Woollahra Municipal Council, situated in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, holds a prominent place in the region’s local governance. 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, Woollahra boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage.
The administrative hub of Woollahra Municipal Council is nestled in Double Bay, a vibrant locality within the region. Currently, the mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council is Cr. Richard Shields.
The name ‘Woollahra’ is believed to have originated from an Aboriginal term signifying a ‘camp’ or ‘meeting ground.’
The journey of Woollahra as a municipality dates back to 1859 when a petition, supported by 144 signatures from local residents of Darling Point, Paddington, and Watsons Bay, was submitted for its formation. With no opposition, Woollahra was officially proclaimed on 17 April 1860, with The Hon. George Thornton elected as the inaugural Chairman.
In 1947, the council transitioned to its current location at Redleaf, having previously acquired ‘Iron House’ on Ocean Street in the 1860s.
Over the years, Woollahra has evolved primarily as a residential area, witnessing the gentrification of Paddington and Woollahra in the 1960s. This transformation led to the disappearance of most cottage industries by the end of the 20th century.
The cultural fabric of Woollahra has been enriched by diverse immigrant communities. Notable among these were the Chinese market gardeners who leased land in Double Bay gully and Rose Bay in the 1880s, Portuguese whalers settling at Watsons Bay in the 19th century, and European migrants post-World War II, contributing to the commercial vibrancy of Double Bay.
In 2015, a review of local government boundaries recommended merging the Municipality of Woollahra with Waverley and Randwick councils to form a larger council entity. However, following legal challenges and appeals, the proposed merger was abandoned by the Berejiklian government in July 2017.
Source Url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipality_of_Woollahra
