City of Kogarah

The City of Kogarah was a local government area in the St George region of southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The centre of the city is located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) south-west of the Sydney central business district and west of Botany Bay.

This article is about the former local government area. For the suburb, see Kogarah, New South Wales.

City of Kogarah
New South Wales
Location in Metropolitan Sydney, 1887–2016
Coordinates33°58′S 151°08′E
Population55,806 (2011)[1]
 • Density2,860.4/km2 (7,408/sq mi)
Established22 December 1885
Abolished12 May 2016 (2016-05-12)
Area19.51 km2 (7.5 sq mi)a
Council seatCivic Centre, Kogarah
RegionSt George
ParishSt. George
WebsiteCity of Kogarah
LGAs around City of Kogarah:
Hurstville Bexley/Rockdale
Hurstville City of Kogarah Rockdale
Hurstville Sutherland Rockdale

The Municipality of Kogarah was established on 22 December 1885 and in 2008 Kogarah became the first local government area in New South Wales to become a city by popular vote. The city was bounded by the Illawarra railway line, Georges River, Rocky Point Road, Princes Highway and Harrow Road. The name Kogarah is Aboriginal, meaning place of reeds and takes its name from the reeds that grew in the inlets along the Georges River and at the head of Kogarah Bay.[2] On 12 May 2016, the NSW Government announced that Kogarah and Hurstville councils would merge to form Georges River Council with immediate effect.

Council history

The "Municipal District of Kogarah" was proclaimed on 23 December 1885, and the district's boundaries commenced at the intersection of the Illawarra Railway Line with the northern shore of Georges River.[3] The Municipal District was renamed the "Municipality of Kogarah" following the passage of the Municipalities Act, 1897 on 6 December 1897.[4] On 22 December 1916 and 1 January 1969, parts of Municipality of Rockdale were transferred to Kogarah.[4] Kogarah was proclaimed a city in 2008.

In December 1920, Kogarah combined with the councils of Rockdale, Hurstville, and Bexley to form the St George County Council. The elected County Council was established to provide electricity to the Kogarah, Rockdale, Hurstville, and Bexley areas, and ceased to exist when it was amalgamated with the Sydney County Council on 1 January 1980.[5]

Council Chambers

In 1910 the council acquired land in Belgrave Street, Kogarah, for £285.[6] The foundation stone of the Council Chambers was laid 27 March 1912 by the Mayor W. J. Jones and was designed by Alderman Charles Herbert Halstead.[7][8] The completed Council Chambers was officially opened on 7 September 1912 by the Governor, Lord Chelmsford.[9][10][11]

The 1912 Council Chambers had had many alterations, including a first floor addition completed to a design by architects Moore & Dyer in 1937 which had required the council to hold its meetings at the St George County Council headquarters in Montgomery Street while construction occurred.[12][13] The newly remodelled chambers were officially reopened by the Minister for Local Government, Eric Spooner, on 28 April 1937.[14] In 1970 it was decided to replace the old council chambers, which were demolished to make way for the Kogarah Civic Centre, opened by Governor Sir Roden Cutler in 1973.

Amalgamation

Efforts to bring about a unified council for the St George area were raised regularly since 1901 and the 1946 Clancy Royal Commission into local government boundaries recommended the amalgamation of the municipalities of Hurstville, Kogarah, Rockdale and Bexley. In the following act of parliament passed in December 1948, the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the recommendations of the commission were modified, leading only to the merger of Bexley and Rockdale councils. A merger was again considered in the 1970s, but 1977 plebiscites run in Hurstville and Kogarah rejected the idea. A further idea of amalgamating Kogarah and Hurstville with Sutherland Shire to the south was raised in 1999 but did not progress.[15] Kogarah opposed an attempt by the NSW Government to amalgamate with Hurstville and Rockdale in 2003.[16]

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that Kogarah merge with the City of Hurstville to form a new council with an area of 38 square kilometres (15 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 147,000.[17] On 12 May 2016, the NSW Government announced that Kogarah and Hurstville would merge to form Georges River Council with immediate effect.[18]

Suburbs and localities in the former local government area

Suburbs in the City of Kogarah were:

Kogarah City Council also managed and maintained the following localities:

  • Bald Face
  • Carss Point
  • Connells Bay
  • Harness Cask Point
  • Neverfail Bay
  • Oatley Bay
  • Shipwright Bay
  • Tom Uglys Point

Demographics

At the 2011 Census, there were 55,806 people in the Kogarah local government area, of these 48.8% were male and 51.2% were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.4% of the population. The median age of people in the Kogarah City Council was 37 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 17.6% of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 14.1% of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 54.5% were married and 8.8% were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in the City between the 2001 Census and the 2006 Census was 5.32%; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 Census, population growth was 6.22%. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same periods, being 5.78% and 8.32% respectively, population growth in Kogarah local government area was marginally lower than the national average.[19] The median weekly income for residents within the city was generally on par with the national average.[1][20]

Selected historical census data for Kogarah local government area
Census year2001[19]2006[20]2011[1]
PopulationEstimated residents on Census night49,88552,53755,806
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales
% of New South Wales population0.81%
% of Australian population0.27%Decrease 0.26%Steady 0.26%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		Chinese18.7%
Australian14.4%
English14.1%
Greek8.7%
Irish5.1%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		Mandarin4.0%Increase 8.1%Increase 10.5%
Cantonese7.0%Increase 7.9%Increase 8.7%
Greek8.0%Increase 8.1%Steady 8.1%
Arabic3.6%Increase 3.8%Decrease 3.6%
Macedoniann/cIncrease 2.2%Increase 2.3%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		Catholic27.8%Decrease 26.2%Decrease 24.6%
No religion12.1%Increase 16.2%Increase 20.0%
Eastern Orthodox13.3%Increase 14.5%Increase 14.8%
Anglican17.4%Decrease 14.0%Decrease 12.0%
Buddhismn/cIncrease 3.6%Increase 4.6%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$514A$605
% of Australian median income110.3%104.9%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$1,164A$1,667
% of Australian median income113.3%112.6%
Household incomeMedian weekly household incomeA$1,354A$1,463
% of Australian median income115.6%118.6%

Council
Kogarah Civic Centre, opened by Governor Sir Roden Cutler in 1973.

Composition and election method

Kogarah City Council was composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three councillors. All councillors were elected for a fixed four-year term of office. The mayor was elected by the councillors at the first meeting of the council. The last election was held on 8 September 2012, and the final makeup of the council for the term 2012–2016, in order of election by ward, was as follows:[21][22][23][24]

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
East Ward[21]   Sam Stratikopoulos Liberal Councillor 2012–2016
  Michael Platt Labor Deputy Mayor 1996–1997, 2012–2013, Mayor 2004–2005, 2014–2015
  Annie Tang Unity Deputy Mayor 2005–2006, 2008–2011, 2013–2016
Middle Ward[22]   Nickolas Varvaris Liberal Deputy Mayor 2004–2005, 2006–2007, Mayor 2005–2006, 2008–2013
  Nathaniel Smith Liberal Councillor 2012–2016
  Kathryn Landsberry Labor Deputy Mayor 2007–2008
North Ward[23]   Lachlan McLean Independent Councillor 2008–2016
  Stephen Agius Liberal Mayor 2013–2014, 2015–2016
  Nick Katris Labor Mayor 2007–2008
West Ward[24]   Nicholas Aroney Liberal Councillor 2012–2016
  George Katsabaris Liberal Councillor 2012–2016
  Jacinta Petroni Labor Deputy Mayor 2011–2012

Mayors
Mayor Party Term Notes
Thomas Peter Lind September 1995 – September 1996 [25]
  Samuel Reuben Witheridge Independent September 1996 – September 1997 [25]
James Jordan September 1997 – September 1998 [25]
Graeme Sydney Staas September 1998 – September 1999 [25]
  Samuel Reuben Witheridge Liberal September 1999 – 10 September 2001 [25]
James Robert Taylor 10 September 2001 – 13 April 2004 [25]
  Michael Platt Labor 13 April 2004 – 26 September 2005 [26]
  Nickolas Varvaris Liberal 26 September 2005 – 25 September 2006 [27]
Michael Kitmiridis 25 September 2006 – 24 September 2007 [28]
  Nickolas Katris Labor 24 September 2007 – 29 September 2008 [29]
  Nickolas Varvaris Liberal 29 September 2008 – 23 September 2013 [30]
Stephen Agius 23 September 2013 – 22 September 2014 [31]
  Michael Platt Labor 22 September 2014 – 28 September 2015 [32]
  Stephen Agius Liberal 28 September 2015 – 12 May 2016 [33]

Footnotes

^a  Land component is 15.55 square kilometres (6.00 sq mi)

References
  1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Kogarah (C)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  2. "Kogarah Residents' Guide: History" (PDF). Kogarah City Council. 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2012.
  3. "Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 638. New South Wales, Australia. 23 December 1885. p. 8341. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "3802 Kogarah Council". State Records Archives Investigator. State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  5. "3489 St George County Council". State Records Archives Investigator. State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  6. "KOGARAH COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The Daily Telegraph. No. 9821. New South Wales, Australia. 18 November 1910. p. 7. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "KOGARAH COUNCIL-CHAMBERS". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 23, 159. New South Wales, Australia. 3 April 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "MEN WE KNOW". The St George Call. Vol. IX, no. 10. New South Wales, Australia. 9 March 1912. p. 1. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "OPENING KOGARAH COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The Daily Telegraph. No. 10, 387. New South Wales, Australia. 9 September 1912. p. 9. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Kogarah Council Chambers, opened on Saturday last by His Excellency Lord Chelmsford". The St George Call. Vol. IX, no. 37. New South Wales, Australia. 14 September 1912. p. 1. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "KOGARAH COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The St George Call. Vol. IX, no. 37. New South Wales, Australia. 14 September 1912. p. 4. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "KOGARAH COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The Propeller. Vol. XXVI, no. 1340. New South Wales, Australia. 12 November 1936. p. 7. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "KOGARAH COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The St George Call. Vol. XXXIV, no. 16. New South Wales, Australia. 16 April 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. "NEW COUNCIL CHAMBERS". The Propeller. Vol. XXVII, no. 1364. New South Wales, Australia. 29 April 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 5 June 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "Council > About Your Council > History of Georges River Council". Georges River Council. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  16. "Despite the doubts, St George council merger gathers steam". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 July 2003. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  17. "Merger proposal: Hurstville City Council, Kogarah City Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
  18. Trembath, Murray (12 May 2016). "John Rayner leads new Georges River Council". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  19. Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Kogarah (C)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  20. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Kogarah (C)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  21. "Kogarah City Council - East Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  22. "Kogarah City Council - Middle Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  23. "Kogarah City Council - North Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  24. "Kogarah City Council - West Ward". Local Government Elections 2012. Electoral Commission of New South Wales. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  25. "Past Mayors" (PDF). Georges River Library Museum Gallery. Georges River Council. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  26. "Regular Council Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 13 April 2004. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  27. "Regular Council Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 26 September 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  28. "Regular Council Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 25 September 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  29. "Regular Council Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 24 September 2007. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 June 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  30. "Extraordinary Council Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 29 September 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  31. "Regular Council Meeting Minutes" (PDF). Kogarah Council. 23 September 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  32. Galinovic, Maria (22 September 2014). "New Mayor of Kogarah is ALP councillor Michael Platt". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  33. Galinovic, Maria (29 September 2015). "Stephen Agius elected Kogarah mayor". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
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