Message from the Mayor - 4 February 2026
Published on 04 February 2026
Celebrate Double Bay festival
The heart of Double Bay is the setting for a new street festival bringing together residents, businesses and visitors for two days of fun and connection from Saturday 21 February to Sunday 22 February.
A vibrant showcase of local culture, food, fashion and community spirit, Celebrate Double Bay is hosted by Woollahra Council in partnership with the Bay Street Initiative and will feature offerings from the area’s best eateries and local designers, plus live music, street performances and a variety of family-friendly activities including a dog parade and creative workshops for kids.
The Double Bay commercial centre and local parks will also play host to art and fashion exhibitions and activations from local community groups and businesses. Double Bay’s Knox, Bay, and Cooper streets will be closed to traffic on the Saturday, with Guilfoyle and Steyne Parks transformed to event hubs on both days during the festivities.
We are grateful for funding support from the NSW Government’s Open Streets Program, and our collaboration with the Bay Street Initiative will connect the Double Bay commercial centre to Sydney Harbour and showcase the best Double Bay has to offer, with a strong focus on supporting local businesses, local talent and promoting existing connections to the local community.
Whether you’re a foodie, fashion lover or a family, Celebrate Double Bay offers something for everyone and I encourage all to come along and enjoy the fantastic series of fun events and activations we have planned across the weekend.
Welcoming our new citizens
It’s always an absolute pleasure to meet local residents and celebrate with them at citizenship ceremonies. Last week we held the first ceremony of 2026 at Woollahra Council Chambers in Double Bay. Becoming a citizen is a very special occasion and it was an honour to share it with you all.
Councillor Alexander Andruska and NSW Opposition Leader and Member for Vaucluse, Kellie Sloane joined me in welcoming new citizens at Woollahra Council Chambers
Have your say on our plans for Yarranabbe Park
We're planning an extensive upgrade of Yarranabbe Park in Darling Point and want to hear community feedback on the proposed design.
To make the park’s southern entrance more welcoming, new pathways and garden beds, seating areas and additional rubbish bins will be added, plus improvements to the northern tip of the park with larger open space, new seating, garden beds, bubblers and a dedicated dog water bowl.
Check out the designs and share your thoughts with us at Your Say Woollahra by 24 February, or at one of two pop-up info sessions under the large fig tree at the northern end on Monday 16 February, 4pm–5pm and Wednesday 18 February, 10am–11am.
Stay safe when swimming this summer
As many of you know, this has been a difficult summer on our waters.
If you're going for a swim, stay safe. The local netted and enclosed swimming locations in our LGA are Murray Rose Pool at Redleaf, Parsley Bay, Nielsen Park inside the enclosure and the Watsons Bay Baths. If you are swimming outside of netted or enclosed areas, avoid swimming at dawn and dusk, when sharks are most active, and after rain or in murky water. Check local information, follow the instructions of lifeguards and stay between the flags at patrolled beaches.
Fundraiser to support the family of Nico Antic
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Nico Antic. Nico died after being attacked by a shark at Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour recently. It’s a devastating loss, one that no parent should have to endure. You can donate to support Nico’s family through GoFundMe.