Mudgee, Gulgong earmarked for 3300 additional homes by 2041 in major council plan

Australia’s top tourism town is bracing for thousands of extra homes, and even more residents, following a 20-year vision from council. See what it means for residents, and wine country lovers.

Plans for major increase in housing proposed for Mudgee and Gulgong have been revealed

Thousands of homes will be built in a picturesque country community in the state’s central west, as a major construction boom sees thousands of builders flood Mudgee for work.

A new masterplan – set to be decided on by Mid-Western Regional Council on Wednesday – earmarks the construction of more than 3300 homes in Mudgee and Gulgong over the next 18 years, with council planners revealing the northwestern and south-easter Mudgee to bare the brunt of a major housing boom.

Planners for the future vision of Mudgee and Gulgong said a massive increase in housing would be required due to the number of major projects expected to be built across the region.

“Our analysis of these upcoming employment generating project suggest that over 6500 workers from outside the local government area will be based in or near Mudgee and Gulgong at the peak of several overlapping construction periods,” a HillPDA planner said.

Mudgee will see 3000 extra homes built by 2041.

HillPDA representatives said an additional 400 homes would be needed to support out-of-town construction workers alone, forecasting the need for up to 3000 additional residential homes in Mudgee and 330 in Gulgong by 2041.

“Consultation with local property and real estate experts, and market analysis, suggests that most of this demand will be for land suitable for detached dwellings,” the spokesman said.

The master-planners said that environmental factors could “significantly limit” the potential for housing growth in Mudgee, blaming flood risk, biodiversity and “a lack of servicing”.

A map of Mudgee of the proposed site for urban release strategy.

According to the future housing plan, Mudgee has enough residential land to service demand for housing until 2037, while Gulgong has enough land for housing “beyond 2041”.

The urban release strategy also highlighted population projections, which could see an additional 8243 additional residents move to the local government area by 2041.

Meanwhile, major projects including the Bowdens Silver Mine, as well as solar and wind energy projects including Tallawong, Birriwa, Barneys Reef, Burrendong, Bellambi, Orana and Spicers Creek could see major population impacts across the region in the next eight years.

Aerial view of the town of Mudgee, NSW, with wine vineyards in foreground.

Mudgee resident Gary Rush questioned whether local infrastructure would be able to service an additional 3300 homes, asking “can we cope with that man extra homes?”.

“Mudgee is a prosperous community with the opportunity for growth, so you can see there is a demand for housing, which means a long-term strategy is needed from council to plan for this,” Mr Rush said. “It is all well and good to plan for 3000 extra homes, but the current infrastructure would not be able to support such a dramatic increase in population.

“Our infrastructure coping with the number of additional residents, and tourists, would need to be improved – they service the current community well, but an increase in population would impact this.”

The Property Shop Mudgee director, Andrew Palmer, said out-of-town investors are becoming nervous around the possible introduction of rental increase caps.

“It’s a good market at the moment, the pressures and pace of the market slowed down so that tends to work in the buyers favour,” Mr Palmer said. “Local buyers are not pressured to continually increase offers.”

The real estate director said Mudgee sees significant interest from people looking to migrate from other parts of Australia, as well as locals.

“There’s a strong local market,” he said.

Director and licensed real estate agent for The Property Shop in Mudgee Andrew Palmer.

Mudgee resident Greg Smith.

Mudgee resident Greg Smith said council’s housing strategy needed to consider low and middle income households, as well as the increasing homeless population.

‘It’s fine to build houses for miners and builders, but there are people having to leave this town,” he said. “There needs to be a real serious way of addressing the cost of living and the cost of housing in here that’s affecting most vulnerable people.”

Mudgee resident Denise Wood.

Mudgee resident William Barid.

Denise Wood raised concern with the impact additional housing would have on the environment, while William Barid encouraged out-of-towners to move to Mudgee.

Dragan Blazevic said thousands of additional homes would “take away from Mudgee’s charm”.

Mid-Western Regional Council planners recommended councillors approve the urban release strategy when they meet on Wednesday night.

Mid-Western Regional Council Urban Release Areas.

“There are staff operational tasks that will commence, which include engagement of landowners within the urban release areas and education of the development application process and planning proposal process for those relevant urban release areas with the aim to bring lots to market,” council representatives said.

Council representatives said underestimating demand for additional residential land and dwellings “could have a negative impact on the community through price increases or dislocation”.

“However, over-estimating demand can also negatively impact the community through Council funding additional infrastructure works that may not be required.”