Council Services

Council has a number of services as detailed below. Walcha Council is a progressive rural Council that is responsible for the maintenance of a road network of some 1,150 kilometers.

Council provides the agency for Service NSW (formerly RTA/RMS).

The Council maintains water, sewerage, garbage, and recycling services. The Council employs approximately 55 staff plus a number of contractors.

As part of the Council’s objective of developing the distinctiveness of Walcha, Council embarked on a project to develop the town as an Open Air Gallery. A number of major works of public art have been established in and around the town and we invite you to take the Open Air Gallery to walk – to download the brochure and map jump onto our Tourism website link and scroll down. It is a must-see whilst visiting Walcha.

The Council also operates an extremely comprehensive branch of the Central Northern Regional Library which provides computer and Internet services and carries over 3,000 books at any one time.

The local swimming pool is heated and is open from November to March.

Walcha is a very picturesque town. The beautification of the town is a priority of the Council with many thousands of trees having been planted over a number of years. Council is also responsible for the establishment of several very attractive town parks which entice many travelers to break their journey and spend some time in Walcha.

The Walcha Council maintains an aerodrome with a main gravel strip and grass cross strip in ‘tip top’ condition. The RAAF use the gravel strip on a regular basis for training exercises for their pilots (usually at night).

The Walcha community is very supportive of its residents and district – this is shown clearly by the number of organizations that are running at any one time. When times are tough the residents get behind one another and show a united front.

The Council has common boundaries with the Councils of Armidale Regional, Uralla, Tamworth Regional, Upper Hunter, Mid-Coast, Hastings, and Kempsey.

Large tracts of our Local Government area (approximately 234,000 hectares or 37%) are non-rateable, these being mainly State Forests (96,000 hectares) and existing and proposed National Parks (138,000 hectares). Approximately 406,000 hectares are being utilized for agricultural pursuits.

Contact Details

Clr Adam Iuston

First Elected to Council on 14 September 2024.

 

Clr Rachel Greig

First Elected to Council on 14 September 2024

 

Clr Anne-Marie Pointing

First Elected to Council on 04 December 2021.

Clr Pointing is a member of the Walcha Council Beautification Advisory Committee and Council’s representation on the Walcha Centre Managment Committee (MPC).

 

Clr Eric Noakes

First Elected to Council on 10 September 2016.

Elected as Mayor on 28 September 2016, re-elected unopposed on
22 December 2021 and re-elected unopposed on 9 October 2024.

Councillor Noakes is Council’s Delelgate on the following Committees:

  • Country Mayors Association of NSW (CMA)
  • Walcha Local Health Committee

And is also a member of the following Council Committees:

  • Walcha Council Riverview Clinical Governance Committee
  • Walcha Council Aboriginal Advisory Committee
  • Walcha Council Capital Review Committee
  • Walcha Council General Manager’s Performance Review Committee

First Elected to Council on 14 September 2024.

Elected as Deputy Mayor on 9 October 2024.

 

Clr Hyde Thomson

First Elected to Council on 14 September 2024.

 

Clr Gary Olrich

First elected to Council on 14 September 2024.

Councillor Olrich is a member of the following Council Committees:

  • Walcha Council Community Care Committee
  • Walcha Motorcyle Rally Advisory Committee
  • Walcha Council Capital Review Committee

Contact Details

Walcha Council
Phone: 02 6774 2500
E – golrich@walcha.nsw.gov.au

Clr Stephen McCoy

First elected to Council on 14 September 2024.

Clr McCoy has been elected to:

  • Walcha Council’s General Manager’s Performance Review Committee; and
  • Walcha Council’s Capital Review Committee

 

He is also Council’s representative on the Mid North Weight of Loads Group.

E – smccoy@walcha.nsw.gov.au