City of Rockdale

City of Rockdale New South Wales
Population:	102,211(2009)[1]
• Density:	3650/km² (9,453.5/sq mi)
Area:	28 km² (10.8 sq mi)
Mayor:	Bill Saravinovski
Council Seat:	Rockdale
Region:	Metropolitan Sydney
State District:	Rockdale, Kogarah
Federal Division:	Barton
Website: http://www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au/
LGAs around City of Rockdale: City of Canterbury Marrickville Council City of Botany Bay City of Hurstville City of Rockdale Municipality of Kogarah Sutherland Shire

Rockdale Town Hall

Rockdale City Council Admin Building

City of Rockdale signpost, Stoney Creek Road, Kingsgrove

The City of Rockdale is a Local Government Area in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The city centre is located 12 kilometres south-south-west of the Sydney central business district, on the western shores of Botany Bay. The city is part of the St George area which contains the three local government areas of the City of Rockdale, City of Hurstville and Municipality of Kogarah.

The City of Rockdale has been previously known as the Municipality of West Botany and the Municipality of Rockdale. The City of Rockdale was declared in 1995.

Suburbs in the local government area

Suburbs in the City of Rockdale are:

• Arncliffe
• Banksia
• Bardwell Park
• Bardwell Valley
• Bexley
• Bexley North
• Brighton-Le-Sands
• Carlton
• Dolls Point
• Kingsgrove
• Kogarah
• Kyeemagh
• Monterey
• Ramsgate
• Ramsgate Beach
• Rockdale
• Sandringham
• Sans Souci
• Sydney Airport
• Turrella
• Wolli Creek

The City of Rockdale also manages and maintains the following localities:

• Bardwell Creek
• Cooks Cove
• Lady Robinson Beach
• Muddy Creek
• Rocky Point
• Sandringham Bay
• St Kilda Point

History

The City of Rockdale was originally known as the West Botany Municipality. The Municipality of West Botany was declared on the 13th January 1871 and covered nine square miles in 1884. It included much of the land which was later used to build Sydney Airport. The West Botany name was officially changed to Rockdale in 1887, when land was being sub-divided for residential development. ^[2] Among the main developers during this period was Frederick Jamison Gibbes, a Member of Parliament whose name is perpetuated by Gibbes Street in Banksia. ^[3][4]

The area of the municipality was reduced when the mouth of Cooks River was moved further south of its original position in the mid 1940s, to allow for the extension of Sydney Airport. Only a small part of the airport remains in the local government area today. As the city's population increased, more suburbs were created within its boundaries. The Municipality of Rockdale was declared a city in 1995, and is now known as the City of Rockdale. ^[5][6]

Demographics

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the City of Rockdale had a population of 92,126 in 2006. Indigenous peoples accounted for .5% of this or 452 peoples. 45,810 people were born in Australia which was 49.7% of the population. ^[7]

There was a mixture of ancestries recorded in the City of Rockdale. The most numerous are:

Country of Birth	Number	%
Australia	45,810	49.7%
China	5,060	5.5%
Greece	3,226	3.5%
Macedonia	3,133	3.4%
Lebanon	2,870	3.1%
New Zealand	2,051	2.2%

38,135 people spoke English only which was 41.4% of the population.

Language	Number of Speakers	Percentage
English only	38,135	41.4%
Greek	8,700	9.4%
Arabic	8,315	9.0%
Macedonian	5,002	5.4%
Cantonese	4,168	4.5%
Mandarin	3,957	4.3%

Council

Rockdale City Council is composed of fifteen councillors elected proportionally. The area is divided into five wards, each electing three councillors. The mayor is not directly elected.^[8] The current makeup of the council is as follows:^[8]

Party		Councillors
	Australian Labor Party	5
	Liberal Party of Australia	5
	Independents	3
	The Greens	1
	Yvonne Bellamy Independents	1
	Total	15

The current council, elected in 2008, is:^[8]

Ward	Councillor		Party	Notes
First Ward		Angelo Anestis	Labor
		Yvonne Bellamy	Yvonne Bellamy Independents
		Peter Poulos	Liberal	Deputy Mayor
Second Ward		Shaoquett Moselmane	Labor
		Michael Nagi	Independent
		Jan Brennan	Liberal
Third Ward		Bill Saravinovski	Labor	Mayor
		John La Mela	Liberal
		Lesa De Leau	Greens
Fourth Ward		Joe Awada	Labor
		Liz Barlow	Independent
		Judy Feeney	Liberal
Fifth Ward		Shane O'Brien	Labor
		John Flowers	Liberal
		James Macdonald	Independent

References

1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (30 March 2010). "Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2008–09". http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3218.0Main%20Features42008-09?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=3218.0&issue=2008-09&num=&view=. Retrieved 3 June 2010. 
2. ^ Pictorial Memories ST. GEORGE: Rockdale, Kogarah, Hurstville Joan Lawrence, Kingsclear Books, 1996, Published in Australia ISBN 0-908272-45-6
3. ^ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8
4. ^ Sands Post Office Directories (1880-1932/33)(POD)
5. ^ A Century of Progress Rockdale 1871-1971, compiled by Rockdale Municipal Council, produced by Paul Horne and printed by Posters Pty, Ltd, Lane Cove
6. ^ Geeves, Phillip and Jervis, J (1986) Rockdale: its beginning and development Revised Edition
7. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (25 October 2007). "Community Profile Series : Rockdale (Local Government Area)". 2006 Census of Population and Housing. http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/ABSNavigation/prenav/ProductSelect?newproducttype=Community+Profiles&collection=Census&period=2006&areacode=LGA16650&breadcrumb=LP&currentaction=201&action=401. Retrieved 2009-02-14. 
8. ^ ^{a b c} "Rockdale City Council". 2008 Election results. Electoral Commission NSW. http://www.lg.elections.nsw.gov.au/LGE2008/result.Rockdale.html. Retrieved 2009-08-03. ^{[dead link]}

External links

• Rockdale City Council website
• Rockdale Chamber of Commerce

Coordinates: 33°55′S 151°15′E / 33.917°S 151.25°E / -33.917; 151.25