This week's Minute with Mayor McKibbin

April 30, 2026

Oberon Council was pleased to announce on 8 April that the O'Connell Memorial Avenue of Trees had been granted a heritage listing in the NSW Government Gazette. The listing means the Avenue has cultural and historical significance to the Oberon area and permits the Avenue's inclusion under Schedule 5 of the Oberon Local Environmental Plan 2013 (LEP). Planted between 1925 and 1927, the Avenue was established to commemorate Australia's role in World War I. It extends along O'Connell Road from the intersection of Box Flat Road to the Fish River, within the O'Connell Heritage Conservation Area. The heritage listing follows recent community commemorations on 15 March 2026 marking 100 years since the Avenue was ﬁrst planted, including a centenary event in O'Connell that reﬂected the Avenue's ongoing importance as a place of remembrance.

The Avenue's inclusion in Schedule 5 of Oberon's LEP means a Minor Works Application or a Development Application (DA) is required to be submitted to Oberon Council for any trimming or reshaping of the trees where transport activities (including the transport of wind turbine components) would, or are likely to, damage the trees. lf projects are classiﬁed as State Signiﬁcant Developments, then the State Government has the power under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act to override local planning controls (including heritage listings). However, in doing so in relation to a recorded heritage item, this would present signiﬁcant public interest and public relations considerations.

On Friday 10 April the General Manager, Gary Wallace, and l met with The Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP, Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, along with representatives from Transport for NSW (TfNSW), to discuss the ongoing closure of Victoria Pass and its impacts on residents, local businesses and the region's tourism industry.

Council emphasised that Oberon faces distinct challenges due to its reliance on business and tourism, with diverted trafﬁc through Lithgow resulting in increased operating costs and signiﬁcant ﬂowon effects for local industries. The two major alternate routes required either back tracking from Lithgow to Hartley then joining Jenolan Caves Road or driving to Kelso and back to Oberon via O'Connell Rd. Both routes meant back tracking and increased travel times and kilometres exacerbated by the increased price of fuel. Letters from local business owners and the Oberon Business & Tourism Association (OBTA) were formally presented to the Minister, providing ﬁrsthand accounts of the impacts being felt on the ground. Council strongly reinforced the concerns raised in these letters and expressed serious concern regarding the continued viability and sustainability of businesses across the Oberon region, noting substantial reductions in revenue combined with increased costs over an extended period. Council questioned what State and Federal assistance may be available to support affected industries. The Minister took this matter on notice.

The General Manager and l also raised concerns regarding increased usage of Abercrombie Road, particularly by heavy vehicles as an alternate route to the Great Western Highway, and the resulting wear and tear on the road network. Concerns were highlighted about the number of accidents on the descent into the Abercrombie River, with a request for TfNSW to expedite upgrades to warning systems and road safety improvements, including addressing emerging landslips. The Minister provided guidance on how Council may pursue road reclassiﬁcation, which Council will progress as a priority.

An update was also provided on access to Jenolan Caves via the Two Mile Road, including recent progress toward reopening. The current projection is for the road to reopen in late 2026, with Jenolan Caves anticipated to reopen in early 2027.

Councils Ordinary General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 21 April at Oberon Council Chambers with a number of business items to be considered. These include signiﬁcant community submissions in relation to Draft Housing, Employment Lands and Open Space Strategy which was exhibited over the last month. Submissions were received principally in relation to O'Connell and Oberon. There is a considerable diversity of opinion on smaller lot development in these localities.

l have also raised a motion to seek legal opinion and/or obtain advice from other Councils with legal opinion on deﬁning appropriate Business subcategories for rating renewable projects, should they proceed. There is also the question of how and who pays to segment that land off, on which infrastructure for those projects is located, from surrounding Farmland.

Due to escalating fuel prices and emerging supply risks resulting from the current macro-economic environment Council staff have undertaken a review of Council's fuel usage, costs, budgetary impacts and business continuity arrangements which will be considered at the meeting.

Council will also consider a paper from its Technical Services Director on textile recycling at the Oberon Waste Facility so that textiles are kept out of landﬁll and are recycled. It is proposed that this will initially be a 12 month trial.

Andrew McKibbin
Mayor