Warringah Library Service

Warringah is one of the three Councils on the Northern Beaches area of Sydney. It takes its name from the local Indigenous word for Middle Harbour. The area was once home to the Aboriginal people we have come to call the Guringai people.

During the 1800s, difficult terrain and isolation contributed to slow development with land use mainly rural and pockets of small communities. The early 1900s saw the incorporation of Warringah Council and weekenders and holiday homes built along the coast brought holidaymakers to enjoy the beautiful beaches. The extension of the tramline and the construction of the bridges greatly improved accessibility culminating in significant residential development from the 1950s along with industrial and commercial development in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1992, the northern part of Warringah seceded to form a separate Council of Pittwater. Today, Warringah is a diverse community with a population of 140,000 people covering 152.5 square kilometres.

The images in the Warringah collection reflect the relatively modest nature of the area in its early days. The land was not particularly fertile and farms struggled to survive. Cheap land attracted newly married couples whose families were often perplexed as to why anyone would go and live in ‘the sticks’. Proud of their achievements, many families remain deeply attached to Warringah and have been generous in sharing their family photographs with us.

The Local Studies Librarian
Warringah Library Service
725 Pittwater Road
DEE WHY  NSW  2099
Phone: +61 (0) 2 9942 2449
Email: library@wls.nsw.gov.au
Web: www.wls.nsw.gov.au

Collaroy Rock Pool 1920s
Warringah Library Service