LOCKHART Shire has been blindsided by a NSW Government proposal for a shock merger with Corowa and Urana.
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The bombshell was dropped by Premier Mike Baird on Friday morning after Lockhart had earlier been ruled fit for the future as a rural council.
Mayor Peter Yates said staff morale was "pretty ordinary" after being informed of the decision which would make a Corowa, Urana and Lockhart share an area covering 8863 square kilometres from Mulwala to The Rock and a combined population of 15,600.
The NSW Government has dangled a $20 million carrot at the three-way merger.
"I don't know where this has come from," Cr Yates.
"It's not what we suggested.
"We were ticked fit for the future to remain a standalone council.
"We're going to be fighting tooth and nail to keep our own identity."
The newlook council will also stretch from the Murray River to just south of the Sturt Highway.
Lockhart and Urana had spoken about a merger as part of the fit for future process, but elected to go standalone when Urana indicated it wanted to align with Corowa.
Cr Yates said his council would be asking for parts of Urana Shire to be included in Lockhart so it can remain standalone as part of a review of the merger proposals.
He said he had already contacted Wagga MP Daryl Maguire about an appeal.
"We might go to Corowa or Mulwala for holidays, but beyond that there is no community of interest at all," Cr Yates said.
"You are going to have to take a caravan or tent to get those places.
"We gravitate more to the east and Wagga way.
"It is just senseless."
Corowa mayor Paul Miegel was also stunned by the proposal handed down on Friday.
The council has contacted the government for clarification on how the decision came about.
"It has come completely out of the blue and we are puzzled and surprised by the government's proposal," he said.
"No work has been done on a three-way merger.
"There is no community of interest and never considered the Lockhart Shire in any of our discussions.
"We had an agreement to go with Urana, but that has been ignored."
Urana mayor Pat Bourke said a three-way merger with Corowa and Lockhart had never been discussed.
"We realised we couldn't standalone, which was our first preference, and we decided to do something with Corowa," he said.
"You think you were having twins and then you have triplets.
"It changes everything."
Details of how a review of merger proposals will be conducted will be released next month including details of public hearings and calling for submissions.
Local Government Minister Paul Toole will have the final say on whether mergers will be implemented.
