AGY-6476 | Shire of Ku-ring-gai (1906-1928) Municipality of Ku-ring-gai (1928-2000) Ku-ring-gai Council (2000- )

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The Local Government (Shires) Act 1905 (Act No.33, 1905) extended local government within NSW by creating shires in those areas of the State, outside of the Western Division, that were not part of existing municipalities. Shires were less populated areas than Municipalities and had fewer compulsory duties. (1)

The Ku-ring-gai Shire was established on 7 March 1906. The Shire was situated in the Parish of Gordon, County of Cumberland, on the North Shore sixteen kilometres from Sydney City. (2) The Shire was divided into three ridings (A, B and C), which were proclaimed on the 16 May 1906. (3)

A temporary council of five members was appointed by the Governor to commence on 9 June 1906. (4) The temporary council's role was limited to compiling lists and rolls of electors and making arrangements within six months for the election of the first permanent council. (5)

The election of the permanent Shire council was held on 24 November 1906. (6) The permanent Shire Council, consisting of 6 members, held its first meeting on 8 December 1906 at which the first president was elected. (7)

Boundary changes occurred between the Shire of Ku-ring-gai and the Municipality of Willoughby on 12 February 1908, and between the Shires of Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby on 24 December 1912 and 14 December 1917. These changes also resulted in changes to the riding divisions of the Shire of Ku-ring-gai. (8)

The Shire of Ku-ring-gai was converted and constituted as the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai from 1 November 1928. The original proposal from the Shire Council was gazetted on 10 August 1928 but was objected to by electors. An amended proposal was gazetted on 14 September and did not receive any objections. The Municipality was divided into four wards: Wahroonga, Gordon, Killara and Roseville. (9) On 14 May 1971 a fifth ward, Comenarra, was added. (10)

Parts V and VI of the Valuation of Land Act 1916, (Act No.2, 1916) were applied to the Shire of Ku-ring-gai on 1 December 1921. Under this legislation the Valuer-General took over the valuing of land within the municipality from the council. The Valuer General issued a valuation list to the Council by 31 December 1921 and thereafter the Council ceased to create valuation rolls. Parts V and VI of the Valuation of Land Act, 1916, were applied to the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai on 1 November 1928 (11)

Boundary changes occurred between the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai and the Shire of Warringah on 7 November 1933, between the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai and the Municipality of Willoughby on 7 May 1937, and between the Municipality of Ku-ring-gai and the Shire of Hornsby on 31 December 1976 and 1 January 1997. These also resulted in changes to the ward divisions of Ku-ring-gai. (12) The 1997 alteration moved 'the common boundary to the centre line of the Sydney to Newcastle Freeway'. (13)

Under section 221(1) of the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No.30, 1993) the corporate name of all councils was changed on 1 July 1993 by deleting any reference to 'municipality' or 'shire'. However, this was opposed by some local government areas. The Local Government Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1994 (Act No.44, 1994) enabled local government areas to retain the words 'municipality' or 'shire' as part of their corporate name if they resolved to do so before 31 December 1994. (14) Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council resolved on 2 August 1994 to retain the word 'Municipal' in its name. (15) On 19 September 2000 Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council resolved to change its corporate name to Ku-ring-gai Council. (16)

To commemorate its 100 year anniversary the Council commissioned an official history entitled Under the Canopy by Pauline Curby and Virginia Macleod. (17)

Endnotes
1. Department of Public Works Annual Report, 1905-06, pp.101-102.
2. NSW Government Gazette No.121, 7 March 1906, pp.1593, 1617.
3. NSW Government Gazette No.161, 16 May 1906, pp.2899, 2976-77.
4. ibid., pp. 2979, 2982.
5. Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905 (Act No.33, 1905), s.7(a).
6. NSW Government Gazette No.121, 5 September 1906, p. 5013; No.235 3 October 1906, p.5590.
7. Local Government (Shires) Act, 1905 (Act No.33, 1905), ss.18(3), 21(2).
8. NSW Government Gazette No.146, 20 Nov 1907, pp.6312-13; No.19, 12 Feb 1908, pp.1018-19; No.83, 15 July 1908, p.3772; No.183, 24 Dec 1912, pp.7519-20; No.57, 16 April 1913, pp.2265-66; No.94, 18 June 1913, p.3715; No.213, 14 Dec 1917, pp.6688-89; No.8, 25 Jan 1918, pp.330-31.
9. NSW Government Gazette No.106, 10 Aug 1928, pp.3740-41; No.128, 14 Sept 1928, pp.4166-67; No.147, 26 Oct 1928, pp.4635-36.
10. NSW Government Gazette No.52, 14 May 1971, p.1537.
11. NSW Government Gazette No.167, 11 Nov 1921, p.6432; No.3, 6 Jan 1922, p.199; Annual Report of the Department of Local Government, 1921-22, Appendix XVII p.58; NSW Government Gazette No.147, 26 Oct 1928, p.4634.
12. NSW Government Gazette No.79, 26 May 1933, p.1752; No.191 17 Nov 1933, pp.4044-45; No.64, 7 May 1937, pp.1843-44; No.195, 4 Dec 1936, pp.4955; No.168, 31 Dec 1976, pp.5803-7; No.49, 19 April 1996, pp.1869-70; No.119, 25 Oct 1996, pp.7174-76; No.47, 18 May 1962 p.1395; No.52, 14 May 1971, p.1537.
13. NSW Government Gazette No.49, 19 April 1996, pp.1869-70.
14. Local Government Legislation (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1994 (Act No.44, 1994), inserted s.6 of Schedule 8 into the Local Government Act 1993 (Act No 30, 1994).
15. NSW Government Gazette No.108, 26 August 1994, p.5322.
16. Department of Local Government, Annual Report, 2000/2001, p.47; NSW Government Gazette No.131, 6 October 2000, p.10992.
17. Curby, P. and V. Macleod, "Under the canopy : a centenary history of Ku-ring-gai Council", Gordon, N.S.W. : Ku-ring-gai Council, c.2006.