Our opening hours during the festive season
Published on 29 November 2023
From all of us here at Woollahra Council, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah and a safe and joyous New Year.
These are our opening hours and services over the holiday period.
Woollahra Council Chambers
Woollahra Council Chambers will be closed from 4.30pm Friday 22 December 2023 until 8am on Tuesday 2 January 2024.
During this closure period our after-hours call centre and emergency staff will be able to assist with any urgent enquiries. Please call 9391 7000. For all other service requests complete our online form or log a service request anywhere, anytime via the Woollahra Council App.
Waste services
There will be no changes to your weekly waste and recycling services during the festive season. Present your bins as usual, the evening before collection.
If you have a real/organic Christmas tree (ONLY), you can leave it out for collection next to your green waste bin on your regular service day.
Special event bins must be ordered by 4.30pm on Tuesday 12 December 2023. The last delivery will take place on Friday 15 December 2023. Service will recommence from Monday 2 January 2024.
Read more about our waste services.
Council libraries
Woollahra Libraries will operate under special hours through the holiday season.
Saturday 23 December: Open, 10am - 4pm (Double Bay and Paddington), Watsons Bay is closed
Sunday 24 - Tuesday 26 December: Closed
Wednesday 27 December: Open, 9am - 5pm (Double Bay), 12pm – 5pm (Paddington and Watsons Bay)
Thursday 28 December: 9am - 5pm (Double Bay), 9:30am - 5pm (Paddington and Watsons Bay)
Friday 29 December: 9am - 5pm (Double Bay), 9:30 - 5pm (Paddington), 2pm - 5pm (Watsons Bay)
Saturday 30 December: 10am - 4pm (Double Bay and Paddington), Watsons Bay is closed
Sunday 31 December - Monday 1 January 2024: Closed
Tuesday 2 January 2024: Open, 9am - 8pm (Double Bay), 9:30am - 6pm (Paddington), 9:30am - 5pm (Watsons Bay)
Wednesday 3 January 2024: Open, 9am - 8pm (Double Bay), 12pm - 8pm (Paddington), 2pm - 7pm (Watsons Bay)
Full details of library operating hours are available on our library webpage. You can also download our library app.
Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf Opening Hours
Saturday 23 December: Open, 10am - 5pm
Sunday 24 - Tuesday 26 December: Closed
Wednesday 27 December: Open, 1pm - 6pm
Thursday 28 December: Open, 10am - 6pm
Friday 29 December: Open, 10am - 6pm
Saturday 30 December: Open, 10am - 5pm
Sunday 31 December - Tuesday 2 January 2024: Closed
Wednesday 3 January 2024: Open, 1pm - 6pm
Visit Woollahra Gallery at Redleaf website for more info and current exhibitions.
Service Requests
To lodge a service request download our Woollahra App.
Christmas Tree Collection
Natural Christmas Trees can be placed neatly and safely alongside your green-lid bin for collection from 26 December 2023 until 31 January 2024.
New Year's Eve
For information on New Year’s Eve fireworks vantage points, along with parking, local road closures and traffic management information, visit our New Year's Eve website.
Conveyancing certificates – Section 10.7, 603, 121ZP, 735A, 88G
Conveyancing certificates cannot be requested from 12pm on Thursday, 21 December 2023, until 9am on Wednesday 3 January 2024.
The expedite service will be unavailable from 12pm on Wednesday, 20 December 2023, until 9am on Monday 8 January 2024.
Visit our conveyancing certificates page for more information.
2023 Deadlines for Development Applications (DAs) and related applications
All DAs received up to 15 January 2024 will be subject to an extended notification period because of the summer holiday closure period.
School Holiday Activities
We've been waiting the entire year for summer and now it's here! The kids are on school holidays for six weeks and we've got some fun-filled activities to keep the kids entertained in December and January. There are creative craft workshops, games, movies and more. And best of all, they're really affordable and some are even free! Find out more.
Be mindful of pool safety
As the festive season approaches, we’re reminding people to keep young children safe around backyard swimming pools.
The latest research from Royal Life Saving Australia found that 532 children aged four and under have drowned in the past 19 years. Swimming pools remain the leading location for child drownings, accounting for more than half of all deaths and most are caused by accidental falls.
Please make sure your pool is safe and complies with the law, check your fence and gate, ensure you have a CPR chart clearly displayed – and most importantly, keep watch of your little ones at all times.
Common breaches include broken or faulty latches on gates, gates that are propped open, climbable objects or vegetation near pool fences, low fence heights or missing CPR resuscitation charts.
For more information on keeping children safe around swimming pools visit Royal Life Saving Australia.