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Orange City Council News
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Council angered by Pinnacle vandalism
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11 July 2018
An incident of vandalism at the Pinnacle Reserve near Mt Canobolas has disappointed Orange’s deputy mayor Cr Joanne McRae.
Council staff have discovered that six trees have been felled by someone using a chain-saw in the picnic area.The loss of the first tree was noticed about six weeks ago by a council weeds officer spraying for English Ivy. Then on Monday three further stumps were discovered. It’s believed these trees were felled over the weekend. Then yesterday (Tuesday) staff found two further trees had been cut down, since the weekend. Six, in total.The area is an open community reserve across the road from the walking trail up to the Pinnacle look-out.“This is a community recreation area that’s open to be enjoyed by anyone visiting the mountain,” Cr Joanne McRae said. “The trees that grow here are all part of what makes Mt Canobolas such a special place to visit. It’s hard to imagine why anyone would do this.”“I can’t understand why they think it is OK to cut down trees in a public space."The bluestone picnic shelters and the BBQ areas are so close to the bush. Why someone with a chainsaw would want to bring down a tree in a picnic area like this is beyond me.“It looks this attack happened on the weekend. I’m hoping someone driving past has noticed something that will let council staff get to the bottom of this.“People know you can’t go onto privately-owned land to collect firewood. Surely they know you can’t go into a reserve that’s enjoyed by the whole community and do the same thing.“It’s illegal to cut down trees without permission, apart from the risk to anyone nearby and the long-term damage to a public park.“It will take years for these trees of this size will grow back and provide the shade they once did in this picnic area, so the next family that comes here for a picnic will miss out.”
DAMAGE : Orange Deputy Mayor Cr Joanne McRae talks with council weeds officer Andrew Cole about the damage to trees in the Pinnacle Reserve he discovered while spraying an outbreak of English Ivy. -
Council welcomes new DPI head office announcement
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Tuesday July 10, 2018
Orange City Council has welcomed today’s announcement by NSW Primary Industries minister Niall Blair to locate the new Department of Primary Industries head office in Orange, on the site of the former base hospital.
Orange City Council’s Employment and Economic Committee chair Cr Jeff Whitton said the announcement is a vote of confidence in the future of Orange.'
“The department’s head office has been a significant part of the Orange community for the last 25 years,” Cr Jeff Whitton said.
“The hundreds of staff who’ve worked there have been both a steady employment sector and factor in Orange’s growing professional expertise.”
“The government’s decision to construct a purpose-built new head office will be a boost for the Orange economy both during construction and in the long-term.
“Since the DPI head office opened in Orange in 1992, the staff have embraced living in a regional city and the services they provide enhance the quality of support offered to the farming sector. It’s another sign that Orange is steadily moving to become part of the ‘knowledge economy’, a community based on skills, information and technical depth.
“The site of the former base hospital is an ideal location for this new head office. The proposal is to sell most of the western end of the site to a developer who will construct the new building. It’s virtually a clean-slate, which gives architects room to be creative, but it’s also in an established area of Orange.
“The site is surrounded by a TAFE college campus and a succession of professional offices.
“Last year Orange City Council entered in an agreement to sell the eastern end of the block to a developer and that was one of a number of options the government considered. Now that the government has made its decision much more detailed planning can begin. In due course, the DA process will give space for more community consultation.
“A re-zoning for the eastern half of the block was completed in March this year. That zoning will let a large scale office be built with multi-level parking.
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Council launches appeal to help forgotten PNG earthquake victims
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7 July 2018
A community appeal has been launched to help communities around Mt Hagen affected by a devastating earthquake earlier in the year.Around 140 people died but more than 270,000 were in need of community aid after the 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck regional areas of Papua New Guinea in February this year.Deputy Mayor Cr Joanne McRae said the council was pleased to support the appeal which was suggested by a meeting of Orange City Council’s Sister Cities Committee.“Orange has a number of sister cities including Mt Hagen in the PNG highlands,” Cr Joanne McRae said.“While most of the work of the council is focussed locally, this committee has an important role in keeping the council in touch with a broader focus.”Committee member and former council member Chris Gryllis came up with the idea earlier this year when news started to filter through about the impact of the earthquake.“I remember visiting a school in Mt Hagen years ago, where the children had just heard news of the Victorian bushfires,” Chris Gryllis said. “Even though these students didn’t have much money they generously shared a donation of 500 Kina and the visitors from Orange were able to pass on that donation to the bushfire appeal.”
LAUNCH : Orange City Council will host an appeal for communities affected by earthquakes in PNG. Pictured (l. to r.) are Sister cities Committee chair Bryce Ostini, Deputy Mayor Cr Joanne McRae and Committee member Chris Gryllis.
“These communities will take a long while to recover from a devastating disaster like this, and I’m hoping the Orange community will dig deep and make a donation to this appeal.”“I understand some of the proceeds of a Rotary movie fund-raising night will go to this appeal, and I’m looking forward to hearing from other community groups to see if they can make a contribution.”
Sister City Community Committee chair, and local teacher, Mr Bryce Ostini said he’s pleased the committee can take practical steps to help residents of a Sister City partner community.“The Sister Cities Committee keeps an eye on a range of community activities such as the exchange visits that happen between students of Orange schools and schools in Ushiku, Japan,” Bryce Ostini said.“There’s an annual Japanese speaking contest and last year staff from Timaru District Council in New Zealand visited Orange to look at how to build closer links.“This appeal is a simple step that any Orange resident can take to offer a helping hand. Because of ongoing instability in PNG it took a long while for the depth of the earthquake’s impact to come to light.Due to landslides there were problems with access to clean water. While the media spotlight has moved on, the need of local communities has been forgotten.”People wanting to contribute to the appeal can make a donation at the cashier counter at Orange City Council.
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Orange's CBD transformation off to a positive start
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Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee has announced that Orange City Council has been successful for a $100,000 Australian Government grant through the Building Better Regions Fund – Community Investment stream.
Mr Gee said the $100,000 grant will go towards the first step of the Orange CBD Revitalisation Program – a $400,000 project to develop a design strategy.
“The CBD Revitalisation Program is all about meeting the needs of Orange and the region into the future,” Mr Gee said.
“The funding will go towards an initial design strategy, which will include consultation with key stakeholders such as local businesses, data collection to map the region’s drawing area for shoppers to prompt targeted marketing, as well as design concepts from urban planners.
“What we’re doing is taking the first steps on a very important project. I think the public is going to be very excited about the CBD revitalisation.”
Orange City Council wants to make the CBD the best in regional Australia and has allocated $30 million for a two year transformation.
Orange Deputy Mayor Cr Joanne McRae has welcomed support for the project from the Australian Government.
“It’s important for the Council to be working in partnership with the Australian Government to begin a project that’s going to make so much difference long-term to the region,” Cr Joanne McRae said.
“With a task as big as transforming Orange’s CBD, it’s a sign of how complex and multi-layered this idea is, that $400,000 will be spent on the initial design strategy.
“The urban design strategy will deliver a blueprint for many future years of development in the CBD, not merely a one-off face-lift. We want to make sure we have a sound initial design to ensure we meet the brief - to deliver an outstanding CBD for our city - a city of the future.”
Orange City Council will soon ask the community what it wants to see as part of the the transformation.
This is a long term plan and not limited to parking, access and seating, rather the transformation is about all aspects of the central business district from green space to outdoor dining and recreation.
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Youth of the month a 'hero'
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Wednesday July 4, 2018
This month’s Orange City Council Youth of the Month is a leader and a hero, according to Deputy Mayor Joanne McRae.
Cr McRae presented 18-year-old Jake Clark with his certificate acknowledging his achievements at a ceremony in the Mayor’s office last week surrounded by his friends and family.
“To hear your story is giving me goosebumps,” Cr McRae said.
“Standing up in an emergency situation and being a leader, you are exactly the type of person we need in Orange.”
Mr Clark recently saved the life of woman, Diane Ranse, in a medical emergency in a public place in Orange.
Ms Ranse collapsed and was resuscitated by Mr Clark, a senior cadet at St John’s Ambulance, and another bystander.
Ms Ranse, who attended the award presentation, said she owed her life to the young man.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him,” she said.
Mr Clark said he was overwhelmed by the attention and was simply “doing what I had to do”.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking but I knew what I had to do from my training,” he said.
Mr Clark, a member of the city’s Youth Action Council, was described as a “truly community minded individual”.
The Mayoral Youth of the Month award is designed to highlight good deeds and accomplishments of young people in Orange who sometimes go unnoticed in the community.
The award is aimed at recognising and celebrating young people who have and are currently making significant contributions, particularly in the areas of education, community work, sport, culture, the arts and the environment.
To nominate a person for Mayoral Youth of the Month contact Orange City Council’s Youth Development Officer Katrina Hausia at khausia@orange.nsw.gov.au or download and return this form.
HERO: Jake Clark receives his award from Deputy Mayor Joanne McRae (far right) after he saved the life of Diane Ranse (centre).
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Feed your green bin the five food groups
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Orange residents have embraced the use of the green food waste bin since it was introduced five years ago, but there is room for improvement.
Thousands of tonnes of green waste has been diverted away from landfill where it could then be used by farmers, orchardists and avid gardeners in the form of compost.
By using the green bin to its full potential, residents are contributing to the soil cycle and helping produce profitable crops for the region's food producers.
The green bins have been embraced by the city's gardeners and are often full of lawn clippings, prunings and leaves but there is still too much food waste going into the red bin.
Audits have shown that around a third of the waste in red bins is still food waste, which could be diverted away from landfill, and into compost production.
How much food waste do you put in your green bin?
The green bin can accept:
- Fruit and vegetables
- Meat, chicken, fish and shellfish
- All bones
- Dairy including cheese and milk
- Tea leaves
- Tea bags
- Coffee grounds
- Bread
- Rice
- Pasta
- Grains
- Cake
- Biscuits
The green bin can also take:
- Pizza boxes
- Soiled paper
- Leaves
- Flowers
- Small prunings
- Grass clippings
The green bin cannot take large rocks, lots of soil, building materials and large branches.Food waste in the green bin is taken to the JR Richards composting facility at Euchareena Road.
After it is sorted and shredded It is then piled in long rows to compost, where grease trap waste and sewerage sludge is added to it to increase the nutrient content.The compost is sold for use on farms, vineyards, orchards, sporting fields, and mine site rehabilitation.
To keep your food & garden waste bin smelling fresh, try some of the following tips:- Keep your green waste bin in a shady spot
- Place a scraps bucket (caddy) in your kitchen to collect food scraps throughout the week
- Line your scraps bucket or bin with a newspaper liner or paper towel to help reduce odour and absorb fluids
- Freeze smelly foods (such as shellfish and meat) until bin day before disposing of them in the bin outside
- Use grass clippings to cover food waste in your outdoor bin each time you empty your scraps bucket into it.
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New approach, new brand name unveiled for regional tourism
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28 June 2018
Tourism marketing in the Orange region is off to a fresh start with the launch of a new brand to badge the efforts of the new joint council marketing wing, Orange Regional Tourism.
Orange Region Tourism day launched its new brand and will now be operating as Orange 360.
Orange Deputy Mayor Joanne McRae said she’s excited by the new cooperative approach to marketing the region.
“The new tourism organisation and the launch of the new brand is the latest step in the growing cooperation between local councils and tourism businesses,” Cr Joanne McRae said “It signals a fresh start and has a new brand name, Orange 360.”
“For me the new brand name is all about a place where visitors can come to get a 360 degree view of the Orange region. It’s a place where they can look in every direction and discover that there’s so much more to Orange.”
“Yes, Orange is about food and wine, but a 360 degree viewpoint shows you that it’s also about the villages, open countryside, country towns of Blayney and Cabonne. It’s about sports tourism, bike travellers and bushwalking.”
Blayney Shire Mayor, Scott Ferguson has also welcomed the new collaborative tourism approach across the Orange region as a way to expand the reach of combined marketing budgets to new markets in Sydney, ACT, interstate and even globally.“We have a diverse and unique product offering in Blayney & Villages and this regional partnership is a way to bring even more visitors to our doorstep to boost economic growth, infrastructure and services to regional NSW. Orange360 is a dynamic brand backed by solid tourism expertise in three councils, local villages and businesses working together.”Cabonne Mayor Kevin Beatty said the new approach was a positive development."The launch of the region’s exciting new tourism brand Orange360 is integral in uniting our three councils and establishing our unique identity as a major destination," Kevin Beratty said. "Our cooperative working relationship in turn will help to identify the region and ensure it stands out. This in turn will drive tourists to experience our region’s many products, towns and villages.”
General Manager of Orange 360, Caddie Marshall, said that the new brand will mean a united, all-year-round approach to tourism.
“Orange 360, for the first time, is a collaboration between Orange, Cabonne and Blayney councils and surrounding villages,” Caddie Marshall said.
“Orange 360 is focused on driving increased visitor numbers and economic benefits across the entire region. Over 1 million visitors already explore our region every year and the purpose of our new brand is to invite these peoples to discover even more of the wonders and gems that are unique to us - our people, our places and our produce.
“As we developed the new tourism brand, we actively spoke with members of our community to learn how we defined ourselves and our landscapes. We also developed a brand reference group representative of the businesses across the Orange region, made up of the wine, retail, food, arts, and indigenous sectors who provided local feedback.
“I believe this conversation has resulted in a brand we can all work with, something that proudly promotes our foundation of gold and farming and landscapes. We are deeply proud of our history, our villages and we love to show off our four distinct seasons.
“With such a diverse choice of activities, attractions and events across our region a new website is under construction that will make it easy for visitors to navigate the full spectrum of experiences on offer. Whether they are coming to enjoy one of the region’s marquee food and wine events, to experience our historic villages and authentic country lifestyle or to simply relax and unwind, it can all be found at their fingertips.
“Destination marketing will now take a seasonal approach providing potential visitors four glorious seasonal reasons to come and check out our region for themselves. Orange 360 is about promoting our region and its offerings all year round.
Orange360 together with Blayney Shire Council is also developing a Village Viability Strategy to support each Village Association to market and encourage visitation.
The new Orange 360 website will be ready in time to promote regional Spring offerings.
If you are a business wanting to learn more about Orange360, membership for 2018/19 is now open and all local tourism service businesses are encouraged to contact the Orange360 team on 6361 7271.
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Here Now exhibition to showcase local artists
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Thursday June, 28, 2018Orange Regional Gallery staff are busily unpacking more than 130 artworks, sculptures, drawings, ceramics and fibre art from artists across the central west for its upcoming Here Now exhibition.Orange City Council Deputy Mayor Joanne McRae said it was one of the most popular exhibitions on the gallery’s calendar.“Every year the Orange Regional Gallery sets aside time and space for local artists to showcase their works,” Cr McRae said.
“Some months ago there was an open call-out to artists within the central west region to submit their works and over 130 artists did so.“Many contributed several pieces and our curators will now choose at least one piece from each artist to showcase.”Orange City Council’s Services Policy Committee Chair Cr Kevin Duffy said it was a wonderful opportunity for up and coming local artists to have their works showcased in a professional setting.“For many of these artists, this is the first time they have been showcased in a professional art gallery,” Cr Duffy said.“Many others are seasoned artists so, it’s a great mix.“This exhibition provides great exposure and experience for our locals.“It’s also great for networking and really helps artists get their name out there.“It’s also incredibly popular with visitors including locals and tourists alike, and previous similar exhibitions attracted about three thousand people.”Cr Duffy said the exhibition would be broad in artistic range and would include paintings, sculptures, printmaking and design.“Given the range there will be plenty to see, make comment on and share with the family, especially given school holidays start on July 6.”The exhibition will open Friday June 29 from 6pm and will run until July 15.Everyone is invited to attend the opening.
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Read, Savour and Explore at the Orange Readers and Writers Festival
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27 June 2018
The Orange Readers and Writers Festival is on again and this year will be exploring passions for food and travel.
Orange Deputy Mayor Joanne McRae said the successful festival is now in its fourth year.
“Festivals like this are fantastic opportunity for people to get together to share ideas and it’s great that the Orange event keeps growing from year to year,” Cr Joanne McRae said.
“While major events like the Sydney Writers’ Festival attracts thousands of people to multiple venues, people from across the Central West love the smaller scale of the Orange festival in the one venue.
“The format of hands-on workshops on the 1st day, then sessions with authors on the 2nd day has proved very popular and for the first time, people will be able to buy their tickets online.”
Orange City Council’s Services Committee chair, Cr Kevin Duffy, said the event continues to draw visitors to Orange.
“People come from all over the Central West to attend this festival,” Cr Kevin Duffy said, “and now for the first time they’ll be able to buy their tickets online.”
“The Orange region has a big focus on food, so it makes sense that this year’s festival hears from people who write about food and who like reading about food.”
Central West Libraries Manager Jan Richards said this year’s selection of authors showcases the foodie theme.
“Get ready to be entertained by the Monday Morning Cooking Club, the Paris dreamer Katrina Lawrence as we nourish body and soul with Margaret Fulton’s granddaughter Louise Keats and her new book Sweet Nourish,” Jan Richards said.
“You can also meet Local is Lovely blogger Sophie Hansen, gastronomer Jacqui Newling from Sydney Living Museums, author of Captain Cook’s Apprentice Anthony Hill and Cheryl Akle from Better Reading.
“Sophie Hansen will be hosting a Creating and Writing for E-newsletters and Blogs workshop. Once again the History Council of NSW will be hosting a day of workshops relating to food and travel on Friday 27th July with their tickets now on sale.
“So come and join us for what promises to be some mouth-watering literary delights.”
The Festival program on Saturday 28th July will run from 10am to 4pm at the Hotel Canobolas with a break for morning tea and lunch.
The program is available online and tickets for both the festival and workshops are available for purchase.
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Underground fuel tanks removed
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26 June 2018
Work is under way to remove a number of underground fuel tanks in the Northcourt area alongside March Street.
Work began today (Tuesday).
The site was part of an early works depot. Many parts of Orange have had many different uses over the years. Another section of this site next to alongside Peisley Street was the local swimming pool.
As part of some preliminary work for the possible site of the new conservatorium, some site investigation was conducted. A consultant using ground penetrating radar confirmed the location of four underground tanks.
The tanks were estimated to be more than a metre under the ground.
Contractors removed the four tanks by the close of business today. Weather permitting the excavation is expected to be completed by the end of the week.
The soil will be tested by consultants to see if any contamination has happened. Any contaminated soil will be removed from the site and replaced with fresh soil, before it’s replanted. It’s expected the project will cost around $30,000.
The council has timed the work to keep inconvenience to the community to a minimum. Events such as the Farmers’ Markets usually move to the showground at this time of year. There are no other events at the site until mid-August.
