March 2024
Baylis
In
Melanoma
River
SUN
Lazy
Road closures
KOORINGAL RD
Road: Kooringal Rd (between Lake Albert Rd and Plumpton Road)
Date: Thursday 7 March to Tuesday 12
March 2024 (weather permitting)
Duration: 7am to 6pm
Reason: Road Pavement Stabilisation
Detour: Access for residents maintained
BAYLIS ST, MORGAN ST
Road: Baylis St, Morgan St
Date: Saturday 9 March 2023,
Duration: 4pm to 6.45pm
Reason: Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras
Parade
Detour: As per signs
ALL NOTICES NOW ONLINE AT: wagga.nsw.gov.au/publicnotices
