Centenary of Warringah

Warringah turns 100 1906 - 2006

The Council’s official birth-date is Tuesday 7 March 1906, when it was first formed as ‘Warringah Shire Council’ as a rural outpost of Sydney. Under the then Shires Act, ratepayers with properties worth at least five pounds could vote for up to nine Councillors for a three-year term. To give an idea of how isolated the northern beaches were then - and how easy it was to get elected! - the 1911 Census counted 2,823 people living in 700 households.

The first Council got off to a shaky start, being temporarily installed until proper elections on 24 November 1906. The temporary Chairman was a colourful character called George Brock, about whom a lot more is known than the first elected President, Thomas Fishbourne. George Brock started life as a lowly draper but then was lucky enough to inherit £10,000 - a small fortune in those days. He bought up land in Mona Vale and set about building an enormous mansion complete with polo grounds, artificial lakes, a racecourse and a clubhouse. The locals quickly named it ‘Brock’s Folly’.

Photo inset: Councillor William Hew's wife stands in front of their home built in 1890. The house stood on the corner of Bantry Bay Road and Warringah Road, Frenchs Forest. Main image shows the Maclean family at the entrance of what is now the Warringah Mall site off Old Pittwater Road, circa 1918.

Undeterred, George borrowed another £15,000 on the promise that the Government would extend a tramline through to Newport. His vision was to have holidaymakers stay on his enormous estate. Sadly the promised railway never materialised - and the northern beaches are still waiting for one!
The Council first met in Narrabeen Progress Hall on 14 June 1906, moving meetings for the next 60 years to the Shire Hall in Brookvale from 1912. In 1971 work began on a new civic centre in Dee Why, inspired by Sulman Prize-winning architect Edwards, Madigan & Torzillo. The building was eventually completed in 1972 and the Council has been there since 1973.

Warringah dropped ‘Shire’ from its title in 1993 when the new Local Government Act was passed. The Act meant all Councils had to be more business-like in their activities - Shire Clerks became General Managers and Shire Presidents became Mayors.

Warringah has had its share of controversy, having been dismissed three times since the 1960s and making it - like its first leader George Brock - one of Sydney’s more colourful Councils. This hasn’t stopped the birthday celebrations though, with a community committee formed to oversee a packed program of events - see the following list of events.

History of Warringah Mayors

Click here to download the past mayors document pdf. (4 mb)

Timeline of Warringah

Click here to download the Warringah Timeline pdf. (4.3 mb)

Calendar of Centenary Events

More information can found on the What's On Calendar. Click here.

Main picture: Dee Why and Long Reef 1915. Inset: Some of Warringah Shire’s 1909 councillors, with William Hews circled.

All these events have been nominated by the Warringah community as Centenary events. If you have an event celebrating Warringah’s Centenary between June and October that you’d like featured in our next edition of Warringah Matters contact the Council on 9942 2111 or at council@warringah.nsw.gov.au