newy.com.au – Lake Macquarie City Council is marking 120 years since the area was formally proclaimed a shire, with Mayor Adam Shultz saying the milestone is both a moment to reflect on the city’s past and look to its future.
May marks 120 years since Lake Macquarie was proclaimed a shire, with a temporary council established just weeks later to oversee the growing district. Mayor Shultz said the council had developed alongside the community through major periods of change, including boom times, world wars, natural disasters and shifts in the local economy and population.
“Council’s story is really a community story,” he said.
“For the past 120 years, elected representatives and staff have worked with the community to build our city. I’m proud as both a lifelong Lake Macquarie resident and as Mayor to be part of that story.”
“But the anniversary isn’t just about looking back at what we’ve done – it’s about looking ahead to what we can achieve if we continue to work together to make our city a better place for everyone.”
The anniversary was marked at Monday night’s council meeting, where Mayor Shultz tabled a Mayoral Minute following a dinner for former long-serving councillors. Guests included former mayor John Kilpatrick and Freeman of the City Mercia Buck.
Lake Macquarie’s first election was held in November 1906, when six councillors were elected. They met for the first time the following month at Teralba Courthouse. Sydney Croudace, whose father Thomas Croudace was a mining engineer who bought land later known as Croudace Bay, became the shire’s first president.
The council’s status changed again in March 1977, when Lake Macquarie was declared a municipality. It officially became a city seven years later.
The 120-year council milestone also sits within a much longer history. Lake Macquarie is on Awabakal Country, and Awaba has long been the name of the lake, reflecting thousands of years of cultural connection and care.
The year 2026 also marks 200 years since the lake was renamed Lake Macquarie, after first being recorded by Europeans as Reid’s Mistake in 1800.
Mayor Shultz said the anniversary was a reminder of the council’s daily role in serving the community.
“Lake Macquarie City Council’s reason for being is about service and showing up for our community,” he said.
“Together, we’ve built a city to be proud of, and the next chapter is just beginning.”
