Mayor Beresford’s January Meeting Wrap-up

Published on 22 January 2026

Welcome to a short summary of items from the January 2026 Council meeting held on Tuesday 20th.

To obtain more information, please refer to the Paroo Shire Council’s website www.paroo.qld.gov.au to view the full agenda and minutes of Council meetings.

Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements
For the 2025 March/April Flood Disaster, damage identification and pick-up activities across the Shire road network by Shepherd Services are now effectively complete. There is only one remaining 300 metre length of road yet to be assessed where floodwaters continue to restrict safe access.

Approval has been received to source the gravel required for the extensive roadworks associated with this extreme weather event. Gravel production has commenced with three contractors working in the Northwest Quadrant. Tenders for flood damaged roads in this quadrant were considered at the meeting with five contracts being awarded to four local contractors for a total cost of $8,018,021.22 excluding GST. Following the finalisation of these tender contracts, work on flood damaged sections of the twenty impacted roads in the Northwest Quadrant will commence.

Grant Funding Applications
An application for grant funding of $1,996,980 from the Resource Recovery Boost Fund has been submitted towards a Resource Diversion Transfer Station project at the Cunnamulla Landfill site. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $2,277,587 and if successful would include a Council contribution of $280,607. Further details of the project to upgrade the Cunnamulla Landfill site will be provided when and if funding approval is received.

Under the Regional Tourism Infrastructure grant program, the Council has applied for funding of $299,000 towards phase 1 of The Robber’s Tree project. This project will provide for the preservation of the existing site and depict the historical story of Joseph Wells who attempted to rob the Qld National Bank at Cunnamulla in 1880 and climbed a tree on the sandhills in an unsuccessful effort to hide from the authorities.

Events
Arrangements for Australia Day on Monday 26th January have been finalised. This year the Australia Day Ambassador is Emeritus Professor Roland Sussex OAM and we look forward to welcoming Professor Sussex to the Paroo Shire.

Arrangements for the day are as follows:-

· Cunnamulla – breakfast at the Cunnamulla Pool from 8am (free entry) then announcement of the Australia Day Awards

· Eulo – BBQ dinner at the Eulo Hall and park from 4pm

· Wyandra – Breakfast at the Beach from 7am including games

· Yowah – Lunch at YOMSCI hall from 11am including games

To subscribe to the eNewsletter group go to www.paroo.qld.gov.au, click on News & Events then click on Newsletters and sign up. Please note all correspondence should be addressed to council@paroo.qld.gov.au