Local Government Week 2026
Published on 31 July 2026
From the water flowing through household taps to the roads connecting rural properties, much of Council’s work forms part of everyday life without always being noticed.
Local Government Week, running from Monday 3 August to Sunday 9 August 2026, provides an opportunity to recognise the wide range of services Upper Hunter Shire Council delivers and the people who keep them operating.
Across more than 8,000 square kilometres, Council maintains approximately 1,770 kilometres of roads and 155 bridges and major culverts. It also manages extensive water and sewer networks totalling over 420km in length, waste facilities, public libraries, swimming pools, youth centres, early childhood services, community halls, parks and recreational spaces.
Council’s responsibilities also include planning and building services, environmental protection, emergency management, animal management, food safety inspections, tourism services and major regional facilities including Scone Regional Airport, White Park, the Regional Livestock Selling Centre.
Mayor Maurice Collison said Local Government Week was an important reminder of how closely Council’s work is connected to the daily lives of residents.
“Council’s work is there when you turn on a tap, drive to work, borrow a library book, visit a swimming pool, take your children to care or use one of our parks and sporting facilities,” Mayor Collison said.
“Many of these services operate quietly in the background, but they are essential to the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities.
“Local Government Week gives us an opportunity to show the scale of what Council manages and to recognise the people working behind the scenes to deliver these services.”
Council’s workforce includes engineers, plant operators, water and sewer staff, early childhood educators, librarians, planners, building surveyors, environmental specialists, waste and resource recovery staff, customer service officers, finance staff, tradespeople and many other professions.
Together, they maintain infrastructure, operate community facilities, assess applications, support local events, respond to emergencies and deliver services across Scone, Aberdeen, Merriwa, Murrurundi and the many villages and rural communities throughout the Shire.
“Delivering such a broad range of services across a large rural area brings significant challenges,” Mayor Collison said.
“Our employees cover long distances, maintain ageing infrastructure, respond when unexpected issues arise and carefully prioritise how Council’s limited resources are used.
“They also work hard to secure grants and develop partnerships that help deliver projects and services for our community.”
Throughout Local Government Week, Council will feature several of it’s employees on Facebook, providing residents with an opportunity to learn more about their roles, experiences and the work they undertake.
Mayor Collison also acknowledged the contribution of Council volunteers, community committees, local organisations and residents who provide feedback and participate in community consultation.
“Strong local government depends on Council and the community communicating and working together,” Mayor Collison said.
“We appreciate everyone who reports an issue, provides feedback, participates in consultation or contributes their time to improving their community.
“I encourage residents to follow Upper Hunter Shire Council’s Facebook page throughout Local Government Week and learn more about the people behind the services our communities rely on every day.”