This has been well received by residents, who understandably have plenty of pride in their town and want to see it doing well.

And while this success should be celebrated, it’s important not to rest on our laurels. There is still plenty more that can be done in that area of the Dubbo region and the council has an obligation to continue looking for all the funding opportunities it can.

One place to start is the Burrendong Way. This important road leads to two of the town’s biggest tourist attractions in Burrendong Dam and the Burrendong Arboretum. I am not happy with the current condition of this road, especially given the amount of traffic that uses it all the time.

And this traffic increases by 10 times during the peak summer period at the dam which increases the need for a decent road.

An upgraded road would be great for tourism but it would also be important to the residents located in the area, including the neighbouring villages Stuart Town, Mumbil and Euchareena.

Burrendong Way is the main entrance to those locations and they deserve to have a decent road.

Two other crucial priorities for that area are to have decent signage and good mobile coverage.

Boosting those would be of great benefit to tourists and residents alike. Mobile coverage is an essential service in the modern world and signage is a key part of marketing locations.

The villages can play a key role in tourism but they need the infrastructure and the promotion to make that happen. I am well aware of their importance and that is why I will continue to ensure they aren’t left behind as the region prospers.