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The Hills Shire

Coordinates: 33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000
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The Hills Shire
New South Wales
Location in Metropolitan Sydney
Coordinates33°46′S 151°00′E / 33.767°S 151.000°E / -33.767; 151.000
Population191,876 (2021 census)[1]
 • Density497.1/km2 (1,287.5/sq mi)
Established6 March 1906
Area386 km2 (149.0 sq mi)
Time zoneAEST (UTC+10)
 • Summer (DST)AEDT (UTC+11)
MayorDr. Michelle Byrne (Liberal)
Council seatNorwest
RegionHills District
State electorate(s)
Federal division(s)
WebsiteThe Hills Shire
LGAs around The Hills Shire:
Hawkesbury Central Coast Council Hornsby
Hawkesbury The Hills Shire Hornsby
Blacktown Parramatta Parramatta

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 mayor of The Hills Shire is Dr Michelle Byrne (Liberal), who was elected on 14 September 2024.[2]

The Hills Shire is a member council of the Hawkesbury River County Council.

Suburbs in the local government area

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Suburbs at least partially within The Hills Shire are:

Demographics

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At the 2021 census, there were 191,876 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 made up 0.6 per cent of the population; significantly below the NSW and Australian averages of 3.4 and 3.2 per cent respectively. The median age of people in The Hills Shire was 38 years. Children aged 0 – 14 years made up 21.2 per cent of the population and people aged 65 years and over made up 14.8 per cent of the population. Of all people in The Hills, 61.3 per cent were married and 7.3 per cent were either divorced or separated.[1]

Population growth in The Hills Shire between the 2001 census and the 2006 census was 15.2 per cent; and in the subsequent five years to the 2011 census, 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 401 square kilometres (155 sq mi) to 386 square kilometres (149 sq mi) due to the 2015 review of local government boundaries when former parts of The Hills Shire were transferred to the City of Parramatta Council.[3] Total population growth of Australia for the period between the 2011 and 2016 census periods was 8.8 per cent.[4] The median weekly income for residents within The Hills Shire was approximately 150% higher than the national average.[5]

At the 2016 census, the proportion of residents in The Hills local government area who stated their ancestry as Australian or Anglo-Saxon approached 32 per cent of all residents. About 25.3 per cent of all residents in The Hills Shire nominated a religious affiliation with Catholicism at the 2021 census, which was in excess of the national average of 20.0 per cent. Meanwhile, as at the 2016 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 only was spoken at home (national average was 72.7 per cent).[5]

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 Increase 159,391 Increase 169,872 Decrease 157,243 Increase 191,876
LGA rank in terms of size within New South Wales 9th Decrease 15th
% of New South Wales population 2.46% Decrease 2.02%
% of Australian population 0.74% Increase 0.80% Decrease 0.79% Decrease 0.67%
Cultural and language diversity
Ancestry,
top responses		 English 21.5% Decrease 20.4% Increase 22.6%
Australian 22.1% Decrease 19.1% Increase 22.0%
Chinese 8.5% Increase 9.6% Increase 14.7%
Irish 6.5% Increase 6.6% Increase 6.9%
Scottish 5.4% Decrease 5.3% -
Language,
top responses
(other than English)		 Mandarin 1.5% Increase 2.4% Increase 3.9% Increase 6.4% Increase 8.2%
Cantonese 4.4% Increase 4.5% Decrease 4.4% Decrease 3.4% Steady 3.4%
Korean 1.3% Increase 1.6% Increase 2.1% Decrease 2.0% Increase 2.1%
Hindi 0.6% Increase 0.9% Increase 1.3% Increase 1.9% Increase 2.8%
Arabic 1.6% Increase 1.8% Increase 1.9% Decrease 1.7% Increase 2.0%
Religious affiliation
Religious affiliation,
top responses		 Catholic 32.3% Increase 32.5% Decrease 31.4% Decrease 28.9% Decrease 25.3%
No religion, so described 10.4% Increase 12.5% Increase 15.7% Increase 21.2% Increase 26.7%
Anglican 22.7% Decrease 20.0% Decrease 18.5% Decrease 14.9% Decrease 10.9%
Not stated - - - 5.9% -
Hinduism 1.6% Increase 2.4% Increase 3.1% Increase 4.5% Increase 7.9%
Median weekly incomes
Personal income Median weekly personal income - $625 Increase $719 Increase $827 Increase $1,033
% of Australian median income 134.1% Decrease 124.6% Increase 124.9%
Family income Median weekly family income - $1,732 Increase $2,188 Increase $2,464 Increase $2,990
% of Australian median income 168.6% Decrease 147.7% Decrease 142.1%
Household income Median weekly household income - $1,847 Increase $2,044 Increase $2,363 Increase $2,831
% of Australian median income - 157.7% Increase 165.6% Decrease 164.3%

Council

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A map of the four wards, showing party representation in each ward as of the 2021 local elections.

The Hills Shire Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally as four separate wards, each electing three councillors. All councillors are elected for a fixed four-year term of office. A referendum held on 1 September 2015 changed the system of electing the mayor, from annual election by the councillors in favour of direct election of the mayor by electors for a four-year term, which took effect from the September 2017 election.[9] The most recent election was held on 15 October 2021, and the makeup of the council is as follows:[10][11][12][13]

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

Election results

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2024

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This section is an excerpt from Results of the 2024 New South Wales local elections in Outer Sydney § The Hills results.[edit]
2024 New South Wales local elections: The Hills
Party Votes % Swing Seats Change
  Liberal 68,058 61.3 +0.7 8 Steady
  Labor 25,945 23.4 +2.8 3 Steady
  Greens 15,237 13.7 −3.1 1 Steady
  Independents 1,795 1.6 −0.3 0 Steady
 Formal votes 111,035 95.0
 Informal votes 5,865 5.0
 Total 116,900

History

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Hills Shire boundaries, 1906–2016.

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 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government 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 to form a new council with an area of 3,161 square kilometres (1,220 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 224,000.[16] The second proposed a merger of parts of Parramatta, Auburn, The Hills, Hornsby, and Holroyd to form a new council with an area of 82 square kilometres (32 sq mi) and support a population of approximately 215,725.[17] 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, with immediate effect. Other proposals impacting The Hills Shire were rejected by the Government.[3]

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

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The Hills Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

Recent controversies

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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

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "The Hills Shire". 2021 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 29 January 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ https://www.thehills.nsw.gov.au/Council/Mayor-Councillors-Elections/Mayor-Dr-Michelle-Byrne
  3. ^ a b "City of Parramatta Council". Stronger Councils. Government of New South Wales. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  4. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Australia". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 13 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ a b c Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 5 July 2017. Edit this at Wikidata
  6. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (9 March 2006). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2001 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Baulkham Hills (A)". 2006 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  8. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (31 October 2012). "The Hills Shire (A)". 2011 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 22 November 2012. Edit this at Wikidata
  9. ^ Bradley, Penelope (14 September 2012). "Hills residents to elect their own mayor". Hill Shire Times. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  10. ^ a b "The Hills Shire – Central Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  11. ^ a b "The Hills Shire – East Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  12. ^ a b "The Hills Shire – North Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  13. ^ a b "The Hills Shire – West Ward". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  14. ^ "The Hills Shire – Mayoral Contest". NSW Local Council Elections 2017. NSW Electoral Commission. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  15. ^ "The Hills Shire Timeline". The Hills Sydney's Garden Shire.
  16. ^ "Merger proposal: Hawskesbury City Council, The Hills Shire (part)" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. January 2016. p. 7. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ McCormack, Ange (4 June 2020). "Community angered as Sydney Councillor refuses to perform Acknowledgement of Country". Hack. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ "Pearce Family Cemetery". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00593. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  21. ^ "Bella Vista". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00754. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  22. ^ "Box Hill House in grounds of McCall gardens". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00613. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  23. ^ "Box Hill Inn". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00724. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  24. ^ "Third Government Farm (former)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01448. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  25. ^ "St. Paul's Anglican Church". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00332. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  26. ^ "Cattai Estate". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00982. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  27. ^ "Great Drain and two house sites". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H01402. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  28. ^ "Hunting Lodge (former)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00632. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  29. ^ "Royal Oak Inn (former)". New South Wales State Heritage Register. Department of Planning & Environment. H00698. Retrieved 18 May 2018. Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) under CC BY 4.0 licence.
  30. ^ “Hills Shire Council Acknowledgement of Country motion defeated again”. ABC News. Retrieved Jun 24, 2020.
  31. ^ "Council ends battle over Indigenous acknowledgment" Hills Shire Times 25 Nov 2021
  32. ^ "Acknowledgement Welcomed". 16 January 2022.
  33. ^ 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
  34. ^ "Allegations of impropriety against agents of the Hills Shire Council and property developers in the region".
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