HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - The Hills Shire
OR:
The Hills Shire on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

The Hills Shire (from 1906–2008 as Baulkham Hills Shire) is a
local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...
in the Greater Sydney region of
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. The suburb is north-west of the
Sydney central business district The Sydney central business district (CBD) is the historical and main Central business district, commercial centre of Sydney. The CBD is Sydney's city centre, or Sydney City, and the two terms are used interchangeably. Colloquially, the CBD or c ...
, and encompasses stretching from the
M2 Hills Motorway The Hills Motorway (also known as the Hills M2 Motorway, M2 Motorway or simply M2) is a tollway in north-western Sydney, Australia, owned by toll road operator Transurban. It forms majority of Sydney's M2 route and part of the 110 km Sydn ...
in the south to
Wiseman's Ferry Wisemans Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the eponymous community of Wisemans Ferry, New South Wales, Wisemans Ferry on the south bank, to a point on the north bank downs ...
on the
Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River, is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney. ...
in the north. The Hills Shire had a population of as at the . The current
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of The Hills Shire is Dr. Peter Gangemi (
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
), who was elected on 21 December 2021.


Suburbs in the local government area

Suburbs at least partially within The Hills Shire are: *
Annangrove Annangrove is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 42 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire and part of the Hills District region. History Anna ...
*
Baulkham Hills Baulkham Hills is a suburb in the Hills District of Greater Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 30 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district within the local government area of The Hills Shire. Ba ...
(shared with
City of Parramatta Council The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a local government area located west of central Sydney in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and Cumberland, where the Cumberla ...
) * Beaumont Hills * Bella Vista * Box Hill * Castle Hill (shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) *
Cattai Cattai is an historic suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 44 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and 30 kilometres north-west of Parramatta. It is in the local government ar ...
(shared with
City of Hawkesbury The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkes ...
) *
Dural Dural is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 36 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of Hornsby Shire and The Hills Shire. Dural is part of the Hills District. ...
(shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) *
Gables Gables may refer to: * The plural of gable, portion of walls between the lines of sloping roofs * Ken Gables (1919-1960), Major League Baseball pitcher * Gables, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in the United States * Gables, New South Wales ...
* Glenhaven (shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) * Glenorie (shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) * Kellyville *
Kenthurst Kenthurst is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia 39 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire. It is part of the Hills District region. Kenthurs ...
* Leets Vale (shared with
City of Hawkesbury The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkes ...
) *
Lower Portland Lower Portland is a rural suburb near Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lower Portland is located 80 kilometres northwest of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of The Hills Shire (east of t ...
(shared with
City of Hawkesbury The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkes ...
) *
Maraylya Maraylya is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Maraylya is located north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of The Hills Shire and the City of Hawkesbury. Maraylya is bou ...
(shared with
City of Hawkesbury The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkes ...
) * Maroota (shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) * Middle Dural (shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) *
Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
* North Kellyville *
North Rocks North Rocks is a suburb in the Hills District, New South Wales, Hills District within Greater Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 26 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district. Following the ...
(shared with
City of Parramatta Council The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a local government area located west of central Sydney in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and Cumberland, where the Cumberla ...
) * Norwest (newly formed) *
Rouse Hill Rouse Hill is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rouse Hill is located in the Hills District, 43 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and 19 kilometres north-west of the Parramatta cent ...
(shared with
City of Blacktown Blacktown City Council is a local government area in Western Sydney, situated on the Cumberland Plain, approximately west of the Sydney central business district, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1906 as the Blacktow ...
) * Sackville North * South Maroota *
West Pennant Hills West Pennant Hills is a suburb in the Hills District of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. West Pennant Hills is located 20 km north-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government areas of The Hills Shire and Horn ...
(shared with
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
) *
Winston Hills Winston Hills is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Winston Hills is located 28 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the Local government in Australia, local government areas of the City of Parr ...
(shared with
City of Parramatta Council The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a local government area located west of central Sydney in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and Cumberland, where the Cumberla ...
) *
Wisemans Ferry Wisemans Ferry is a cable ferry across the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. The ferry operates from the eponymous community of Wisemans Ferry on the south bank, to a point on the north bank downstream of the Hawkesbury River's ...
(shared with Central Coast Council,
City of Hawkesbury The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Hawkes ...
and
Hornsby Shire Hornsby Shire is a local government area situated in Northern Sydney (Upper North Shore), as well as parts of the Hills District, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The shire stretches from the M2 Hills Motorway in the south to the Haw ...
)


Demographics

At the , there were people in The Hills local government area; of these 49.3 per cent were male and 50.7 per cent were female.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
made up 0.5 per cent of the population; significantly below the NSW and Australian averages of 2.9 and 2.8 per cent respectively. The
median In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
age of people in The Hills Shire was 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.4 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 13.5 per cent of the population. Of people in the area aged 15 years and over, 61.6 per cent were married and 7.1 per cent were either divorced or separated. Population growth in The Hills Shire between the and the was 15.2 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the , population growth was 6.58 per cent. At the 2016 census, the population in the Shire decreased by 7.43 per cent, brought about by a reduction in the Shire area from to due to the 2015 review of local government boundaries when former parts of The Hills Shire were transferred to the City of Parramatta Council. Total population growth of Australia for the period between the 2011 and 2016 census periods was 8.8 per cent. The median weekly income for residents within The Hills Shire was approximately 150% higher than the national average. At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in The Hills local government area who stated their
ancestry An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder or a forebear, is a parent or (recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from whom ...
as
Australian Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal A ...
or
Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
approached 32 per cent of all residents. In excess of 64 per cent of all residents in The Hills Shire nominated a
religious Religion is usually defined as a social system, social-cultural system of designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morality, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sacred site, sanctified places, prophecy, prophecie ...
affiliation with
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
at the 2016 census, which was in excess of the national average of 57.7 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the census date, compared to the national average, households in The Hills local government area had a higher than average proportion (37.2 per cent) where two or more languages are spoken (national average was 22.2 per cent); and a lower proportion (65.3 per cent) where
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
only was spoken at home (national average was 72.7 per cent).


Current Council composition and election method

The Hills Shire Council is composed of twelve
Councillor A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...
s elected proportionally as four separate
wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
, each electing three Councillors. All Councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. A
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
held on 1 September 2015 changed the system of electing the
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
, from annual election by the councillors in favour of
direct election Direct election is a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are cho ...
of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term, which took effect from the September 2017 election. The most recent election was held on 15 Octobers 2021, and the makeup of the Council is as follows: The current Council, elected in 2017, in order of election by ward, is:


History

The earliest records of human settlement date back to the early 1800s when Dharug Aborigines inhabited the region. Governor
Arthur Phillip Admiral Arthur Phillip (11 October 1738 – 31 August 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer who served as the first governor of the Colony of New South Wales. Phillip was educated at Greenwich Hospital School from June 1751 unti ...
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. A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the
NSW Government The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of New South Wales. It is currently held by a coalition of the Liberal Party and the National Party. The Governmen ...
Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommended that The Hills Shire merge with adjoining councils. The government considered two proposals. The first proposed a merger of parts of The Hills with the
Hawkesbury City Council The City of Hawkesbury is a local government area of New South Wales, Australia, part of which is at the fringe of the Sydney metropolitan area, about north-west of the Sydney central business district. Hawkesbury City is named after the Ha ...
to form a new council with an area of and support a population of approximately 224,000. The second proposed a merger of parts of
Parramatta Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...
,
Auburn Auburn may refer to: Places Australia * Auburn, New South Wales * City of Auburn, the local government area *Electoral district of Auburn *Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region *Auburn, South Australia *Auburn, Tasmania *Aub ...
, The Hills, Hornsby, and Holroyd to form a new council with an area of and support a population of approximately 215,725. Following an independent review, on 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government announced that the merger of parts of The Hills Shire suburbs south of the M2 Motorway (North Rocks, Northmead and part of Baulkham Hills) with the City of Parramatta to form a revised
City of Parramatta Council The City of Parramatta, also known as Parramatta Council, is a local government area located west of central Sydney in the Greater Western Sydney region. Parramatta Council is situated between the City of Ryde and Cumberland, where the Cumberla ...
, with immediate effect. Other proposals impacting The Hills Shire were rejected by the Government. In June 2020, Councillor Brooke Collins made national news for controversially objecting to the
Welcome to Country A Welcome to Country is a ritual or formal ceremony performed as a land acknowledgement at many events held in Australia. It is intended to highlight the cultural significance of the surrounding area to the descendants of a particular Aborigina ...
, reportedly stating "How do you know they didn’t wipe out another race when they arrived here 70,000 years ago?".


Heritage listings

The Hills Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: * Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills Road:
Pearce Family Cemetery The Pearce Family Cemetery is a heritage-listed former farming land and now cemetery located at 257 Seven Hills Road, Bella Vista in The Hills Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as the Pearce Cemetery. ...
* Bella Vista, Elizabeth Macarthur Drive: ''Bella Vista'' (homestead) * Box Hill, 10 Terry Road:
Box Hill House Box Hill House is a heritage-listed former hunting grounds and farm estate and now residential support home at 10 Terry Road, Box Hill, The Hills Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1819 to 1897 by Samuel Terry and George Ter ...
* Box Hill, Windsor Road:
Box Hill Inn The Box Hill Inn is a heritage-listed inn located at 753 Windsor Road, Box Hill in The Hills Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is also known as Mogul Stud, Rummery Homestead, Coach House Inn and Bee Hive Inn. The p ...
* Castle Hill, Gilbert Road: Third Government Farm * Castle Hill, 221 Old Northern Road:
St Paul's Anglican Church, Castle Hill St Paul's Anglican Church is a Heritage register, heritage-listed Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican former church building located at 221 Old Northern Road, Castle Hill, New South Wales, Castle Hill, The Hills Shire, New South Wales, Austr ...
(former) * Cattai, Wisemans Ferry Road:
Cattai Estate The Cattai Estate is a heritage-listed former farm and cultural landscape and now national park at Wisemans Ferry Road, Cattai, The Hills Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was built from 1804 to 1821. It is also known as Caddai Estate, ...
* Maroota South, Wisemans Ferry Road: Great Drain * Rouse Hill, The Water Lane:
Hunting Lodge, Rouse Hill The Hunting Lodge is a heritage-listed colonial era hunting lodge located at 58 The Water Lane in Rouse Hill in The Hills Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register o ...
* Rouse Hill, Windsor Road:
Royal Oak Inn, Rouse Hill The Royal Oak Inn is a heritage-listed hotel located on the corner of Windsor Road and Commercial Road, in Rouse Hill in The Hills Shire local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1829. It has also been known as the Qu ...


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.“Hills Shire Council Acknowledgement of Country motion defeated again”
ABC News. Retrieved Jun 24, 2020.


Sister cities

*
County Wexford County Wexford ( ga, Contae Loch Garman) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region. Named after the town of Wexford, it was based on the historic Gaelic territory of Hy Kinsella (''Uí Ceinns ...
,
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
*
Cootamundra Cootamundra, nicknamed Coota, is a town in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia and within the Riverina. It is within the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council. At the 2016 Census, Cootamundra had a population of 6,782. ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...


See also

* Hills District *
Hills Centre The Hills Centre was a modern brutalist complex of civic buildings in Castle Hill, New South Wales opened in stages between 1982 and 1988, and demolished in 2013. The complex included a 1,678-seat auditorium called the Hills Entertainment Centr ...
*
Greater Western Sydney Greater Western Sydney (GWS) is a large region of the metropolitan area of Greater Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia that generally embraces the north-west, south-west, central-west, and far western sub-regions within Sydney's metropoli ...


References


External links


The Hills Shire Council
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hills Shire Local government areas in Sydney 1906 establishments in Australia