Borough of Victoria

With the passing of The Municipalities Act, 1858, on 20 January 1866 139 residents of the St Leonards district petitioned the Colonial Government for the incorporation of the area as a Municipality of Saint Leonards.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225370487 |title=Petition under the Municipalities Act|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales |issue=23 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 January 1866 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=243 |via=National Library of Australia}} This petition was subsequently accepted and the Governor of New South Wales, Sir John Young, proclaimed the establishment of the Municipality of St Leonards on 31 May 1867.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225478761 |title=Municipality of St Leonards|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=86 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=31 May 1867 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=1336 |via=National Library of Australia}} On 24 December 1868 the Borough was divided into wards and the Victoria Ward named after Queen Victoria encompassing Lavender Bay, McMahons Point and North Sydney was created.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article225581943 |title=Proclamation|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=313 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 December 1868 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=4616 |via=National Library of Australia}}

However, by mid-1870 a petition of 172 names was presented to the Colonial Secretary asking for the secession of the Victoria Ward and the creation of a separate borough council.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223530311 |title=Separation from St Leonards Municipality|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=177 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=29 July 1870 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=1593 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223530855 |title=Separation from Borough of St Leonards, Victoria Ward|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=195 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=13 August 1870 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=1751 |via=National Library of Australia}} The petition was accepted and on 20 January 1871 the Borough of Victoria was proclaimed by the Governor.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224329792 |title=Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=19 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=20 January 1871 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=191 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Donald Munro, of Blues Point Road, was appointed as Returning Officer for the first election to be held on 10 February 1871.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224329795 |title=Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=21 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=23 January 1871 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=203 |via=National Library of Australia}} The first council, comprising nine Aldermen and two auditors, was first elected on 10 February 1871, and the first Mayor, Matthew Charlton Jr, was elected on 20 February. Walter George Willington was made the first Council Clerk, a position that was confirmed on 25 February.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224330774 |title=Borough of Victoria |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=43 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=24 February 1871 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=445 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224330617 |title=Private Advertisements. Borough of Victoria|newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=39 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 February 1871 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=409 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224330916 |title=Borough of Victoria |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=45 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 February 1871 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=467 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Council met at its Council Chambers in the Council Clerk Willington's "London Store", at 139-141 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point.{{cite web |title=George Willington and son outside London Store, 139-141 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point |url=http://www.photosau.com.au/StantonPictures/scripts/ExtSearch.asp?SearchTerm=001056 |website=Face of North Sydney |publisher=North Sydney Council}} An 1889 profile of the Borough commented that "the chambers occupied by the council are of the meanest description possible, and as the total rent amounts to little more than £20 per annum, the ratepayers cannot complain of extravagance on the part of their representatives."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13680374 |title=XXXIV.—Victoria|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=15,572 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=21 February 1888 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=11 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The small area of the Borough limited the council's ability to develop public infrastructure, with large areas described in 1889 as being "in a primitive state" and possessing no sewer connections. Alderman Frederick Smith in particular, in a September 1889 debate on amalgamation, noted that "the borough was poverty-stricken and impotent, and the time was ripe for a change", while the Illustrated Sydney News commented that "there are absolutely no lungs to the Borough of Victoria, and the people are forced to wander about the streets if they would enjoy the open air."{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13724797 |title=VICTORIA. |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |issue=16,052 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 September 1889 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63622007 |title=At McMahon's Point|newspaper=Illustrated Sydney News |volume=XXVI |issue=12 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=5 September 1889 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=23 |via=National Library of Australia}} Representatives from the Borough had met with the neighbouring boroughs of St Leonards and East St Leonards at an amalgamation conference in July 1889.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article237206967 |title=Amalgamation conference at North Shore|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|issue=2815 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 July 1888 |access-date=13 April 2019 |page=6 |via=National Library of Australia}}

The Borough lasted until 29 July 1890 when it merged with the Borough of East St Leonards (1860) and the Borough of St Leonards to form the Borough of North Sydney.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article224318068 |title=Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation |newspaper=Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales|issue=411 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=31 July 1890 |access-date=7 April 2017 |page=6059 |via=National Library of Australia}}

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{{NSW former LGAs |state=collapsed}}

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Victoria

Victoria

Victoria

Victoria

Victoria