The State Government has proposed the Araluen, which is currently part of the Palerang Shire, be split between Goulburn Mulwaree City Council and Queanbeyan City Council. 

A meeting was held in Araluen on Sunday, January 31, attended by State MP John Barilaro, Palerang Mayor Pete Harrison, Goulburn Mayor Geoff Kettle and Eurobodalla general manager Catherine Dale, to discuss the boundary change.

Mr Peters said if the current plans go ahead, his property would be split between two councils, meaning he would have to pay two sets of rates. 

“The current boundary proposal effectively splits the township of Araluen in two, using the Araluen Creek as the boundary,” he said. 

“Approximately 20 landowners in Araluen may be subject to two sets of rates charges, plus extras, and will likely have services halved, if any service is provided at all."

Goulburn, Queanbeyan and Palerang all seemed like “bad choices” for Araluen, Mr Peters said. 

“Eurobodalla has been left alone in the current merger proposals because they are fit for the future, and frankly, their financial data looks pretty good,” he said. 

“I have done rates calculation based on my rates for the 2015-2016 rates notice to find that I will be about $100 per year better off on general rates.

“I recently checked what the revenue is from Araluen and Neringla for Palerang and it comes in at around $400,000 per annum, when you include general rates, waste management charges and our apportioned share of the Federal Assistance Grant and Roads to Recovery Funding.”

Mr Peters said it was a small change that would benefit the community. 

“The Eurobodalla is deemed fit and we want to be a part of it,” he said. 

“We are only 60 kilometres from Moruya. The council already maintains the road until ten kilometers out of the township. 

“Araluen has now been part of two council amalgamations and we are over it.”

Eurobodalla Shire Council says its hands are tied when it comes to changing boundaries to include a neighboring town. 

Mayor Lindsay Brown believed merger submissions could only be made on what has already been proposed. 

He said the Araluen community initiated discussions to join the shire, despite the Eurobodalla’s attempts to negotiate with Palarang last year. 

“The proposal put forward by the state government is for Palareng to be wholy and soley combined with Queanbeyan or with Goulburn or split between to two,” Mr Brown said. 

“Eurobodalla is not part of that proposal, therefore it is a mute point on whether Araluen can come into the shire.”