General News
20 August, 2025
New pool funding!
Federal government announces $14 million in funding for the Hunter Park Multi-Purpose Youth and Recreation Precinct.
Gilgandra Shire Council is celebrating a transformative milestone, with the Albanese government announcing $14 million in funding for the Hunter Park Multi-Purpose Youth and Recreation Precinct.
The project will consolidate youth, sporting, and social facilities into a modern hub featuring the long-awaited upgrade of the town pool.
The funding, one of 15 projects supported in the latest round of the $400 million Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program (rPPP), was announced by senator for NSW Deborah O’Neill last week. For Gilgandra Shire Council’s mayor Doug Batten, the news was nothing short of thrilling. “On top of the world, that’s how I feel,” mayor Batten said with a smile. “It’s a fantastic announcement. We’ve been applying for various grants, and to finally secure this level of support means our community can look forward to facilities that will last for generations.”
The Hunter Park Precinct has been a priority for council for years, but like many regional towns, Gilgandra’s aging infrastructure made progress difficult. The current youth club which houses the town’s basketball courts, gymnasium, and hosts the local breakfast club - has long been patched and repaired, but is now at the end of its usable life.
“Like a lot of communities, our infrastructure has reached the stage where major replacement is needed,” mayor Batten explained.
“Over the years we’ve done little additions and patch-up work, but this funding will finally allow us to deliver something new, modern, and fit-for-purpose. It’s been a long time coming.” The federal government’s support, he said, gives council breathing space to focus on improving quality of life for families and young people.
The precinct is planned in two stages with completion targeted for 2027.
• Stage One – The Pool: a brand new pool with ramps and stairs for accessibility, learn-to-swim and splash pools, upgraded tennis courts and amenities, and expanded parking. The new pool will allow Gilgandra to host competitive swimming meets.
• Stage Two – Youth and Sport: a state-of-the-art youth centre, a commercial kitchen and café space, a new gym, and a two-court indoor sports hall with tiered seating. This will open doors for all-weather basketball and netball, expand the Windmill Carnival, and give Gilgandra the chance to host regional competitions. The breakfast club, which feeds up to 30 school children daily, will also move into the new facility.
The project will be built with strong input from local sporting and community groups including the Gilgandra Basketball Association, tennis club, the amateur swimming club, and learn to swim programs. Council itself will contribute $2 million, bringing the total project value to around $16 million.
Beyond sport and recreation, the precinct is being designed to foster community wellbeing and future growth. The site will also co-locate essential youth, housing and homelessness services, with the aim of creating a safe, accessible and supportive hub for families.
The project aligns with council’s Towards 5000 Strategy, which seeks to grow Gilgandra’s population by attracting families and workers from larger centres through liveability, infrastructure and job opportunities.
Mayor Batten highlighted the economic benefits. “This isn’t just about a pool or a basketball court - it’s about creating a hub that makes Gilgandra more attractive to families, more sustainable for the future, and better equipped to deliver services,” he said.
Senator O’Neill congratulated council on its persistence and vision. “This is a wonderful outcome for Gilgandra, and will be an important asset for the local community for years to come,” she said.
“Congratulations to the council for their work in pursuing this proposal and making the case for this investment on behalf of all Australians.”
Minister for regional development and local government, Kristy McBain, said the funding shows the Albanese government is serious about investing west of the mountains.
“Our investments are creating jobs, building opportunity and unlocking economic growth and productivity in regional Australia,” she said.
“The Hunter Park Sports Precinct will provide long-term benefits by delivering infrastructure that makes regional towns more liveable and more resilient.” For mayor Batten, the announcement is also a rare chance to thank Canberra.
“In rural areas we often complain that Labor governments don’t look west of the mountains,” he said.
“Well, this shows they do; and we’re very grateful. This project will change lives in Gilgandra.”
As the funding has come as a shock, Gilgandra Shire Council will now need to change their short-term planning direction to encompass the building of the sports precinct.
Funding for this facility doesn’t include any additions to the existing playground area in Hunter Park itself, and the development will be situated in the vicinity of the current tennis and pool sites.
This is the second lot of good news for the council in the past fortnight, having also won two awards at the Local Government Awards in Sydney.
For now, the mood in Gilgandra Shire Council is clear: celebration, relief, and excitement about what’s to come for the community.
