Lachlan Shire's Condobolin Improved Freight Logistics and Information Centre is back in the winner's circle, scarcely a month after being awarded a highly commended award at the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards in Sydney.

Advancing to the 2024 National Awards for Local Government, council staff were elated at the announcement on Thursday 4 July at the Australian Council of Local Government Gala Dinner in Canberra.

Here they learned the Condobolin Improved Freight Logistics and Visitor Information Centre project was awarded an Honourable Mention in the Road Safety category.

Mayor Paul Phillips said the award was the result of many years of dedication to the end result.

“Lachlan Shire Council has been committed to this project since 2016 and has worked tirelessly to deliver it," Mr Phillips said.

 "I am thrilled that our project has received this national accolade, following the Highly Commended award in the Asset and Infrastructure category at the 2024 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards in June.”

The National Awards for Local Government are an annual celebration of local government achievements in Australia. They highlight initiatives that are innovative, strengthen communities, and have outcomes that are replicable across the country.

This year the awards received 144 nominations across 11 categories from councils around the nation. In addition to a winner being announced for each category, 13 councils were awarded Honourable Mentions to recognise the high calibre of their entry.

Lachlan Shire Council nominated the Condobolin Improved Freight Logistics and Visitor Information Centre project in both the Road Safety and Regional Growth categories.

The winner of the Regional Growth Category was City of Launceston’s Public Wi-Fi Network project. The Road Safety Category was won by the City of Gold Coast for their Active School Travel Program.

The aim of the project was to assist the travelling public, harvest contractors and the broader transport industry by improving road conditions and providing a safe, visible rest area facility.

To achieve this, the project incorporated road reconstruction, realignment of intersections, and replacement of culverts to improve the flood resilience of 9 km of roadway used as an alternate traffic route when the Newell Highway is closed by flooding.

Lachlan Shire Council General Manager, Mr Greg Tory, said he is immensely proud of the entire team from Lachlan Shire who have worked to deliver this project for the community and the wider region.

"It is gratifying to see the far-reaching impact of this project recognised at a national level through these prestigious awards,” he said.

The roads are also popular with heavy vehicle operators and as tourist routes for travellers seeking off-highway experiences.

To assist people driving long distances manage driver fatigue, the project also included construction of off-street long vehicle parking, 24–hour accessible toilets and showers, and construction of a visitor information centre.