List of former local government areas in New South Wales

The local government areas (LGAs) of New South Wales, Australia are the defined areas within which legally constituted local government authorities, known as councils, have responsibilities to provide local services. Determining the size and shape of the local government areas is the sole responsibility of the Government of New South Wales.

In the past, many local government areas have been amalgamated or abolished, either voluntarily or involuntarily. Major changes occurred as a result of the enactment of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948 and as a result of a review by the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) that commenced in 2013. The IPART proposed a series of council mergers and amalgamation in both metropolitan and regional areas which proposed a reduction in the number of councils from 152 to 112. On 12 May 2016, following a further review by the Minister for Local Government and the independent Local Government Boundaries Commission, Premier Mike Baird announced Stage 1 starting with 19 new councils, through amalgamations and mergers, with immediate effect. The Minister indicated in principle support to create a further nine new councils, subject to the decision of the courts. On the same day, the Governor of New South Wales acted on the advice of the Minister, and proclaimed the 19 new local government areas. Another proclamation occurred a few months later with the amalgamation of City of Botany Bay and City of Rockdale.

List of former local government areas in New South Wales

Greater Sydney Metropolitan Sydney Former LGA Type Councilseat Region Established Abolished Area Popn. Notes km2 sq mi Alexandria Municipality Sydney 27 August 1868 Amalgamated with the City of SydneyAnnandaleMunicipalityAnnandaleInner West29 December 189331 December 1948Amalgamated with Balmain and Leichhardt municipalities to form Municipality of Leichhardt Ashfield Municipality Inner West 41,214 Abolished and merged with Marrickville Council and Municipality of Leichhardt to establish Inner West Council. Auburn City Western Sydney 80,892 Parts of Auburn City were amalgamated with parts of Parramatta and Holroyd to form Cumberland Council. The remainder parts of Auburn were amalgamated into City of Parramatta Council. BalmainMunicipalityBalmainInner West21 February 186031 December 1948Amalgamated with Annandale and Leichhardt municipalities to form Municipality of Leichhardt Bankstown City 193,398 Abolished and merged with City of Canterbury to establish City of Canterbury-Bankstown. Baulkham Hills Shire Hills District 14 November 2008 Renamed as The Hills Shire Bexley Municipality Bexley Southern Sydney 28 June 1900 Merged with Rockdale Municipality. Botany Bay City Southern Sydney Proclaimed as Borough of Botany. Changed to Municipality in 1906. Proclaimed "City of Botany Bay" in 1996. Merged with City of Rockdale on 9 September 2016 to form Bayside Council Municipality Western Sydney Originally part of Municipal District of Liverpool from 1872. Amalgamated with Municipality of Fairfield. CamperdownMunicipalityCamperdownSydney13 November 186222 December 1908Amalgamated with City of Sydney Canterbury City Canterbury-Bankstown 146,314 Abolished and merged with City of Bankstown to establish City of Canterbury-Bankstown. Castlereagh Municipality Castlereagh Western Sydney Amalgamated with Penrith Municipality, St. Mary's Municipality and part of Nepean Shire to form, Municipality of Penrith. Concord Municipality Inner West Amalgamated with Drummoyne Council to form City of Canada Bay. CookMunicipalitySydney13 November 186219 February 1870Amalgamated with Municipality of Camperdown Darlington Municipality Sydney Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. The former Darlington council area subsequently became part of South Sydney Municipality, which was later merged into City of Sydney in 1992. Drummoyne Municipality Inner West 1 Originally part of Municipal District of Five Dock since 25 July 1871. Amalgamated with Five Dock to form Borough of Drummoyne on 12 March 1902. Amalgamated with Municipality of Concord to form City of Canada Bay. Dundas Municipality Western Sydney Amalgamated with Parramatta City, Granville Municipality and Ermington and Rydalmere Municipality, to form City of Parramatta. East St Leonard'sMunicipality17 August 186029 July 1890Amalgamated with St Leonard's and Victoria boroughs to form North Sydney Borough Eastwood Municipality Northern Suburbs 16 Municipality of Marsfield renamed Eastwood. Amalgamated with Municipality of Ryde. Enfield Municipality Enfield Inner West Divided between Municipality of Burwood and Municipality of Strathfield. Ermington and Rydalmere Municipality Western Sydney Originally part of Municipal District of Dundas from 1889. Amalgamated with Parramatta City, Dundas Municipality and Granville Municipality, to form City of Parramatta. Erskineville Municipality Sydney 27 March 1893 Originally named Macdonald Town. Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. Five Dock Municipal District Inner West Amalgamated with Borough of Drummoyne. The Glebe Municipality Sydney 1 August 1859 Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. Granville Municipality Western Sydney Amalgamated with Parramatta City, Dundas Municipality and Ermington and Rydalmere Municipality, to form City of Parramatta. Much of the area this former Municipality, as Woodville Ward of City of Parramatta, was merged with parts of Auburn and Holroyd Cities to form Cumberland Council on 12 May 2016. Holroyd City Western Sydney 10 January 1927 99,163 Originally named Prospect and Sherwood. Abolished and parts of City of Holroyd, along with parts of Auburn and Parramatta city councils merged to form Cumberland Council, with a smaller minority of City of Holroyd merged to establish City of Parramatta Council. Homebush Municipality Inner West Amalgamated with Municipality of Strathfield. Hurstville City Southern Sydney 80,823 Abolished and merged with Kogarah City Council to establish Georges River Council. Ingleburn Municipality Ingleburn South-western Sydney Amalgamated with Municipality of Campbelltown. Kogarah City Southern Sydney 55,806 Abolished and merged with Hurstville City Council to establish Georges River Council. Leichhardt Municipality Inner West 52,198 Abolished and merged with Marrickville Council and Municipality of Ashfield to establish Inner West Council. Lidcombe Municipality Western Sydney Amalgamated with Municipality of Auburn. Macdonald TownMunicipalityErskineville23 May 187227 March 1893Renamed Erskineville Municipality Manly Municipality Northern Beaches 39,747 Abolished and merged with Pittwater and Warringah councils to establish Northern Beaches Council. Marrickville Municipality Inner West 76,500 Abolished and merged with Municipalities of Leichhardt and Ashfield to establish Inner West Council. Marsfield Municipality Northern Suburbs 16 Originally part of Municipal District of Ryde from 1870. Renamed Municipality of Eastwood. Mascot Municipality Southern Sydney 31 October 1911 Named North Botany until 31 October 1911. Merged with Botany Municipality. Mulgoa Municipality Western Sydney Originally part of Municipal District of Penrith from 1871. Amalgamated with Nepean Shire Council. Nepean Shire Bringelly Western Sydney Split amongst Municipalities of Camden, Liverpool and Penrith. Newtown Municipality Sydney Abolished and merged into City of Sydney.North BotanyMunicipalityMascot29 March 188831 October 1911Renamed Mascot MunicipalityNorth WilloughbyMunicipality23 October 186526 August 1890Renamed Willoughby Municipality Northcott Municipality Sydney 1 August 19671 December 1968 Renamed South Sydney Municipal Council. Paddington Municipality Paddington Sydney Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. Petersham Municipality Inner West Abolished and merged into Marrickville Council. Pittwater Municipality Northern Beaches 57,155 Abolished and merged with Manly and Warringah councils to establish Northern Beaches Council. Municipality Western Sydney Renamed Municipality of Holroyd. Redfern Municipality Sydney Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. The former Redfern municipal area subsequently became part of South Sydney Municipality, which was later merged into City of Sydney in 1992. Rockdale City City 15 August 1888 Originally named Municipality of West Botany. Merged with City of Botany Bay on 9 September 2016 to form Bayside Council Rookwood Municipality Western Sydney Renamed Municipality of Lidcombe. Smithfield and Fairfield Municipality Western Sydney Renamed Municipality of Fairfield. South Sydney City Sydney 1 December 1968 1 January 1982 Formed from Northcott Municipal Council and renamed South Sydney Municipal Council, this council was abolished in 1982 and merged into City of Sydney. 1 January 1989Separated from City of Sydney in 1989, later remerged into City of Sydney in 1992.St Leonard'sMunicipality13 May 186729 July 1890Amalgamated with East St Leonard's and Victoria boroughs to form North Sydney Borough St. Mary's Municipality St Marys Western Sydney Amalgamated with Penrith and Castlereagh Municipalities and part of Nepean Shire to form, Municipality of Penrith. St Peters Municipality Sydenham Inner West 13 January 1871 Abolished and merged into Marrickville Council. Vaucluse Municipality Vaucluse, Watsons Bay Eastern Suburbs Merged with Municipality of Woollahra. VictoriaMunicipality20 January 187129 July 1890Amalgamated with East St Leonard's and St Leonard's boroughs to form North Sydney Borough Warringah Shire Northern Beaches 140,741 Abolished and merged with Manly and Pittwater councils to establish Northern Beaches Council. Waterloo Municipality Sydney 16 May 1860 Separated from Municipality of Redfern in 1860. Abolished and merged into City of Sydney. West BotanyMunicipalitySouthern Sydney13 January 187115 August 1888Renamed Rockdale Municipal District

Outer Metropolitan Sydney Former LGA Type Councilseat Established Abolished Area Popn. Notes km2 sq mi Blackheath Municipality Blackheath 1 October 1947 Originally part of Kanimbla (later Blue Mountains) Shire from 7 March 1906. Amalgamated with Katoomba City and Blue Mountains Shire to form City of Blue Mountains. Colo Shire Wilberforce 1 January 1981 Amalgamated with Municipality of Windsor to form Hawkesbury Shire. Kanimbla Shire Katoomba Renamed Blue Mountains Shire on 23 January 1907. Blue Mountains Shire was amalgamated with Katoomba City and Blackheath Municipality to form City of Blue Mountains on 1 October 1947. Katoomba City Katoomba 1 October 1947 Proclaimed a City on 31 May 1946. Amalgamated with Blackheath Municipality and Blue Mountains Shire to form City of Blue Mountains. Picton Municipality Picton Amalgamated with Wollondilly Shire on 1 May 1940. Richmond Municipality Richmond Amalgamated with Municipality of Windsor to form new Windsor Municipality. Windsor Municipality Windsor 1 January 1981 Amalgamated with Colo Shire to form Hawkesbury Shire.

Rural and Regional areas

Central Coast Former LGA Type Councilseat Established Abolished Area Popn. Notes km2 sq mi Erina Shire 1 January 1947 Amalgamated with Gosford Municipality and Woy Woy Shire to form Gosford Shire and Wyong Shire. GosfordMunicipality23 January 1908Amalgamated with Erina Shire. City24 October 1936940360162,440Gosford Municipality separated from Erina Shire on 24 October 1936. Gosford Municipality, Erina Shire and Woy Woy Shire merged and form Gosford Shire and Wyong Shire from 1 January 1947. Gosford proclaimed a City on 1 January 1980. Abolished and merged with Wyong Shire to form Central Coast Council. Woy Woy Shire Woy Woy 1 January 1947 Originally part of Erina Shire from 7 March 1906. Amalgamated with Gosford Municipality and Erina Shire to form Gosford Shire and Wyong Shire. WyongShire827319149,746Abolished and merged with City of Gosford to form Central Coast Council.

Hunter