Member for New England and Special Envoy for Drought Assistance and Recovery, Barnaby Joyce, has announced $974,000 for the Uralla Community and Showgrounds Projects funded under the Liberal and Nationals Government’s $81 million Drought Communities Program.

This funding will assist Uralla Shire Council to invest in various maintenance projects which will support local businesses and individuals facing the ongoing effects of drought. These projects include:

• Upgrades to council and community owned infrastructure and facilities including halls, aged care facilities and community buildings including the Uralla Memorial Hall, Bundarra School of Arts Hall, Arding Hall, and Kentucky Memorial Hall will all receive much needed maintenance and renewals to allow for an improved amenity and level of service.
• Maintenance to the historical Uralla Court House and the council administration building, upgrades to the council-owned Uralla Preschool, Grace Munro Aged Care facility building, a bird hide at Dangars Lagoon, the service club signage structures on the entrances to the Uralla township and the installation of a storage shed at McMaugh Gardens Aged Care facility.
• Upgrade of Uralla Showground infrastructure including stables, stockyards, structures, internal roads, equipment and plumbing for the Uralla Showgrounds Complex

“It is important during this time of drought that we keep the wealth spinning around towns like Uralla, and the upgrade of local services and infrastructure is one way we can achieve that,” Mr Joyce said.

“With funding to start projects like these, we help keep people in jobs, small businesses in trade and money ticking through local communities until the rain returns.”

Earlier this year, Uralla Shire Council was also approved for a further $26,000 for the Uralla Show BBQ lunch and showground stockyards project, bringing Uralla’s total funds received to $1million.

Minister for Regional Services, Local Government and Decentralisation Bridget McKenzie said rural Australians show their true colours when times are tough, and many across New England, and much of NSW and Queensland have seen successive tough seasons.

“It will take several seasons for things to turn around but these projects will help stimulate the local economy by generating new income, helping the Uralla Shire through the tough times,” Minister McKenzie, Deputy Leader of The Nationals, said.

The Drought Communities Program supports communities in the most drought-affected regions of Australia and builds on more than $7 billion of Liberal Nationals Government drought support measures

In August 2018, the program was extended to provide support of $1 million to 60 eligible councils and in October, a further 21 eligible councils were added to reach even more communities suffering through drought. Funding is available to all 10 councils in the New England electorate for local infrastructure projects and other drought-relief activities.

(ENDS)