Deputy premier John Barilaro announced in Orange on Monday that $1.9 million would be provided under the $200 million statewide Stronger Country Communities Fund to be spent over the next 15 months.

Cabonne and Blayney councils have each been allocated $1.6 million under the same scheme.

Mr Barilaro said it would be up to the respective local councils to propose projects to spend the money.

VIDEO: Deputy Premier John Barilaro outlines the funding scheme

Apart from each project needing a minimum $100,000 cost there was no restriction on how many separate projects would be funded.

He said the state government was typically looking for projects ranging from $250,000 to $1 million.

The projects could range from building new parks, playground, walkways and cycle paths to refurbishing existing facilities including toilet blocks and schools.

“What we’ve done with this fund is to allocate each local government area its share,” he said.

“Therefore the people of Orange will compete with the people of Orange.

“That is to build the community amenities, the playgrounds, the sporting infrastructure, the cultural infrastructre, the stuff that your community wants,  that council has on the agenda but hasn’t been able to build due to core business.

“We’re going to ask the communities to put forward their projects.”

Orange mayor Cr John Davis said the funding was “a fantastic starter” and council would talk with the government about it. 

“If there’s a minimum of $100,000 that’s 19 projects, that’s 19 projects that we wouldn’t have had in our area, great news.”

He said a proposed rectangular sporting complex for land  in north Orange was on the agenda.

“We’ve got certain projects we’ve put in, for example a sporting field complex.

“Also the mountain bike project at Mount Canobolas, that’s there but we’ve got many projects.”

Member for Orange Phil Donato backed the funding proposal.

He said the result of last year’s Orange byelection, where Orange had become a marginal seat, was reaping rewards with funding announcements and visits by government ministers to Orange.