Farmers in the Tottenham region of Lachlan Shire have shut their gates to both Lachlan and Bogan shire councils following an on-farm machinery accident last April.
Pre-harvest agenda discussion of NSW Farmers Tottenham branch in October resulted in a general consensus that members would stop access to their properties of any council vehicle or equipment until an acceptable agreement was reached indemnifying property owners against any incident or accident on their property.
These drastic measures taken by landholders in the southern region of the Lachlan Shire has also affected the adjoining Bogan Shire Council as some local members own property in both shires.
The move follows an on-farm accident in the Tottenham district last April between a John Deere four-wheel drive tractor pulling a set of 10 metre offset Grizzli discs and a truck used by a gravel carting contractor employed by Lachlan Shire Council colliding causing extensive damage to the tractor and truck.
First reported in the Condobolin Lachlander newspaper on November 10, Council was seeking to source gravel from a pit on a private property some 35 kilometres south of Tottenham on the Moira Vale Road.
The property and gravel pit is owned by Lachlan Shire mayor, John Medcalf, but access was unavailable due to the access track having been ploughed. By the mayor’s personal representation to his neighbour permission was gained to access the pit from the adjoining property along the fence line.
The paddock was being ploughed when a truck used by the gravel contractor from Nyngan and the tractor collided.
Matters had been taken over by insurers and waters between farmers and council have become quite murky.
For generations councils and landholders have had agreements to allow council trucks, equipment and machinery onto their properties in times when council was grading or constructing roads nearby. Council also parks that equipment on the property for safety and security overnight or when not in use.
For the Tottenham region at least, that mutual understanding has been strained since the incident and work by the local NSW Farmers branch to formulate an agreement is still ongoing.
But the consequences may be more far reaching and could affect future relationships between local councils and landholders throughout the state and possibly the nation.
NSW Farmers Tottenham branch secretary, Marg Greig, said a draft land access agreement had been given to the October meeting by a council representative, which was unacceptable to members as it appeared to protect council and not landholders.
“We are currently waiting on NSW Farmers to help us formulate an agreement acceptable to landholders prior to it being forwarded to council for their inspection,” Mrs Greig said.
Cr Medcalf said as the matter was with insurance companies he was not prepared to talk about the specifics.