INSIDE: MORE FLOOD COVERAGE, NEW EXHIBITION AT THE MUSEUM
Council News Issue No: 112
CITY OF WAGGA WAGGA
FIRST PRINTED SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2016
Weekly information from us to you
FLOOD RESPONSE: Council staff install a pump that helps lower the water level of Wollundry Lagoon during storm events when there is a high river. The current flood event required the set-up and monitoring of 13 temporary pumps across the Local Government Area. HIGH RIVER (inset): The Murrumbidgee River on Monday 12 September at Wagga Beach.
Around-the-clock response The City of Wagga Wagga continues to provide a concentrated and controlled effort to the current minor flood event at Wagga. Since flood warnings started about two weeks ago, Council has been carrying out around-the-clock flood response and preparation works. Council has carried out seven 24-hour shifts and on all other days crews have worked minimum eight-hour shifts carrying out flood-preparation tasks.
Council also continues to work with the State Emergency Service (SES), which is the lead agency for the flood response. When flooding occurs it impacts the entire Wagga Wagga Local Government Area (LGA), from Humula to Galore. Staff are deployed across the LGA to carry out a range of response tasks, from monitoring roads for road closures and road maintenance, levee and flood gate inspections, pump set-ups, creating clay stockpiles and filling sandbags for emergency levee construction. “Residents should be confident in Council’s response right across the LGA. Crews have been monitoring road closures, inspecting and maintaining levees and ensuring
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all preventative maintenance measures are in place. Our primary concern is the general safety of residents in all affected communities,” Acting General Manager Robert Knight said. “These precautionary actions have been out in place to ensure that Council will be as prepared as possible.” As well as people-power, Council has had 13 temporary pumps set up in locations across the city to help pump stormwater out of the urban area and into the Murrumbidgee River. Council’s efforts will also continue after the water subsides. “Considering record rainfalls this winter and the current flood event, a
number of our local roads have suffered damage,” Supervisor Wearing Operations Lee Shoemark said. “We’ve had road maintenance staff out every day assessing conditions and responding to ensure the roads are in a safe and useable condition. “Pothole repairs are a temporary repair to make the road surface safe. We would like to remind motorists to drive to conditions and be patient with Council while we work on bringing the road network back to a useable state.” A full list of road closures are available at wagga.nsw.gov.au/roads. Updates on the current minor flood event at Wagga are available at www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/ and www.ses.nsw.gov.au.
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INSEPCTION: Engineers Zibby Wrobel and Shaula Siregar check over the levee during the week.
PREPARED: Staff move clay from the storage area at Moorong Street, which was transferred to stockpiles in key locations across Wagga.
WAGGA WAGGA FLOOD FACTS
FLOOD GATE AND LEVEE MONITORING VITAL DURING FLOOD EVENTS Levee and flood gate monitoring is a key component carried out by the City of Wagga Wagga during a Murrumbidgee River flood event. Council monitors 46 floodgates in the Wagga Wagga Local Government Area levee system. The lowest of these gates floods at 4.8 metres and the highest at 9.1 metres. The current minor flood event at Wagga Wagga reached a peak of 8.3 metres. Flood gates are closed to stop river water flooding back into urban areas. These same flood gates also act as discharge points for internal stormwater from the city. When flood gates are closed due to river flooding temporary pumps
need to be set up in strategic locations to pump internal stormwater out of the urban area and into the river. The current flood event has required set-up and monitoring of 13 temporary pumps. Pump 15a on the levee across from Tarcutta Street is capable of flowing 1200 litres per second. This pump is used when flood gate 15 is closed. This gate drains almost onethird of all stormwater from urban Wagga. During flood events, and in preparation of any forecast rainfalls, pumps will also be used to drain water from Wollundry Lagoon. This not only allows increased stormwater detention in the lagoon but helps mitigate any MONITORING: Council staff open the Wollundry Lagoon localised flooding. flood gate to lower the water level.
• Council has been providing flood response across the whole Local Government Area, from Humula to Galore • During a flood event Council aims to allocate staff 50/50 to flood response and road maintenance • Murrumbidgee flood response usually involves Council carrying out 24-hour monitoring and reporting of levee performance • Council has dedicated rural road crews that inspect known trouble spots and put road
closures and detours in place • There are 68 bridges and 20 large culverts in the LGA that need to be inspected by Council during and after a flood event • Council monitors 46 flood gates in the Wagga Wagga levee system. The lowest gate goes under water at 4.8metres and the highest at 9.1 metres • Murrumbidgee River flooding in Wagga is classed as: Minor flood – 7.3 metres Moderate – 9.0 metres Major – 9.6 metres
RAIN OR SHINE (above): Staff remove part of the temporary flood barrier at Wollundry Lagoon during driving rain on Wednesday. STORMWATER (left): Staff meet on site as the pump discharges stormwater from Wollundry Lagoon.
STAY INFORMED: BOM.GOV.AU/NSW/WARNINGS • SES.NSW.GOV.AU • WAGGA.NSW.GOV.AU/ROADS
THIS WEEK: SPRING STREET FESTIVAL
Sat 17 September, 11am to 8pm This free event has something for everyone from spring gardening workshops, cooking demonstrations, a popup garden bar, live music, jumping castles, pony rides, animal nursery, face painting and over 30 fresh produce and merchandise stalls. Victory Memorial Gardens cnr Baylis and Morrow Streets. Ph: 0449 254 224
MATES GULLY PRODUCE MARKET
Every Saturday, 9am to noon Fresh farm produce. Mates Gully, Morrow Street. Ph: 6921 4241
VEGE SWAP OR BUY Every Saturday, 9am to noon
Demonstration Gardens, cnr Albury and Shaw Streets. Ph: 0411 417 956
TARCUTTA MARKETS Sat 17 September, 8am to 2pm Tarcutta Memorial Hall, Sydney Street, Tarcutta. Ph: 0477 472 154
MTC AGGIES RACE DAY
Sat 17 September Murrumbidgee Turf Club, Travers Street. Ph: 6921 2151
THE BALD & THE BEAUTIFUL SPRING HEART CENTRE FOR CHILDREN COCKTAIL PARTY
Sat 17 September Riverine Club, Sturt Street. Ph: 0488 331 422
IAN MOSS - SIX STRINGS CLASSIC TOUR
Sat 17 September, 8pm Experience the powerfully
resonating songs. Civic Theatre, Burns Way off Tarcutta Street. Ph. 6926 9688
MINIATURE RAILWAY Sun 18 September, 10.30am to 4pm $2 per ride, enclosed footwear essential. Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens, Macleay Street.
TAKE FIVE BAND COMPASSION FUNDRAISING CONCERT
Sun 18 September, 1pm to 4pm Mt. Austin Primary School Hall, McKell Avenue. Ph: 6926 4901
HENTY MACHINERY FIELD DAYS Tue 20 &Thu 22 September Cookardinia Road, off Olympic Highway. Ph: 6929 3305
RIVERINA PRODUCERS’ MARKET
Every Thursday, 1pm to 6pm
Free entry. Run by producers to connect with those that love good food. Baptist Church, Tarcutta Street. Ph: 6924 3574
TECH SAVVY SENIORS
Fri 23 September Wagga Wagga City Library Civic Centre, cnr Baylis and Morrow streets. Ph: 6926 9700
TODD MCKENNEY SINGS PETER ALLEN THE PIANO SESSIONS Fri 23 September, 8pm Get up close and personal in an intimate, relaxed setting. Civic Theatre, Burns Way off Tarcutta Street. Ph. 6926 9688
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M! I N STA GRuA ncil @waggaco
/waggaevents For support in organising your event, contact Council’s Events Unit at events@wagga.nsw.gov. au or 1300 292 442 Mon to Fri. To promote your event or for a full list of events go to: visitwagga. com or call 1300 100 122.
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Council News - A Wagga Wagga City Council publication
TWO-YEAR MAYORAL TERMS The office of Mayor will now be held for two years, rather than the current yearly system. The Local Government Amendment (Governance and Planning) Act passed through parliament on 24 August, with a number of amendments taking effect immediately.
As part of the change, the newly elected Councillors will appoint a Mayor at the first Ordinary Council Meeting on 26 September and the successful Councillorswill hold the position until September 2018. Keep reading Council News to find out more about the City of Wagga Wagga’s new Councillors in the coming weeks.
N O M I N AT E N O W F O R AWA R D S
Do you know a dead set legend? Don’t keep it a secret – make sure they get official legend status by nominating them for the City of Wagga Wagga’s 2017 Australia Day Awards. If your mate is an absolute champion, just a few words on the back of a postcard
is enough to get the nomination ball rolling. Simply complete the postcard, drop it in or send it to the Civic Centre and staff will be in touch to complete the full nomination process if it fits within the awards criteria. Nominations for the 2017 Australia Day Awards can be made
for Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year (27 and younger), Walk of Honour Award and the Ted Ryder Sports Memorial Award for contribution to administration in sport. For more information on the awards, head to www.wagga.nsw.gov. au/AustraliaDay.
PET WEEK
OF THE
RIVERINA RAINBOW: Ray Goodlass, the first openly gay City of Wagga Wagga Councillor, and Sarah Adcock from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays raise one of the four flags that will fly in Baylis Street for the duration of the We Are Here exhibition at the Museum of the Riverina.
Museum flies flag for LGBTIQ community The Museum of the Riverina launched its groundbreaking exhibition We Are Here: Riverina LGBTIQ Stories this week, and to mark the occasion four rainbow flags were raised on the banner poles on Baylis Street near the Civic Centre. This marks the first time that the Rainbow, or Pride, flag has been flown from Council infrastructure. The flags will fly for the duration of the exhibition, from 13 September to 6 November, which is on show at the Museum of the Riverina’s Historic Council Chambers site. We Are Here is an exhibition about some of the lesser known histories of LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer/Questioning) residents in the Riverina. Original artworks, objects and stories explore the experience
of coming out in a country town: the fierce loyalty, and occasionally blunt rejections of family, friends and neighbours, and the lengths people have gone to in the search for acceptance. The stories show how times have changed as communities become more diverse, and services more inclusive. Very few exhibitions of this kind have been run in regional Australia to date. The museum is proud to offer such a groundbreaking insight into the Riverina’s history. Importantly, the We Are Here story does not end when the exhibition comes down on 6 November. The museum will work with other cultural institutions in our region to continue the collection of LGBTIQ stories. The Riverina Rainbow Collection is committed
MORE CBD PARKING
A centre-of-road parking trial near Fitzmaurice Street that will create 26 new spaces will now begin on Wednesday 21 September. The line-marking and temporary kerb installation works had to be rescheduled from 14 September due to wet weather. The six-month trial will take place on Kincaid Street between Trail and Fitzmaurice streets, with 16 south side and two north side parallel parking spaces will be removed to allow 40 centre-of-road spaces to be created. The new spaces will be 90-degree parking
and will have no time restrictions during the trial. Kincaid Street will be closed to traffic between 9am and 3pm on Wednesday 21 September for line marking and to install the temporary separation kerbing, weather permitting. Residents are reminded to take care in the area during the trial period as they adjust to the changed traffic conditions. The new initiative is the latest parking improvement for the area following the introduction of timed parking restrictions on Fitzmaurice Street in June.
to preserving the local experiences of LGBTIQ people of the past and present. If you would like to contribute an object or story to the collection, please contact the museum. We Are Here is the result of collaboration between the Museum of the Riverina and many generous people who shared their life experiences, loaned their personal objects and contributed research. It would not have been possible without the contribution and support of ABC Open, PFLAG Wagga (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), CSU Momentum and Dr Jessie Lymn, Charles Sturt University. We Are Here is on display at the Museum of the Riverina’s Historic Council Chambers site from 13 September to 6 November. For information and events, visit museumriverina.com.au.
Meet Ginger This week’s pet of the week is Ginger (imp 573), a female red kelpie. Ginger is about four months old, has a good temperament and is available for
adoption from the Glenfield Road Animal Shelter for $297.50 from 20 September. If you’d like to meet Ginger or any of her furry friends, visit the shelter from Monday
to Saturday between 1pm and 4.15pm. For more information, visit wagga.nsw.gov.au/ animals or call 6971 4651 during business hours.
mobile library timetable Uranquinty Monday September 19, 3.30pm – 5pm Ladysmith Thursday September 22, 1.30pm – 2.15pm www.rrl.nsw.gov.au
Ph: (02) 6926 9771
H E L P C R E AT E PA R K S
There is still time to share your idea to help improve three park areas in Wagga. Residents have already started sharing some great suggestions for planned upgrades of the Forest Hill Oval, Bedervale Street Park in Bourkelands and the Kokoda Street Park in Ashmont. Ideas shared so far include shaded areas at Bedervale, footpaths, a skate park and dog-off leash area at Forest Hill and a children’s playground and
benches at Kokoda Street. Each upgrade is subject to budgets and overall community wishes. The upgrades at each park are to improve the appeal and usability for all users and are part of Council’s longterm commitment to improve park and play areas across the Local Government Area. Ideas can be shared at wagga. nsw.gov.au/ playgrounds, until Friday 23 September.
WAGGA WAGGA CITY COUNCIL VACANCY
careers at council
TEMPORARY GRAPHIC DESIGNER 6 Month Period - 3 days per week
Remuneration: Min $732.12 gpw + superannuation Enquiries: Brett Koschel - 02 6926 9264 Closing Date: Friday, 23 September 2016
To view this opportunity and apply, visit www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/jobs Wagga Wagga City Council is an EEO employer
Values - Part of everything we do Trust • Respect • Innovation • Teamwork
Council News - A Wagga Wagga City Council publication
ART AND CULTURE: Ardlethan Public School students in printmaking workshops with Wagga Art Gallery Curator Education and Public Programs officer Linda Elliott. The students’ work feature in the new exhibition Gulbalanha: know and understand each other now on display at the gallery.
Indigenous Australians the focus of new exhibitions Australia’s indigenous people are at the forefront of three new exhibitions officially being launched at Wagga Wagga Art Gallery today. Each exhibition is unique in its own way and showcases the diversity of our community and region. Burambabirra Yindyamarra is a collaborative exhibition that illuminates the revitalisation of Wiradjuri and Ngiyampaa cultures. It builds on the life works of numerous Elders over many years, including Dr Uncle Stan Grant Sr AM and Aunty Flo Grant; and includes photography and prints, documentaries on Yindyamarra (respect), Wiradjuri language and interviews with Elders. Burambabirra Yindyamarra has been compiled and curated by Bernard Sullivan and Nives Zalokar in conjunction with Bernard’s doctoral research at Charles Sturt University. The second exhibition is Gulbalanha: know and understand each other, curated by Wagga Art Gallery Curator Education and Public Programs officer Linda Elliott. This exhibition presents works by students from 14 primary schools across the Riverina region, who have participated in workshops presented by the Wagga Art Gallery in partnership with the Art Gallery of NSW and the Arts Unit of the NSW Department of Education. Unfinished Business, which reveals issues and opportunities confronting Australia’s indigenous people with disabilities, is the final exhibition being launched. Unfinished Business showcases three dozen photographic portraits by award-winning artist Belinda Mason and filmmakers Knierim Brothers. Journalist and Chair of Indigenous Studies at Charles Sturt University Stan Grant Jr will be on hand to help launch the exhibitions at 1pm, Saturday 17 September.
NEW EXHIBITION: Aunty Gayle Rankine, Ngarrindjeri Woman, Chairperson, First People’s Disability Network, lenticular photographic print. This image is one of the many on show in the Unfinished Business.
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE
Notice is hereby given under Roads Act 1993 Part 8 Division 4 of the temporary closing of: Roads: Baylis St from Morrow St to Wollundry Lagoon and Morrow St from Baylis St to Peter St Date: Saturday 17/09/2016 Duration: 6am to 9pm Reason: Spring Street Festival
Detour: As per signs
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE
Notice is hereby given under Roads Act 1993 Part 8 Division 4 of the temporary closing of: Road: Eastlake Dr between Michigan Dr and Ontario Dr Duration: 8am to 9pm Date: September 24 2016 Reason: Truck Show event Detour: As per signs Other Parking restrictions will be implemented in Lake St, Eastlake Dr, Michigan Dr and Ontario Dr
Contact us p 1300 292 442 e council@wagga.nsw.gov.au w www.wagga.nsw.gov.au a Civic Centre Cnr Baylis & Morrow Sts PO Box 20, Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
Wagga’s iconic Chisholm Fountain has been given a spring clean. The fountain that stands proudly in the Victory Memorial Gardens underwent a day-long complete clean and scrub earlier this month. The fountain is cleaned on an as-need basis, however, a recent detergent prank resulted in the latest clean. Dumping detergent in the city’s
fountains is not only a nuisance but carries a costly community clean-up bill. The fountain is a historical community asset donated to the city by Hospital Committee President Frederick Chisholm in 1885. It has been in a number of locations across the city and was moved to its present location in the Baylis Street park in 2006.
DETOURS TO BE IN PLACE FOR WALKING TRACK A section of the Wiradjuri Walking Track at East Wagga will be closed from next week for about three months. The closure is necessary for Riverina Water County Council to undertake bridge and pipe works near Marshalls Creek. The complete schedule of works, bridge works and construction of a new walking track, will start Monday 19 September and run until midDecember.
The walking track will be closed from Mason Street to Hammond Avenue. Pedestrians will be detoured along the footpath sections of Day and Tarcutta streets and then to Hammond Avenue. Detour signs and barricades will be in place for the duration of the works. The City of Wagga Wagga will build a new walking track to the west of the current track and on top of the new pipeline. The new track will eventually form part
of the $21M levee upgrade project. The new pipeline will send treated river water from the new Riverina Water treatment plant to the Willans Hill reservoir to supply town water to Wagga residents. The Wiradjuri Walking Track is a 42-kilometre loop around the City of Wagga Wagga. For more information on this project contact Tamarin Taylor, Riverina Water County Council on 6922 0667.
FUN FOR ALL AT FUSION16 For the sixth year running, the Civic Centre precinct will burst to life for Wagga Wagga’s multicultural street festival Fusion16 on Saturday 15 October. Headlining this year’s festival are Old Spice, Sugar Fed Leopards, Kylie Auldist, True Vibenation and Aaradhna. Fusion now attracts 10,000 people,
SHARING RESPECT (right): Bernard Sullivan, Windradyne the Mighty Warrior 2016, photographic print (from Letetia Harris, Windradyne the Mighty Warrior, published by Sharing and Learning, Wagga Wagga 2016).
Public Notices
FOUNTAIN LOOKING FABULOUS
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE
Notice is hereby given under Roads Act 1993 Part 8 Division 4 of the temporary closing of: Streets: Kincaid Street Date: Wednesday 21/09/2016, weather permitting Duration: 9.00am to 3.00pm Reason: Line marking and signage Detour: Crampton Street, Gurwood Street
RFT 2017/03 D&C THREE TIMBER BRIDGE REPLACEMENTS Suitably endorsed Tenders
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marked “RFT 2017- 03 D&C Three Timber Bridge Replacements” are invited and will be received by the undersigned until 2pm Wednesday 5 October 2016. This is a lump sum contract for the design and construction of three bridges in the Wagga Local Government area to replace the existing timber bridges. A pre-tender site meeting will be held on Tuesday 20 September at 11am. Registration to attend the site meeting can be directed to Leanne Barclay at email barclay. leanne@wagga.nsw.gov.au. Enquiries should be directed to the Project Coordinator,
who enjoy both live entertainment from the headliners and local groups, as well as food, culture and art from around the world. Fusion16 will be held on Saturday, 15 October from 4pm to 9.30pm in the Civic Centre Precinct. For more information about this year’s festival, visit the website at wagga.nsw.gov.au/fusion.
Graham Cox on 02 6926 9634 or email cox.graham@wagga. nsw.gov.au. A non-refundable fee of $110.00 will be charged for each hard copy of the specification or specifications at nil cost can be accessed on the following web address: www. tenderlink.com/wagga
RFT 2017/09 SUPPLY OF ROAD PAVEMENT MATERIAL
Suitably endorsed Tenders marked “RFT 2017/09– Supply of Road Pavement Material” are invited and will be received by the undersigned until 2pm Wednesday 5 October 2016. This will be a panel contract
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under a schedule of rates to supply Council with road pavement material within the Wagga Wagga local government area. Enquiries should be directed to Mr Andrew Mason on 02 6971 4625 or mason.andrew@ wagga.nsw.gov.au A nonrefundable fee of $110.00 will be charged for each hard copy of the Specification or specifications at nil cost can be accessed on the following web address: www.tenderlink.com/ wagga
Alan Eldridge, General Manager