The
Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the
inner-westThe Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
of
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
, in state of
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
.
The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the
EoraThe traditional owners of the inner Sydney City region of Australia are the Cadigal people, one of the peoples who belong to the Eora language group. Their land south of Port Jackson stretches from South Head to Petersham. The word Eora simply means "here" or "from this place"...
nation. It has a long cultural heritage and a special beauty that comes from its
Sydney HarbourPort Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
location and its ‘old suburb’ origins.
Leichhardt is named after the
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
n explorer
Ludwig LeichhardtFriedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
, who in the 1840s was feted for his 4,800 km (c.
The
Municipality of Leichhardt is a Local Government Area in the
inner-westThe Inner West is a general term which is used to describe the metropolitan area directly to the west of the Sydney central business district in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
of
SydneySydney is the largest city in Australia, and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney has a metropolitan area population of approximately 4.34 million and an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres. Its inhabitants are called Sydneysiders, and Sydney is often called "the Harbour City"...
, in state of
New South WalesNew South Wales is Australia's most populous state, located in the south-east of the country, north of Victoria, south of Queensland and east of South Australia...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
.
History
The Municipality of Leichhardt stands on land that traditionally belonged to the Gadigal and Wangal people, of the
EoraThe traditional owners of the inner Sydney City region of Australia are the Cadigal people, one of the peoples who belong to the Eora language group. Their land south of Port Jackson stretches from South Head to Petersham. The word Eora simply means "here" or "from this place"...
nation. It has a long cultural heritage and a special beauty that comes from its
Sydney HarbourPort Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
location and its ‘old suburb’ origins.
Leichhardt is named after the
PrussiaPrussia was a historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries this state had substantial influence on German and European history...
n explorer
Ludwig LeichhardtFriedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Leichhardt, known as Ludwig Leichhardt, was a Prussian explorer and naturalist, most famous his exploration of northern and central Australia.-Early life:...
, who in the 1840s was feted for his 4,800 km (c. 3000 mi) expedition in search of an overland route from southern
QueenslandQueensland is a state of Australia that occupies the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the west, South Australia to the south-west and New South Wales to the south. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
to
Port EssingtonPort Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory...
, a British settlement on the far northern coast of Australia (some 300 km to the north of the modern city of
DarwinDarwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 120,652, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
). He later famously vanished without trace on his attempt to cross the continent from the Darling Downs to the
Swan River ColonyThe Swan River Colony was a British settlement established at the Swan River on the west coast of Australia at the time of the founding of Perth in 1829. This colony expanded and became what is now Western Australia. Fremantle was the seaport and Perth the political centre of the Swan River Colony...
on the
Western AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. Australia's largest state and the second largest subnational entity in the world, it has 2.2 million inhabitants , 85% of whom live in the south-west corner of the state.The state's capital...
coast.
Leichhardt was proclaimed a municipality in 1871. In 1949, it was merged with the municipalities of
AnnandaleAnnandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay, which is on...
and
BalmainBalmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
. In 1967, the municipal boundary was altered to include
GlebeGlebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
and parts of
CamperdownCamperdown is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Camperdown is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Inner West region...
. In 2003, the municipal boundary was again changed, to exclude
GlebeGlebe is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Glebe is located 3 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney, in the Inner West region....
and
Forest LodgeForest Lodge is a small, inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Forest Lodge is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, which are now part of the City of Sydney. Since the middle of the 20th century, Leichhardt has been a centre for Sydney's Italian community. Since the mid 1970s, Leichhardt has also had a significant lesbian community, giving rise to its alternate name of Dyke-heart.
Suburbs in the local government area
Suburbs in the Municipality of Leichhardt are:
- Annandale
Annandale is a suburb of Inner West Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Annandale is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt. Annandale's northern end lies on Rozelle Bay, which is on...
- Balmain
Balmain is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain is located slightly west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
- Balmain East
Balmain East is a small suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Balmain East is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt...
- Birchgrove
Birchgrove is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Birchgrove is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
- Cockatoo Island
Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located at the junction of the Parramatta and Lane Cove rivers, Cockatoo Island is a former imperial prison, industrial school, reformatory and gaol. It is also the site of one of Australia's biggest...
- Leichhardt
Leichhardt is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Leichhardt is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt...
- Lilyfield
Lilyfield is a small suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lilyfield is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
- Rozelle
Rozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
Council
Leichhardt Municipal Council is composed of twelve councillors elected proportionally. The municipality is divided into four wards, each electing three councillors. The mayor is not directly elected. The current makeup of the council is as follows:
| Party | Councillors |
|---|
| |
The Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
6 |
| |
Liberal Party of AustraliaThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
|
3 |
| |
Australian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
|
2 |
| |
Independent In politics, an independent is a politician who is not affiliated with any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel that any major party addresses...
|
1 |
|
Total |
12 |
The current council, elected in 2008, is:
| Ward | Birrabirragal/Balmain
| |
Jamie Parker |
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
Mayor |
|---|
| |
Gordon Weiss |
LiberalThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
|
|
| |
John Stamolis |
Independent In politics, an independent is a politician who is not affiliated with any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do not feel that any major party addresses...
|
|
| Eora/Leichhardt-Lilyfield |
|
Rochelle Porteous Rochelle Porteous was the NSW Greens Party candidate for the seat of Balmain in the 2007 NSW State Elections. She is a Councillor on Leichhardt Council, Australia.-Background:Rochelle Porteous has been a Leichhardt Councillor for the last 3 years...
|
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
|
| |
Vera-Ann Hannaford |
LiberalThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
|
|
| |
Alan Cinis |
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
|
| Gadigal/Annandale-Leichhardt |
|
Daniel Kogoy |
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
|
| |
Cassi Plate |
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
|
| |
Lyndal Howison |
LaborThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
|
|
| Wangal/Rozelle-Lilyfield |
|
Michele McKenzie |
Greens The Australian Greens, commonly known as The Greens, is a Green Australian political party.The party has its eastern Australian origins in the Franklin River Dams campaign in Tasmania in the 1980s, and in Western Australia arising from concerns about nuclear disarmament...
|
Deputy Mayor |
| |
Darcy Byrne |
LaborThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party.Known as the ALP for short, the party is the current governing party of Australia, since the 2007 federal election...
|
|
| |
Tony Costantino |
LiberalThe Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
|
|
Demographics
The following statistics were provided by the
Australian Bureau Statistics website.The population was 51,660 at 30 June 2006, the 55th largest Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 0.8% of the New South Wales population of 6,827,694.
There was an increase of 307 people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 55th largest population growth in a Local Government Area in New South Wales. It was equal to 0.5% of the 58,753 increase in the population of New South Wales.In percentage terms, there was an increase of 0.6% in the number of people over the year to 30 June 2006, the 88th fastest growth in population of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 0.9%
There was an increase in population over the 10 years to 30 June 2006 of 4,178 people or 8.8% (0.8% in annual average terms), the 46th highest rate of a Local Government Area in New South Wales. In New South Wales the population grew by 622,966 or 10% (1.0% in annual average terms) over the same period.
The population has a high average income and a high proportion of professionals and managers. Almost 90% of dwellings have one car or more. Over 50% of residents travel to work by car and 25% travel by bus. Compared with the rest of Sydney, they are high users of buses and low users of cars for travelling to work.
Leichhardt residents as a whole do not significantly move in and out of the area any more than residents from other councils. However, the 25-39 age group is significantly more mobile, with more than 50% moving in and out of the area over a five year period. The NSW State Government projects a low growth rate with a population of 54,800 by 2031. The population profile may gain a stronger balance of young and older people if more of the 25-39 family age group have children and stay in the area. Less rental accommodation, more owner purchasers, high enrolments in childcare and schools, and new higher birth rates already signal a trend to a more balanced profile.
Parks and recreation
Leichhardt Park, which includes the Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre is in
LilyfieldLilyfield is a small suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lilyfield is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
, as is
Leichhardt OvalLeichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
in Mary Street, the homeground of the
Wests TigersThe Wests Tigers are a Sydney-based professional rugby league football club in the National Rugby League , the premier rugby league competition in Australasia...
.
External links