Mayoral Column - Wednesday 13 January 2021

Visitor numbers still high

While the recent border closures caused some disruption as Victorians quickly headed for home, our region was fortunate not to be as severely impacted as our friends on the Far South Coast. We’ve experienced yet another bumper weekend in the region with cyclists, hikers and water sport loving visitors enjoying all of the great attractions and activities on offer. The influx of visitors is fantastic for our local businesses and tourism operators, however, I once again remind everyone to remain alert to following COVID-19 safe guidelines. This will help us to ensure that our region remains open for visitors and safe for our community. For the latest updates and advice on COVID-19 see the NSW Health website.

Australia Day Awards and Events

Plans are underway for Australia Day events taking place throughout our region. The events for Jindabyne and Cooma are scheduled for Australia Day itself, while the Bombala event will take place on Saturday 23 January, coinciding with the Australia Day Wool Festival. For further information visit www.snowymonaro.nsw.gov.au/759/Australia-Day. Details for additional community/local events will also be added to this page closer to Australia Day.

Council Meeting

A reminder that there is no Council meeting this month. The next meeting is scheduled for 18 February 2021 in Bombala. One of the key discussion topics at the last meeting was the Rural Land Use Strategy. While no changes were agreed at the last meeting, the feedback period remains open until 1 February 2021 and I encourage all residents to become familiar with the proposals and have their say. While I don’t believe this matter will be resolved in the short-term I assure you this remains a priority for Council and we are open to all feedback and suggestions.

School Holiday Youth Program

Over the next week our Youth Team will offer a variety of free programs throughout the region for young people aged 12 to 17 years. Activities include mountain biking, skatepark sessions and pop-up cinemas. For more information see www.snowymonaro.nsw.gov.au/710/School-Holiday-Programs.

Bushfire Preparedness

In closing I’d once again like to remind everyone of the need to be prepared for the coming bushfire season. While we are hopeful that this season will not be anything like the last, the spring rains brought considerable growth to our region, so I urge everyone to ensure they are as best prepared as possible. Get ready now – don’t leave it until the last minute. Information is available at www.rfs.nsw.gov.au

Councillor Peter Beer Mayor of Snowy Monaro Regional Council