The Hills Shire News - Winter 2026

RETURNS TO BELLA VISTA FARM

with a brand-new immersive experience

Experience Echoes - Moon Garden this Orange Blossom Festival from Friday 18 September

See pages 2 - 3 for details

Echoes - Moon Garden

Friday 18 September - Sunday 11 October | Bella Vista Farm

On the back of its successful debut in 2025, Echoes returns to Bella Vista Farm with a brand-new, captivating theme.

Echoes – Moon Garden will transport you into a secret garden that’s only revealed once the moon rises. Wander through an enchanting nocturnal world where plants bloom in the moonlight, brought to life by breathtaking special effects and immersive light installations.

OBF Parade

11am – 4pm Saturday 19 September

Main Street, Rouse Hill Town Centre

Bring the kids to the OBF Parade, a classic celebration going back to The Hills Shire’s roots.

Cheer on the parade as community groups, local performers, and colourful floats take over Main Street. The Parade will end in Market Square, which will be packed with family friendly entertainment, including performances from local dance groups and special guests – PAW Patrol!

FREE activities on the day include face painting, gardening workshops and an OBF-themed photobooth to capture the day’s celebrations. A dedicated ‘Secret Garden’ space will be available for neurodivergent attendees seeking a quiet area to retreat to during the event.

TICKET PRICES

Adults - $19.50

Children (3-17 years) - $14.50

Family (2 adults & 2 kids or 1 adult & 3 kids) - $55.00

Infants (aged two and under) FREE

Sign up to the waitlist to access the Early Bird offer at www.echoesbellavista.com.au

Your night at Echoes is sure to be a feast for all the senses, with a highly anticipated line up for the foodies:

• Toby’s Milkbar will be serving tasty burgers, loaded fries, sambos and fried chicken that’s sure to hit the spot

• Gelato Messina will be scooping some of their famous flavours and a LIMITED EDITION mystery flavour

• Teta’s Pitta will be cooking up a storm with Mediterranean street food, including gourmet pitta pocket sandwiches

• PLUS, glow in the dark fairy floss, pizza, churros, coffee and more.

Echoes – Moon Garden is brought to you by The Hills Shire Council in partnership with Laservision Australia. Laservision is an Australian business bringing sold out shows across Australia and across the globe, with 40 years of experience creating record-breaking, immersive light and sound experiences — including this year’s much-loved Glow at Sydney Zoo.

OBF Taste of Wisemans

10am – 3pm Sunday 27 September

Wisemans Ferry Park

Experience the flavours of the Rural North at A Taste of Wisemans 2026, the region’s signature food and wine event.

Gather your family and friends and head to Wisemans Ferry Park to enjoy a delicious showcase of local produce, featuring wineries, distilleries, orchards, and more.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Hawkesbury River, the event offers a relaxed day out with live music, roaming entertainers and a variety of free activities for the kids, including face painting, circus themed workshops, petting zoo and pony rides, cookie decorating, gardening workshops, and more.

See back cover for OBF Community Events

www.orangeblossomfestival.com.au

Western Sydney is the fastest-growing region in New South Wales. NSW Government projections show it could be home to 10 million people in the next 15 years.

In June, Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Michelle Byrne stood alongside other Western Sydney Mayors and Local Government NSW President Darcy Byrne to call on the NSW Government for more funding for critical infrastructure our growing communities need.

The proposal calls on the NSW Government to:

1. Establish a $5 billion interest-free loan so councils can access funding upfront to deliver essential infrastructure as population growth occurs, not afterwards.

2. Commit to forward-funding $3 billion of state and regional infrastructure in growth areas like Box Hill.

3. Allow developer contributions to be used to fund a broader range of community infrastructure, including libraries, childcare facilities, pools and indoor sports centres.

WHAT’S THE CURRENT FUNDING MODEL?

In new release areas like Box Hill, infrastructure is funded using developer contributions. Under the guidance of the NSW Government, Council prepares a list of infrastructure called a Contributions Plan which outlines what a new community needs, including parks, playing fields and local roads.

Developers pay a contribution to Council to fund these assets. Under the current funding model, Council collects contributions from individual developers as each development occurs.

Community assets can only be built once all contributions have been collected. It can take a long time to build up enough funds to build a park or upgrade a road.

THIS FUNDING MODEL HAS FAILED BOX HILL

Our Fight for a Fairer Hills Future campaign explained Box Hill in particular is experiencing growing pains.

The suburb faces a $207 million funding shortfall that puts essential infrastructure like playing fields, parks and road upgrades at risk.

Box Hill was planned and delivered by the NSW Government for 9,600 new dwellings and 28,000 new residents. Since then, population projections have skyrocketed to more than 16,000 new dwellings and 49,000 new residents.

Successive state government have assured Council they would fund the difference, but this hasn’t come to fruition. Box Hill’s $207 million infrastructure shortfall only covers basic local infrastructure. It doesn’t cover state infrastructure like schools or local infrastructure like libraries, swimming pools and community centres.

That’s why alongside LGNSW and other local councils, we’re advocating for changes to the current funding model and the $5 billion infrastructure fund – to ensure roads, playing fields and parks can be delivered at the same time our population grows – not after people have already moved in.

The Hills Shire Plan outlines the projects and services to be delivered across The Hills Shire in 2026-27. Highlights include:

COUNCIL WORKS AND PROJECTS

COMPLETED

Stage 1 included the construction of:

• A community centre

• satellite library

• youth playground and plaza

• dedicated playgroup space with outdoor play area

• car park with 187 spaces

• road widening, new roundabout at Nelson Road, Box Road and the facility access driveway, concrete pathways and an upgraded bus stop and

• upgraded stormwater infrastructure.

Once all stages of construction have been completed, Anthony Skarratt Reserve will also include four football fields, two baseball fields, six multi-purpose courts, cricket practice nets, and a playground.

Two synthetic cricket pitches, an outdoor gym and a baseball batting practice tunnel were also added to the Master Plan following community consultation.

The construction of Anthony Skarratt Reserve has been partially funded by the NSW Government’s Public Spaces Legacy Program.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Current works at Fred Caterson Reserve include earthworks, construction of retaining walls, installation of service utilities and preliminary works for the amenities building.

Once complete, Fred Caterson Reserve will include:

• Three new natural turf playing fields

• amenities building with toilets, change rooms, storerooms and a canteen

• car park, internal access roads and an upgraded driveway via Gilbert Road

• lighting for sports fields, car park and pathways

• pedestrian pathway connecting the new works to the existing pathway network within the reserve

• tree planting, bush regeneration and landscape works across the site and

• protection and regeneration of ecologically sensitive bushland, in accordance with approved management measures.

The Bidjiwong Community Nursery has received a major upgrade. The refreshed nursery provides improved facilities for Nursery volunteers and the wider community to explore local native flora, develop plant propagation skills, and more.

New features include:

• A new greenhouse

• demountable building with an office space, upgraded kitchenette, and a flexible training/lunchroom

• portable bathroom block

• double garage lock-up shed

• expanded caged storage area

• structural soil bay for plant propagation materials and

• resurfaced car park with up to 150 parking spaces.

BIDJIWONG COMMUNITY NURSERY UPGRADE AT TED HORWOOD RESERVE, BAULKHAM HILLS FOR

Works are progressing on The Water Lane Reserve. The amenities building is currently under construction with installation of the steel frame underway.

The car park and playground are also under construction. The turf for the sports fields has been laid and awaiting sand slit drainage.

Once completed, the new sport and recreation reserve will feature:

• Two AFL fields

• athletics facilities including a running track

• shaded playground

• half basketball court

• car park with 200 spaces and

• amenities building with accessible toilets, change rooms, canteen, referees’ room, and storage.

This project is expected to be completed in late 2026, weather permitting. Construction of The Water Lane Reserve is jointly funded by the NSW Government’s Accelerated Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in association with The Hills Shire Council.

DR MICHELLE BYRNE MAYOR OF THE HILLS SHIRE

0427 451 201 mayor.byrne@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Celebrating The Hills with the Orange Blossom Festival

The Hills Shire’s signature event series is back headlined by the return of the muchloved Echoes at Bella Vista Farm with a new concept set to dazzle tens of thousands of visitors.

Echoes will return for a second season from 18 September to 11 October with a new theme – The Moon Garden. Get ready to explore an enchanted nocturnal world where flowers and plants bloom in the moonlight through cutting edge special effects.

We’re thrilled to partner with local business Laservision to bring this low cost, familyfriendly event to our community.

The OBF Street Parade at Rouse Hill Town Centre is another Hills favourite, bringing colour, creativity and community spirit. Then for everyone who enjoys great local food and beautiful scenery, Taste of Wisemans at Wisemans Ferry Park is a fantastic way to experience the best of the Rural North.

Importantly, the Orange Blossom Festival is also shaped by our community. Throughout September, a wide range of communityrun events will take place, from fairs and open days to performances and markets, reflecting the diversity and energy of our Hills Shire.

Standing Up for Our Community

I’m calling on the NSW Government to provide an update on the Cherrybrook Precinct rezoning proposal, which seeks to dramatically increase housing density from around 3,200 to over 9,000 dwellings.

This level of growth raises serious concerns about infrastructure, traffic, schooling and safety, particularly given known geological challenges in the area. It is essential that our community’s concerns are addressed in the Government’s final proposal.

I’m also working closely with Local Government NSW and councils across Western Sydney to push for urgent reform to how infrastructure is funded in growth areas. Mayors from across all political parties have united to call for the NSW Government to secure critical infrastructure funding for our communities.

Western Sydney is the fastest-growing region in New South Wales, and it needs the roads, playing fields and other community facilities to keep up with our unprecedented

population boom.

We’re advocating for a new funding model that would allow infrastructure to be delivered upfront, alongside population growth, as well as increased investment in state and regional infrastructure.

This includes greater flexibility to deliver essential community facilities such as libraries, childcare facilities, indoor sports centres and other shared community spaces.

Supporting Local Jobs in Norwest Council is also focused on ensuring our residents can work close to home. Our planning proposal aims to strengthen the Norwest Strategic Centre as a major employment hub - with the potential to grow from approximately 35,000 jobs today to nearly 65,000 by 2041.

By protecting key employment land and supporting industries such as health, advanced manufacturing, and professional services, we are planning for a future where our growing population is matched by abundant local job opportunities.

CLR FRANK DE MASI

DEPUTY MAYOR OF THE HILLS SHIRE, WEST WARD 0439 013 343 clr.demasi@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Windsor Road Upgrade Welcome — But More Must Be Done

The recent announcement of a Windsor Road upgrade near the future Rouse Hill Hospital is welcome news for residents of The Hills and Northwest Sydney.

The Federal and NSW Governments have committed a combined $400 million to widen a section of Windsor Road adjacent to the new hospital precinct. This investment is an important step forward, but many residents are asking whether it goes far enough to address the broader traffic challenges facing our region.

For years, our community has experienced worsening congestion on Windsor Road and Old Windsor Road. These corridors consistently rank among Sydney’s most congested roads, and traffic pressures continue to intensify as population growth accelerates across Box Hill, The Gables, North Kellyville and surrounding suburbs.

More than 20,000 residents supported the Fight for a Fairer Hills Future campaign, sending a clear message that our region needs long-term infrastructure solutionsnot isolated projects that fail to address the

full extent of the problem. The reality is that traffic bottlenecks extend well beyond the section currently earmarked for upgrading. Congestion regularly stretches from Nelson Road through to Merriville Road and beyond. Many residents are concerned that widening a short section of Windsor Road may simply move the bottleneck further along the corridor rather than deliver lasting relief.

The Hills continues to accommodate significant population growth driven by State Government planning decisions. Box Hill alone is expected to welcome tens of thousands of additional residents in the years ahead.

At the same time, councils face ongoing challenges delivering the roads, parks and community facilities needed to support this growth, particularly given the State Government has so far failed to fund Box Hill’s $207 million infrastructure shortfall. Further pressure will come from future Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects and increased housing density along the Bella Vista–Kellyville corridor. These developments are expected to bring approximately 24,000 additional residents and more than 11,300 new dwellings to the area, placing even greater demand on already congested roads and transport networks.

Residents are not interested in political blame-shifting. They expect all levels of government to work together and deliver the infrastructure required to keep pace with growth.

While the Windsor Road upgrade is a positive and much-needed investment, it should be viewed as the beginning of a broader solution, not the end of the conversation.

Our community needs a comprehensive long-term strategy for Windsor Road and Old Windsor Road, including increased road capacity, improved intersections, better integration with public transport, and infrastructure planning that matches population growth.

The people of The Hills deserve infrastructure delivered ahead of growth, not years after congestion has reached crisis levels.

That means not only roads, but also schools, sporting fields, parks, community centres, emergency services and other essential facilities.

I will continue advocating for the investment our community needs and deserves. The upgrade near Rouse Hill Hospital is welcome, but there is still much more work to do to secure a fairer future for The Hills.

CLR ROSEMARIE BONEHAM WEST WARD

0400 551 435 clr.boneham@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Bio: Rosemarie has lived in the north west of Sydney for 28 years and feels honoured to be serving her second consecutive term on Council. She believes The Hills is an exceptional part of the world that offers opportunities for different lifestyles with its traditional quarter acre blocks to its rural enterprises and everything in between.

Rosemarie believes that the family is the core of society and this drives her support for the needs of Hills families. She would like to see more activities for teenagers in our open spaces, community centres and libraries – especially during school holidays, affordable access for young, possibly isolated mothers to community venues where they can create new networks and friendships and enhance life skills.

Rosemarie wants to connect with more community groups during this term to see how she can assist in any way.

Rosemarie will work hard to protect our bushland and oppose the drive for overdevelopment. Where development needs to occur, she believes there should be strict design standards that ensure that buildings are functional as well as visually pleasing and will work for this purpose.

Rosemarie is a small business owner with her husband, a long-time volunteer in marriage and parent education, an SRE teacher, been involved in pastoral care and managed sports teams. She is the mother of a large family, and feels her greatest achievements are having a happy marriage and being a mum and grandmother. In her spare time, Rosemarie enjoys discussing ideas about anything and everything, reading, gardening, making bread and spending time with family and friends.

She is looking forward to serving the Hills on Council and meeting with many members of the community throughout the new term.

CLR IMMANUEL SELVARAJ WEST WARD

0400 223 546 clr.selvaraj@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Bio: Immanuel has been a Hills Shire resident for 17 years and was elected to The Hills Shire Council for the first time in September 2024. He has actively served the community by supporting the success of small businesses and serving as president of The Hills District Toastmasters.

Immanuel has held executive positions in the digital sector for 25 years and is also a small business owner. Since 2019, he has been the President of the Greater Cumberland Chamber of Commerce and through this role has continued to support small businesses in the Greater Western Sydney area. During his term, Immanuel aims to act as a voice for local small businesses. He also wants to advocate for much needed infrastructure improvement, explore strategies to ease traffic congestion, organise events to improve reading habits of school kids and to explore effective ways to improve residents’ physical and mental health. Immanuel has a Master of Business Administration and Master of Information Systems.

CLR MITCHELL BLUE NORTH WARD 0400 449 324 clr.blue@thehills.nsw.gov.au

It’s well known The Hills Shire’s population is increasing. Council is under considerable pressure from the NSW Government to meet housing targets. With this comes the need for new and upgraded infrastructure such as roads, schools and playing fields.

The NSW Government’s Transport Oriented Development strategy and Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms don’t include sufficient infrastructure to support this growth. The new Housing Delivery Authority sees increases in density well beyond what Council has planned for, and more that what can be sustainably integrated into existing growth plans. Infrastructure in Box Hill is at risk due to a complex Contributions Plan issue.

The biggest concern I hear from residents is traffic congestion. More populated parts of The Hills are serviced by the Metro, but many of our residents can’t park or get to these stations and in peak times, the Metro is full. I’m keen to explore Metro shuttle buses, which are available in other local government areas.

But this isn’t going to fix the issue - our network wasn’t designed for the population boom. Our major roads are overrun, pushing traffic onto our local roads. Take Windsor and Old Windsor Roads or New Line Road for example, which are at a standstill during peak times. Then there is Kenthurst Road and Annangrove Road. It’s great that Council will soon be widening Annangrove Road from Edwards Road to Windsor Road. This, however, is just a small improvement to the greater need across the Shire to ease congestion. Council can’t solve this issue on its own. It’s been suggested by residents that we should stop further development. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. We have NSW Government targets to meet, planning legislation to follow and density

uplift imposed like the TODs and Low and Mid-Rise reforms. The HDA is coming in over the top of our planning controls. At times, Council is being overridden by the NSW Government. The current system for infrastructure delivery is to collect developer contributions after residents move into new areas. It’s a broken model, but we must work with what we have. Recently, The Hills was one of eight councils in metropolitan Sydney who came together to advocate to the NSW government for a better model.

Very little decisions are made locally now, and if they are, the Government proceeds down its own path regardless, which is incredibly frustrating. We know our area best – we know what our residents need and when it needs to be delivered. We were elected to represent the local needs and that is something I do not take for granted. I’m not just going to blame some other level of government. It’s our job as Councillors to be part of the solution and we need to continue to raise these issues with our state counterparts. The outcomes of the Fight for a Fairer Hills Future campaign that ran in 2025 are starting to come to fruition. The State and Federal Governments are starting to see what we have been saying all along. It’s simple, we need the infrastructure that growth brings.

clr.jackson@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Bio: Jacob has been a Hills resident for more than 15 years and is serving his second term on Council. He is a Public Service Medal recipient, having been recognised for his work in Corrective Services NSW during the COVID crisis. He believes in lean government that minimises interference in residents daily lives; and maximising individual and private sector initiatives. In this term he wants to focus on minimising over-development in the Hills, maximising much needed infrastructure, increasing open space for sporting and leisure, preserving rural areas and making flood prone areas more resilient.

He has a Bachelor of Psychology, a Master of Applied Health and Business Psychology, Master of Public Leadership and Policy, Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management and a Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security. He is also a registered Psychologist.

He spends his free time as a sport, music and taxi Dad for his three young children to with his wife Jean, enjoying activities with his church community and listening to as many podcasts as he can. He looks forward to supporting North Ward and the broader Hills community over the next four years.

COUNCILLORS COMMENTS COUNCILLORS COMMENTS

CLR DR MILA KASBY NORTH WARD

0400 597 538

clr.kasby@thehills.nsw.gov.au

As development pressures escalate across the Hills, am hearing more people talk about how much they value our natural green spaces and want to protect, nurture, and regenerate what we still have.

We are incredibly fortunate that the Hills is defined by a network of waterways and creeks that carve deep, tree-lined, shady gullies straight through the heart of our suburbs.

Even in some of our most densely developed areas, satellite imagery clearly shows the long ribbon-like “riparian corridors” that provide vital habitat links for native wildlife, and cool and beautify our urban areas.

They are, however, not to be taken for granted, and as our population grows, they will need extra care and attention. Many of our gardens back onto these corridors, which because they’re long and narrow, are under constant pressure from stormwater runoff, nutrient spikes, and invasive weeds or garden ornamentals (non-native plants) that escape into the bushland.

We can play a practical part in making these networks more resilient. If your property borders a creek line, a bush track, or a local reserve, consider planting a ‘bio-shield’ along your fence line.

Hardy, strap-leaved native groundcovers like Lomandra and Dianella, paired with smooth-barked shrubs like Correa alba, have very low volatile oil levels and high leaf-moisture content.

Planting these can create an effective barrier that naturally suppresses weeds, absorbs excess water and nutrients while also being relatively fire retardant.

Managing what we grow in our backyards is one of the most direct ways to protect our gullies. Most importantly, by avoiding non-native plants that easily ‘escape’ into the bush and by controlling highly invasive weed species like Lantana and Asparagus Fern which can quickly smother the understory, reducing the habitat biodiversity that native animals rely on for food and shelter.

Responsible pet ownership is another way to protect local ecosystems. Keeping cats indoors or in an outdoor enclosure and keeping dogs on leashes gives our native animals and birds the safety they need.

If you’re keen to take your environmental stewardship further, council runs frequent practical and fun workshops and Bushcare

groups. If you own a bush property larger than half a hectare you can join the Land for Wildlife program to receive tailored conservation advice or a local Landcare group to participate in hands-on restoration. Together, we can keep our precious creek lines healthy, biodiverse, and resilient into the future.

CLR JANE GREVTSEVA EAST WARD 0437 938 380

clr.grevtseva@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Life can be incredibly busy and I know many of us are juggling a lot right now. As a fellow resident, I want to remind you that I am always here for you, ready to listen, offer a helping hand and advocate for the neighbourhoods we share.

Today, I want to pause and express my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible volunteers who give their time so selflessly. Whether you are helping at local organisations, running weekend sporting clubs, assisting in our schools or out in nature with environmental groups and Bushcare, your kindness matters.

To those supporting Hills Community Care, our community events, our libraries and our inspiring young leaders in the Hills Youth Army, thank you. You are the beating heart of our community. You make The Hills a warm, connected and deeply caring place. If you ever have a little spare time, I encourage you to get involved. It is a beautiful way to meet people and lift each other up.

Behind the scenes, The Hills Shire Council is working tirelessly to support you and ease local financial pressures. We are fiercely proactive in advocating for our Shire, going above and beyond to secure vital grants so we can deliver essential projects without passing the full cost onto ratepayers.

Council has received $761,000 in grant funding from the Australian Government to support wage increases for eligible early childhood education and care staff. Council also received $357,000 from the NSW Government for bio-banking management to protect our beautiful local environment.

I also want to warmly thank our amazing Council staff for their deep dedication, professionalism and care in delivering services every single day.

At the end of the day, pitching in and looking out for our neighbours is what makes our community so strong. Let’s keep checking in on each other, stay involved and be proud of making The Hills such a great place to call home.

CLR SAMUEL UNO EAST WARD 0436 481 369 clr.uno@thehills.nsw.gov.au

During this term of Council, I will be focusing on the following objectives when making decisions in the best interest of our residents.

Fiscal Responsibility

Continue the strong fiscal responsibility and management of Council’s budget. Ensuring we operate within our means and that The Hills’ residents continue to pay some of the lowest rates in Sydney.

Connectivity

Advocate for better connectivity between our major transportation hubs and employment centres, while promoting infrastructure development to cater for more flexible modes of transport (including on demand buses, bicycles, e-bikes and scooters).

Continuous Improvement

Use data and insights to drive Council’s standards and interactions with residents. Whether that be raising a request to repair a footpath or submit a development application to Council, we need to strive for greater transparency and improved interactions.

Measured Development

Supporting developments and planning proposals where they meet the long-term objectives of Council and our residents’ expectations. Thus, ensuring that our Shire is protected from over development and excessive burden on our public amenities.

Local Jobs

Ensuring that we protect our industrial and commercial zoned land for future job creation, while constantly looking for opportunities to reduce red tape and irrelevant compliance to promote business and wealth creation in The Hills.

CLR ALAN HASELDEN EAST WARD 0437 144 392

clr.haselden@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Governance and Transparency

In September 2024 when I was elected to Council for my third term, I was nominated to represent the Mayor and Councillors on ARIC –the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.

My role, as a non-voting observer, is to keep Council appraised of the ARIC’s considerations.

ARICs, required under State government legislation, are in place across all local government areas and overseen by both the Office of Local Government and the Government Audit Office.

Our ARIC meets every quarter and includes regular participation by the government auditor. Equally important is the participation by our independent Chair and two committee members who, as professional appointees, all come from appropriate backgrounds including participation on other ARICs.

At a recent council meeting the independent members were unanimously endorsed to sit for a second two-year term.

Your council continues to operate in an environment of high probity befitting an organisation of its size and receives consistent praise for its financial integrity. The risk element of ARIC’s purview is a core aspect of the committee’s attention and looks at the wide range of financial, legal and reputational risks which confront organisations today.

Our internal audit team assess and report on the risk elements arising from within and the independent members ensure that Council’s operations are consistent with the high standards required by State government.

I am grateful for the opportunity to occupy my position of trust and remain resolutely of the view that Council operates not only with fiscal prudence but also with the utmost integrity in exercising its responsibility to ratepayers in a complex environment.

CENTRAL WARD 0412 341 161

clr.jethi@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Bio: Clr Reena Jethi is a dedicated Hills resident, proud mother of two sons and holds both a Master of Arts and a Master of Education. With nearly 15 years of experience as a high school teacher, Reena currently runs a small business in Castle Hill. She has served on the Council for three consecutive terms and is honoured to once again represent the Hills Shire residents.

As the first Hills Shire Councillor of Indian descent, Reena was awarded the Ministers’ Award for Women in Local Government in 2019. She is committed to making The Hills Shire not just a place to live and work, but a community where families can thrive. Reena’s vision includes breaking down barriers for women by advocating for

programs that provide educational opportunities, mentorship, and financial literacy.

She is passionate about encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM and supporting those re-entering the workforce, ensuring that no woman is left behind.

Her commitment to sustainable development focuses on accommodating the growing population while maintaining the familyfriendly character of The Hills.

Reena envisions The Hills as a twentyminute city where residents can grow up and age gracefully in their community. She will advocate for more schools and essential road upgrades with the NSW Government.

In her spare time, Reena enjoys listening to jazz and classical music, reading, and

CLR JEROME COX

CENTRAL WARD 0400 499 157

clr.cox@thehills.nsw.gov.au

As a Councillor, my focus is:

• Fiscal discipline and prudence

• Minimising the size of Council and regulation

• Avoiding mission creep

• Good governance

• Conservative values

As a Councillor I have fought against reducing your red bin pick up from weekly to fortnightly with an increase (but not a doubling) of the size of the red bin. If implemented this would negatively affect the quality of life of many residents – particularly families. The motion was successful but only with the Mayor breaking the tie with a casting vote.

During the voice referendum Council was approached for its stance by several residents and also received media enquiries. There were also campaigns and communications from state and federal ministers that encouraged Council to take a stand or at least favour one side of the debate. In response I moved a motion which ensured Council’s position was that we had no vote, our residents can make up their own minds and it would be inappropriate for the Council to take a position.

This was a strong rebuke to other councils that had taken a stance, which I believe is inappropriate – we are not elected to use Council resources to influence our own voters in other elections.

In this term, under the strong leadership of

Mayor Byrne, Council is continuing to push hard against the TOD overdevelopments the State Government is imposing on our Shire.

In addition to this we are pushing for serious planning reform to protect us all from inappropriate development.

The final area we are focusing on is the third ‘R’ of local government – rubbish. We are pushing for serious action to be taken to ensure we deal with our own waste in an affordable and appropriate way rather than shipping our waste to the rural areas.

We are also pushing the NSW Government to account for the waste levy that accounts for a significant portion of your waste levy and appears to have not been allocated to its intended purpose.

CENTRAL WARD 0477 645 950

clr.cartwright@thehills.nsw.gov.au

Bio: Tina is a first-term Councillor who has lived in The Hills Shire for more than 20 years with her husband and two children.

She volunteers for numerous organisations including Castle Hill Rotary and Disability Trytime Rugby League, raising awareness and support for causes like homelessness, the prevention of domestic violence and disability inclusion.

Tina’s priorities on Council include advocating for better infrastructure and services for The Hills Shire, strong environmental management, improved local transport, safety around schools, waste management and support for people with disabilities. Tina is committed to transparency and inclusion to ensure that constituents view their local council in The Hills Shire with integrity and trust.

Tina enjoys cooking, gardening, furniture painting and spending time with her family. She is currently studying for a Bachelor of Nursing degree from Western Sydney University.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, THERE WILL BE A RANGE OF COMMUNITY-RUN EVENTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, INCLUDING THE SYDNEY 000 EXPO.

Sydney 000 Expo

10am - 4pm Sunday 13 September

Castle Hill Showground

Enjoy a free, family-friendly day out while ensuring your loved ones know what to do in an emergency and which services to call. The Sydney 000 Expo brings together the emergency services and organisations that keep New South Wales safe, such as the RFS, SES and the Police.

Watch live demonstrations, explore emergency services vehicles and equipment and gain behind-thescenes insight into how agencies respond to a range of incidents.

Other free activities include the popular Kids’ Stamp Rally – and there’s sure to be a fire truck around for the kids!

Run for The Hills by Castle Hill Rotary Club

Sunday 6 September | Bella Vista Farm

Orange Blossom Festival Annual Art Awards by Castle Hill Art Society

Friday 11 – Sunday 13 September

Castle Glen Community Centre, Castle Hill

Friends of The Hills Library Collection Day and Pop Up Book Sale

Saturday 12 and Saturday 19 September

Castle Hill Library

Come and Try BMX Day by Castle Hill BMX Club

Saturday 12 September

Fred Caterson Reserve, Castle Hill

Kenthurst Fair by the Rotary Club of Kenthurst

Sunday 13 September

John Benyon Rotary Park, Kenthurst

Bonsai Society of Australia Annual Show by Bonsai Society of Australia Inc

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September

Harvey Lowe Pavilion, Castle Hill

Jazz at the Pines by Rotary Club of The Hills-Kellyville Inc

Sunday 20 September | Roughley House, Dural

Spring Family Fun Day by Hills Community Aid

Wednesday 30 September

Balcombe Heights Estate, Baulkham Hills

The Hills Young Musicians Concert by Sydney

Hills Youth Orchestra

Friday 2 October | Baulkham Hills High School

The Hills Orange Blossom Festival Concert by the Western Sydney Symphony Orchestra

Friday 9 October | Pioneer Theatre, Castle Hill

Sydney Hills Garden Competition by the Rotary of The Hills-Kellyville Inc

Awards night on Friday 16 October

Harvey Lowe Pavilion, Castle Hill