The Hills Shire
The Hills Shire Federal division(s) | |||||||||||||||
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Website | The Hills Shire | ||||||||||||||
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The Hills Shire (known until 2008 as Baulkham Hills Shire) is a local government area in the Greater Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The area is north-west of the Sydney central business district, and encompasses 401 square kilometres (155 sq mi) stretching from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to Wisemans Ferry on the Hawkesbury River in the north. The Hills Shire had a population of 191,876 as of the 2021 census.[1]
The current
Suburbs in the local government area
Suburbs at least partially within The Hills Shire are:
- Annangrove
- City of Parramatta Council)
- Beaumont Hills
- Bella Vista
- Box Hill
- Castle Hill (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Cattai (shared with City of Hawkesbury)
- Dural (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Gables
- Glenhaven (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Glenorie (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Kellyville
- Kenthurst
- Leets Vale (shared with City of Hawkesbury)
- Lower Portland (shared with City of Hawkesbury)
- Maraylya (shared with City of Hawkesbury)
- Maroota (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Middle Dural (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- Nelson
- North Kellyville
- City of Parramatta Council)
- Norwest (council seat)
- City of Blacktown)
- Sackville North
- South Maroota
- West Pennant Hills (shared with Hornsby Shire)
- City of Parramatta Council)
- Wisemans Ferry (shared with Central Coast Council, City of Hawkesbury and Hornsby Shire)
Demographics
At the
Population growth in The Hills Shire between the
At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in The Hills local government area who stated their
Selected historical census data for The Hills local government area | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Census year | 2001[6] | 2006[7] | 2011[8] | 2016[5] | 2021[1] | ||
Population | Estimated residents on census night | 138,420 | 159,391 | 169,872 | 157,243 | 191,876 | |
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales | 9th | 15th | |||||
% of New South Wales population | 2.46% | 2.02% | |||||
% of Australian population | 0.74% | 0.80% | 0.79% | 0.67% | |||
Cultural and language diversity | |||||||
Ancestry, top responses |
English | 21.5% | 20.4% | 22.6% | |||
Australian | 22.1% | 19.1% | 22.0% | ||||
Chinese | 8.5% | 9.6% | 14.7% | ||||
Irish | 6.5% | 6.6% | 6.9% | ||||
Scottish | 5.4% | 5.3% | - | ||||
Language, top responses (other than English) |
Mandarin | 1.5% | 2.4% | 3.9% | 6.4% | 8.2% | |
Cantonese | 4.4% | 4.5% | 4.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | ||
Korean | 1.3% | 1.6% | 2.1% | 2.0% | 2.1% | ||
Hindi |
0.6% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 1.9% | 2.8% | ||
Arabic |
1.6% | 1.8% | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.0% | ||
Religious affiliation | |||||||
Religious affiliation, top responses |
Catholic |
32.3% | 32.5% | 31.4% | 28.9% | 25.3% | |
No religion, so described | 10.4% | 12.5% | 15.7% | 21.2% | 26.7% | ||
Anglican | 22.7% | 20.0% | 18.5% | 14.9% | 10.9% | ||
Not stated | - | - | - | 5.9% | - | ||
Hinduism | 1.6% | 2.4% | 3.1% | 4.5% | 7.9% | ||
Median weekly incomes | |||||||
Personal income |
Median weekly personal income | - | $625 | $719 | $827 | $1,033 | |
% of Australian median income | 134.1% | 124.6% | 124.9% | ||||
Family income | Median weekly family income | - | $1,732 | $2,188 | $2,464 | $2,990 | |
% of Australian median income | 168.6% | 147.7% | 142.1% | ||||
Household income | Median weekly household income | - | $1,847 | $2,044 | $2,363 | $2,831 | |
% of Australian median income | - | 157.7% | 165.6% | 164.3% |
Current Council composition and election method
The Hills Shire Council is composed of twelve
Party | Councillors | |
---|---|---|
Liberal Party of Australia
|
9 | |
Australian Labor Party
|
3 | |
Australian Greens
|
1 | |
Total | 13 |
The current Council, elected in 2017, in order of election by ward, is:
Ward | Councillor | Party | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mayor[14] | Peter Gangemi | Liberal | Mayor (2013–2014, 2015–2016; Deputy Mayor 2014–2015) | |
Central Ward[10] | Jessica Brazier | Liberal | ||
Mark Hodges | Liberal | State MP for Castle Hill | ||
Tony Hay OAM
|
Labor | |||
East Ward[11] | Ryan Tracey | Labor | ||
Jerome Cox | Liberal | |||
Reena Jethi | Liberal | |||
North Ward[12] | Virginia Ellis | Liberal | ||
Mitchell Blue | Liberal | |||
Mila Kasby | Greens | |||
West Ward[13] | Barbara Burton | Labor | ||
Rosemarie Boneham | Liberal | |||
Frank de Masi | Liberal |
History
The earliest records of human settlement date back to the early 1800s when Dharug Aborigines inhabited the region. Governor Arthur Phillip is said to be the first European to have visited the Hills in 1788. The Hills Shire started developing gradually with its new road systems and farming as more Europeans settled here. The first school started in 1840 followed by a general store and a post office. In 1902, the tram from Parramatta to Baulkham Hills was inaugurated and telephone links were established by 1907. The population rose steadily over the years along with infrastructure development of the Hills Shire.[15]
A
In June 2020, Councillor Brooke Collins made national news for controversially objecting to the Welcome to Country, reportedly stating "How do you know they didn’t wipe out another race when they arrived here 70,000 years ago?".[18][19]
Heritage listings
The Hills Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills Road: Pearce Family Cemetery[20]
- Bella Vista, Elizabeth Macarthur Drive: Bella Vista (homestead)[21]
- Box Hill, 10 Terry Road: Box Hill House[22]
- Box Hill, Windsor Road: Box Hill Inn[23]
- Castle Hill, Gilbert Road: Third Government Farm[24]
- Castle Hill, 221 Old Northern Road: St Paul's Anglican Church, Castle Hill (former)[25]
- Cattai, Wisemans Ferry Road: Cattai Estate[26]
- Maroota South, Wisemans Ferry Road: Great Drain[27]
- Rouse Hill, The Water Lane: Hunting Lodge, Rouse Hill[28]
- Rouse Hill, Windsor Road: Royal Oak Inn, Rouse Hill[29]
Recent controversies
In 2020, the Hills Shire Council, whose local government area covers Darug land, caused controversy by rejecting requests to include an Acknowledgment of Country at its meetings. The Hills Shire Council is the only Sydney local council that does not include an Acknowledgment of Country at its meetings.[30] This was later overturned with support from a new Mayor.[31] [32]
In 2022, allegations were made of branch stacking in the Council in collusion with property developers, namely "...serious allegations of collusion between members of the Liberal party and a developer to replace elected members of The Hills Shire Council with new councillors who would be more amenable to that developer's interests".[33] The New South Wales Parliament Legislative Council Portfolio Committee found illegal meetings had taken place between councillors and a developer, but recommended the matter be escalated in 2023, given the deliberate non-cooperation of key witnesses and councillors in giving evidence.[34]
Sister cities
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "The Hills Shire". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ^ "Your Mayor and Councillors". The Hills Shire Council. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
- ^ a b "City of Parramatta Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Australia". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
- ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
- ^ Bradley, Penelope (14 September 2012). "Hills residents to elect their own mayor". Hill Shire Times. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
- ^ a b "The Hills Shire – Central Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ a b "The Hills Shire – East Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ a b "The Hills Shire – North Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ a b "The Hills Shire – West Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ "The Hills Shire – Mayoral Contest". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ "The Hills Shire Timeline". The Hills Sydney's Garden Shire.
- ^ "Merger proposal: Hawskesbury City Council, The Hills Shire (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ "Merger proposal: Parramatta City Council (part), Auburn City Council (part), The Hills Shire Council (part), Hornsby Shire Council (part), Holroyd City Council (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 8. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
- ^ McCormack, Ange (4 June 2020). "Community angered as Sydney Councillor refuses to perform Acknowledgement of Country". Hack. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- ^ Mascarenhas, Carla; McCallum, Jake. "Hills Councillor Brooke Collins questions if indigenous ancestors could have wiped out another race". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
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- ^ “Hills Shire Council Acknowledgement of Country motion defeated again”. ABC News. Retrieved Jun 24, 2020.
- ^ "Council ends battle over Indigenous acknowledgment" Hills Shire Times 25 Nov 2021
- ^ "Acknowledgement Welcomed". 16 January 2022.
- ^ https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lcdocs/inquiries/2908/Report%20no%2018%20-%20PC%207%20-%20Hills%20Shire%20Council%20inquiry.pdf | New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Portfolio Committee No. 7 - Planning and Environment. Report no. 18, pvii
- ^ "Allegations of impropriety against agents of the Hills Shire Council and property developers in the region".