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History of Waverley

Waverley became a municipality on 16 June, 1859. It is one of the oldest-surviving Local Government Areas in NSW.

Waverley’s story begins with the Traditional Custodians of the land, the Bidjigal and Gadigal people. When the First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788, Aboriginal people had been living in the Sydney region for at least 20,000 years. To find out more, see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

From Waverley’s early days as a coastal settlement to its development into a dynamic urban centre, Waverley’s heritage is steeped in Australian history.

The local history collection at Waverley Library celebrates Waverley’s heritage and history. An active collection, it contains original records documenting the lives of local people, the histories of local organisations and some Council records, including early Council minutes and correspondence files.

It also houses objects related to the local area, oral histories, a photographic and cartographic collection, audio-visual resources, research files and its own specialist publications.

To find out more, visit Waverley Library.