Gilgandra is powering ahead with the construction of 10 new houses for the community, after a long-term lease from Inland Rail has guaranteed funding for the shire’s development project. 

The leases on the new homes will accommodate employees working on the Narromine to Narrabri (N2N) section of the Inland Rail Network, giving the Gilgandra Shire Council the financial assurance to spend some $5 million on the construction of the new homes. 

When the Inland Rail is complete, the homes on the new subdivision Aero Park will be made available for purchase or rental by local residents.

Gilgandra Shire Council Mayor Doug Batten said that the first ten homes to be developed on the subdivision is the first part of a much larger plan for the community. 



“We have the capacity for 21 homes, the council will be building 10…we’ve done some electrical installation and some sewer installation in a limited way,” Cr Batten said. 

The other 11 allocation in the subdivision will be available to be developed privately, and added to the real estate or rental market. 

The development is a few years off, but could alleviate some of the community pressures as Gilgandra feels the pinch of housing shortages. 

“It’s challenging right now, particularly for families,” Cr Batten said. 

Given the shortage of available local housing, Interim CEO of Inland Rail Rebecca Pickering said it’s a relief not to take existing housing stock for their employees. 

“Our commitment to long-term leases will ease the burden on the Gilgandra community for the project’s accommodation requirements,” Ms Pickering said. 

“One these homes are completed and Inland Rail construction completed, they will be utilised to attract other critical workers to Gilgandra,” Ms Pickering said.

While in a projected seven years time the houses will be available to the public, there will be a particular focus on attraction of skilled workers for essential services and local business.

“There are numerous well documented examples around the country where locals struggle to get housing when these major projects enter the community, and their arrival has not been planned," she said.

In the longer term, Aero Park has the capacity for 55 new properties. 

Gilgandra Shire Council is in the process of finding building contractors for the design and construction of the residential properties, with construction expected to begin next year.