History
Blacktown Council
Prior to the Shires Act 1905 there was no Council in the area which in 1906 became the Shire of Blacktown. Local Government services up until that time were provided by the Public Works Department.
The NSW Government Gazette of May 16 1906 proclaimed that a provisional Council had been appointed for the Shire of Blacktown, with the task of supervising the preparation of lists and rolls of electors and make necessary arrangements for the election of the first Council. The boundaries of the three ridings were also set at this time. The Provisional Council consisted of:
- James Angus, sen., Esq., of Rooty Hill
- Matthew Pearce, Esq., of Seven Hills
- Richard Joseph Sherlock, Esq., of Blacktown
- William Edmund Smith, Esq., of Rooty Hill
- John James Walters, Esq., of Bungarribi, Blacktown.
After the first meeting of the Provisional Council in the new School of Arts building, Rooty Hill, a Chairman was elected (Mr Sherlock); the police were instructed to make lists of electors and a clerk was appointed for administrative matters. On November 1 1906, Mr Hugh Reid of “Upperby”, Blacktown Road, was appointed returning officer for the forthcoming election.
Shire Council
The first elected Council met on December 8 1906 in the Blacktown School House, and consisted of:
- Thomas Willmot
- R S Donaldson
- James John Pye
- Matthew S Pearce
- James Angus (Snr)
- Adam T Pringle
Willmot was elected Shire President, and Hugh Reid was appointed as Shire Clerk.
The value of rateable property in the Shire was assessed in June 1907 to be ?300,866 ($601,732). Council’s revenue was £3,405 ($6,810) and Council spent £1,439 ($2,878) on public works.
The population of the shire at the 1911 Census was 3,847. The Shire covered an area of 102 square miles, and the population density was 37.72 people per square mile.
Left to Right: unknown; Cr George Alfred Lalor; George Nixon Stewart (Deputy Shire Clerk) (part obscured); Cr John Henry Smith Angus (President); Eric Croxon (Shire Clerk); Cr John Charles Page; Mr Thomas Jago (Works Overseer & Health Officer) and Cr William Arthur Lalor
[This picture was taken between 1916 and 1919.]
Municipal Council
The Shire of Blacktown was proclaimed a Municipality in 1961. Lands have been transferred from Blacktown to Parramatta on 1st July 1957, 13th July 1958 and 1st April 1972. Lands were added to Blacktown from Holroyd in early 1969, and there were further boundary alterations in 1974 with lands being transferred from the Municipalities of Holroyd and Fairfield, to the Blacktown Municipality and other lands transferred from Blacktown to the Municipality of Holroyd.
At the end of June 1975, Blacktown Municipal Council consisted of 246.9 sq km. The population was at the 1976 census was 159,724.
Population Trends for Blacktown Local Government Area.
|
1940 |
1949 |
1961 |
1966 |
1971 |
1976 |
|
15,510 |
27,620 |
86,295 |
111,357 |
133,655 |
159,724 |
(Local Government Boundaries Commission: Local Government Boundaries, November 1978, p. 18)
City Council
In 1979 Blacktown Municipality was proclaimed a City.
Council Chambers
The Council has met in various Council Chambers — the first in Kildare Road, Blacktown, was used until 1912. A new building was constructed in Flushcombe Road, Blacktown in 1912, which served the Council until 1939, when a large extension was opened. In 1961 a multi-storey building was built next to the 1939 site and the Council has occupied these premises (with additions) ever since.