The council, backed by Central West-based councils Cabonne and Oberon, has instigated a legal battle in the Land and Environment Court against Local Government Minister Paul Toole, arguing the amalgamation process has been flawed.

During legal proceedings in the Land and Environment Court earlier this week, Chief Justice Brian J Preston ordered the councils to file the evidence they will rely on in court by the start of May, with the minister and the Office of Local Government ordered to submit their defence one week later.

The councils will have time to respond and file further evidence in reply, with the chief judge setting the case down for hearing in the court in Sydney across two days from May 24.

Walcha’s mayor and general manager both spoke highly of Mr Spring, who did a lot of the ground work and suggested the council needed to look at the Woollahra legal bid against the local government minister, according to Cr Archdale.

That case continues in a Sydney court this week.

Mr Spring admits his activism has been costly on his time and energy, but says the groundswell of support for Walcha’s standalone bid has kept him going.

“Since the beginning, Walcha has jumped higher and screamed louder than anyone, which has kept me going,” Mr Spring said.

“To get support from the federal member, the state member, the mayor and all of the councillors against something, that’s overwhelming.”

With Walcha’s legal bid supported by Cabonne and Oberon councils, Mr Spring believes more rural councils could have jumped on board if there had been more time.

Former federal politician and Sydney barrister Peter King, who has a connection to Walcha, has offered to act for Walcha and the other rural councils, which has kept costs low, according to Mr Spring.

“Everyone felt the government has been very duplicitous and changed the goal posts a number of times,” Mr Spring said on the widespread rejection to the government’s amalgamation proposals.

“There’s a lot of holes in the government’s case for mergers.”