In celebration of Local Government Week City of Parramatta Council are offering free guided tours to local businesses and residents.

Councils provide invaluable services to local communities 365 days a year, though the breadth and diversity of the work undertaken can at times go unrecognised.

Local Government Week (30 July to 5 August 2018) provides the perfect opportunity to promote the importance of councils to the whole community.

On Monday 30 July, Visitor Services will host a 2-hour local government information tour for local businesses and residents, culminating at the Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Information Centre for a presentation by Research and Collection Services.

The presentation will share the interesting contributions of past Mayors of our city. A short film will also be screened, drawn from 16mm film footage held in the Council Archives, taken by William ‘Bill’ Andrews OBE (1908-1988).

Bill Andrews was the town planner at Parramatta through the 1950s. Brilliant, imaginative and ambitious, Andrews laid the foundations for the city’s pioneering Town Planning Scheme, designed and implemented one of the first central traffic systems in Australia, and oversaw the construction of the new Parramatta City Council Chambers. Andrews was also an avid amateur film maker, and the film footage he captured around Parramatta represents a fascinating glimpse into life in the city, as it was.