Roads & transport · Orange City Council
Zest Fest to close three Orange city-centre road sections for 24 hours
Byng Street, McNamara Street and southbound Lords Place will close from 6am on 14 November to 6am on 15 November, subject to conditions of consent.
Reporting from public council minutes. How this article was prepared
Drivers, businesses and residents around Orange city centre will face 24-hour road closures for Zest Fest after the Infrastructure Policy Committee approved event arrangements covering three road sections.
Byng Street will close between Lords Place and Peisley Street, McNamara Street between Byng Street and Summer Street, and the southbound section of Lords Place between Byng Street and Summer Street. The closures are scheduled from 6am on Saturday 14 November 2026 until 6am on Sunday 15 November, subject to the event’s conditions of consent.
The committee also approved conditional approval for the Santa Parade on Saturday 28 November 2026 and endorsed conditional approval for the Orange Running Festival on Sunday 7 March 2027. The supplied minutes do not give road-closure or traffic-control details for either event.
Other Local Transport Forum recommendations adopted at the meeting will affect roads and school access. School-zone times of 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm will be placed on the existing taxi zone outside Glenroi Heights Public School in Maxwell Avenue. NSW Police patrols were requested for Huntley Road between Hiney Road and Jack Brabham Park, and a proposed relocation of the 50 km/h zone near 32 Perc Griffith Way was referred to Transport for NSW.
Council also decided not to install a stop sign and holding line at Gorman Road and Connemara Drive. An infrastructure officer said sight distances complied with Australian Standards. The minutes do not state when the school-zone markings, patrols or speed-zone review will occur.
What deserves a closer look
The event resolution specifies the Zest Fest closure locations and times, but the supplied minutes do not reproduce the attached conditions of consent.
The Santa Parade and Orange Running Festival approvals are conditional, and the supplied minutes do not specify their road or traffic arrangements.
The minutes record requests and referrals for Huntley Road and 32 Perc Griffith Way, but do not give implementation or response dates.
Questions for follow-up reporting
What detours, access arrangements and pedestrian controls will apply during the Zest Fest closures?
When will the school-zone times be marked and enforced at Glenroi Heights Public School?
When will Transport for NSW consider the proposed speed-zone relocation at 32 Perc Griffith Way?
What road closures or traffic controls will apply to the Santa Parade and Orange Running Festival?
What happens next
Place school-zone times of 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on the existing taxi zone outside Glenroi Heights Public School.
Request NSW Police patrols on Huntley Road between Hiney Road and Jack Brabham Park.
Refer the proposed relocation of the 50 km/h speed zone at 32 Perc Griffith Way to Transport for NSW for consideration.
Apply the approved Zest Fest closures subject to the attached conditions of consent.
Check the record
These passages were matched to the source text. Read them in context in the original minutes.
The committee approved closures on specified sections of Byng Street, McNamara Street and Lords Place for Zest Fest from 6am on 14 November to 6am on 15 November 2026, subject to conditions of consent.
3.7 - Event - Zest Fest - 14 November 2026 - That Council approve the closure of Byng Street (Lords Place to Peisley Street), McNamara Street (Byng Street to Summer Street) and Lords Place (Byng Street to Summer Street – south bound) between 6.00am on 14 November 2026 and 6.00am Sunday 15 November 2026 for Zest Fest subject to the attached Conditions of Consent.
Resolution 26/543, recommendation 3.7
Open original minutes ↗The committee approved conditional approval for the Santa Parade and endorsed conditional approval for the Orange Running Festival.
3.5 - Street Event - Santa Parade - 28 November 2026 - That Council approve the Conditional Approval for the Santa Parade event to be held on Saturday 28 November 2026. 3.6 - Event - Orange Running Festival - 7 March 2027 - That the Conditional Approval for the 2027 Orange Running Festival to be held Sunday 7 March 2027 be endorsed subject to compliance with the attached conditions.
Resolution 26/543, recommendations 3.5 and 3.6
Open original minutes ↗The committee adopted school-zone times for the existing taxi zone outside Glenroi Heights Public School.
2 That Council determine recommendations 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7 from the minutes of the Local Transport Forum meeting of 8 September 2026: 3.1 - Glenroi Heights Public School Taxi Zone - Maxwell Avenue - That Council place school zone times (8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4.00pm) on the existing taxi zone in front of the Glenroi Heights Public School.
Resolution 26/543, recommendation 3.1
Open original minutes ↗The committee requested NSW Police patrols on Huntley Road and referred the proposed 50 km/h speed-zone relocation at 32 Perc Griffith Way to Transport for NSW.
3.2 - Huntley Road - Safety Concerns - That Council request the NSW Police to undertake patrols of Huntley Road, between Hiney Road and Jack Brabham Park, Orange. 3.3 - 32 Perc Griffith Way, Orange - Speed Zone Review - That Council refer this matter to TfNSW for their consideration with its approval to relocate the 50kph speed zone 200m east of the Mitchell Highway/Perc Griffith Way intersection as per the TTPP Transport Planning report.
Resolution 26/543, recommendations 3.2 and 3.3
Open original minutes ↗The committee decided not to install a stop sign and holding line at Gorman Road and Connemara Drive.
3.4 - Intersection - Gorman Road and Connemara Drive - Sight Distance - That Council not install a 'Stop' sign and hold line at the intersection of Gorman Road and Connemara Drive, Orange.
Resolution 26/543, recommendation 3.4
Open original minutes ↗An infrastructure officer said sight-distance requirements at the intersection complied with Australian Standards.
installed. The Acting Director Infrastructure advised that the Traffic Forum considered that sight distance requirements at that intersection comply with the Australian Standards.
Discussion following resolution 26/543
Open original minutes ↗Source record
Reporting from the public minutes of Orange City Council’s Infrastructure Policy Committee meeting held on 6 October 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Zest Fest road closures will run from 6am on 14 November 2026 to 6am on 15 November 2026.
- The closed sections are Byng Street, McNamara Street and southbound Lords Place, subject to conditions of consent.
- Conditional approval was approved for the Santa Parade on 28 November 2026 and endorsed for the Orange Running Festival on 7 March 2027.
- School-zone times will be placed on the existing taxi zone outside Glenroi Heights Public School.
- No new stop sign or holding line will be installed at Gorman Road and Connemara Drive.
Why it matters
- The Zest Fest closures will affect access through three city-centre road sections for 24 hours. The meeting also approved a change to school-zone hours at Glenroi Heights Public School and left the timing of several other transport actions unresolved.