Message from the Mayor - 19 August 2026
Published on 19 August 2026
During Local Government Week (3-9 August), I was pleased to be able to offer a pair of local high school students a unique period of work experience.
Kambala students Georgie and Olivia spent several days shadowing me and also learning from Council staff, including a visit to the Rushcutters Bay Youth Recreation Area construction site. The idea came out of our Woollahra Youth Summit, initiated by Councillor James Ardouin, held earlier this year, and is just one part of our efforts to engage with local young people.
It was so insightful to spend time with Georgie and Olivia and hear their perspectives. They have a lot of ideas, and I hope they learned that local government is about so much more than just roads, rates and rubbish!
For their part, Georgie and Olivia spoke about issues that matter to local young people: the environment, balancing housing affordability with maintaining the character of the area, and better utilising council-owned spaces.
If you know a local young person who wants to explore opportunities in the local community, point them towards our online Youth Hub Your Say woollahra. It's a one-stop shop for news, resources and events of interest to those in our community aged 12-24.
With Kambala students Olivia and Georgie
Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize finalists announced
The works of 49 finalists, selected from 724 local and international entries, have been chosen for the Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize exhibition, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.
The winning work, selected by this year's judges, will receive the $25,000 Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize and join Woollahra Council's public art collection. The total prize pool also includes a Special Commendation Award ($2,000), Mayor’s Award ($1,000), and Viewers’ Choice Award ($1,000).
Over the past 25 years, the Prize has become Australia’s pre-eminent award for small sculpture, and an internationally recognised showcase for creative excellence. As we mark this significant milestone, we are thrilled by the enthusiastic response it continues to receive and excited to welcome visitors to the exhibition of finalists to celebrate with us and view the remarkable breadth of talent and innovation on display.
The winners will be announced on 1 October. All finalists will be on display at Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf from 2 October to 29 November.
Visit Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize for more info.
Recycle It Saturday drop-off event
Our quarterly Recycle It Saturday events, hosted in conjunction with City of Sydney and Waverley Councils, are the perfect solution for those tricky items that can’t be recycled or disposed of in your bins at home.
You can drop off a range of household items for recycling that is not suitable for regular disposal, which will then be diverted from landfill and given a second life.
Bring your items to Alexandra Canal Depot, 67C Bourke Road, Alexandria (City of Sydney Depot) this Saturday 22 August between 9am and 3pm.
Check our website for a rundown of items which will and won’t be accepted Waste and Recycling.