_{CASE STUDY I LOCAL GOVERNMENT}

Urunga Sewage Treatment Plant upgrade

Published 4 December 2025

Bellingen Shire Council

Bellingen Shire, located on the Mid North Coast of NSW, is halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. It has a coastline of approximately 10km and is famous for its ecological diversity, with state forests and national parks covering just over half the local government area.

The majority of residences in the coastal villages of Mylestom and Raleigh are served by septic tanks. This creates both environmental and public health risks, as both villages are prone to flooding. The Bellinger and Kalang Rivers have been closed several times due to faecal contamination.

Bellingen Shire Council recognised the impact that these contamination events can have not only to public health, but to the environment and local oyster farmers.

Sewering Coastal Villages Project

In partnership with the NSW Government, Bellingen Shire Council embarked on the Sewering Coastal Villages Project, which will connect residences in Mylestom and Raleigh to a modern, low pressure sewer system.

TCorp provided two loans totalling $10mn for the first stage of the Sewering Coastal Villages Project, which involved upgrading the existing Urunga Sewage Treatment Plant. This upgrade will double the capacity of the plant from 5,000 equivalent persons to 10,000 equivalent persons and enable the connection of more than 200 properties to Council’s sewerage network.

Client feedback

“TCorp assisted Council in securing funding at a highly competitive interest rate for the Sewering Coastal Villages Project, allowing us to undertake this vital piece of work. The loan application process was straightforward and efficient, making it easy to work with TCorp. This loan has given us the capacity to begin work on the initial phase of the project, the upgrade of the Urunga Sewage Treatment Plant, which will deliver significant environmental benefits for our Shire.”

Chris Hodge
Chief Financial Officer
Bellingen Shire Council