Shire entry signs to alert travellers about the attractions of Narrabri are inadequate, shire councillors believe, and want to see them upgraded to better reflect the shire’s features and events.
The issue has been raised from time to time and was tabled at council meetings in 2014 and at the recent meeting, following a motion from Cr Robyn Faber, better signage will be included for consideration in the coming budget.
“We should have signs as big as we can get to underline our pride in the shire,” said Cr Faber.
Cr Ron Lowder said billboards to promote events and entry signs were two different things but there was no reason not to have both on the north south and east west entries to the shire.
In 2012, Narrabri Shire installed “Welcome to Narrabri Shire” signs at five entrances, at Bellata,
between Coonabarabran and Narrabri, at Boggabri, between Wee Waa and Burren Junction and on the Bingara Road at Sawn Rocks at a cost of $27,000.
The signage issue has been raised several times in recent years, with councillors arguing the signs are inadequate and don’t tell travellers anything about the shire they are entering, particularly coming events.
Narrabri Shire Visitor Information Centre currently facilitates and manages the two event billboards which are located on the southern and northern entrances to Narrabri. The billboards are the property of McDonalds restaurant and all costs for upgrading and replacement are covered by McDonalds.
The costs of upgrading the current signs were tabled at last meeting. Installation of a double sided magnetic message board to existing signage would cost about $4000 per sign plus installation and delivery, and installation of one LED one sided, single colour message boards is approximately $15,000.
Issues which will need to be resolved, a staff report noted, include whether LED signs could be solar or mains powered, the process for determining which events will be advertised and who will manage it, and ensuring the signs are vandal proof.