Willoughby Council Celebrates Its 150th Anniversary

This October, Willoughby City Council is celebrating the sesquicentenary (150 years) of the proclamation of the Municipality of Willoughby.  To celebrate the sesquicentenary, Willoughby City Library Services will be hosting a range of events, including an exhibition “Willoughby: Making of a City 1865-2015” on The Concourse.

The Forsyth family has played a huge part in the development of Willoughby over the past 150 years.  Forsyths have lived and run businesses on the North Shore since 1865 and have owned land in Willoughby since 1869.  Three generations have been Mayor of Willoughby: James Forsyth Senior (1875); Thomas Todd Forsyth (1882, 1887-1888, 1893); and Robert Todd Forsyth, who has been described as “The Father of the North Shore”. He was an Alderman on the Council for 28 years and elected Mayor 11 times. In 1921, he threw the switch that brought the first electric light to the municipality and initiated sealed roads and footpaths.  Forsyth Real Estate is celebrating the sesquicentenary and the contribution of these venerable gentlemen to the growth of Willoughby City with a display in its window.

If you are interested in the history of Willoughby as a suburb, or your house or family, there’s plenty of information here. A series of fact sheets on the history of Willoughby City are available, and the Council has also designed four Heritage Walks to guide you through an historical exploration of the area.