1788: On the 4/6 June, 1788 Governor Phillip proclaimed the County of Cumberland (being the area that today covers most of the greater Sydney region.
1790: From around 1790, the northern side of Sydney Harbour was known as the North Shore. .
1810: In 1810, 21 districts were declared within the County of Cumberland. One of these, the District of Hunters Hill covered part of the present day Willoughby Council area. The earlyland grant to Isaac Nichols in 1805 near the present Chatswood Railway Station was recorded as being made in the District of Hunters Hill. In 1824 within the County of Cumberland there were 37 Distriicts. The District of Hunters Hill stretching between the northern shore of Port Jackson and the southern shore of Middle Harbour extending toward Castle Hill to the north.
1835: On the 27 May, 1835 thirteen ‘Hundreds’ were gazetted within the County of Cumberland (however, they were later repealed in 1888). The Hundred that covered Willoughby was the Hundred of Packenham.
1835: Also in 1835, the Parish of Willoughby was proclaimed.within the Hundred of Packenham. The Parish of Willoughby was defined as the area north from Port Jackson between Middle Harbour in the east and the Lane Cove River to the west as far as a line from Middle Harbour that was to define the present Willoughby City boundary along today’s Boundary Street. Within the Parish of Willoughby were the localities of Lane Cove, North Sydney and Mosman and the Rural District of Willoughby.
1865: In 1865, the Municipality of North Willoughby was gazetted. This included the current Municipality of Lane Cove then known as the Lane Cove or River Ward. In 1867 a legislative change saw the Municipality renamed the Borough of North Willoughby. The ‘North’ was dropped in 1890/1.
1889: Borough of Willoughby – 1889-1890 [i]
Lane Cove & Willoughby 1889
1895: The term ‘Municipality’ was returned in 1895 when Lane Cove separated from Willoughby.
1989: Willoughby proclaimed a city
2016: Proposal to amalgamate Willoughby, North Sydney and Mosman Councils. Note that apart from Lane Cove, this proposal mirrors the 1835 boundaries of the Parish of Willoughby.
