Hilltops Council

09/06/2026

Council advises that a water main break has occurred and is currently impacting the following locations: Back Creek Road, Normoyle Crescent, Tadros Avenue, Gold Court and Settlers Place.

Our Water and Sewer team is on site and are working to repair the main. The water is expected to be restored by 2pm. We apologise for any inconvenience.

08/06/2026

🩺 Need health advice but not sure where to start?

1800MEDICARE is a free, 24/7 national health service available to everyone in Australia. Whether you're unsure if you need medical attention, have a non-emergency health concern, or need help finding local health services, support is just a phone call away.

📞 Call 1800 633 422 to speak with a registered nurse anytime, day or night.

You can also access health information and helpful tools through the 1800MEDICARE website and
✔️ Symptom Checker
✔️ Medicines Information
✔️ Electronic Prescriptions
✔️ Active Script List

The service is especially valuable for people living in rural and regional areas, those without a regular GP, or anyone needing health advice outside normal business hours.

✅ No Medicare card is required.

Accessibility options are also available for people who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, have speech or communication difficulties, or speak a language other than English.

Find out more at: www.medicare.gov.au/1800

05/06/2026

📢 WE'RE HIRING | Customer Service & Information Officer

📍 Harden (up to 3 days per week) & Young (up to 2 days per week)
⏳ Temporary Full-Time | Maternity Leave Relief (up to 6 months)

Hilltops Council is seeking a friendly, professional and customer-focused Customer Service & Information Officer to join our supportive Corporate & Community team.

As the first point of contact for Council, you'll assist community members and stakeholders with enquiries, service requests, GIPA requests and transactions while delivering exceptional customer service.

💰 Salary: $66,000 – $73,000 p.a. + allowances + 12% Super

✅ Local Government State Award conditions
✅ Fitness Passport
✅ Annual flu vaccinations
✅ Regular wellbeing initiatives
✅ Structured training and career development opportunities
✅ Great work-life balance

If you enjoy helping people, thrive in a busy environment and want to make a positive difference in your local community, we'd love to hear from you.

📅 Applications close: Midnight, Sunday 21 June 2026

Learn more and apply today: www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au/council/current-vacancies/

05/06/2026

🏆🍒 Fantastic news for our community!

At the recent 2026 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards in Sydney, Hilltops Council won the Festivals and Community Events (Population Under 50,000) category for our Multicultural Cherry Fiesta! 🎉

This award was contested by a strong field of finalists from across NSW, including major events such as the Parkes Elvis Festival, Flavours of Mudgee and the Festival of Mosman, and recognises the incredible teamwork behind the event, from Council staff and volunteers to local businesses, community groups, and residents.

Held as part of the 2025 National Cherry Festival which generated an estimated $1.78 million for the local economy, the Multicultural Cherry Fiesta celebrated the cultural diversity of our region 🍒🌏💰

Even more exciting, the event has secured additional funding and will return again this year! 🙌

A huge congratulations and thank you to Council staff, volunteers, community groups, and event partners whose hard work made this award-winning event possible. This achievement belongs to our entire Hilltops community 👏🏆❤️

Pictured: Mayor Brian Ingram and Acting General Manager, Sarah Karaitiana accepting the award on behalf of Hilltops Council.

04/06/2026

Transport for NSW Media Release (2 June 2026) - Safety improvements continue on Lachlan Valley Way

Work to deliver another $1.1 million in safety improvements on Lachlan Valley Way
will start next week between the Hume Highway and Cowra.

This is in addition to more than $2 million in safety improvement work completed or under way along the route, including 18 kilometres of safety barriers and 80
kilometres of enhanced centre lines already installed.

Each project forms part of a combined $18 million investment under the State
Government’s Towards Zero Safer Roads Program, which is delivering safety
improvements across the entire 119-kilometre length of Lachlan Valley Way.

Transport for NSW Executive Director Brendon James said this latest work will
involve installing 185 kilometres of audio tactile line marking, known as rumble
strips, and more than 7200 reflective markers between the Hume Highway and
Cowra.

“This work on Lachlan Valley Way will go a long way to improve safety on this vital
connection between the south west slopes of NSW and the major ports of
Melbourne and Sydney via the Hume Highway,” Mr James said.

“These safety upgrades will help create a safer, more reliable road and help
motorists reach their destination without incident.”

Work is expected to start on Monday 8 June and be completed by the end of July,
weather permitting. Single lane closures, traffic control, and reduced speed limits
of 40 km/h will be in place during work.

Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions, allow an extra five minutes’ travel
time and follow the directions of signs and traffic control.

Transport for NSW will keep the community updated as work progresses, including
further safety barrier installations planned for later this year, which are also part of
the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program that aims to deliver sustainable, long-term
reductions in road trauma through upgrades to the existing road network.

Transport for NSW thanks motorists for their patience while work is carried out on
these important safety upgrades.

For the latest traffic updates, download the Live Traffic NSW app, visit livetraffic.com or call 132 701.

Media contact: (02) 9462 6299

Live updates, traveller information and personalised alerts for NSW roads.

04/06/2026

Media Release: Have Your Say on the Future of Hilltops Tourism

Hilltops Council's Destination and Economy team is calling on business owners and community groups across the Hilltops region to help shape the future of local tourism. Accommodation providers, retailers, hospitality operators, arts and entertainment businesses, and community organisations are all encouraged to attend a series of free workshops being held across the region in the coming weeks.

The workshops are being held to gather community input into the development of the Hilltops Regional Tourism Plan 2035, and sessions are scheduled as follows:

• Thursday 11 June, 7:30am–9am - The Barnes Store, Murrumburrah
• Thursday 25 June, 6pm–8pm - Ex-Services Club, Boorowa
• Thursday 9 July, 5.30pm–7:30pm - Young Services Club, Young
• Thursday 16 July, 9am–11am - Wombat Café, Wombat

We want our towns and villages to have a say on their future and how we say it.

Tourism plays a vital role in the economic health of the Hilltops region, sustaining hospitality and retail businesses, creating local employment, and generating revenue across our towns and villages. The region is well placed to capitalise on the growing agritourism market, with visitors increasingly seeking authentic farm-gate experiences, regional events, and rural lifestyle - all of which Hilltops delivers in abundance.

The workshops are being delivered in the context of the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 (VES2035), developed by Destination NSW as the State Government's roadmap for growing the visitor economy over the next decade. VES2035 sets ambitious targets, including $91 billion in annual visitor expenditure, 40,000 new hotel rooms, 8.5 million additional airline seats, and 150,000 new jobs by 2035. Hilltops Council is working alongside its Southern Tablelands LGA partners to align regional tourism with this framework.

The Digital Landscape

The workshops will also address the rapidly evolving digital environment, with nbn presenting on the future rollout of digital access across the region. With data usage forecast to increase tenfold, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence, understanding and adapting to these changes will be increasingly important for local businesses.

Workshop Partners

The workshops are sponsored by nbn in partnership with HRDC, Boorowa Business Chamber, and the Young Business Network, in collaboration with Destination Southern NSW and Destination NSW.

Register Your Interest

Contact the Destination and Economy team to register: [email protected]
All workshops are free to attend and open to tourism operators, small business owners, and anyone interested in the future of the Hilltops visitor economy.

To learn more about VES2035, visit NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2035 | Destination NSW.

-Ends-

Media enquiries - Hilltops Council 1300 445 586

04/06/2026

Mayor Brian Ingram - 2 June 2026

03/06/2026

On behalf of Riverina Local Land Services

🌳🚜 Trees, tech and trials – curious about how trees and new tech can work on your farm? Join us for this hands-on paddock walk exploring practical tree plantings and the latest in drone technology.

Hear directly from local landholders, learn what works (and what doesn’t), and see how tools like drone seeding and spraying could improve productivity - especially in tricky or less productive areas. You'll discover:

✅ tree planting tips and species selection
✅ drone tech for seeding and spraying
✅ real on-farm insights and lessons learned

📍 Memagong (near Young)
🗓️ Tuesday 9 June, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
👉 Register now: https://bit.ly/4tJlvGl

This event is proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Local Land Services under the Net Zero Plan Stage 1 (2020-2030).

03/06/2026

The draft Rye Park Community Plan is now on public exhibition! 📣🌱🙋‍♀️

This is an opportunity for the Rye Park Community to Have Your Say.

At the Ordinary Council Meeting on 27 May 2026, the Council endorsed the draft Rye Park Community Plan to be placed on public exhibition.

Developed in partnership with the Rye Park Progress Association, the draft plan showcases the Rye Park Village and identifies community-oriented projects that residents believe would be of benefit to their village.

To view the draft plan, and to have your say on the document, visit www.hilltops.nsw.gov.au/council/have-your-say/

Submissions are open until 5pm 1 July 2026. All feedback will be considered before the plan is adopted.

Council would like to thank the Rye Park community for their input and commitment towards the plan's development.

03/06/2026

Fireworks Notification – Saturday 6 June 🎆

Council has been advised by SafeWork NSW that a fireworks display will take place this Saturday night, 6 June 2026 in Wombat.

📍 Location: Wagenbah Oval - Rose Street, Wombat
🕖 Time: Between 6.00pm and 7:00 PM

Wombat residents, please remember to keep your furry friends safe and secure during this time 🐾

This display is part of a pre-approved event and has been authorised by SafeWork NSW.

🔎 SafeWork NSW regulates fireworks across the state. If you’re planning a display, a permit is required. To view approved fireworks in your area, visit:
https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/fireworks-display