Mackellar County Council
| Company type | State–owned enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public utility |
| Founded | 11 August 1951 |
| Defunct | 1 January 1980 |
| Fate | Merged |
| Successor | Sydney County Council |
| Headquarters | 48-52 Sydney Road, Manly, New South Wales , Australia |
Area served | Municipality of Manly Warringah Shire Council |
| Services | Electricity retail and distribution Natural gas retail and distribution |
| Owner | Government of New South Wales |
The Mackellar County Council (MCC) operated as a county council and a state-owned entity under the Government of New South Wales, Australia. Formed in 1951, it provided electricity and gas services mainly across Sydney's Northern Beaches, with governance shared between the Manly Municipal Council and Warringah Shire Council.
History
The Local Government Act 1919 (NSW) authorized the creation of County Councils to oversee specific delegated responsibilities, frequently related to infrastructure or utility management. In the Northern Beaches region, initial initiatives to establish a county council overseeing electric utilities between Manly Municipality and Warringah Shire emerged in 1938 and again in 1943, but these efforts were postponed due to World War II.
Discussions resumed in 1950 when Manly and Warringah Councils revisited the idea; although Warringah initially withdrew its backing, subsequent evaluations by the Electricity Commission of New South Wales advocated for forming a county council to ensure uniform regional electric utility development. By 1951, both councils consented to create the Mackellar County Council, each appointing three elected members, with operations beginning on 1 September 1951. The council’s name paid tribute to Sir Charles Mackellar, a notable politician, and poet Dorothea Mackellar, inspired by the 1949 federal Division of Mackellar proclamation.
Approval for its formation was granted by Minister for Local Government Joseph Cahill in July 1951. The first official meeting took place in August 1951 at the Manly Municipal Council Chamber. Subsequently, MCC relocated its headquarters to 48-52 Sydney Road, Manly; this facility was inaugurated in 1962 by Minister Pat Hills.
In 1965, MCC staff established the "Mackeller County Council Employees Credit Union Limited," which later became known as the Manly Warringah Credit Union before merging with Community First Credit Union in 2016.
A significant legal case involving MCC occurred in 1968—Anderson v. Mackellar County Council—which affirmed the council’s responsibility for damage to neighboring properties under Local Government Act provisions, marking a key precedent within Australian construction law.
During the late 1970s, reforms initiated by the New South Wales government sought to streamline electricity distribution entities. Consequently, on 1 January 1980, MCC was amalgamated into Sydney County Council along with St George and Brisbane Water councils.
Chairmen
| Years | Name | Council |
|---|---|---|
| 1951–1954 | Aubrey Hanson Norman | Manly |
| 1954–1955 | James Anderson | Manly |
| 1955–1957 | Leonard McKay | Warringah |
| 1957–1960 | James Henry Brown | Manly |
| 1960–1961 | John Lawrence Fisher | Warringah |
| 1961–1962 | D. A. Button | Manly |
| 1962–1963 | Gordon Brown | Warringah |
| 1963–1966 | D. A. Button | Manly |
| 1966–1967 | E. R. Wilson | Warringah |
| 1967–1969 | W. R. Nicholas | Manly |
| 1969–1970 | David Hay | Manly |
| 1970–1971 | Winston Gray | Warringah |
| 1971–1973 | W. A. Manning | Manly |
| 1973–1974 | Kevin Begaud | Warringah |
| 1974–1975 | A. K. Walker | Manly |
| 1975–1976 | Colin Huntingdon | Warringah |
| 1976–1977 | W. R. Nicholas | Manly |
| 1977 | Colin Huntingdon | Warringah |
| 1977–1978 | W. A. Manning | Manly |
| 1978–1980 | Peter Dawson | Warringah |
County Clerks
| Years | Name |
|---|---|
| 1951–1961 | W. F. Horn |
| 1961–1970 | P. F. H. Cattley |
| 1970–1980 | E. F. G. Dibley |
Common Seal
Soon after the Council was formed, it commissioned a 'Common Seal' to serve as its official emblem. The design responsibility was given to Percy Walter Gledhill, a local historian and President of the Manly and Warringah District Historical Society, who created a heraldic symbol embodying the council’s area of governance.
Gledhill articulated the design in these terms: