Sydney County Council

Sydney County Council

Company type	County council
Industry	Electricity generation and distribution
Founded	1935
Defunct	1990
Fate	Replaced by Sydney Electricity (statutory corporation)
Headquarters	Sydney , Australia
Products	Electricity supply and distribution
Number of employees	7,000
Parent	New South Wales Government

The Sydney County Council (SCC) was a county council formed in 1935 with the purpose of generating electricity and managing the electrical network across various municipalities within metropolitan Sydney.

Established through the Gas and Electricity Act 1935, SCC operated according to provisions set out in the Local Government Act 1919. It assumed control of the Electricity Department previously managed by the Sydney City Council, which had been providing electrical services to several local government areas. In 1952, the majority of electricity generation responsibilities were transferred to the Electricity Commission of New South Wales, created in 1950, resulting in SCC concentrating primarily on electricity distribution. The year 1990 saw SCC and other county councils integrated into the NSW government framework, with SCC being replaced by Sydney Electricity, a statutory corporation owned by the state.

History

The origins of Sydney’s municipal electricity supply date back to 1904 when the Municipal Council of Sydney’s Electricity Department began producing power for street lighting within the central business district. That same year, the Pyrmont Power Station commenced operations and expanded progressively over subsequent years. Construction on the Bunnerong Power Station began in 1926; by 1937, its 'A' Station had reached a capacity of 175 MW, making it the largest power station in New South Wales at that time. Continued development eventually raised its capacity to 375 MW, establishing it as the largest facility in the southern hemisphere.

With its formation in 1935, SCC took over ownership of Sydney’s Electricity Department along with its power generation facilities, supplying electricity to residential, commercial, and community sectors. Over time, SCC incorporated electricity services from neighboring councils such as Sutherland Shire Council in 1949. After the Electricity Commission of New South Wales was founded in 1950, SCC’s generation plants at Bunnerong and Pyrmont were transferred to this new entity in 1952, leaving SCC responsible solely for distribution activities. By 1982, additional county councils including Brisbane Water, Mackellar, and St George had merged into SCC.

In 1989, legislation passed by NSW authorities dissolved SCC along with other electricity supply county councils under the Local Government Act. SCC transitioned into Sydney Electricity, a corporation owned by the government. Employees previously entitled to compensation for unused sick leave under county council arrangements were no longer eligible after this changeover; consequently, these funds remained with the state-owned organization. County councils had been financially successful and maintained substantial asset reserves for equipment renewal. The NSW government mandated dividend payments from these utilities and pursued privatization initiatives. In 1996, Sydney Electricity combined with Orion Energy to create EnergyAustralia, a government-controlled enterprise. Later, its retail operations and brand were sold to Hong Kong-listed TRUenergy in 2010, which rebranded itself as EnergyAustralia in 2012. On 2 March 2011, EnergyAustralia’s remaining distribution segment was renamed Ausgrid. Subsequently, the state government leased Ausgrid while retaining partial ownership.

Queen Victoria Building, 1935–1968

On 13 December 1935, Minister for Local Government Eric Spooner officially inaugurated the new offices of Sydney County Council located within the Queen Victoria Building on George Street. This event marked the formal transition from management under Sydney City’s Electricity Department. The City Architect’s Branch undertook renovations of part of this Victorian-era building incorporating a distinctive Art Deco design. Beat Brothers served as lead contractor while Wunderlich provided interior fittings. The premises included a demonstration hall, executive suites, electricity showrooms, and general administrative offices for staff.

Despite this arrangement, ownership of the Queen Victoria Building remained with the City of Sydney. Discussions regarding redevelopment or sale to SCC continued while SCC leased the space. By 1945, it became apparent that available office accommodation was inadequate, prompting authorization to investigate alternatives including new premises or extensive remodeling options.

SCC Building, 570 George Street, 1968–1990

Beginning in 1957, the County Council started purchasing land parcels at the intersection of George and Bathurst streets to establish a new administrative center. A design competition held in 1959 drew 62 submissions, evaluated by distinguished architects such as Max Collard and George Molnar. The competition called for a layout that prioritized operational efficiency, adaptability, expansive open areas, minimal upkeep, and a sense of civic grandeur.

The top award of £5,000 was granted to the Sydney-based firm Fowell, Mansfield & Maclurcan, headed by James Kell and Diana Parrott with Osmond Jarvis as a partner. Their concept showcased a tall slab tower positioned atop a low podium, drawing inspiration from the International Style architecture exemplified by New York’s Lever House. Stephenson & Turner and Marcus Woodforde secured second and third places respectively. Despite this, the council discontinued the project in 1961 due to projected expenses reaching £4.5 million.

The initiative was revived in 1963 with Fowell, Mansfield, Jarvis & Maclurcan finalizing the architectural plans. Construction commenced in 1965 under E. A. Watts Pty Ltd and concluded by early 1968. The building was officially inaugurated on 5 April 1968 by NSW Governor Sir Roden Cutler, having cost $9.3 million. It rose to 96.9 metres with 27 floors and provided 200,000 square feet of office space designed to accommodate 1,550 employees out of SCC’s total workforce of 7,000.

The building’s dark façade stood in stark contrast to nearby landmarks through its polished black granite exterior and marble-lined entrance levels. Serving as the council’s main headquarters until its dissolution in 1990, the NSW Government later sold the property during 2013–2014.

Other offices and locations

• Testing Laboratory and Northern Depot at 14 Nelson Street and Mowbray Road, Chatswood (1954–1990)
• Central Bulk Stores Building located at 87-103 Epsom Road, Rosebery (1956–1990)
• Showroom in Crows Nest, 326 Pacific Highway
• Showroom situated at 208 Burwood Road, Burwood
• Showroom at 257 Beamish Street, Campsie
• Showroom on 149 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction
• Office at 50 Mann Street in Gosford, formerly serving as headquarters for the Brisbane Water County Council
• Office located at 48-52 Sydney Road in Manly, previously the Mackellar County Council headquarters

Badge and motto

In 1936, the Council adopted an emblem representing heat (sun), illumination (torch), and energy (horse). Initially bearing the Latin motto "Imperium in populo ex populo" meaning "Power from the people to give the people power," linguistic experts deemed it grammatically flawed. Professor Frederick Augustus Todd from the University of Sydney suggested "Peractis Postera Praestent" ("Let the future excel the past"), which was approved during the Council meeting on 1 September 1936. SCC General Manager Forbes Mackay expressed that this motto embodied the council’s commitment to ongoing enhancement of public service.

Chairmen

Years	Name	Council	Notes
28 August 1935 – 19 January 1937	Stan Lloyd	Enfield
19 January 1937 – 19 January 1938	Arthur McElhone	Sydney
24 January 1938 – 17 January 1939	Harry Gardiner	Redfern
17 January 1939 – 23 January 1940	Stanley Parry	Canterbury
23 January 1940 – 21 January 1941	Ernest Tresidder	Sydney
21 January 1941 – 20 January 1942	Stanley Parry	Canterbury
20 January 1942 – 19 January 1943	William Neville Harding	Sydney
19 January 1943 – 23 January 1945	Stanley Parry	Canterbury
23 January 1945 – 15 January 1946	Arthur McElhone	Sydney
15 January 1946 – 14 January 1947	John Cramer	North Sydney
14 January 1947 – 20 January 1948	Frank Grenville Pursell	Sydney
20 January 1948 – 24 January 1950	John Cramer	North Sydney
24 January 1950 – 7 January 1952	William Parker Henson	Sydney
7 January 1952 – 12 January 1953	Pat Hills	Sydney
12 January1953–29January1954	Reginald Arthur Triggs	Strathfield
29January1954–10January1955	Harry Jensen	Randwick
10January1955–9January1956	Frank Green	Sydney
9January1956–29January1957	Norman Grant Crook	Auburn
29January1957–28January1958	Frank Joyce	Botany
28January1958–27January1959	Ernest Charles O'Dea	Sydney
27January1959–16January1961	William Murray	Marrickville
16January1961–15January1962	William Charles Doherty	Sydney
15January1962–23January1963	Gordon Raymond Ibbett	Sydney
29January1963–26January1966	John Armstrong	Sydney
1February1966–10February1969	Kath Anderson	Botany
10February1969–November1970	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
November1970–10November1971	John Shaw	Sydney
29November1971–November1974	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
November1974–25November1975	Stanley Lewis Hedges	Auburn
24November1975–21November1977	Innes Stanley Haviland	North Sydney
21November1977–20November1978	Sir Emmet McDermott	Sydney
20November1978–5November1979	Douglas Burleigh Carruthers	Bankstown
5November1979–17November1980	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
17November1980–November1981	Kath Anderson	Botany
November1981–November1983	Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
November1983–November1984	Noel Reidy	Willoughby
November1984–November1985	Ivan Petch	Ryde
November1985–November1987	George Francis Moore	Rockdale
November1987–November1988	Kevin Hill	Bankstown
November1988–2January1990	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra

Council elections and membership

Section 7F(8) of the Electricity Act, 1945 specified:

Election of 17 August 1935

Electoral Area	Representative	Remarks
1st	Arthur Joseph McElhone	Sydney
	Ernest Charles O'Dea (ALP)	Sydney
2nd	John Henry Gardiner (ALP)	Redfern
	Stanley Allan Lloyd	Enfield
3rd	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney

Election of 19 January 1938

Electoral Area	Representative	Remarks
1st	William Neville Harding	Sydney
	Ernest Philip Tresidder	Sydney
2nd	John Henry Gardiner (ALP)	Redfern
	Stanley Evan Parry	Canterbury
3rd	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney

Election held on 14 January 1942

Electoral Area	Representative	Remarks
1st	William Neville Harding	Sydney
	Arthur Joseph McElhone	Sydney
2nd	Gordon Andrew Byrne	Auburn
	Stanley Evan Parry	Canterbury
3rd	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney

Election conducted on 9 January 1945

Electoral Area	Representative	Remarks
1st	Reginald James Bartley	Sydney
	Arthur Joseph McElhone	Sydney

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By-election for 1st Constituency on 14 February 1946

Following the resignation of Councillor Reg Bartley on 15 January 1946, a by-election took place on 14 February 1946 for the 1st Constituency. Frank Grenville Pursell (Sydney) was elected without opposition.

By-election for 1st Constituency on 19 July 1946

After the passing of Deputy Chairman Arthur McElhone on 17 June 1946, a by-election held on 19 July resulted in the election of William Parker Henson (Sydney). Subsequently, on 30 July, Frank Grenville Pursell was appointed deputy chairman.

By-election for 2nd Constituency on 10 September 1947

Councillor Stanley Parry stepped down due to health concerns on 12 August 1947. The following by-election on 10 September saw the election of John Henry Gardiner (Redfern).

Election held on 9 February 1949

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Joseph Anthony Bodkin (ALP)	Sydney
	Patrick Darcy Hills (ALP)	Sydney
	Daniel Patrick Minogue (ALP)	Sydney
2nd	Colin Biggers	Burwood
	Adam Kemball Dein	Marrickville
3rd	Reginald William Bieler	Randwick
	Thomas Hogan	Waverley
4th	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

1 May 1950 1st Constituency by-election

Due to the passing of Councillor Joseph Bodkin and the resignation of Daniel Patrick Minogue, a by-election was conducted on 1 May 1950 to fill two seats in the 1st Constituency. The successful candidates were Frank Green (Sydney) and Reginald Arthur Triggs (Strathfield).

17 January 1951 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Frank Green (ALP)	Sydney
	Patrick Darcy Hills (ALP)	Sydney
	Reginald Arthur Triggs (ALP)	Strathfield
2nd	Colin Biggers	Burwood
	Norman Grant Crook	Auburn
3rd	Henry Frederick Jensen (ALP)	Randwick
	Francis Bernard Joyce (ALP)	Botany
4th	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

22 January 1954 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Frank Green (ALP)	Sydney
	Ernest Charles O'Dea (ALP)	Sydney
	Reginald Arthur Triggs (ALP)	Strathfield
2nd	Colin Biggers	Burwood
	Norman Grant Crook	Auburn
3rd	Henry Frederick Jensen (ALP)	Randwick
	Francis Bernard Joyce (ALP)	Botany
4th	John Oscar Cramer	North Sydney
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

7 May 1954 2nd Constituency by-election

Following the resignation of Councillor Colin Biggers on 2 April 1954, Herbert Reuben Thorncraft from Canterbury was elected in the by-election for the 2nd Constituency held on 7 May 1954.

9 March 1956 4th Constituency by-election

After Councillor John Oscar Cramer stepped down on 23 January 1956, George Ivan Ferris representing Mosman secured victory in the by-election for the 4th Constituency on 9 March 1956.

23 January 1957 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Ambrose James Cahill (ALP)	Sydney
	Robert Manning (ALP)	Sydney
	Ernest Charles O'Dea (ALP)	Sydney
2nd	William Thomas Murray (ALP)	Marrickville
	Norman Grant Crook	Auburn
3rd	Lionel Bowen (Lionel Frost Bowen) (ALP)	Randwick
	Francis Bernard Joyce (ALP)	Botany
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

20 January 1960 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	William Charles Doherty (ALP)	Sydney
	Gordon Raymond Ibbett (ALP)	Sydney
	Thomas Irving Morey (ALP)	Sydney
2nd	William Thomas Murray (ALP)	Marrickville
	John Hammond Walshaw (ALP)	Bankstown
3rd	Lionel Frost Bowen (ALP)	Randwick
	Francis Bernard Joyce (ALP)	Botany
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

23 January 1963 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Sydney
	John Ignatius Armstrong (ALP)	Sydney
	Reginald Arthur Triggs (ALP)	Strathfield
2nd	William Thomas Murray (ALP)	Marrickville
	Leo Michael Newton (ALP)	Leichhardt
3rd	George Nicholas Elias Dan	Randwick
	Samuel Stuart Morton Harrison	Woollahra
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

23 December 1964 3rd Constituency by-election

After the passing of Councillor George Nicholas Elias Dan on 10 November 1964, Keith Bates from Sutherland secured election in the 3rd Constituency by-election conducted on 23 December 1964.

26 January 1966 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Sydney
	Keith Joseph Murphy (ALP)	Marrickville
	Reginald Arthur Triggs (ALP)	Strathfield
2nd	William Thomas Murray (ALP)	Marrickville
	Leo Michael Newton (ALP)	Leichhardt
3rd	Maxwell Elliot Lawrence	Woollahra
	William Henry Haigh (ALP)	Randwick
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta

6 February 1969 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	John Alexander Lachlan Shaw	Sydney
2nd	Douglas Burleigh Carruthers	Strathfield
	Stanley Lewis Hedges	Auburn
3rd	Maxwell Elliot Lawrence	Woollahra
	Adrian Charles Molloy	Randwick
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	William Parker Henson	Parramatta
5th	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
	Reginald Arthur Triggs	Strathfield

10 November 1971 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Lynn Arnold	Sydney
2nd	Stanley Lewis Hedges	Auburn
	Douglas Burleigh Carruthers	Strathfield
3rd	John Francis Ford (ALP)	Randwick
	Raymond Ambrose Farrelly (ALP)	Waverley
4th	George Ivan Ferris	Mosman
	Innes Stanley Haviland	North Sydney
5th	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
	James Leslie McMahon (ALP)	Leichhardt

6 November 1974 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Lawrence Emmet McDermott	Sydney
Douglas Burleigh Carruthers	Strathfield
Stanley Lewis Hedges	Auburn
Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
Innes Stanley Haviland	North Sydney
John Cyril Moon	Hunters Hill
Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
James Leslie McMahon (ALP)	Leichhardt

9 November 1977 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Lawrence Emmet McDermott	Sydney
2nd	Stanley Lewis Hedges	Auburn
	Douglas Burleigh Carruthers	Strathfield
3rd	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
	Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
4th	Innes Stanley Haviland	North Sydney
	John Cossar Merrington	Hunters Hill
5th	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
	John William MacBean (ALP)	South Sydney

5 November 1980 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Jack Calpis (ALP)	Sydney
2nd	John Murray (ALP)	Drummoyne
	John Gorrie (ALP)	Canterbury
3rd	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
	Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
4th	Noel Aloysius Reidy	Willoughby
	Ivan Petch	Ryde
5th	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
	Leslie Rodwell	Leichhardt
George Francis Moore	-	Philip Lang	-	Noel Vincent Bergin	-
William Manning	-	Thomas Bamborough (ALP)	-
Reginald Tarbox (ALP)	-	Dennis Swadling (ALP)	} 6 June 1984 Election	Constituency	Councillor	Notes

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25 November 1987 Election

Constituency	Councillor	Notes																																						Constituency	Councillor	Notes
1st	Jack Calpis	Sydney
2nd	Kevin Herbert Hill	Bankstown
	Erling Harold Calver	Ashfield
3rd	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
	Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
4th	Noel Aloysius Reidy	Willoughby
	Ivan Petch	Ryde
5th	Kathleen Harris Anderson (ALP)	Botany
	Brian Joseph Thompson	Leichhardt
6th	George Francis Moore	Rockdale
	Philip Lang	Kogarah
	Noel Vincent Bergin	Hurstville
7th	Frank Michael Beckman	Warringah
	Mervyn Paine	Manly
8th	Robert Bell	Gosford
	Francis Norman Farrell	Wyong

Constituency	Councillor	Details
1st	Sir Eric Neal	Sydney
2nd	Kevin Herbert Hill	Bankstown
	Michael Cantali	Drummoyne
3rd	Michael Keith Fosbery Bray	Woollahra
	Peter Clement Lewis	Sutherland
4th	Michael Lardelli	Ryde
	Noel Aloysius Reidy	Willoughby
Kath Anderson	Botany
Brian Joseph Thompson	Leichhardt
George Francis Moore	Rockdale
Noel Vincent Bergin	Hurstville
Leslie Maxwell Jarman	Kogarah
Frank Michael Beckman	Warringah
Mervyn Paine	Manly
Francis Norman Farrell	Wyong
Derek Brian O'Connor	Gosford

General Managers

#	Name	Tenure	Remarks
1	Hugh Rose Forbes Mackay	17 August 1935 – 6 October 1939
2	Roger Vine Hall	7 October 1939 – 6 April 1944
3	David John Nolan	7 April 1944 – 27 May 1946
4	Gwynne Stuart Boyd	27 May 1946 – 24 August 1950
5	Charles James Craggs	25 August 1950 – 30 September 1953
6	Cyril Eric Ranger	1 October 1953 – 7 June 1965
7	G. Washington	8 June 1965 – 1970
8	Robert W. Mitchell	1970 – 10 May 1979
9	Frederick Rainbird	10 May 1979 – December 1987
10	Donald K. Gray	December 1987 – 2 January 1990