City of Botany Bay facts for kids

Quick facts for kids City of Botany Bay New South Wales
Population	39,356 (2011 census)
• Density	1,471/km2 (3,810/sq mi)
Established	29 March 1888 (Botany) 11 May 1996 (Botany Bay)
Abolished	9 September 2016
Area	26.75 km2 (10.3 sq mi)
Mayor	Ben Keneally (Labor)
Council seat	Botany Town Hall, Botany
Region	South-Eastern Sydney
Parish	Botany
Website	City of Botany Bay
LGAs around City of Botany Bay: Marrickville Sydney Randwick Marrickville City of Botany Bay Randwick Rockdale Botany Bay Randwick

The City of Botany Bay was a special area in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It was run by a local council. This council looked after the suburbs north of Botany Bay, like Botany itself.

The council started in 1888 as the "Borough of Botany." Later, it became the "Municipality of Botany" in 1906. Finally, in 1996, it was officially named the "City of Botany Bay." The main office was in Mascot, about 7 kilometres south of the centre of Sydney. In 2016, the City of Botany Bay joined with the City of Rockdale to create a new council called Bayside Council. The last mayor of the City of Botany Bay was Ben Keneally.

History of the Council

A map from 1907 showing real estate in the Town of Botany.

The first council for Botany was chosen on 9 June 1888. It was called the "Borough of Botany" back then. The council had three different areas, or "wards," that people voted for. On 15 July 1899, the Botany Town Hall officially opened. This building was the main place where the council met until it joined with another council in 2016.

In 1906, the council changed its name to the "Municipality of Botany." Then, on 11 May 1996, it became the "City of Botany Bay." This change was made by the Governor of New South Wales, Gordon Samuels. In 1948, another nearby council, the Municipality of Mascot, joined with Botany.

Challenges and Changes

In 2016, there were some serious problems found with how the council was managed. An investigation by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) looked into claims of poor financial management. The investigation found that some past employees had not handled council money correctly. This led to significant financial issues for the council.

The report from the investigation in 2017 said that there were "overwhelming failures" in the council's rules and how it was run. These problems made it easier for the financial issues to happen. When the City of Botany Bay later joined with another council, these past problems affected the new council's finances. The first mayor of the new council, Bill Saravinovski, said that these issues caused a large money shortage of $17 million.

Forming Bayside Council

Because of these challenges and a review by the NSW Government, it was suggested that the City of Botany Bay should join with the City of Rockdale. This would create a new, larger council.

Many people in both areas did not want the councils to merge. In Botany Bay, residents voted in a special poll on 27 February 2016. A huge 97.8 percent of people voted "no" to the merger. Botany Bay even suggested joining with other councils instead, like the City of Randwick and parts of the City of Sydney.

However, the Supreme Court of New South Wales decided that the merger should go ahead. So, on 9 September 2016, the City of Botany Bay officially joined with the City of Rockdale to form the new Bayside Council.

People of Botany Bay

In 2011, about 39,356 people lived in the Botany Bay area. The average age of people living there was 37 years old. About 18 out of every 100 people were children aged 0 to 14.

The number of people living in the area grew steadily between 2001 and 2011. However, this growth was a bit slower than the average growth for all of Australia during the same time.

How the Council Worked

The City of Botany Bay Administration Building in Mascot.

The Botany Bay City Council had seven councillors, including the mayor. They were elected for a four-year term. From 1995 to 2016, the mayor was chosen directly by the voters. The other six councillors were elected from six different areas, called "wards," with one councillor from each ward.

Before 1995, there were more councillors, and they were elected differently. The last election for the council was held on 8 September 2012. Here were the councillors who served in the final term from 2012 to 2016:

Past Mayors

The old seal of the Municipality of Botany. It shows Captain James Cook arriving at Botany Bay in 1770. The Latin words mean "God be with us as He was with our fathers."

Many people served as mayor for Botany and later the City of Botany Bay. The mayor is the leader of the local council. Here is a list of some of the mayors:

Council Leaders (Town Clerks/General Managers)

The person in charge of running the council's daily business used to be called the "Town Clerk." Later, the rules changed, and this role became known as the "General Manager." Here are some of the people who held this important position:

Coat of Arms