Council secures additional $2.2 million towards local roads and community infrastructure in Goondiwindi Region

Goondiwindi Regional Council has secured more than $2.2 million from the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant (LRCI) for local road improvements and social infrastructure projects across the Goondiwindi Region.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM said the priority of the approved projects will be the maintenance and replacement of aging public infrastructure.

In particular, priority has been given to aging local water and sewerage infrastructure, replacing of wild dog fencing, improvement to Talwood street drainage, new cycleway and footpaths, and improvements to the Goondiwindi aerodrome.

Additional approved projects in the pipeline include improvements to the Talwood Recreation Grounds and upgrades to the Goondiwindi tennis courts.

Altogether, 12 projects across the region will receive funding – from Talwood in the west right through to Inglewood and Texas in the east. The projects range from $15,000 to $900,000 and will support a broad range of local jobs across the whole region.

“Council has determined that this particular funding will be heavily focused on replacing water infrastructure in Inglewood and Texas in particular,” the Mayor said. “It will also fund some other much-needed projects identified in consultation with the community, such as improvements to the drainage in Recreation Street in Talwood.

“I know all of these projects will be valuable to these communities for many years to come.”

Council will announce individual details of the LRCI-funded projects in the coming months.

Cr Springborg said Council’s success in securing external funding would increase the scope of its Budget for additional projects across the region.

“By successfully funding these projects externally, we can maximise the ratepayer dollar for other projects while keeping costs minimal,” he said. “Service is Council’s core business, and prioritising projects that extend the life of our assets and that can ensure we deliver quality services is essential.”

Cr Springborg was also positive that the approved projects would deliver lasting economic benefits to the Goondiwindi Region.

“The facility and infrastructure upgrades supported by this grant will not only benefit our communities in the long-term, but they’ll also provide an immediate economic stimulus in the short-term and help support local jobs, services and suppliers in our region,” he said.

The latest round of funding brings the total external investment in the Goondiwindi Region through the LRCI program to almost $4,400,000 since 2020.

The program has already funded a number of significant projects within the region, including recent refurbishments of the Goondiwindi Swimming Pool, the Macintyre Sports Centre in Inglewood and Cement Mills Hall.