A recommendation was carried at council’s ordinary meeting for council's technical services director to formally investigate the costs and benefits associated with the construction of Baileys Lane, which is a council public road and is currently unformed.

Further, a report is to be brought to council outlining all options associated with the construction of a through road on Baileys Lane.

The recommendation came after council received correspondence from a landowner off Baileys Lane asking if council could complete the formation of Baileys Lane to link it to Adams Lane.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Baileys Lane was a through road connecting local farmers with Tarana Station and was used to transport their produce to various markets. With the advent of local rail services in the 1920s, the lane became less frequently used, eventually servicing just one or two large properties in the area. 

As Oberon grew and more development came to the route of Baileys Lane, more families settled the area north of the Fish River.

During severe floods, those families were cut off from civilisation.

Today, six properties have been developed and there are now a minimum of 15 to 20 private vehicle movements per day along the northern side of the Fish River as well as service vehicle movements.

Council has previously objected to the road being closed and has undertaken the appropriate process to have the road declared a Council Public Road. As such, council is the owner of this portion of land.

The request for council to look at the options for constructing the residual of Baileys Lane has been made due to the number of activities on the road, the additional number of residents on the road and the encumbrances on the road during times of wet weather and flood.

Council says Baileys Lane does not currently sit within the Council Matrix for upgrade or formation and little work has been done to consider the costs of undertaking this activity.