Ku-ring-gai Council

Ku-ring-gai Council is a local government area in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area is named after a fictional Aboriginal Language Group.[3][4][5]

Ku-ring-gai Council
New South Wales
Location in Metropolitan Sydney
Coordinates33°45′15″S 151°09′06″E
Population
 • Density1,443/km2 (3,737/sq mi)
Established
  • 6 March 1906 (1906-03-06) (Shire)
  • 22 September 1928 (1928-09-22) (Municipality)
Area86 km2 (33.2 sq mi)
MayorSam Ngai
Council seatGordon
RegionMetropolitan Sydney
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)Bradfield
WebsiteKu-ring-gai Council
LGAs around Ku-ring-gai Council:
Hornsby Hornsby Northern Beaches
Ryde Ku-ring-gai Council Northern Beaches
Ryde Willoughby Willoughby

Major transport routes through the area include the Pacific Highway and North Shore railway line. Because of its good soils and elevated position as part of the Hornsby Plateau, Ku-ring-gai was originally covered by a large area of dry sclerophyll forest, parts of which still remain and form a component of the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. There are also many domestic gardens in the residential parts of Ku-ring-gai.

The mayor of Ku-ring-gai Council is Cr. Sam Ngai, an independent politician, elected on 19 September 2023.[6]

The Council comprises an area of 86 square kilometres (33 sq mi), and as at the 2021 census, had an estimated population of 124,076. Ku-ring-gai is the most advantaged area in Australia to live in, at the top of the Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD).[7]

Suburbs and localities in the local government area

Suburbs and localities serviced by Ku-ring-gai Council are:

Demographics

At the 2021 census, there were 124,076 people in the Ku-ring-gai Council local government area, of these 48.2 per cent were male and 51.8 per cent were female. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 0.2 per cent of the population, significantly below the national average of 3.2 per cent. The median age of people in the Ku-ring-gai Council area was 42 years; slightly above the national average of 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 19.5 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 19.3 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 60.7 per cent were married and 7.2 per cent were either divorced or separated; a rate that is more than half the national average.

Population growth in the Ku-ring-gai Council area between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 0.93 per cent and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, population growth was 8.13 per cent. At the 2021 census, the population in the Ku-ring-gai Council area increased by 5.1 per cent. When compared with total population growth of Australia for the same period, being 8.6 per cent, population growth in the Ku-ring-gai local government area is slower than the national average.[8] The median weekly income for residents within the Ku-ring-gai Council area was significantly higher than the national average.

At the 2021 census, the area was linguistically diverse, with Asian languages spoken in more than 20 per cent of households; more than four times the national average.

Selected historical census data for Ku-ring-gai Council local government area
Census year2001[9]2006[10]2011[11]2016[8] 2021[12]
PopulationEstimated residents on census night100,152101,083109,297118,053 124,076
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales21stDecrease 22nd Decrease23rd
% of New South Wales population1.58%Steady 1.58% Steady1.58%
% of Australian population0.53%Decrease 0.51%Steady 0.51%Decrease 0.50% Steady0.50%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		English34.2%Decrease 32.5% Decrease 29.6%
Australian28.8%Decrease 25.0% Decrease 23.0%
Chinese11.9%Increase 17.7% Increase23.5%
Irish10.3%Decrease 10.3% Decrease 8.7%
Scottish9.6%Decrease 9.3% Decrease 8.6%
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		Cantonese4.8%Decrease 4.7%Increase 4.9%Increase 5.0% Increase 5.5%
Mandarin1.7%Increase 2.3%Increase 3.8%Increase 8.7% Increase 13.1%
Korean1.3%Increase 1.5%Increase 2.1%Increase 2.5% Steady 2.5%
Persian (excluding Dari)n/cn/cIncrease 0.7%Increase 1.0% Increase 1.3%
Japanese0.9%Decrease 0.7%Steady 0.7%Increase 0.8% Steady 0.8%
Hindi 0.7% Increase 0.9%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		No religion, so described13.7%Increase 16.3%Increase 21.8%Increase 31.0% Increase40.8%
Catholic20.9%Increase 21.7%Decrease 21.1%Decrease 18.9% Decrease16.6%
Anglican28.9%Decrease 27.1%Decrease 23.9%Decrease 18.8% Decrease15.2%
Not statedn/cn/cn/cIncrease 7.7% Decrease4.1%
Uniting Church8.7%Decrease 7.7%Decrease 6.3%Decrease 4.7% Decrease3.7%
Median weekly incomes
Personal incomeMedian weekly personal incomeA$716A$814A$942 A$1,117
% of Australian median income153.6%141.1% 142.3% 138.8%
Family incomeMedian weekly family incomeA$2,147A$2,679 A$3,046 A$3,447
% of Australian median income209.1%180.9% 175.7% 162.6%
Household incomeMedian weekly household incomeA$2,530A$2,508 A$2,640 A$3,038
% of Australian median income216.1%203.2% 183.6% 174.0%

Council
Map of Ku-ring-gai Council with suburb boundaries, as of 2009.
See also: List of mayors of Ku-ring-gai

Current composition and election method
A map of the five wards as of the 2021 local elections.

Ku-ring-gai Council is composed of ten councillors elected proportionally as five separate wards, each electing two councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office, but due to delays as a result of amalgamation processes, the current term will only run for three years. The mayor is elected bi-annually by the councillors at the first meeting of the council, while the deputy mayor is elected annually. The most recent full council election was held on 4 December 2021, and the makeup of the council is as follows:

The current council, elected in 2021, in order of election by ward, is:

WardCouncillorPartyNotes
Comenarra Ward[13]   Jeff Pettett Independent Elected 2012 (as Liberal Democrat), Independent from 2017; Deputy Mayor 2018–2019; Mayor 2022–2023.[14][15]
  Greg Taylor Independent
Gordon Ward[16]   Barbara Ward Independent Deputy Mayor 2022–2023.[15]
  Simon Lennon Independent
Roseville Ward[17]   Sam Ngai Independent Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2021–2022; Mayor 2023–present.[18][6]
  Alec Taylor Independent
St Ives Ward[19]   Martin Smith Independent Elected 2017.
  Christine Kay Independent Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2023–present.[6]
Wahroonga Ward[20]   Cedric Spencer Unaligned Elected 2017; Deputy Mayor 2020–2021; Mayor 2021–2022.[18][21]
  Kim Wheatley Independent

Council history

Ku-ring-gai was first incorporated on 6 March 1906 as the "Shire of Ku-ring-gai" and the first Shire Council was elected on 24 November 1906. The first leader of the council was elected at the first meeting on 8 December 1906, when Councillor William Cowan was elected as Shire President. There would not be a Deputy President until the council election on 1 March 1920.

On 22 September 1928, the Shire of Ku-ring-gai was proclaimed as the "Municipality of Ku-ring-gai" and the titles of 'Shire President' and 'Councillor' were retitled to be 'Mayor' and 'Alderman' respectively. In 1993, with the passing of a new Local Government Act, council was retitled as simply "Ku-ring-gai Council" and aldermen were retitled as councillors.[22]

A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommended that Ku-ring-gai Council and parts of the Hornsby Shire north of the M2 merge to form a new council with an area of 540 square kilometres (210 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 270,000.[23] The Ku-ring-gai Council took the NSW Government to court and, on appeal, the NSW Court of Appeal found that the council had been denied procedural fairness. The proposed merger was stood aside indefinitely.[24] In July 2017, the Berejiklian government decided to abandon the forced merger of the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai local government areas, along with several other proposed forced mergers.[25]

Planning and development
Apartments (circa 2008) in Lindfield

During the term of former Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, planning law reforms were passed that gave development approval to a panel and away from local government. These new laws were controversially implemented in Ku-ring-gai, with immense opposition from the local population who claim that their suburbs, with nationally recognised heritage values in both housing and original native forest, are being trashed by slab-sided apartment developments with no effective protection provided by either the Ku-ring-gai Council or the state government. This has been termed "The Rape of Ku-ring-gai".[26]

The laws are intended to take development approval power away from local councils and to the Planning NSW, via the development panels. Planning panels are about to be introduced across New South Wales under recently passed planning reforms. In 2005–06, Ku-ring-gai had the second highest reported total development value in the state – A$1.7 billion, more than Parramatta, second only to the City of Sydney.

Shire Clerks, Town Clerks and General Managers
Name Term Notes
Edward Astley 21 June 1906 – 31 August 1911 [27][28]
James A. Gilroy 1 September 1911 – March 1925 [29]
Arthur Havelock Hirst March 1925 – 18 November 1947 [30]
Norman L. Griffiths 18 November 1947 – 22 September 1969
Frederick E. Newton 22 September 1969 – 5 October 1970
Graham Joss 5 October 1970 – 16 August 1971
Lyndhurst Evelyn Whalan 16 August 1971 – 12 November 1973
Warren Taylor 12 November 1973 – 1993 [31]
Joseph Robert Diffen 1993–1997 [32]
Rhonda Bignell 1997–2002
Brian Bell 2002 – February 2006 [33][34]
John McKee 1 March 2006 – present [35]

Heritage listings

Ku-ring-gai Council has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

See also

References
  1. "2021 Ku-ring-gai, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics".
  2. "3218.0 – Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2017–18". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 27 March 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2019. Estimated resident population (ERP) at 30 June 2018.
  3. Attenbrow, Val (2002). Sydney's Aboriginal past: investigating the archaeological and historical records. Sydney: UNSW Press. pp. 22–35. ISBN 9781742231167.
  4. Aboriginal Heritage Office (2015). Filling A Void: A review of the historical context for the use of the word 'Guringai'. Sydney.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. John, Morecombe (20 February 2015). "Misunderstanding: The historical fiction of the word Guringai that has filled a void in our knowledge of the original inhabitants". Manly Daily. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  6. "Results of Ku-ring-gai mayoral election". Ku-ring-gai Council. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  7. Gladstone, Nigel (27 March 2018). "Sydney's latte line exposes a city divided". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
  8. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Ku-ring-gai (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  9. Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Ku-ring-gai (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  10. Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Ku-ring-gai (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  11. Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "Ku-ring-gai (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  12. "2021 Ku-ring-gai, Census All persons QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics". www.abs.gov.au. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  13. "Ku-ring-gai – Comenarra Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  14. "Ku-ring-gai Council elects new Deputy Mayor" (Media Release). Ku-ring-gai Council. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  15. "Results of Ku-ring-gai mayoral election" (Media Release). Ku-ring-gai Council. 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  16. "Ku-ring-gai – Gordon Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  17. "Ku-ring-gai – Roseville Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  18. "Ku-ring-gai Council elects new Mayor and Deputy Mayor" (Media Release). Ku-ring-gai Council. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  19. "Ku-ring-gai – St Ives Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  20. "Ku-ring-gai – Wahroonga Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2021. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  21. "Council elects new Deputy Mayor" (Media Release). Ku-ring-gai Council. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  22. Curby, Pauline; Macleod, Virginia (2006). Under the Canopy: A Centenary History of Ku-ring-gai Council. Gordon, NSW: Ku-ring-gai Council. p. 207. ISBN 097754740X.
  23. "Merger proposal: Hornsby Shire Council (part), Ku-ring-gai Council" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  24. Munro Kelsey (28 April 2017). "NSW government fails to appeal Ku-ring-gai Council amalgamation court loss". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  25. Blumer, Clare; Chettle, Nicole (27 July 2017). "NSW council amalgamations: Mayors fight to claw back court dollars after backflip on merger". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  26. Demspter, Quentin (15 August 2008). "The "Rape" of Ku-ring-gai" (Transcript). Stateline. Australia: ABC TV. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
  27. "KURING-GAI SHIRE COUNCIL". The Daily Telegraph. No. 8443. New South Wales, Australia. 25 June 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. "PERSONAL". Wagga Wagga Express. Vol. 52, no. 9129. New South Wales, Australia. 9 November 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. "PERSONAL". Daily Advertiser. New South Wales, Australia. 27 November 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. "Town Clerk Charged With Theft". The Sun. No. 11, 648. New South Wales, Australia. 26 May 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. "KU-RING-GAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.—RESIDENTIAL". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 163. New South Wales, Australia. 28 December 1973. p. 5606. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. "KU-RING-GAI MUNICIPAL COUNCIL". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 26. New South Wales, Australia. 1 March 1996. p. 997. Retrieved 20 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. "New GM named for Lake Macquarie council". ABC News. 9 December 2005. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  34. "Fifty years in local government". Local Government Focus. July 2017. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  35. "General Manager: John McKee". Civic Management. Ku-ring-gai Council. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
  36. "Eryldene". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00019. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  37. "Gordon Railway Station". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01150. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  38. "Iolanthe". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00227. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  39. "Tulkiyan". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01733. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  40. "Gordon Public School". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00757. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  41. "Harry and Penelope Seidler House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01793. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  42. "Woodlands". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01762. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  43. "Tryon Road Uniting Church". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01672. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  44. "Pymble Reservoir No.1 (Covered) (WS 0097)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01632. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  45. "Pymble Reservoir No.2 (Covered) (WS 0098)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01633. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  46. "Substation". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00940. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  47. "Eric Pratten House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01443. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  48. "Ingleholme & Garage". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00071. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  49. "Cossington". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01763. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  50. "Jack House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01910. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  51. "Rose Seidler House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00261. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  52. "St. John's Uniting Church, Hall and Manse". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01670. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  53. "Purulia". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00184. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  54. "Evatt House". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01711. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  55. "Wahroonga Railway Station group". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01280. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  56. "Mahratta and Site". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00708. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  57. "Wahroonga Reservoir (Elevated) (WS 0124)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01352. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  58. "Simpson-Lee House I". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01800. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
  59. "Briars, The". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00274. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC-BY 4.0 licence.
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