other · Woollahra Municipal Council
Sarah Dixson elected Woollahra mayor through to September 2028
Cr Sarah Dixson was the sole nominee for mayor, while Cr Hugh Woodgate won the deputy mayoralty over Cr Matthew Robertson by 10 votes to four.
Sarah Dixson will lead Woollahra Municipal Council through to 8 September 2028 after being elected mayor as the sole nominee at the council’s 28 September meeting.
Cr Hugh Woodgate was elected deputy mayor for the same period, defeating Cr Matthew Robertson by 10 votes to four.
The new leadership will oversee decisions affecting parks, sports facilities, public trees, local streets and major developments in Rose Bay.
Councillors endorsed Cooper Park Amphitheatre as the preferred location for an outdoor fitness station. Detailed design and community consultation will be funded through the 2026/27 Capital Works Program.
Proposed netball and basketball courts at Woollahra Oval 2 and 3 will undergo a Review of Environmental Factors after council noted the consultation outcomes. The assessment must consider traffic, parking, noise and neighbourhood amenity, including concurrent activities and evening operating times, before a further report on whether the project should proceed.
In Rose Bay, council raised concerns about a State Significant Development proposal covering 11-31 Hamilton Street and 36-56 Dover Road. The proposal includes three buildings of eight to 12 storeys and 433 dwellings, including 5 per cent affordable housing, alongside rezoning.
Council also opposed the approval of an eight-storey, 49-apartment development at 23-31 Dover Road, citing groundwater drawdown, excavation impacts, vibration limits and the absence of cumulative groundwater modelling.
Other follow-up work includes a stronger response to public-tree vandalism and poisoning, an investigation into pedestrian crossings on Victoria Road, Bellevue Hill, and action on an 806-signature petition opposing removal of a community bench on William Street, Paddington. Council will also investigate a simpler approval process for public-domain bench seating.
Residents will have opportunities to comment on the proposed amendment to the Woollahra Section 7.12 Development Contributions Plan 2022 during public exhibition. Council also rejected all tenders for internal advertising at Kiaora Place Shopping Centre, Double Bay, and authorised negotiations with five media operators.
Reference minutes
Woollahra Municipal Council, Ordinary Council Meeting, 28 September 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Cr Sarah Dixson was elected mayor of Woollahra Municipal Council as the sole nominee.
- The mayoral term runs until 8 September 2028.
- Cr Hugh Woodgate was elected deputy mayor, defeating Cr Matthew Robertson by 10 votes to four.
- Council selected Cooper Park Amphitheatre as the preferred site for an outdoor fitness station and approved detailed design and community consultation.
- Proposed netball and basketball courts at Woollahra Oval 2 and 3 will undergo a Review of Environmental Factors.
- Council raised concerns about a Rose Bay proposal for 433 dwellings in buildings of eight to 12 storeys.
Why it matters
- Residents have a new elected mayor and deputy mayor to lead Woollahra Council through the rest of the term, including decisions on local recreation projects, public-tree protection, pedestrian safety and contested Rose Bay developments.