Yass Valley Mayor Jasmin Jones speaks at the opening of the new Council development known as the Crago Mill.
Yass’s Crago Mill has a storied past.
Its present existence has been the cause of many arguments (both online and in-person) and its future for the $50 million development? Only time will tell. But so far, it’s looking bright.
More than 700 Yass Valley citizens turned up to celebrate the opening of the new Crago Mill precinct on May 9, which includes a new Library, Council Chambers and new Council building.
Amongst the crowd, former Mayor (now Councillor) Allan McGrath and former Mayor Rowena Abbey turned up to celebrate the 19-year project’s competition after planning began in 2006 when Council purchased the lot of land. Consultation for the upgrades began in 2020 with construction for the new buildings taking place in late 2024.
The Barber’s Mill (later renamed the Crago Mill) was initially built in 1870 by T. Barber. After selling the building to A.B. Triggs in 1898, P.T. Crago bought the facility a year later where he produced bran, flour and breakfast cereals.
As the local agricultural industry shifted from wheat to sheep production in the 1920s to 1930s, the mill was converted to a rabbit processing and freezing facility during the Great Depression.
The building was sold once more to Winchcombe Carson who used the Crago Mill as a produce store before Yass Valley Council purchased the mill and surrounding buildings.
Split into two stages, Stage 1 would see the new Library, Administration building, Chambers and carpark implementation.
As of October 2025, Stage 2, which was expected to include the redevelopment and restoration of the Crago Mill building, was formerly discontinued in efforts to recuperate funds. In a public statement, Council said discontinuing the construction of the commercial building and refurbishment of the Crago Mill building would save $15 million over 10 years.
Nevertheless, Council has persisted despite considerable pushback from the public and council candidates alike, and has seen their efforts rewarded with a significant turnout at their opening day.
Yass Valley Mayor Jasmin Jones welcomed everyone, noting the significant occasion for all gathered.
“Yass Valley residents, you are our special guests today,” she said.
“I feel very privileged to be the one standing in front of your today with the mic, but I do so with the gratitude and respect for the current team and the leadership that came before us.
“You lit the flame of this project’s torch, faithfully carried it for a time and passed it to us.”
Mayor Jones acknowledged the work that was still to come but said the opening of the new facilities served as a generational change of infrastructure and a milestone of magnitude that deserved celebration.
She acknowledged the Council’s continued partnership and friendship with the Ngunnawal Elders within the community.
Ngunnawal Elder, Aunty Wendy Brown was accompanied by her grandson, Bradley Bell, who conducted the traditional smoking ceremony. Using blue gum eucalypt leaves (traditionally used by Ngunnawal people), Bradely explained the ancient ceremony (which had been practiced for tens of thousands of years) would provide protection, cleanse and renew the new buildings before the official opening.
Baptist Church Paster Keith George offered a prayer for the project.
“I’ve had the honour of living in the Yass Valley for 20 years and in the last 18 months as a town resident from the farm, but as an SES member and a chaplain in the SES, I’ve also witnessed first hand strength, the resilience and the spirit of community that we have here in Yass, and today marks a complete new chapter,” he said.
Mayor Jones said the formal opening of the precinct represents a new chapter for the Yass Valley.
“It’s a moment where history, community, and a vision for our future all come together,” she said.
Former Mayor Nick Carmody sent his best wishes ahead of the day and several former Councillors and staff rocked up to witness the historic event.
Councillor McGrath, whose term as Mayor occured during the foundation years of construction, beamed from the sidelines, eliciting a comment from Mayor Jones.
“Your smile may just be the biggest here today,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Kristin Butler, Police Inspector Dave Powell, the local Aboriginal Land Council, Yass Valley Business Chamber, past and present Council staff and YVC CEO Gayleen Burley, were among those thanked by Mayor Jones for their assistance.
Mayor Jones acknowledged the leadership and dedication undertaken by Ms Burley, who only undertook the role of CEO in April 2025.
“It takes a rare calibre of leadership to walk into an organisation cold and hit the ground running on all fronts for this major infrastructure project,” she said.
“We go into these buildings a stronger team because of your leadership, ready to serve our community.
“Much like a fresh journal book, we do not yet know the chronicles that will be written down over the years inside these buildings, yet we open it with anticipation.”
Ms Burley acknowledged the great difference the new Council building will make for the morale and productivity of staff.
The former Council building (likened to a “rabbit warren” or “cave” by staff) no longer passed safety standards and was unfit to house staff.
Mayor Jones and Ms Burley were accompanied by Councillors (both past and present) and children from the region to cut the ribbon.
Following the ribbon cutting (which was heralded by no shortage of applause), Yass Men’s Shed’s Peter Davidson spoke to the crowd about their recent history project featuring a beam from the old Crago Mill.
A piece of timber that had been removed due to safety concerns was crafted into two bench seats by the Yass Men’s Shed.
“About 12 months ago, we were asked by Council if we might be able to make some use of some [timber],” said Peter.
“The timbers were used to build the Crago Mill in 1871… Here we are, all these years later, we’ve made bench seats.
“We hope the community enjoys them. We’re very proud to gift the benches to the community and we place them in the care of the Council for generations to come, because these bench seats, which have made our hard, durable, heavy eucalyptus river will be here, still existing long after we’ve gone, and long after our grandchildren are gone, [but] there’s no reason why they can’t be around in 1000 years.”
As community members flocked between the facility and the new library, it was noted that four generations sat enjoying the day. A historic moment as the new library celebrated with story time and bubbles for the newest generation of Yass Valley residents.
The Times spoke to Yass Valley Councillor, Al Charry.
“I’ve got very big hopes for the community and for Council, which is why I put my hand up to be an elected official,” he said.
“I see this as a platform for the future, for progress, for financial sustainability in the long term, but really to the morale of the community, we want the community to be proud of who we are… but underpinned by the fact that our staff are a professional organisation that are now enabled by a great facility.”
Seeing such a large turnout on the opening day, Councillor Charry said he was excited not only to see the Ngunnawal Elders lead the welcoming ceremony, but also to see the broader community turn up in support.
“I could see smiles by young children, all generations,” he said.
“It’s fantastic to see the community come together to support us as a council, but to support the staff more broadly, because we’re all members of this community, so we’ve got to remember that as well.”
In his election campaign, Councillor Charry asked for greater transparency when it came to financial sustainability for the new buildings. Today, he says there are still things that he is scrutinising, but at the end of the day, he chooses to look at the way it directly benefits community and staff.
“When I walked into the old Admin Building, I was shocked when I saw the working space of our staff, and the fact that the efforts have now been made to allow them and enable them to work in such a fantastic, professional, modern, digitised space is hugely important, not only to the professionalism of the organisation, but to the morale of the staff,” he said.
The Times also spoke to Councillor Adrian Cameron about his views on the new building.
“I think I’m really impressed with the internal space in the library. It’s fabulous and it’s a great asset in the building,” he said.
“Internally, I really enjoy walking into both spaces, and it’ll be good for those people who are working on an ongoing basis in the organisation.”
Councillor Cameron said he was less impressed in the appearance of the outside of the building.
“Some people have made a comment that it’s not very good in the sense that it’s not a historic building that matches the rest of the main street,” he said.
“I think people will get used to it.”
Councillor Cameron also agreed that the past working conditions for staff was no longer fit for purpose.
“It was very difficult conditions for people to work in,” he said.
“If there was ever any sort of fire, it would have been a disaster.”
Several community groups turned out in support of Council, with the Rotary Club providing morning tea.
Although it looks like this exciting new chapter might mean the official closure of the Stage 2 development. Mayor Jones may have given some hope to the community for the original mill.
“We are standing next to the original Crago Mill… A diamond still in the rough. So, it’s got some future work to do,” she said.
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