More than 80 people filled the room and Guyra resident Rob Lenehan led the discussion on a rally against the forced merger.

“Tuesday’s announcement was some of the most devastating news Guyra has ever had,” Mr Lenehan said.

“The Premier has announced that the amalgamation between Armidale and Guyra will go ahead, to the joys of some people but not many in Guyra.”

Mr Lenehan is responsible for a statewide petition against the merger and is positive it will garner the 10,000 signatures needed to have the issue tabled in parliament. 

“The idea of the petition is that they can’t back away from it,” he said.

“All the decisions that have been made right across the state on local government are only policies – without getting too political, those policies have come from a government that’s not listening to us.”

Guyra Shire Council did not take legal action against the merger.

In his speech Mr Lenehan stressed that it’s only forced amalgamations that the group opposes.

“I think amalgamations probably are a good idea, look at Brisbane now – you don’t see anyone complaining there,” he said.

“Now some big bum sitting on a chair has thought they’d do it all over the state and rationalised that, that’s a politicians word and of course we all know what rationalised means – it’s going to cost you money.”

Guyra resident Gordon Youman gave a speech at the meeting and said the efforts to disband the merger had the support of a number of communities down south. 

“Think about the people down south, Arden, Holroyd, Cabonne, Gundagai, Gloucestor, Taree – they’re all behind us, they’re all in this network,” he said.

“This was never tabled in parliament, this was a stroke of a pen.”

The rally was put down to a vote, and every person that attended the meeting raised their hand in support.

The decision was made to hold a rally on Sunday February 26.

More than 300 people are expected to attend and will march from the Guyra Post Office to the Big Lamb.

The rally will start at 12pm.