Just a handful of people took the time to attend the Bathurst meeting, with even that small number boosted by the presence of council staff, councillors and Oberon residents keen to have their say.

That was in stark contrast to the scene in Oberon just hours earlier when hundreds of locals turned out to passionately express their desire to remain as a stand-alone council area.

Speakers told of their fears that a merger with Bathurst Regional Council would leave Oberon much worse off. Residents were concerned about a loss of identity, a loss of representation and even a loss of local facilities.

They were also angry with a process they see as neither transparent nor democratic, and made it clear the local government minister had few friends left in Oberon.

And that is perhaps what sets the anger in Oberon apart from the opposition to amalgamations in other parts of the state – because it’s personal for Oberon.

Mr Toole polled strongly in Oberon at the past two state elections and was welcomed by locals as a breath of fresh air in state parliament.

No longer.

Oberon locals, rightly or wrongly, feel betrayed by Mr Toole as he pushes ahead with mergers plans while other relatively small council areas – including Weddin, Parkes and Forbes in the Central West – remain untouched.

But the attendance in Bathurst on Thursday night confirmed a very different sense in this area.

There is no anger, there is barely interest, and that may be because Bathurst has been through it all before.

The sky did not fall in when Bathurst merged with Evans, and most now consider that amalgamation a success.

If the Bathurst and Oberon merger goes ahead, we would hope to see history repeat and the current anger dissipate over time.

Mr Toole, no doubt, hopes the same.