Murraylands council watch: December 2025
Here’s what the Murray Bridge, Mid Murray and Coorong councils have been up to this month.
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Monteith residents want lower speed limits
The speed limits on two roads at Monteith need to be lowered to keep people safe, local residents say.
Eighteen residents presented a petition to the Murray Bridge council at its December meeting, arguing for speed limits 20 kilometres per hour lower on both McCulloch Road and Bells Road.
That would bring the limit down to 80, then 60, on McCulloch Road, which comes off the highway; and 60 on Bells Road, down the bottom.
Local traffic, population and business activity had all increased, the petitioners said – it was time to take steps to prevent future accidents.
Staff will bring a proposal to a future council meeting.
Wellington East wastewater system needs an upgrade
With an SA Water connection on the way, wastewater is the next infrastructure scheme that badly needs an upgrade at Wellington East, the Coorong council says.
Councillors were told on Tuesday that the lagoon currently used to treat sewage from local properties was non-compliant with current regulations, too small, and needed to be able to handle a higher volume of waste.
Step one will be getting a design drawn up for an expansion of the lagoon, at a likely cost of $100,000.
The council hopes to partner with two companies, Fluid Environmental and Hydroscape, to design a new kind of system based on one in use at Port Boston, on the Eyre Peninsula.
The council will seek funding from the Local Government Association of South Australia for the purpose, and would spend $35,000 of ratepayers’ money on the design if successful.
Additional costs would apply to actually build the thing at a later stage.
Only two months ago, the council gave the final go-ahead to a project which will deliver ordinary mains water to houses in the fast-growing area for the first time.
‘Service levels will be adjusted’ at Murray Bridge gallery
Murray Bridge Regional Gallery is one of the premier art galleries in regional South Australia, and provides social, cultural and economic benefits to the wider community.
It presents about 10-12 exhibitions, and up to two dozen workshops and events, each year; has a shop selling work by local artists; and holds a collection of more than 130 artworks.
But senior council staff want more proof that it is meeting its KPIs, a report to councillors has suggested.
“The focus for the gallery service in the short term will be to adjust services and programs to align with available budget and human resourcing and … better demonstrate the outcomes achieved through the service,” the council’s community services manager reported.
The gallery’s retail operations and opening hours are in line to be reviewed.
CCTV is still needed, Mannum residents say
The Mid Murray council will need to spend $70,000 replacing security cameras on Mannum’s main street, at Mary Ann Reserve and Arnold Park over the next 12 months, and another $22,000 maintaining the CCTV system.
But that will be money well spent, locals have suggested.
A recent consultation found that Mannum residents were in favour of keeping the CCTV system.
Violence and vandalism appeared to be increasing, and security cameras acted as a deterrent.
However, a public wi-fi network on the main street will be decommissioned, as will cameras and public wi-fi networks at Palmer, Bowhill and elsewhere; and the PA system at Mary Ann Reserve may be handed over to a community organisation.
Mid Murray Mayor will take a break ahead of the state election
Mid Murray Mayor Simone Bailey will take an extended leave of absence ahead of next year’s state election, at which she will stand as the Labor candidate for Hammond.
Legislation requires mayors and councillors to go on leave from March 2, when nominations close, but Ms Bailey will take some extra time and step aside on February 1.
She advised the council that she would not accept any mayoral allowance during the extra month off, saving ratepayers about $5700.
Deputy Mayor Georga Warhurst will act in the mayoral role during February.
Interim CEO and Deputy Mayor appointed in the Coorong
Councillor Lisa Rowntree and community and corporate director Myles Somers will fill in as the Coorong council’s Deputy Mayor and CEO, respectively, for the next little while.
Both appointments were made at the council’s December meeting.
Outgoing CEO Bridget Mather will leave the role in January, while usual deputy Jonathan Pietzsch is occupying the big chair with Mayor Paul Simmons recovering from a health scare.
Housing organisation, logistics company take an interest in Murray Bridge
Part of a mayor’s role is meeting with organisations that may have an interest in setting up operations in a council district, and Murray Bridge’s Wayne Thorley has had a couple of interesting ones in the past month.
An Adelaide-based organisation had expressed an interest in building affordable homes for workers in Murray Bridge, he said: not social housing, but “well looked-after, well-planned” rental properties for working people.
There were jobs available locally, he said, but the ongoing housing shortage made it hard for families to move into the district.
An international logistics company had also expressed an interest in industrial land at Monarto, he suggested; however, neither was a sure thing yet.
Family should have been told about shelter’s demolition, councillor argues
Murray Bridge East residents may have noticed that a rotunda-style shelter near the bridge was removed recently, and replaced with a new structure.
Cr Clem Schubert expressed his disapproval, describing the replacement as an “ugly-looking shed”.
The proper name for the roadside park is Lindsay Sims Memorial Lookout, honouring the entrepreneur who founded horse race starting gate manufacturer Steriline in Murray Bridge in 1948.
The Sims family should have been consulted before the rotunda’s removal, Cr Schubert suggested.
Quick hits
- The Murray Bridge council plans to simplify its rules about where food trucks can set up around the city, cutting red tape and allowing extra flexibility. The new rules will be trialled for three months, starting right away, and feedback will be sought from the public.
- The speed limit on Mannum’s main street will be lowered to 25km/h on days when the Mannum Markets are on in 2026.
- A public consultation will be held in the coming weeks, asking whether locals are happy to allow camping at Mannum Golf Club. The club has allowed campers for years but didn’t realise it needed council approval.
- Murray Bridge CEO Heather Barclay won praise at her council’s December meeting after being named professional of the year by the South Australian chapter of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia.
Quote of the month
“I’m gonna have that emblazoned next to my bedroom wall, and should I be re-elected and we don’t have a surplus, I’m gonna come hunting for somebody.”
–Cr Tom Haig, on promises of a Murray Bridge council surplus in 2026-27
Disclosure: The author has been a paid performer at a number of events hosted by Murray Bridge Regional Gallery.
