As of January 2025, Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) requires all building, development application, road, and subdivision inspections to be booked a minimum of 48 hours in advance through Council’s planning and building team.
Council advised administration staff accept bookings during weekday business hours through Council’s customer service line. Call 1300 345 345 or to send an email to [email protected] to book an inspection.
A spokesperson for SMRC said inspection slots are often in high demand, so anyone seeking one should plan ahead and book as early as possible.
“To assist in project scheduling, please note that Council does not conduct building and development inspections on weekends or public holidays,” the spokesperson said.
Council stated urgent inspection appointments can be requested with less than 48 hours’ notice, subject to staff availability however additional fees may apply.
For more information, visit the building and planning page on Council’s website at https://qrco.de/SMRC-bc. You can also contact the building and planning team directly at 1300 345 345 or [email protected].
Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) has announced a valuable opportunity for local businesses to reduce costs and minimise waste through a free waste assessment initiative.
PHOTO: Local businesses may be eligible for substantial rebates on equipment purchase that aids in waste reduction or recycling. CREDIT: SMRC
Funded by the NSW Environment Protection Authority’s (EPA) Bin Trim Networks Program grant, the Canberra Region Joint Organisation (CRJO) is partnering with businesses across its member council areas, including Snowy Monaro, to offer expert consultancy on waste management.
The Bin Trim program supports Snowy Mountains businesses by having assessors evaluate waste and recycling practices. Its goal is to help reduce landfill waste through improved practices. Over 100 businesses in the Canberra region, including local hospitals, have benefited since its launch.
A spokesperson for SMRC said inspections are available for the 2024/25 financial year and getting expert advice can help business “avoid, reuse, reduce, and recover the amount of waste they send to landfill.”
The program targets businesses managing food, organics, plastic, and textile waste, but any business interested in reducing waste is welcome to contact the Council.
Participating businesses will receive personalised action plans and may be eligible for rebates up to $50,000 towards purchasing equipment that aids in waste reduction or recycling.
A spokesperson for SMRC said “Council is excited to support this fantastic opportunity for our local business community to access free expert advice on reducing waste, helping businesses across the Snowy Monaro save money while also benefiting our local environment and waste management services.”
The program has successfully diverted over 260,000 tonnes of waste from landfills in New South Wales to date.
Interested businesses can learn more by visiting the EPA’s website https://qrco.de/BinTrimEPA for additional resources and information on the Bin Trim program.
The Snowies MTB Festival, held from February 7-9, has once again proven to be a successful event, drawing both participants and spectators to the Snowy Mountains from around the country.
PHOTO: Riders of all ages and skill levels enjoyed the Snowies MTB FestivalCREDIT: In2Adventure
Organised by In2Adventure, the event witnessed fierce competition across various categories, showcasing both seasoned and local talent, all while providing a much needed economic boost to the area.
Event Director at In2Adventure Robyn Lazenby said while the numbers were a little down on last year, the Snowies MTB Festival was blessed with just a few spots of rain on what was a very wet day in places just down the road like Jindabyne.
“We were really happy with the numbers given the financial pressures and constraints people are experiencing with the cost-of-living,” Robyn said.
“Lot’s of businesses across the Snowy Mountains have reported a drop in numbers and it’s evidenced by the loss of some local events like the Snowies Classic, and The Australian Alpine Ascent.”
“It’s not just MTB related business though, the financial pressures are across the board, and particularly the multi day events that add additional costs like accomodation.”
“Despite the challenges we still had over 220 riders of all ages and abilities, families and groups of friends, which is what makes the event so special.”
Highlighted by the adrenaline-pumping Wild Brumby Stage Race, the festival featured five distinct stages, each offering unique challenges ranging from downhill descents to technical climbs. This year’s event attracted participants from diverse regions, with notable performances by local riders from the Jindabyne Cycling Club.
Kelsey Boreham and Nathen Berghammer delivered commendable performances, securing 10th place in the Elite category and 9th in the 50-59 category, respectively. Andrew McCosker also made his mark by finishing an impressive third in the eBike category.
Jindabyne Cycling Club described the Snowies MTB Festival as “5 stages of fun XCM racing over 3 days.”
“The weather gods smiled on us too, thanks In2Adventure for show-casing our beautiful region,” the club said.
Riders in the Elite category displayed top-tier prowess, Jon Odams from Team Giant emerged victoriously with a time of 3:18:43, closely followed by Reece Tucknott (3:20:23) and Toby Stewart (3:20:49).
The tight finish in the Elite category highlighting the event’s competitive nature with mere seconds between riders.
Michael Brown claimed victory in the eBike category for team Supavest Racing, finishing the Wild Brumby course in a time of 4:29:35. He faced strong competition from Dave Roberts of team Tiffen Cycling, who completed the course in 4:31:32.
The Snowies MTB festival isn’t just about the Elite riders though according to Robyn Lazenby, and the best part about the event is the focus on families having fun.
“The most heart warming moment of the weekend was watching fathers with sons, mothers with daughters, just families getting out on the track and having a go,” she said.
“One father got his son going on the bike and after a few runs round the track he was out in front saying ‘I’m going Dad’.”
Local charity The Fly Program ride the Snowies MTB Festival to further support Men’s mental health.
A spokesperson for the charity saying, “We want to make a massive congratulations to everyone in this team who wore The Fly Program colours for the last three days, racing over 110km of Snowy Mountain trails all with the goal of supporting more men onto programs through our scholarship fund.”
“These men and the many generous gift givers have raised over $15,000.00 through their efforts that will see those funds directly support more men onto life-changing retreats.”
PHOTO: The Fly Program team members CREDIT: The Fly Program
Winners of the Annual team Crate Race, were Supavest Racing, the event which is contested for a crate of beer highlighting another iconic weekend of MTB racing and fun in the Snowy Mountains.
Ten young local aspiring leaders were hosted at the inaugural SPEAK UP program in Cooma courtesy of the Country Universities Centre (CUC) Snowy Monaro, in partnership with the University of Canberra.
Federal Member for Eden Monaro Kristy McBain said the program is a dynamic leadership and public speaking initiative designed for young people aged 16-18 in the Snowy Monaro region.
“It provides young locals with the skills, confidence, and connections necessary to become tomorrow’s local leaders,” Ms McBain said
PHOTO: Snowy Monaro Regional Council Mayor Chris Hanna (left) Federal Member for Eden Monaro Kristy McBain (Centre) Member for Monaro Steve Whan (Right) with students of the SPEAK UP Program.
The students who joined the program were:
Jindabyne High School student, Emelia Greville and Hunter Clark;
St Patrick’s Parish School students, Hanna Aby and Lilly Coombe;
Snowy Mountains Grammar School student, Kai Pietrass-Wong;
St Mary MacKillop College students, Ben Porter, Oluhle Gasa, Kaitlyn Bosco (formerly St Patrick’s) Caleb Ventura and Molly Taylor (formally Snowy Mountains Christian School).
At the completion of the program in April, members of the public will be invited to come and hear these future leaders speak at Cooma Little Theatre.
Ms McBain thanked Snowy Hydro, the University of Canberra, Bradley Roche and a community donor for their generous support of the program.
PHOTO: Future leaders engaging with the leaders of today.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a warning to Snowy Mountains residents at 3:10pm today for VERY DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS which are likely to produce heavy, locally intense rainfall that may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding, damaging, locally destructive winds and large hailstones over the next several hours.
The BOM advised the storm was continuing to move east of Bredbo, with Nimmitabel and similar areas along the Great dividing Range likely to be impacted next.
The NSW SES Cooma Monaro Unit reported 33mm fell in just 30 minutes in Cooma causing flash flooding and closing the Cooma Creek crossing at Massie Street.
PHOTO: Creek crossing – Massie Street CREDIT: NSW SES Cooma Monaro Unit
The warning which remains in place for several hours forewarned of the potential for large hailstones which residents in Cooma reported via social media as being “intense”.
Nimmitabel resident Vickie Pollard was on her way to Cooma when she “Hit a really big storm,” she said.
“You couldn’t see very much ahead of you, then we hit the hail and by the time we got into Cooma, Cooma was pretty much white.”
PHOTO: Cooma after the hail storm CREDIT: Vickie Pollard
As catchments fill up this afternoon, it is a reminder to all residents that if it is flooded “forget it”.
PHOTO: Massie Street near Centennial Park CREDIT: Vickie Pollard
Massie street remains closed at the Cooma Creek crossing as of 4:30pm, with flash flooding also affecting Commissioner Street near Rotary Oval.
PHOTO: Commissioner Street near Rotary OvalCREDIT: Vickie Pollard
UPDATE Sunday February 9: A spokesperson for NSW SES Cooma Monaro Unit reported members had been assisting with repairs after this afternoon’s hail storm.
“From broken plastic roofing and collapsed ceilings to leaks caused from backing up of hail in gutters,” the spokesperson said.
PHOTO: Hail backed up on a roof in Cooma CREDIT: NSW SES Cooma Monaro Unit
“There are no current warnings for our area but with more afternoon showers and storms forecast tomorrow through to Tuesday make sure to check your property for any damage.”
Snowy Mountains essential workers amongst others around the nation are facing increasing challenges to live where they work due to the proliferation of short-term rental accommodation (STRA).
PHOTO: Unions NSW reported that 78% of frontline workers experience housing stress.
Mark Morey, Secretary of Unions NSW, will present evidence to an upper house inquiry today, highlighting the persistent housing affordability issues in Jindabyne and similar areas.
Morey described the short-term rental boom as a “direct hit to essential workers,” forcing them to endure lengthy commutes and financial hardships or face homelessness.
“The market is failing to provide homes for essential workers because it’s been hijacked by investors looking to make quick profits,” Mr Morey said.
“We need strong regulations to help the people who actually live and work in our communities. The NSW Government promised to tackle housing affordability, but it continues to delay the tough decisions. Enough is enough.”
“In March 2024 the state government released a discussion paper on short-term rental accommodation, acknowledging the need for stronger regulation in areas of housing stress. Now it’s time for action,” Morey said.
In the discussion paper, Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) reported that 27% of Jindabyne’s dwellings are non-hosted short-term rentals, predominantly listed on platforms like Airbnb and Stayz.
Graph: Number of non-hosted STRA dwellings in SMRC.
The issue has restricted affordable long-term housing, with just 14.8% of homes sold and 6.6% of rentals in Jindabyne last year being affordable for average incomes.
SMRC Mayor Chris Hanna recognised the economic contribution of short-term rentals to the region’s tourism industry but called for a balanced approach to regulation.
“Tourism is the largest driver of our regional economy, and it’s really important that future regulation doesn’t hurt the Snowy Monaro’s tourist industry,” Mayor Hanna said.
“But it’s just as important to find a way to help locals and workers be able to afford live in the communities they support.”
Nearly a year later and Jindabyne’s challenges still reflect broader statewide issues, with Unions NSW reporting that 78% of frontline workers experience housing stress, spending over 30% of their income on housing.
Suggested measures include a tax on unhosted rentals, a statewide cap on their usage, and large-scale build-to-rent-to-buy initiatives, all aimed at enhancing housing availability for essential workers and residents.
Mr Morey believes immediate action is required, “Places like Byron Bay are taking matters into their own hands, introducing a 60-day cap on unhosted short-term rentals,” Mr Morey said.
“The NSW Government must follow suit and introduce statewide limits in high-demand areas.”
In their March 2024 discussion paper, SMRC noted that regions such as Jindabyne and its surrounding areas experience seasonal tourism. They suggested that implementing daily caps is unlikely to motivate a shift of properties from short-term rental accommodations to long-term rentals.
The New South Wales Government has implemented a temporary water restriction affecting the Upper Murrumbidgee River, specifically targeting Murrumbidgee I and II water sources.
PHOTO: Upper Murrumbidgee River CREDIT: DCCEEW
Effective from Friday, February 7, to Friday, February 28, 2025, this measure aims to safeguard environmental water releases from being extracted, thereby enhancing ecological outcomes in the region during dry conditions.
These restrictions have increased the cease-to-pump thresholds applicable to unregulated river access license holders. Detailed information on these updated thresholds is available on the WaterInsights Murrumbidgee I and II web pages.
The temporary restrictions do not extend to water use for stock, domestic purposes, or the town water supply.
A Spokesperson for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) said “These environmental water releases do not impact Cooma’s town water supply.”
“We are actively monitoring conditions in the Upper Murrumbidgee. If they remain dry, there is a chance that drought management measures may be required to maintain high priority needs such as Cooma town water supply.”
“If this occurs, we may need to adjust the temporary water restriction to a cease-to-take announcement.”
The Natural Resources Access Regulator will oversee compliance with these new regulations through field staff monitoring efforts. For further information on the restrictions, visit: www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/allocations-availability/temporary-water-restrictions
The Snowy Monaro Regional Council (SMRC) has been issued a Performance Improvement Order (PIO) by the Honourable Ron Hoenig MP, Minister for Local Government. The order, announced on February 6, 2025, aims to set clear expectations for the Council and its councillors’ performance over the coming year.
The PIO highlights three primary areas requiring attention: councillor conduct, financial and organisational reforms, and work health and safety. The council’s existing Code of Conduct and Code of Meeting Practice outline the behavioural standards needed, compliance with which will address the performance concerns.
To address these issues, the Council will incorporate measures into its current long-term financial plan and the organisational reform program launched in 2023. The order will be presented at the upcoming Council meeting in Cooma on February 20, 2025, which is open to the public and will be live streamed.
Should the Council fail to comply, further action may be taken, including suspension of the Council, appointment of an administrator, public inquiry, or issuing compliance orders to non-compliant councillors. Such measures could lead to councillors losing their position.
A Spokesperson for SMRC said “Council is committed to addressing the Minister’s concerns, and looks forward to working closely with the Office of Local Government through the implementation of the PIO.”
“Regular updates will be issued on Council’s progress in implementing today’s order and in the event further directives are received from the Minister’s office.”
In a weekend of thrilling competition at the Snowboard Cross World Cup in Beidahu, China, Jindabyne’s Josie Baff emerged as a shining beacon of skill clinching silver.
The achievement marks the second silver of Baff’s season and elevates her to her eleventh career podium finish.
Following a commendable fifth-place finish in the first event after a victory in the small final, Baff returned with unmatched fervor on the second day. She set the tone early by winning her opening quarter-final heat in impressive fashion.
The semi-final was intense, with fierce competition from Italy’s Michaela Moioli and France’s Manon Petit Lenoir. Moioli took the lead midway, but Baff showed her resilience, clinching second place over Petit Lenoir by just 0.03 seconds to advance to the big-final medal round.
In the grand final, Great Britain’s Charlotte Bankes took the win, leading from start to finish. Baff, however, showed her mettle by outperforming Swiss competitor Sina Siegenthaler by 0.07 seconds to seize the silver medal, with Moioli finishing fourth.
PHOTO: Josie Baff, Charlotte Bankes, Sina Siegenthaler CREDIT: Miha Matavz
Reflecting on her achievement, 22 year old Baff expressed her hunger for victory, saying, “It’s definitely nice after yesterday… I had some fire in my belly, it was a good result, but I wanted more.”
After three World Cup events, Baff is in third place in the women’s standings, with the next event set for February 15 in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
The new Jindabyne Education Campus is open, featuring state-of-the-art facilities for Jindabyne Public and High School students.
The NSW Government’s $160 million project marks a major milestone for education in the Snowy Mountains and will transform learning in Jindabyne and nearby areas.
PHOTO: Jindabyne High School (NSW Department of Education)
The campus, boasting state-of-the-art facilities and amenities, was inaugurated with great excitement as students kicked off the 2025 academic year in one of the most advanced educational environments in New South Wales.
Steve Whan, Member for Monaro, emphasised the transformative impact these facilities are expected to have on students’ futures.
“The exceptional facilities and opportunities available at the campus will prepare students for an exciting future, whether they are pursuing further education or a skills pathway into a career,” said Mr Whan.
PHOTO: Member for Monaro Steve Whan had the ribbon honours
Jindabyne Public School is now equipped to accommodate over 400 students, featuring 20 new classrooms, a multi-purpose hall with multimedia capabilities, an outdoor basketball court, sports fields, a playground, and a new library.
It will also receive a public preschool by 2027, part of the state’s $769 million investment in 100 new public preschools.
Jindabyne High School boasts 26 newly built classrooms, specialised learning spaces, a commercial kitchen, workshops, a full-size gymnasium, and facilities to support vocational education in hospitality, construction, and primary industries.
Education is the key to opportunity in life stated Kelly Henretty, Jindabyne High School Principal.
“We are committed to partnering with our community to create a school where all students are challenged to excel in a nurturing and inclusive environment.”
Steve J McAlister, Principal of Jindabyne Public School, echoed these sentiments, noting the comprehensive design focused on student success.
“Our state-of-the-art school is designed with each child’s success in mind, and we are excited by the opportunities that lie ahead,” McAlister remarked.
The development of this campus represents a critical achievement for the current administration, highlighting the NSW Government’s commitment to enhancing educational facilities across regional areas.
Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue Car, underscored this commitment while criticising the previous government’s unmet promises.
“It is fantastic to see the Jindabyne Education Campus opening today for students on Day 1, Term 1 of 2025,” she said.
PHOTO: Jindabyne Public School
“Time and time again, the former Liberal National Government promised the Jindabyne community this critical facility would be built but failed to deliver.”
Acknowledging the instrumental role played by local advocates, Car commended Whan’s persistent efforts.
“The Member for Monaro, Steve Whan, has been a fierce advocate for the Jindabyne community and has worked tirelessly to ensure this critical project was delivered,” she said.
In response, Mr Whan expressed gratitude, saying, “When I was the Local Member last time, I was fortunate enough to open the Jindabyne Central School, which provided the town with a K-12 public school.”
“Today I’m so excited to be here to welcome the next chapter of public education in Jindabyne with two separate schools.”
