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Victoria Pass work can't come soon enough
With the long-awaited rebuild of the shuttered convict bridge on Victoria Pass announced last week, the work can't come soon enough, recent council statistics show.
Following a question on notice by deputy mayor Phillip Toynton, a report at the most recent council meeting showed a steep drop in visitor numbers, bookings and money spent following the twin impact of the road diversion and high fuel costs associated with Middle East uncertainty.
The biggest hits to local tourism included attractions, which recorded a 26 per cent drop, accommodation, which suffered a 50 per cent dip, and entertainment, which was down 40 per cent, with upwards of 20 events also cancelled.
"A review of 2026 visitation data across key attractions highlights several trends. Visitation levels in January and February were broadly consistent with the previous four years, however, March and particularly April show a notable decline," the council report stated.
"In 2026, April visitation fell below 2025 levels and, for many attractions, represented the lowest April performance in four years. The April and October school holiday periods have historically been the peak visitation windows for the region," it added.
While much of this drop-off was attributed to high fuel costs from hostilities in the Middle East which started in late February, the closure of Victoria Pass in March also played a central role in the tourism decline, Cr Toynton said.
"I was expecting a noticeable decline, but to be taking such a blow was a shock," he told Dubbo Photo News.
"I thought it would be bad, but not that bad," he added.
He argued that work on the closed main road west of the Blue Mountains should have kicked off soon after the closure was announced.
"The announcement of the work is a good result, but it's taken the best part of 100 days to make a decision.
"It should have started a lot earlier. It has impacted not just Dubbo, but anywhere this side of the Blue Mountains," Cr Toynton said.
Local hits to tourism are probably just as much about petrol prices – with diesel hitting $3.50 a litre at some outlets – as the road closure forcing a diversion through the Bells Line of Road, Mayor Josh Black believes.
"The announcement has to be good news; the tourist dollar is very relevant in both Wellington and Dubbo," he said.
"A lot of the cancellations, however, are probably due to high fuel costs, though the hour-long detour through the mountains plays a role as well," he added.
With US-Iran peace negotiations now under way and contractors appointed for the Great Western Highway works, things are looking up out west, he believes.
"Fuel costs were at their highest over Easter and are coming down, and now with this sudden announcement on the bridge, that's a very large boost," Cr Black said.
"As they say, you can't beat positivity, and this is a positive for the whole region, no doubt," he said.
Work on the convict-built structure at Victoria Pass will see a new, wider section of road overlaid on the original sandstone parapets at Mitchells Causeway, with the work estimated to take about a year to complete.
The contract was awarded to Seymour Whyte for the new, resilient bridge crossing, with major work including heavy piling and foundation building to begin almost immediately.
Toynton wants branch line back in action.
Thinking creatively about the closure of Victoria Pass, the deputy mayor has an idea about using old infrastructure to overcome a current problem.
"A motion I'm framing for the July meeting is for council, the mayor or general manager to write to the relevant minister to get the old Wallerawang to Gwabegar rail line back up and running," Cr Toynton said.
"It would be a fantastic way of reconnecting the regions with the city and vice versa," he said.
The rugged and remote branch line travelled through some of the most pristine areas of the Central Tablelands, connecting towns including Ben Bullen, Mudgee, Kandos, Rylstone, Dunedoo and Coonabarabran.
"It was only taken out of service in 2007, so it shouldn't need too much work to get it back up and running," Cr Toynton said.
"We're always looking at ways to improve tourism, and this trip would be ideal for that, as well as joining some of the most diverse parts of the region together," he said.
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New toilets for cemeteries
Grieving mourners at the region's two major working cemeteries won't need to dash to local petrol stations or fast food outlets when nature calls, following a recent resolution passed at council.
Both Dubbo and Wellington cemeteries are to be provided with purpose-built toilet blocks in the near future, mayor Black said.
"Especially with more graveside services being held in recent times, and with many of these mourners tending to be older people, we thought it was a good idea," Cr Black said.
"Wellington's got an old facility, but it's not in great shape. They'll only cost about $130,000 each, or $290,000 in total, including GST," he said.
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Water works at Wellington
Council workers are undertaking water main replacement works along Gisborne Street, between Thornton and Pierce Streets, in Wellington over the coming weeks.
Works are expected to be completed by early August. Residents are advised that local traffic will be affected, with a traffic management plan in place.