2010 marked the 150th anniversary of the Municipality of Woollahra.

As a result of the Municipalities Act of 1858 a petition was signed by 144 local residents from the districts of Darling Point, Upper Paddington and Watsons Bay in the County of Cumberland proposing the district of Woollahra, and presented in October 1859. The proclamation of the Municipality of Woollahra was made on Friday 20 April in 1860 in the New South Wales Government Gazette by the then Governor General His Excellency, Sir William Thomas Denison.

It should be noted that Paddington was also proclaimed a municipality on the same day. Seventeen municipalities including Randwick and Waverley were proclaimed before Woollahra

The first meeting of Woollahra Council was held at the offices of Messrs. Rowley, Holdsworth and Garrick, solicitors at 120 Elizabeth Street, on 6 June 1860 (situated on the eastern side of Elizabeth Street, between King Street and present-day Martin Place).  

It is these two dates, 20 April and 6 June 1860, which are of special significance this year.

This site aims to provide information on the events that will celebrate our sesquicentenary, as well as interesting information on the history of the administration of Woollahra Council and the local area during the last 150 years.

Information on this site has been prepared by staff from our Local History Centre. For more information visit or call the Centre.