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Oakville Public School pedestrian and traffic safety improvements a step closer
The business paper just published for next weekโs Council meeting contains a significant update for those in the Oakville community. I have been fighting for upgrades to the footpaths, parking, traffic and pedestrian safety around Oakville Public School for many years. I am pleased to report is that detailed costings and engineering plans have finally been completed in an effort to make the project โshovel readyโ, but the program is only partially funded.
Happy 215th Birthday to the Hawkesbury!
Happy birthday, Hawkesbury! Recently we celebrated the 215th anniversary of Governor Lachlan Macquarie proclaiming the names and locations of what we now know as the "Five Macquarie Towns".
Interview on Hawkesbury Radio – December 2025
Shaun Williams, presenter at the "Common Point" program at Hawkesbury Radio told me we were overdue for a chat. I thought this was a good opportunity to recap the year on Council. We covered a lot of territory! I'll be breaking this up in to more digestable fragments over the Christmas / January break.
Hawkesbury Council’s 39% Rate Hike
At its November 2025 meeting Hawkesbury Council decided in an 7:4 vote to hike everyone's rates by 39.4% over four years. I voted against it. Here's what you need to know.
The Australian Local Government Assembly 2025 (and why our funding model is broken!)
I've spent time this week at the Australian Local Government Association National Government Assembly down in Canberra.
It's a great opportunity to hear speakers and trade ideas about what works in Local Government. I was grateful for some release from my teaching work to go down and take place.
The highlight for me was being able to confront the Federal Minister for Local Government, Kristy McBain about the growing shortfall of funding Local Governments are facing and how this has deteriorated over the years.
The Refurbishments to Windsor Mall
I recently took the opportunity to walk through the whole of the refurbished Windsor Mall. Now the work is substantially done, I have to say it's looking amazing. New sandstone flagstones greatly exceeds the original sandstone; the sponsored pavers are now proudly on display. The garden beds are now being planted with a range of attractive species.
Does Dressage have a future at Hawkesbury Showground?
This week I was a signatory to call rare extraordinary meeting of Council to address a dispute between the Hawkesbury District Agricultural Association, Dressage NSW and Equestrian NSW. The subject was a dispute over the future of dressage facilities at the Hawkesbury Showground.
Vivid 2025 – Sydney’s Amazing Festival of Lights
What a wonderful city we live in! Vivid Sydney has been just amazing this year, covering multiple sites and showing off our cityโs architecture old and new. This is my tribute to VIVID, which we did in perfect weather! #vividsydney
Dual Occupancy – Approved in principle! (Labor opposes)
Council approved my Notice of Motion to permit Detached Dual Occupancies after seven years of delay and disappointment with our moribund LEP process. There's some way to go yet.
The 2025 Australian Federal Election – the view from Macquarie
For those of you who asked me what my opinion is of yesterday's Federal Election, I humbly offer you this. I try to provide a Global, National and Local (to the seat of Macquarie) explanation of What Just Happened.
Mics are dropped.
I want to know what you think.
The Effects on Insurance Premiums from Hawkesbury Flooding and Council\’s Planning Policies
The skyrocketing costs of home insurance is a massive issue for people in the Hawkesbury.
Damage from flooding could cost us billions, but the risks of living in on a floodplain have driven up Insurance costs even when the sun is shining.
Councillor Nathan Zamprogno
The page of Independent Hawkesbury City Councillor Nathan Zamprogno
This week Council issued a media release indicating that play equipment would be removed at a number of parks around the Hawkesbury with no plan for replacement.
These include:
โข All the play equipment at Chestnut Drive at Glossodia and Matheson Park at Kurrajong.
โข "Some" of the play equipment at Andrew Town Park in Hobartville (pictured) and Grand Parade Reserve in Glossodia
Other play equipment at the North Richmond Community Precinct and McMahon Park at Kurrajong is being removed but there is a pledge to replace it with new equipment.
I do not agree with the removal of some of this equipment if it is not being replaced. I inspected the equipment at Andrew Town Park, which is heavily used and concluded all it needs is some TLC and a lick of paint.
It is also galling to consider that the amenity of these parks is being reduced at a time where everyone's rates are going to be hiked by nearly 40%.
These decisions were not run by the elected Councillors first. I have asked staff to reconsider.
Council's media release: www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/_resources/media-releases/2026/march/important-changes-at-some-of-our-c...
I am very pleased to be associated with this upcoming event. Tickets are selling well and I encourage you to get in soon before they are all sold out!
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
This week I joined Bligh Park residents for the opening of the upgraded Bounty Reserve Playground. More than 200 people turned out to show their appreciation for the upgraded playground equipment.
The $500,000 playground was delivered thanks to $400,000 from the Australian Governmentโs 'Investing in Our Communities Grant' and $100,000 from Hawkesbury City Councilโs asset renewal program.
I am your advocate on Hawkesbury Council. If you have concerns about safety around any of the schools in our district, I would fight just as hard.
But here is an example from one local school that needed someone to stand up for them.
Last week was an important opportunity to bring the issue of pedestrian and traffic safety around Oakville Public School to the attention of the Council chamber and seek action.
Why? Because after years of advocacy, there is finally now a 'shovel ready' plan for new footpaths, extra kerb and guttering on both sides of Ogden Road and Oakville Road, better busbays and intersection improvements at Ogden/Oakville/Hanckel Roads.
The work you see underway now is the intersection works only, funded from a Federal Blackspot program and for which we are grateful. But the rest of the work? Unfunded. This is the first time in years that this issue has come before the Chamber. Unless I spoke up it was on its way to a 'tick and flick' exercise without debate or any suggestion of funding the works, ever. Just another good plan drawn up at some expense to be stuffed in the drawer.
I thought that was not good enough, so I did my job.
I want you to watch this video, presented at length because I wanted to show you the views of Councillors without distortion. It is at times excruciating to watch. I am disappointed, but no longer surprised.
Liberal + Labor together have long enjoyed an overwhelming aggregate majority vote in Local, State and Federal Elections. This is what you get for your vote.
My motion failed, and your comment is invited.
Tonight we welcomed new citizens hailing from 14 different nations including Sri Lanka, Iran, India, Tonga, the United States of America, Germany, Egypt, New Zealand, Pakistan, the United Kingdom, Fiji, Philippines, Thailand and Ireland!
To each of you, welcome!
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.
This week marked a significant historical anniversary. The Vinegar Hill rebellion occurred from the 4th to the 6th of March 1804, 222 years ago. A mob of rebels, who were not all Irish, not all Catholic, and indeed not all Convicts, marched on Castle Hill, seizing arms and grog, and then made for the Hawkesbury seeking reinforcements. They got as far as about Castlebrook cemetary on Windsor Road.
Their leader, Philip Cunningham was captured, and his body hung and gibbeted (that is, put on public display) from the landing of the top floor of the three-story government store, a building now lost but once located close to the old police station in Court St in Windsor.
Last weekend I was honoured to act as Town Crier to remind the citizens of Windsor and invite people to what ended up being a fantastic talk by Jan Barkley-Jack and Helen Mackay at the Hawkesbury Regional Museum.
Many thanks are also due to Pat Schwartz and Dr Cheryl Ballantyne from the Defenders of Thompson Square.
๐๐๐ค๐ฏ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ซ
The business paper just published for next weekโs Council meeting contains a significant update for those in the Oakville community.
I have been fighting for upgrades to the footpaths, parking, traffic and pedestrian safety around Oakville Public School for many years. Congestion has been worsened by the influx of people and vehicles since the school became a transport interchange for students from other schools. The school has swelled with students coming Hills Shire suburbs like the Gables from east of Boundary Road. This will remain the case until a new Primary school is built there, easily still over a year away.
Thanks are also due to the advocacy of the school under successive Principals, the Oakville PS P&C, and Jane Soper its President.
The new development I am pleased to report is that detailed costings and engineering plans have finally been completed in an effort to make the project โshovel readyโ. They have been endorsed by our local traffic committee, and parts are already funded.
The bad news is that the most needed parts of this plan remain unfunded unless I can persuade my colleagues to prioritise it for the 2027-2028 budget.
An upgrade to intersection of Oakville, Ogden and Hanckel Road will be funded under the Federal blackspot program. This will include new median strips with pedestrian refuge islands.
Extending kerb and guttering on the school sides of both Ogden Road and Oakville Road has been provisionally costed at $155,000 and is unfunded.
Creating new kerb and guttering on the opposite sides of both Ogden and Oakville Roads have been provisionally costed at $250,000 and is unfunded.
1.5m footpath works to fill in the gaps between the existing footpaths and extend down the school side of Oakville Road have been provisionally costed at $80,000 and is unfunded.
I attended this school, as did my sister, my son and (now) both my Nephews. Our association goes back to 1978. I will continue to advocate for these works. I am told that these plans make it easier for Council to make the case for grant funding.
A more detailed version of this post with additional maps, diagrams and links to the Council reports is at my website:
councillorzamprogno.info/2026/03/07/oakville-public-school-pedestrian-and-traffic-safety-improvem...
