Have Your Say: Road Services Review
Wentworth Shire Council is reviewing its road services. We want to hear your expectations and priorities for road maintenance across the Shire.
Wentworth Shire Council is reviewing its road services. We want to hear your expectations and priorities for road maintenance across the Shire.
Night works – Silver City Highway
Dates: Monday 7 September – Friday 11 September
Location: Silver City Highway, Buronga
Motorists are advised of changed traffic conditions due to night works on the Silver City Highway from the Buronga Roundabout to Arumpo Road intersection, as essential maintenance is carried out. Work includes crack-sealing up to 2.2km of the roadway.
Night work will be carried out between 5:30pm and 10:00pm from Monday 7 September to Friday 11 September, weather permitting. Works will involve a single lane closure, traffic control and a reduced speed limit of 40km/h for the safety of workers and motorists. Motorists are advised to drive to the conditions, follow the directions of signs and traffic control and allow up to ten minutes additional travel time during night work.
SERVICE ALIGNMENT WORKS
Re-commencing: Monday 31 August
Expected completion by: Friday 4 September
Location: Dawn Avenue in Gol Gol
Council is undertaking roadworks on Dawn Avenue to reinstate sunken service alignments back to surface level. These works will improve road safety and overall surface quality. Due to rain, the works require an extension.
Traffic control will be active for the duration of the works.
Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists are requested to follow on-site signage, adhere to temporary speed limits, and obey instructions from traffic controllers. Property access for residents will be maintained throughout construction, though minor delays may occur. Road users are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when travelling through these work zones.
Wentworth Shire Council invites owners of caravans, trailers, boats, and horse floats to have their towing setups professionally assessed. Non-compliant setups risk voided insurance cover, heavy fines, and demerit points.
To assist residents, Council is hosting a free Safe Towing Workshop on Wednesday 16 September 2026 at the Midway Community Centre in Buronga, covering weight limits, axle loads, brake controllers, and fault identification.
Following this, a qualified technician will conduct professional vehicle weighing sessions on 22 and 23 September in Wentworth and Buronga, providing attendees with an accurate report on axle weights, tow ball mass, and load distribution.
These 90-minute weighing sessions are free for participants who attend the initial workshop, or they are available for a $100 fee without prior workshop attendance.
Places are strictly limited, and registrations close at 10:00 am on Friday 11 September 2026.
To register and secure your place, please complete the form below.
Do you have an idea to improve road safety in your community?
The NSW Government Community Road Safety Grants program provides funding to groups and organisations across NSW to deliver local projects that address specific road safety issues and promote safer road use.
Grants of up to $5,000 and $30,000 are available.
Applications close Monday 28 September 2026.
Eligibility and selection criteria apply.
transport.nsw.gov.au/road-safety-grants
Driving long stretches across Wentworth Shire is part of daily life, but long shifts, early starts, and repetitive open roads take a quiet toll behind the wheel.
August is Rural Road Safety Month, and this week the focus is on driver fatigue. Tired driving is far more dangerous than most people realise—fatigue-related crashes are almost three times as likely to be fatal compared to crashes where fatigue isn’t a factor.
It’s easy to assume fatigue only affects tourists on long road trips, but local context tells a different story: 83% of all fatal crashes on NSW country roads involve local country residents. Exhaustion sneaks up on everyday commutes and familiar routes, leading to micro-sleeps, slowed reaction times, and reduced alertness.
Recognising the early warning signs—heavy eyes, frequent yawning, or failing to remember the last few kilometres—can save your life. Driver fatigue can’t be fixed by turning up the radio or opening a window.
Steps to prevent fatigue on country roads:
Plan rest breaks: Stop for a 15-minute break every two hours on long trips.
Recognise the signs: If you feel drowsy, pull over in a safe location or switch drivers immediately.
Prioritise sleep: Avoid embarking on long drives after a full working day or without a full night’s rest.
Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. Rest before you hit the road, take breaks when needed, and help ensure everyone arrives home safely.
For more information and resources, visit the NSW Government’s Centre for Road Safety website: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety
SHARED PATH CONSTRUCTION – CADELL STREET, WENTWORTH
Dates: Monday 17 August – Sunday 6 November
Location: Cadell Street, Wentworth
Construction will commence on a new 2.1-metre-wide shared concrete path along Cadell Street, Wentworth. This project will provide safe pedestrian and cyclist access directly to Junction Park.
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Traffic control will be active for the duration of the works.
Motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists are requested to follow on-site signage, adhere to temporary speed limits, and obey instructions from traffic controllers. Property access for residents will be maintained throughout construction, though minor delays may occur.
Road users are advised to allow extra travel time and exercise caution when travelling through these work zones.
Rural Road Safety Month is a nationwide initiative supported by Transport for NSW to raise awareness of the unique and often challenging conditions on country roads. For those of us who live, work, and travel in Wentworth Shire, August is a timely reminder to step up for rural road safety and make it our top priority every time we get behind the wheel.
Our region offers wide open spaces and a strong sense of freedom, but our roads also present significant risks. It is easy to think we are safe because we “know the road,” but the statistics tell a different story.
Nationally, rural communities account for more than two-thirds of road deaths. In NSW, 83 percent of all fatal crashes on country roads involve a country resident. Four out of five crashes involve locals just like us. These numbers highlight a tragic reality: complacency is simply not an option.
Throughout August, Wentworth Shire Council is running a dedicated campaign to target the most critical risk factors on our local roads. Each week, we will focus on a key area of road safety:
Week 1: Speed – Small increases can have big consequences. ‘Low level speeding’ is the single biggest cause of deaths and serious injuries on NSW roads.
Week 2: NSW Country Roads – Familiarity can be fatal. With country residents making up 4 out of 5 fatal crashes on our roads, we must remain vigilant on every trip, no matter how familiar the route.
Week 3: Fatigue – Don’t trust your tired self. Fatigue-related crashes can happen on any trip, long or short, and are almost three times as likely to be fatal.
Week 4: Seatbelts – A simple click saves lives. Wearing a seatbelt doubles your chance of surviving a crash. In rollover crashes, people not wearing a seatbelt are more than 15 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries.
Week 5: Animals on Country Roads – Be prepared for the unexpected. Animal collisions are a significant risk, especially at dawn and dusk.
In addition to these risks, unsealed roads are often impacted by weather events. Always check road conditions before travelling and adjust your driving to suit.
Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. This month, we encourage all community members to look out for our weekly updates on the Wentworth Shire Council Facebook page.
For more information and resources, visit the NSW Government’s Centre for Road Safety website (https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety).
Together, let us step up for rural road safety and ensure that everyone in our community gets home safely.
(incl. after hours emergencies)
(03) 5027 5027
PO Box 81, Wentworth NSW 2648
Wentworth Main Office
61 Darling Street WENTWORTH
Hours: Mon - Fri 8.30am-5pm
Midway Service Centre
3 Midway Drive BURONGA
Hours: Mon - Fri
8.30am–12pm & 1pm-5pm
