The despair was accompanied by a resolve to fight on against the arrival of a Sydney-like "ghetto" of medium-density dwellings and commercial operations in their midst.

An estimated 400 people with an interest in a proposed rezone of the long-established part of town gathered at a public meeting on Wednesday.

Many of them seized the opportunity to show their opposition to the South Dubbo Housing Choice Planning Proposal Resident.

Senior staff members of Dubbo City Council, the author of the mooted changes, answered question after question from the audience in the 2.5-hour long session where technical detail was plentiful

Debate about the planning proposal had been raging for more than a week and showed no sign of abating at the meeting.

"If it's done nothing else it's brought us together as a community," South Dubbo resident Cynthia Foley said, prompting applause.

The meeting opened with Dubbo mayor Mathew Dickerson saying it was "exciting to see so many people who care about Dubbo" as well as presentations by council staff.

Technical services director Stewart McLeod said he had no concerns that a more-densely populated South Dubbo would cause problems for water and sewerage services or the roads network in the area.

Council city strategy services manager Tony Aikins gave a summary of the range of initiatives being pursued to address a shortage of housing types.

The question and answer session opened with a teary protest about greater volumes of traffic in Tamworth Street and high-rise dwellings.

It heated up when former Dubbo City councillor Richard Mutton grilled Mr McLeod about traffic figures for the suburb.

Cr Dickerson called Mr Mutton to order when he continued to speak, reminding him it was an information session.

"If you want a pub brawl go to Sydney after midnight," Cr Dickerson said, before calling for people to listen to the answers.

A number of residents focused on plans for a low-level bridge across Tamworth Street, suggesting it should be built further south, but Mr McLeod rejected this.

"The idea of building a long way from the CBD would be a white elephant, it would not do away with congestion at the LH Ford Bridge and Serisier Bridge," he said.

South Dubbo resident Steve Hodder called the crowd to use a show of hands to drive home the message of opposition to the proposal.

A wave of arms rose in response and applause broke out, but the result was not quite unanimous.

At times residents drew attention to issues they already faced living in South Dubbo.

Mr McLeod's assertion that the area's water pressure met acceptable standards prompted howls of protest from the crowd.

Resident Ray Tickle's fear was that in any protest he made against future development he would be "one person arguing against a corporation" and would have "no power" but a council staff member attempted to assuage his concerns.

"We do take notice of one voice - if it's based on reason," building and development services manager Stephen Wallace said.

The mayor named fellow councillors Allan Smith, Ben Shields, Bill Kelly, Kevin Parker, John Walkom, Rod Towney, Tina Reynolds and Greg Mohr as in attendance at the meeting.

Cr Dickerson urged residents to make submissions on the planning proposal.

Council staff estimated about 400 people had attended the meeting.

At the end of the night the "SOS Save Our South" campaign continued.

Adam Campbell, the instigator of the campaign, started a petition about 10 days before a meeting was convened and then rescheduled by the council last week.

He and wife Jo urged people to sign the petition located at a number of businesses in Tamworth Street and Boundary Road and write to submissions.