This week's Minute with Mayor McKibbin

September 3, 2026

Published August 27, 2026

The announcement by the Federal Government of $100m to Victoria Pass to build the additional eastbound climbing lane up Victoria pass is welcomed by Oberon and the whole Central West. The NSW Government's commitment of $100million to build the new deck/bridge above Mitchell's causeway will now be extended to include this new lane with the Commonwealth's $100 million contribution. The timeline for the project completion remains unchanged being quarter two in 2027. Oberon and The Central West Joint Organisation have advocated for this third lane since the Victoria Pass was closed due to the structural integrity of Mitchell's Causeway becoming an issue in early March 2026.

Motorists, tourists, freight operators and our communities appreciate the commitment of the State and Federal Governments to this project, noting that it is the key transport route to the eastern seaboard for the Central West and a signiﬁcant enabling link for the NSW economy.

Our freight operators, timber industries and tourist businesses have been signiﬁcantly impacted ﬁnancially and logistically by the Victoria Pass closure so the faster the restoration can occur with the additional eastbound lane the better. The small contribution to businesses affected by the closure in Oberon from the NSW Government, whilst appreciated, goes nowhere near compensating for the totality of the impact on those businesses.

On Saturday 15th August the Oberon Citizen Science Network (OCSN) held its Exhibition and Expert talks/presentations at the Malachi Gilmore Hall in Oberon. It was an eye-opening event to understand the extent of biodiversity within our region from platypus to Great Gliders and the effects of human activities including native tree de-afforestation and climate change on these populations. The effect of windfarms on native bird life and acoustically on fauna was also discussed. Over 70 people enrolled for the presentations.

The Burraga Sheep Show and Fair will be held on Saturday 29th August. This is a long standing community event for the whole family that keeps agricultural traditions and rural skills such as shearing, wool handling and sheepdog work alive for current and future generations. In addition to the traditional sheep show activities there will be a vintage car display, mechanical bucking bull and ute show all followed with a dance at the Burraga Hall at 7pm. Chezzi and Grant Denyer will be Burraga's special guests for this event.

Andrew McKibbin
Mayor