A 2015 review of local government boundaries by the NSW Government Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommended that The Hills Shire merge with adjoining councils. The government considered two proposals. The first proposed a merger of parts of The Hills with the Hawkesbury City Council to form a new council with an area of and support a population of approximately 224,000. The second proposed a merger of parts of Parramatta, Auburn, The Hills, Hornsby, and Holroyd to form a new council with an area of and support a population of approximately 215,725. Following an independent review, on 12 May 2016 the Minister for Local Government announced that the merger of parts of The Hills Shire suburbs south of the M2 Motorway (North Rocks, Northmead and part of Baulkham Hills) with the City of Parramatta to form a revised City of Parramatta Council, with immediate effect. Other proposals impacting The Hills Shire were rejected by the Government. In June 2020, Councillor Brooke Collins made national news for controversially objecting to the Welcome to Country, reportedly stating "How do you know they didn’t wipe out another race when they arrived here 70,000 years ago?". Heritage listings The Hills Shire has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Baulkham Hills, Seven Hills Road: Pearce Family Cemetery Bella Vista, Elizabeth Macarthur Drive: Bella Vista (homestead) Box Hill, 10 Terry Road: Box Hill House Box Hill, Windsor Road: Box Hill Inn Castle Hill, Gilbert Road: Third Government Farm Castle Hill, 221 Old Northern Road: St Paul's Anglican Church, Castle Hill (former) Cattai, Wisemans Ferry Road: Cattai Estate Maroota South, Wisemans Ferry Road: Great Drain Rouse Hill, The Water Lane: Hunting Lodge, Rouse Hill Rouse Hill, Windsor Road: Royal Oak Inn, Rouse Hill Recent controversies In 2020, the Hills Shire Council, whose local government area covers Darug land, caused controversy by rejecting requests to include an Acknowledgment of Country at its meetings. The Hills Shire Council is the only Sydney local council that does not include an Acknowledgment of Country at its meetings. Sister cities County Wexford, Ireland Cootamundra, Australia See also Hills District Hills Centre Greater Western Sydney References External links The Hills Shire Council Local government areas in Sydney 1906 establishments in Australia