Mayor Message January 2025

Published on 29 January 2025

I trust that many of you have taken the time over the festive and New Year period to take a break and spend time with friends and family.  For those who work in tourism and hospitality, however, it has been a busy period with many visitors and day trippers enjoying what our shire has to offer.

Unfortunately, however in Tocumwal in particular, the peak in visitors also coincides with a reduction in the quality of and access to communication services.  I can assure you that your council has been working with all levels of government and the telecommunications providers to find a permanent solution to these issues.   We will be sharing more about these initiatives as information comes to hand.

The Barooga Botanical Gardens will played host to councils Australia Day celebrations this year.  With a fundraising breakfast hosted by Barooga Public School, which was great success;  followed by our annual Australia Day awards where we a large amount of our community take the opportunity to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our community in 2024.

This month I would like to take the opportunity to introduce you to Councillor John Stringer.

Cr. Julia Cornwell McKean- Mayor

Councillor John Stringer

I moved to Tocumwal just over eight years ago from Sorrento, Victoria, and have been a self-employed marine mechanic for over 50 years. Tocumwal has always held a special place in my heart—I’ve been holidaying here for as long as I can remember, camping out at Pump Beach. 

My wife, Zoe, and I have four children, two of whom now also call Tocumwal home and work locally. Over the years, I felt like the festive spirit of Christmas had faded in Tocumwal, so I took it upon myself, along with a few others, to revitalise the Tocumwal Community Development Committee (TCDC) and bring back the town’s Christmas decorations. That small initiative quickly grew. 

A local councillor once approached me and said, "You’d be a great fit for the Shire." After long discussions with Zoe and our children, I decided to run. I was elected unopposed, but I hope that by the next election, the people of Tocumwal and the Berrigan Shire will see that I have their best interests at heart and will re-elect me based on my efforts and commitment. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and I look forward to serving our community over the next four years.