Gunnedah's sister city relationship with Lane Cove was borne out of a drought in the 1990s and in October, Lane Cove Council resolved to donate $5000 and In the Cove raised about $20,000 through its recent Gold for Gunnedah campaign. 

Gunnedah shire mayor Jamie Chaffey said he had been corresponding with Lane Cove mayor Pam Palmer and discussed the impact of the drought on the community at the Local Government NSW Annual Conference in mid-October.

“I was very pleased to catch up with her at the local government council,” he said.

“I was very happy to convey our appreciation not just from council but on behalf of the community for the support we’ve received from Lane Cove.

"When we spoke in Albury, we spoke about the opportunity that could come in the new year to rekindle our sister city relationship and look at more initiatives to further strengthen the relationship and potential activities that would be support Gunnedah through the drought conditions we still have going.”

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Cr Chaffey said the council was hoping to see more submissions come in from the community to determine what to best spend $1 million in federal government funding on. The council received the funding under the Drought Communities Program and called for submissions in October.

“The timing is critical because the funds need to be spent before the end of financial year so I‘m really looking forward to reading those submissions we have received and I know we’ve already seen a sizable amount come in,” he said on Thursday. 

“Today and tomorrow, I think we will receive plenty more great ideas from our community and we look forward to continuing to work with those volunteer groups and individuals who have these ideas to see great applications going forward to the state government, which will increase our opportunity for success.”