This week's Minute with Mayor McKibbin

May 28, 2026

Oberon Council, as with other Councils and businesses, is continually evaluating the increased cost pressures on its expenses and 2026-27 budget resulting from the US-Iran war. The increase in fuel costs is the most obvious on Council and contractors but the availability and price of bitumen, PVC pipe, Polythene pipe and chemical containers for purchased chemicals are all affected.

Minister Tara Moriarty, whose ministerial portfolio includes Agriculture and forestry, visited Oberon to meet with forestry industry representatives from Borg, AKD and Forestry Corporation together with the Central West Forestry Hub. Industry was able to explain to the Minister the signiﬁcant increases in costs and logistic challenges caused by the closure of the Great Western Highway. The major transport routes suitable for trucks from Lithgow require going backwards at Lithgow to the Jenolan Caves Road or travelling west to Kelso and then turning southeast on O'Connell Rd back to Oberon. These routes add 35 km to 60 km. Truck deliveries to the Sydney region are taking 1 to 1.5 hours longer meaning in many cases where a truck driver could do 2 deliveries a day now only one is possible. Companies have been attempting to recruit additional drivers with limited success. There is concern about the current state of Scenic Hill on Chiﬂey Road rising from Lithgow to the Bells Line of Road and Darling Causeway for trucks, noting over 70 have been towed and there have been several accidents. The risk will be exacerbated with the onset of winter with cold, icy and wet conditions affecting traction on this steep ascent/descent. Increased costs for some companies are currently in the order of $200,000 per week. The effect on Oberon's tourist industry, including associated food/hospitality businesses, has been dramatic with tourists perceiving they have to drive backwards to reach Oberon from Sydney. Whilst neighbouring Councils received modest $15,000 contributions to tourist marketing from the NSW Government, Oberon did not. The extent of damage to Oberon businesses needs to be appreciated by our governments.

Oberon is also being impacted by the closure of Jenolan Caves. Current projections are that access via Edith Rd will open at the end of calendar 2026 and the Caves should open early 2027. The daily number of vehicles accessing the caves via The Two Mile Rd, being the ﬁnal section of Edith Rd, will be limited and will not be anywhere near the potential visitor capacity of the caves. Accessing via a cablecar/gondolas is being considered by the NSW Government if the Five Mile, being the ﬁnal section of Jenolan Caves Rd before the caves, is not reopened due the geologically unstable terrain over which it traverses. Oberon Council fully supports this option and hopes for a ﬁnal positive decision to commence construction on the gondola/cablecars imminently.

Andrew McKibbin
Mayor