In response to a decision from the NSW Government, Council is retaining the management of the much-loved Bangalow Showgrounds.
Understanding how important the showgrounds are to the community, Council assures residents that this will not have an impact on how people use the showgrounds.
"From a community perspective, including for the groups who use the showground, the week-to-week operations will remain the same," Esmeralda Davis, Director Corporate and Community Services, said.
"The monthly markets will continue to operate, people can move in and out of the showgrounds as they currently do, and it's business as usual for the Lions Club, Poultry Club, Pony Club, annual Bangalow Show and all other regular events and users.
"What will change is that the Showgrounds will no longer be managed by the volunteer committee and I sincerely thank those incredible community members for the many hours of their valuable time that they have given so freely to the operation of the showgrounds," Ms Davis said.
"Volunteers are the backbone of our community, especially in close-knit villages like Bangalow and on behalf of Council, we are very grateful for all the work the Showground Committee has done over many years," she said.
Background
The changes are a result of an external review of Council's management structure for the showgrounds, and eight community halls, that found the model was no longer sustainable for legal, operational and risk management reasons.
In late 2025 Council started a transition process to directly manage the halls, with the Bangalow Showgrounds the last venue to change.
Council manages the showground on behalf of the State Government. In 2025 Council wrote to NSW Crown Lands asking it to take over the management of the site, so the current community committee could remain in place.
Crown Lands declined the offer and so to ensure Council meets compliance and risk standards for community facilities, it will directly manage the Bangalow Showgrounds.
Council understands the volunteer committee intends to ask the Minister to review the Crown Lands decision.
