Bourke Shire Council – Consulting people in the bush

Bourke community members met with councillors and staff last week – at back l-r: Ian Cole, Sam Rice, Pat Canty, Frank Kerr, Sonya Otte and David Mathews. Seated l-r: Chris Morrall, Ang Rai, Paul Flanagan, Leonie Brown, Mayor Lachlan Ford, Margo Anderson and Linda Amos. Photo Dwayne Willoughby

Bourke Shire Councillors and staff are back on the road for 2026, with the annual program of community consultation meetings across the Shire well underway.

Already, Bourke councillors and staff have met with community members in Bourke, Byrock, Enngonia and Fords Bridge.

Although only a few people turned up at the Bourke meeting last week, a record 11 people turned up at Byrock’s Mulga Creek Hotel where the main points of discussion were about water supply and water quality.

The next round of village meetings will be a meeting at the Wanaaring Hall next Tuesday morning, 17 February from 8.30am and then at the Louth Tennis Club at 1pm on the same day.

Bourke Shire Council General Manager, Leonie Brown, said the meetings were a great opportunity for councillors and staff to hear what’s going on in the villages across the Shire, and for the community to have open dialogue with councillors and staff.

Mrs Brown said most of the meetings in the villages attracted a healthy crowd of between 8 – 15 people, while the Bourke meetings were usually the least attended.

“We had three people come to the Bourke meeting and raise several issues. Despite the small numbers it was great, and we had plenty of discussion,” she said. […]

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