The Coalition has announced $100m to improve mobile phone reception for natural disaster prone areas, major transport routes and small rural communities.   

This certainly may help improve reception, however the funding seems to be a 50:50 situation with matching funding required from other sources to construct towers etc.   

What needs to be remembered, particularly for farmers on properties who need coverage in their paddocks is that there is a lot of difference between the number of people reached statewide by current reception and the area covered.   

Large areas of rural NSW do not have reliable reception and any promised improvements need to address this discrepancy.   

Our federal seat of Parkes covers such an enormous area that is really physically impossible for one member to adequately represent the area.   

Sadly the state seat of Barwon is also becoming much larger in area with a legislative change required to consider the area involved, and not just population, when setting the boundaries of rural seats.

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Well over 100 motor bikes and their riders roared into Nyngan last Saturday afternoon, coming from Sydney and Canberra.   

Members of the local Lions Club rolled up their sleeves and gave them a delicious roast dinner at the Riverside Caravan Park prior to them heading for Broken Hill on Sunday and there joining other interstate riders to wind up in Alice Springs.    

The Black Dog ride is to raise awareness about depression, mental illness and to encourage people to contact help by phoning “Lifeline”.   

One of their leaders told me they already had $270,000 promised before they even left Sydney. 

It is good to know that they like to make Nyngan their first stop and the Lions Club deserves a big pat on the back for the meal and the welcome.

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Council welcomes Mr Luke Taberner to its staff as the new manager of Corporate Services.  

Luke comes to us with a lot of experience in the financial management of local government and we look forward to his future involvement with Bogan Shire Council.

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We have nearly finished the extensive renovations needed to be made to the flat at the back of the Old Ambulance Station behind Nyngan’s Men Shed. 

  We intend to enter into a long-term lease with the NSW Police and with a couple of local police officers ready to move in.  

We are pleased to be able to assist local police with quality accommodation.

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The fine weather has enabled Council to catch up a bit on its maintenance grading and gravel resheeting program during recent weeks.   

We have taken on board reliable feedback from residents along Colane Road so the 10km of gravel resheeting planned by the shire this year for the road can target the most needed areas.   

Ten kilometres of resheeting is also under way along Merryanbone Road, which has been badly damaged during recent wet weather.   

Five kilometres of Colane Road is planned to be sealed next month which will push the sealed distance of this road from Nyngan to more than 50kms.   

We have obtained another repair grant from the state government so 2kms will be sealed on the Hermidale-Nymagee road this year.

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We invite anyone interested in our Heritage Park to come along on Thursday at  11am when we will be planting trees along either side of the path from the old railway gates to the centre of the park helped by some school students, Garden Club members and seniors.

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Nyngan Palais Theatre had its walls shaking again last week with another very successful charity community concert.   

Angie White and her band of dedicated helpers from WSPA organised and guided an evening that enabled a host of local talented people to perform in ways unique to their concerts. 

It was enjoyed by all who attended.  

 The large amount of money raised by these concerts to aid local community groups puts even more gold stars on the program and its participants.