Gunnedah Shire

Gunnedah Shire is a local government area in the North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located adjacent to the Liverpool Plains in the Namoi River valley and is traversed by the Oxley Highway and the Kamilaroi Highway.The Shire was established in 1980 from the amalgamation of the Municipality of Gunnedah and Liverpool Plains Shire. It includes the town of Gunnedah and surrounding villages of Curlewis, Breeza, Carroll, Mullaley, Emerald Hill, Tambar Springs and Kelvin.The Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council is Cr. Jamie Chaffey, who is unaligned with any political party.GeographyThe Gunnedah Shire is situated on the LIverpool Plains between the Nandewar and Great Dividing Ranges, with the tallest hills being 400to above sea level. The climate is hot in summer, mild in winter and dry, although heavy rain in catchment areas occasionally cause flooding of the Namoi River. Major floods cut transport links to Gunnedah, briefly isolating it from the outside world. The Gunnedah area is noted for its abundance of native wildlife, including kangaroos, echidnas and koalas. Koalas can often be found in trees within the town, as well as in the surrounding countryside with the help of signs placed by the local tourist centre.