Palerang Council
Encyclopedia
The Palerang Council is a Local Government Area (LGA) in the Southern Tablelands
Region of New South Wales
, Australia
. It is on the Kings Highway
and the Sydney
-Canberra
railway.
The shire is named after Mount Palerang, one of the highest points in the Council's area. Palerang Council is predominantly rural and extends to Lake George in the north, the Tallaganda State Forest in the south, Queanbeyan
to the west and the Morton
and Budawang National Park
s to the east.
The towns governed by the Palerang Council are Bungendore
, Braidwood
and Captains Flat
, the outlying villages of Araluen
, Mongarlowe, Majors Creek
and Nerriga
, and the areas of Wamboin, Burra
, Bywong, Hoskinstown, Rossi, Boro
and parts of Carwoola and Sutton
.
It was formed in February 2004 when Tallaganda Shire was amalgamated with most of Yarrowlumla Shire
and small parts of Gunning Shire and Mulwaree Shire. It has struggled financially since its inception, which has led Council to seek a special rate increase in 2006. The Council also sought to reduce expenditure in some areas. This resulted in a controversial plan to close the shire's swimming pools, later overturned as a result of public protest. The ongoing crisis has led to proposals for the council's dissolution, possibly merging much of the area with Queanbeyan City Council. This proposal has lacked popular support with a petition failing to gain the necessary 250 signatures required before it could be sent to the NSW Minister for Local Government.
In March 2006 Palerang declared itself a genetic engineering (GE)-free zone by passing a motion http://www.palerang.nsw.gov.au/files/2874/File/mins2006_03_23.pdf that it
1) Support the NSW bans that are in force until 2008;
2) Oppose the introduction of GE organisms until they have been proven to be safe for human health and the environment;
3) Request the Federal Government to introduce legislation requiring adequate food labeling which shows the GE content of all ingredients; and
4) Ensure that, in the event that any food is provided by Palerang Council for, canteens, catering units, crèches, kindergartens, meals on wheels, community health centres, community halls, libraries, neighbourhood houses, senior citizens, family day carers, hospitals, swimming pools, at markets, kiosks, it is GE – free.
In 2007 Palerang declared itself to be a nuclear-free zone.
Nine councillors were elected at the 13 September 2008 elections. The new councillors elected were Paul Cockram, Howard Croizer, Richard Graham, Judith Miller, Judith Turley, while the re-elected councillors were Terry Bransdon, Ian Marjason, Catherine Moore, and Walter Raynolds. At their first meeting, the councillors elected Cr Marjason as Mayor and Cr Moore as Deputy Mayor for a period of one year. The Council's General Manager is Peter Bascomb.
At its September 2009 meeting Council elected Cr Walter Raynolds as Mayor and Cr Richard Graham as Deputy Mayor. They were re-elected in September 2010.
Southern Tablelands
The Southern Tablelands is a geographic area of the State of New South Wales, Australia. This area is located west of the Great Dividing Range.The area is characterised by flat country which has generally been extensively cleared and used for grazing purposes...
Region of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is on the Kings Highway
Kings Highway, Australia
The Kings Highway connects Canberra and Batemans Bay. It starts at the junction with the Monaro Highway on Canberra Avenue in the Australian Capital Territory crossing over the border into New South Wales near Queanbeyan, passing through Queanbeyan itself, briefly crossing back into the Kowen...
and the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
-Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
railway.
The shire is named after Mount Palerang, one of the highest points in the Council's area. Palerang Council is predominantly rural and extends to Lake George in the north, the Tallaganda State Forest in the south, Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan, New South Wales
Queanbeyan is a regional centre in the Southern Tablelands in south-eastern New South Wales adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory. The city's mixed economy is based on light construction, high technology, manufacturing, service, retail and agriculture. It is the council seat of the...
to the west and the Morton
Morton National Park
Morton is a national park in New South Wales , 170 km southwest of Sydney.The most notable attractions are the Fitzroy Falls, just off the main road from the Highlands to Kangaroo Valley and Pigeon House Mountain west of Milton. The park consists mostly of a flat plateau dissected by steep...
and Budawang National Park
Budawang National Park
Budawang is a national park in New South Wales, Australia, 200 km southwest of Sydney. It contains part of the Budawang Mountain Range....
s to the east.
The towns governed by the Palerang Council are Bungendore
Bungendore, New South Wales
Bungendore is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Council. It is on the Kings Highway near Lake George, the Molonglo River Valley and the Australian Capital Territory border. It has become a major tourist centre in recent years, popular with visitors from...
, Braidwood
Braidwood, New South Wales
Braidwood is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Shire. It is located on the busy Kings Highway linking Canberra to Batemans Bay on the coast. It is about 200 kilometres south west of Sydney and about 60 kilometres inland from the coast...
and Captains Flat
Captains Flat, New South Wales
Captains Flat is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Shire. It is south of Queanbeyan.It is suggested that a bullock named "Captain" from Foxlow station, 12 km away, grazed here and hence the place name....
, the outlying villages of Araluen
Araluen, New South Wales
Araluen is a small town near Braidwood in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Council. It lies in the valley of Araluen creek, that joins the Deua River at roughly the mid point in its course. On Census night 2006, Araluen had a population of 215 people.The name...
, Mongarlowe, Majors Creek
Majors Creek, New South Wales
Majors Creek is a small town in southern New South Wales, Australia. The nearest main town is Braidwood.A former gold mining town, the settlement is today associated with the planned Dargues Reef mining project....
and Nerriga
Nerriga, New South Wales
Nerriga is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Palerang Shire. It is situated at the edge of Morton National Park, on the Braidwood - Nowra road....
, and the areas of Wamboin, Burra
Burra, New South Wales
Burra is an Australian district and parish of rural smallholdings lying 20 kilometres to the south of Queanbeyan, New South Wales in Palerang Council, postcode 2620. In 2006, Burra had a population of 480 people...
, Bywong, Hoskinstown, Rossi, Boro
Boro, New South Wales
Boro is an official locality, although in reality a rural area, of New South Wales, Australia in Palerang Shire, near the village of Tarago, about 45 km south of Goulburn...
and parts of Carwoola and Sutton
Sutton, New South Wales
Sutton, meaning 'South Settlement' in Saxon, is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Yass Valley Shire. It is situated on the west bank of the Yass River, about 17 kilometres as the crow flies south of Gundaroo, near the Federal Highway, not far from Canberra...
.
It was formed in February 2004 when Tallaganda Shire was amalgamated with most of Yarrowlumla Shire
Yarrowlumla Shire
Yarrowlumla Shire was a former Local Government Area in New South Wales, which surrounded the Australian Capital Territory until February 2004, when it was divided between Palerang Council, Yass Valley Council and a small part going to the Cooma-Monaro Shire. It had a population of 9,654 and an...
and small parts of Gunning Shire and Mulwaree Shire. It has struggled financially since its inception, which has led Council to seek a special rate increase in 2006. The Council also sought to reduce expenditure in some areas. This resulted in a controversial plan to close the shire's swimming pools, later overturned as a result of public protest. The ongoing crisis has led to proposals for the council's dissolution, possibly merging much of the area with Queanbeyan City Council. This proposal has lacked popular support with a petition failing to gain the necessary 250 signatures required before it could be sent to the NSW Minister for Local Government.
In March 2006 Palerang declared itself a genetic engineering (GE)-free zone by passing a motion http://www.palerang.nsw.gov.au/files/2874/File/mins2006_03_23.pdf that it
1) Support the NSW bans that are in force until 2008;
2) Oppose the introduction of GE organisms until they have been proven to be safe for human health and the environment;
3) Request the Federal Government to introduce legislation requiring adequate food labeling which shows the GE content of all ingredients; and
4) Ensure that, in the event that any food is provided by Palerang Council for, canteens, catering units, crèches, kindergartens, meals on wheels, community health centres, community halls, libraries, neighbourhood houses, senior citizens, family day carers, hospitals, swimming pools, at markets, kiosks, it is GE – free.
In 2007 Palerang declared itself to be a nuclear-free zone.
Nine councillors were elected at the 13 September 2008 elections. The new councillors elected were Paul Cockram, Howard Croizer, Richard Graham, Judith Miller, Judith Turley, while the re-elected councillors were Terry Bransdon, Ian Marjason, Catherine Moore, and Walter Raynolds. At their first meeting, the councillors elected Cr Marjason as Mayor and Cr Moore as Deputy Mayor for a period of one year. The Council's General Manager is Peter Bascomb.
At its September 2009 meeting Council elected Cr Walter Raynolds as Mayor and Cr Richard Graham as Deputy Mayor. They were re-elected in September 2010.