Mayor Beresford’s March 2025 Council Meeting Wrap-up

The monthly Council meeting for March was held last Tuesday 18th March and covered a wide range of subjects across all areas of Council’s operations. Below are a few highlights from the meeting, however, to obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au  where the agenda and minutes of all Council meetings are posted.  

Community Grant Approvals

Eulo Hostel Association – grant of $2,500 and waiver of Eulo Hall fees for trivia night Cunnamulla Fishing & Restocking Club – grant of $2,500 towards the annual Labour Day Weekend fishing competition Eulo Development Association – waiver of hire fees for Eulo Hall for meetings Cunnamulla RSL Sub-branch – grant of $3,300 towards Anzac and Remembrance Days.

ALGA NGA Assembly

Council approved submitting three motions to the National General Assembly of the Australian Local Government Association to be held in Canberra later this year. The motions relate to an increased level of subsidy for small, aged care facilities, a review of regulations governing day care centres in rural and remote communities and the introduction of a compulsory Code of Conduct for the Australian Carbon Farming Industry. These motions are being put forward as the issues they address impact a large number of local government areas.

Funding Applications

Council resolved to submit an application under the Remote Jobs & Economic Development program to create a new position for an indigenous tourism trainee at the Cunnamulla Visitor Centre.     The application to install solar PV systems at the Council Depot, Shire Hall/VIC and Library has been approved at a total cost of $141,441 of which 50% will be funded by the federal government. This project will commence once the funding agreement has been finalised.

Tenders

The results of tenders considered for the January 2024 flood event, Cunnamulla Pool and John Kerr Park Master Plans and the purchase of two Prime Movers are as follows:

RFT 2025-001 Russell’s Grader Hire P/L for granular pavement material procurement for the north zone RFT 2025-002 Tuckwell Transport & Earthmoving P/L granular pavement material procurement for the south zone RFT 2025-003 Russell’s Grader Hire P/L flood damaged roads restoration in the north zone RFT 2025-004 Tuckwell Transport & Earthmoving P/L flood damaged roads restoration in the south-west zone RFT 2025-005 Schmidt Contracting P/L flood damaged roads restoration in the south-east zone RFQ 2025-001 Fulton Trotter Architects P/L master plans for the Cunnamulla Pool and John Kerr Park complexes RFQ 2025-003 Brown & Hurley Group Toowoomba to supply and deliver two new 97 tonne Kenworth road train rated prime movers.

Fleet Monitoring System

Council resolved to award a contract for PSCRFQ Fleet Tracking Upgrade to Manage My Fleet to supply and install 55 Geotab Go, 9 Devices and 15 Geotab Satellite Devices. Council’s previous fleet monitoring system Navman became obsolete following the shutdown of Telstra’s 3G network. The new software will have a vast variety of functions that will improve Council’s accountability, liability protections, maintenance and safety.

Wild Dog & Pest Control

Aerial baiting dates have been confirmed with Southwest Air Services and will occur from 26 – 30 May 2025. SQ Landscapes has advised that an aerial shoot conducted along the Paroo River and adjoining properties resulted in a total of 1,398 feral pigs and 12 feral cats being destroyed. Council continues to utilise and provide biocontrol measures to assist in the control of noxious cactus varieties as outbreaks are identified.

To obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au where the agenda and minutes of all Council meetings are posted. To subscribe to the eNewsletter group click on News & Events then click on Newsletters and sign up.

Contacting Council – should residents wish to contact Council regarding any matter, whether it’s an enquiry, reporting an issue, making a suggestion or lodging a complaint, please use the email [email protected]