24/06/2026
✅COUNCIL ADOPTS 2026/27 ANNUAL BUSINESS PLAN & BUDGET💰
Naracoorte Lucindale Council adopted its 2026/27 Annual Business Plan and Budget at its final monthly meeting for the current financial year last night.
Roads will continue to be the Council’s biggest investment in the new financial year, with a budgeted total capital expenditure of $7.63M, including $4.44M on road reconstructions, $1.53M on resheeting and $800,500 on resealing projects. Road maintenance (including patrol grading and repairs) will carry an operating budget of $1.79M.
Major road reconstruction projects include Diagonal Road ($1.55M), Grubbed Road ($1.24M), Moyhall Road ($1.24M) and Mundalena Road ($415,000).
Works to upgrade the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange (NRLE) will continue, with a capital spend of $742,131 forecast for 2026/27. This includes $527,341 for continuing infrastructure upgrades to the sheep yards.
Other capital projects endorsed in the 2026/27 budget include:
✅$300,000 on playground renewal with Leicester Street playground a key project for the year
✅$258,250 on the replacement of the Vincents Road bridge barrier adjacent to Mosquito Creek and closer to the Victorian border
✅$250,000 for Struan Bridge upgrade investigations, design and costing estimates
✅$217,178 on footpath works at Lucindale
✅$180,000 on solar lighting at Naracoorte’s Memorial Oval
✅$135,000 for new public amenities in the Frances Recreation Reserve
✅$115,000 for Naracoorte Aerodrome projects including sealing the CFS fill point loading area
✅$100,000 on infrastructure support for sporting facilities throughout the Council area, plus an additional $40,000 for new signage at Naracoorte & District Sports Centre
✅$80,567 on Lucindale’s Loechel Park for the second stage of the Loechel Park Masterplan including signage, a shelter, picnic area, rainwater tank and ancillary works.
The 2026/27 budget will see a new voucher system introduced for free hard waste disposal to support householders across the district and discourage illegal dumping. A budget of $100,000 will support the implementation of this system – an increase of $20,000 on the 2025/26 hard waste disposal days budget.
Council has also built a $150,000 contingency into its 2026/27 budget to address increases in contractor rates that may arise during the year due to fuel pricing and to ensure Council operations – particularly roadworks and other projects dependent on fuel – are managed within budget.
Mayor Patrick Ross said Council’s key focus remained on renewing its existing assets.
“Our strategic and master plans guide our projects and expenditure, and these were reviewed in 2025 to ensure they can deliver a more realistic, manageable and achievable plan for 2026/27 and beyond. While there are new projects in the mix, we understand the need to ensure maintenance and renewal of existing infrastructure is a priority.”
For the second year in a row, Council endorsed a 5% increase in general rate revenue in line with its long-term plans and with consideration for continuing high cost of living pressures.
“Fuel pricing uncertainty – and other cost of living pressures – look likely to continue into the 2026/27 year and Council has considered these issues in developing the plan and setting the budget for the year ahead,” he said.
“We understand the cost pressures continuing to face our community and have reviewed all of our operational budget lines to ensure we are spending only what is required to deliver services and programs captured in our plans and expected by our community.”
You can read through the 2026/27 Annual Business Plan and Budget in its entirety on Council’s website at https://bit.ly/nlcbudget
*People experiencing hardship may seek assistance from Council with the payment of rates. Please contact Council on (08) 8760 1100 to arrange a confidential discussion.
Lucindale Community
RDALC - Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast
