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Municipality of Woollahra

Coordinates: 33°53′S 151°15′E / 33.883°S 151.250°E / -33.883; 151.250
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This article is about the Australian local government area. For the Sydney suburb, see Woollahra, New South Wales.

Woollahra Municipal Council
New South Wales
Location in Metropolitan Sydney
Map
Coordinates33°53′S 151°15′E / 33.883°S 151.250°E / -33.883; 151.250
Population53,496 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density4,460/km2 (11,500/sq mi)
EstablishedApril 1860
Area12 km2 (4.6 sq mi)
MayorSarah Swan
Council seatRedleaf
RegionMetropolitan Sydney
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Wentworth
WebsiteWoollahra Municipal Council
LGAs around Woollahra Municipal Council:
Sydney Harbour Sydney Harbour Tasman Sea
Sydney Woollahra Municipal Council Waverley
Sydney Randwick Waverley
Woollahra Council Chambers
Vaucluse clifftop homes.

Woollahra Municipal Council (or Woollahra Council) is a local government area in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Woollahra is bounded by Sydney Harbour in the north, Waverley Council in the east, Randwick City in the south and the City of Sydney in the west.

The administrative centre of Woollahra Municipal Council is located at Redleaf in Double Bay. The mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council is Cr. Sarah Swan.[2]

Suburbs in the local government area

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Suburbs in the area include:

Demographics

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At the 2011 Census, there were 52,158 people in the Woollahra local government area, of these 47.1% were male and 52.9% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.2% of the population. The median age of people in the Municipality of Woollahra was 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 15.4% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 16.3% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 43.1% were married and 10.3% were either divorced or separated.[3]

Population growth in the Municipality of Woollahra between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 0.70%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 3.98%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in Woollahra local government area was significantly lower than the national average.[4] The median weekly income for residents within the Municipality of Woollahra was double the national average.[3][5]

At the 2016 Census, the proportion of residents who stated a religious affiliation with Judaism was in excess of thirty–two times the state and national averages.[6]

Selected historical census data for Woollahra local government area
Census year 2001[4] 2006[5] 2011[3] 2016[6]
Population Estimated residents on census night 49,814 Increase 50,161 Increase 52,158 Increase 54,240
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 19th Decrease 42nd Decrease 43rd
% of New South Wales population 1.90% Decrease 0.75% Decrease 0.73%
% of Australian population 0.26% Decrease 0.25% Decrease 0.24% Decrease 0.23%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 English 23.6% Increase 23.7%
Australian 17.7% Decrease 16.8%
Irish 9.0% Increase 9.5%
Scottish 6.9% Increase 7.2%
Chinese n/c Increase 3.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Mandarin n/c n/c Increase 0.8% Increase 1.6%
French 1.0% Steady 1.0% Increase 1.1% Increase 1.3%
Greek 1.4% Decrease 1.3% Steady 1.3% Steady 1.3%
Spanish n/c Steady n/c Steady n/c Increase 1.1%
Italian 1.2% Decrease 1.1% Decrease 1.0% Steady 1.0%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 No religion 15.1% Increase 16.7% Increase 21.7% Increase 30.2%
Catholic 19.9% Decrease 19.7% Increase 20.2% Decrease 19.1%
Anglican 21.2% Decrease 19.8% Decrease 17.9% Decrease 13.8%
Judaism 13.4% Increase 14.1% Increase 14.2% Decrease 13.0%
Not stated n/c Steady n/c Steady n/c Increase 12.8%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income A$976 A$1,145 A$1,365
% of Australian median income 209.4% Decrease 198.4% Increase 206.2%
Family income Median weekly family income A$1,917 A$2,832 A$3,626
% of Australian median income 186.7% Increase 191.2% Increase 209.1%
Household income Median weekly household income A$2,654 A$2,398 A$2,687
% of Australian median income 226.6% Decrease 194.3% Decrease 186.7%

Council

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See also: List of mayors of Woollahra

Woollahra Municipal Council is composed of fifteen councillors elected proportionally as five separate wards, each electing three Councillors. Councillors are usually elected for a fixed four-year term of office.[7] The Mayor is elected by the Councillors at the first meeting of the council. The Council election of 14 September 2024 resulted in the following makeup:[8][9][10][11][12]

Current composition and election method

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Party Councillors
Liberal Party 9
Residents First Woollahra 5
The Greens 2
Total 15

The council as elected in 2024, in order of election by ward, was:

Ward Councillor Party Notes
Bellevue Hill Ward[13] Sean Carmichael Liberal Deputy Mayor 2024–present
Lucinda Regan Residents First Woollahra
Hugh Woodgate Liberal
Cooper Ward[14] Sarah Swan Liberal Mayor 2024–present

Deputy Mayor 2023–2024

Jeanette Mitchell Liberal
Torsten Blackwood Residents First Woollahra
Double Bay Ward[15] Toni Zeltzer Liberal Deputy Mayor 2011–2012; Mayor 2013–2017.
Mark Silcocks Residents First
James Ardouin Liberal
Paddington Ward[16] Alex Andruska Liberal
Harriet Price Residents First
Matthew Robertson The Greens
Vaucluse Ward[17] Mary-Lou Jarvis OAM Liberal Deputy Mayor 2018–2019.
Merrill Halkerston Witt Residents First
Julian Parmegiani Liberal

Election results

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2024

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This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Inner Sydney § Woollahra results.[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: Woollahra[18][19]
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal 16,143 57.0 8 Increase 1
  Residents First Woollahra 9,393 33.0 5 Steady
  Greens 2,769 9.0 1 Decrease 1
 Formal votes 28,305 96.0
 Informal votes 1,039 3.0
 Total 29,344 73.0 15
 Registered voters 40,179

History of Woollahra

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The name 'Woollahra' is thought to be derived from an Aboriginal word meaning 'camp' or 'meeting ground'.[20]

A petition was submitted in 1859 with 144 signatures of local residents from Darling Point, Paddington and Watsons Bay for the formation of the Municipality. With no petition against formation of the Municipality, Woollahra was proclaimed to be named so on 17 April 1860, and gazetted on 20 April 1860. At the first meeting, The Hon. George Thornton was elected as the first Chairman of Woollahra.[20]

In 1947, after previously acquiring 'Iron House' on Ocean Street, in the 1860s, Council transferred to the current site at Redleaf.[20]

Woollahra largely developed as a residential locality. A few small local industries were established in Woollahra, Double Bay and Paddington; but with the residential gentrification of Paddington and Woollahra in the 1960s, most of these cottage industries had vanished by the end of the 20th century.[citation needed]

Woollahra's cultural heritage has been enriched by the influx of people from many different cultural backgrounds. Some of the influential immigrants to Woollahra have been the Chinese market gardeners, who began leasing land in Double Bay gully and Rose Bay in the 1880s; the Portuguese whalers who settled at Watsons Bay in the 19th century, building a church and becoming a part of the village life, and the many Europeans who migrated after World War II and helped change the face of commercial centres such as Double Bay.[citation needed]

A 2015 review of local government boundaries recommended that the Municipality of Woollahra merge with the Waverley and Randwick councils to form a new council with an area of 58 square kilometres (22 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 274,000.[21] Following an independent review, in May 2016 the NSW Government sought to dismiss the council and force its amalgamation with Waverley and Randwick councils. Woollahra Council instigated legal action claiming that there was procedural unfairness and that a KPMG report at the centre of merger proposals had been "misleading". The matter was heard before the NSW Court of Appeal who, in December 2016, unanimously dismissed the council's appeal, finding no merit in its arguments that the proposed merger with its neighbouring councils was invalid.[22] In July 2017, the Berejiklian government decided to abandon the forced merger of the Woollahra, Waverley and Randwick local government areas, along with several other proposed forced mergers.[23]

Heritage listings

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The Municipality of Woollahra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Coat of arms

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Coat of arms of the Municipality of Woollahra
Adopted
Granted by the Kings of Arms, 10 May 1964.[54]
Crest
On a Wreath of the Colours in front of a Demi-Sun in splendour Or two Cornucopias in a saltire proper.
Helm
A closed Helmet, mantling Azure, doubled Argent.
Escutcheon
Argent, on a Pile issuant in base Azure between two threemasted Sailing Ships sails furled proper pennants flying Gules a representation of the constellation of the Southern Cross Argent, on a chief of the Second a Garb Or.
Supporters
On the dexter side an Emu and on the sinister side a Kangaroo each supporting a Staff proper flying therefrom a Banner barry wavy of six Argent and Azure.
Compartment
A field of Grass Vert.
Motto
Peace, Plenty, Progress
Symbolism
Many of the features of the Arms, including the supporters and motto, come from the Council Seal adopted in 1907.[55] The two sailing ships in the escutcheon allude to both the position of the Municipality on the southern shore of Port Jackson, but also Captain Arthur Phillip's landing with the First Fleet at Camp Cove in 1788. The Southern Cross, and the kangaroo and emu supporters, are common additions for Australian arms. The rising sun in the crest symbolises the position of Woollahra on the east coast of Australia, as well as the promise of the future, while the Cornucopias in front signify the prosperity and position of Woollahra. The gold sheaf of wheat in the escutcheon is also included as a symbol of plenty and prosperity. The banners held by the supporters refer to the expansive water frontages of Woollahra, being bounded by the Tasman Sea to the east and Port Jackson to the north.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Woollahra (A)". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 9 June 2023. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Woollahra (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  4. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Woollahra (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Woollahra (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Woollahra (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2018. Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ "Council Circular 16-44 Election Timing and Cycle of Council Elections". NSW Office of Local Government. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Woollahra – Bellevue Hill Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Woollahra – Cooper Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Woollahra – Double Bay Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Woollahra – Paddington Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  12. ^ "Woollahra – Vaucluse Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Woollahra Bellevue Hill Ward". vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Woollahra Cooper Ward". vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Woollahra Double Bay Ward". vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Woollahra Paddington Ward". vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Woollahra Vaucluse Ward". vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Woollahra Liberals". woollahraliberals.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Meet your No. 1 Candidates". Residents First Woollahra. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Jarvis & Kelly (1960). The History of Woollahra. Sydney: Halstead Press.
  21. ^ "Merger proposal: Randwick City Council, Waverley Council, Woollahra Municipal Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  22. ^ Visentin, Lisa (22 December 2016). "Woollahra loses merger appeal, hints at High Court challenge". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  23. ^ Blumer, Clare; Chettle, Nicole (27 July 2017). "NSW council amalgamations: Mayors fight to claw back court dollars after backflip on merger". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Leura". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00047. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  25. ^ "Lindesay". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00686. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  26. ^ "Swifts". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00146. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  27. ^ "Babworth House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01300. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  28. ^ "Bishopscourt". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00362. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  29. ^ "Double Bay Compressed Air Ejector Station". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01324. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  30. ^ "Gladswood House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00496. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  31. ^ "Overthorpe". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00246. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  32. ^ "Fairwater". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01381. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  33. ^ "Houses". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00209. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  34. ^ "Fenton and surrounds". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00249. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  35. ^ "Juniper Hall". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00268. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  36. ^ "Engehurst". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00575. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  37. ^ "Paddington Post Office". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01418. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  38. ^ "Paddington Post Office (CHL) (Place ID 105300)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  39. ^ "Paddington Post Office (Place ID 19158)". Australian Heritage Database. Australian Government. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
  40. ^ "Substation". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00939. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  41. ^ "Dunara". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00539. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  42. ^ "Site of Ficus superba var. henneana tree". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00578. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  43. ^ "Salisbury Court". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00251. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  44. ^ "Wentworth Memorial Church and Moveable Collection". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01882. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  45. ^ "Wentworth Mausoleum and site". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00622. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  46. ^ "Nielsen Park". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01988. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  47. ^ "Macquarie Lighthouse Site". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00677. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  48. ^ "Strickland House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00722. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  49. ^ "Vaucluse House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00955. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  50. ^ "Dunbar Group". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01675. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  51. ^ "South Head Signal Station". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01436. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  52. ^ "Rosemont". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00294. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  53. ^ "Waimea House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00226. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  54. ^ Low, Charles (1971). A Roll of Australian Arms. Adelaide: Rigby Limited. p. 20. ISBN 0-85179-149-2.
  55. ^ "Administrative history". Woollahra Municipal Council. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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