Dear Residents,
 
Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Christmas Carols event last Saturday. It was wonderful to see Strathfield Park filled with Christmas cheer and enjoy live performances from various local community groups. We look forward to seeing you at future Council events next year.
 
Our efforts to improve town centres has been directed at Liverpool Street in Strathfield South. New pavers and street planting have been installed to uplift the aesthetic of the area and are in addition to planter boxes that were installed earlier in the year. You can keep up to date on projects Council is working on by following our social media channels, and of course, our weekly eNews.

If you need to contact me or have any questions, please do so by emailing me cr.bcai@strathfield.nsw.gov.au or ring our office on 9748 9999.

Cr Benjamin Cai, Mayor of Strathfield

Calling All Local Musicians!

Strathfield Council is launching Strathfield Summer Sounds — a new live music and busking trial designed to activate our town centres and create a more vibrant, welcoming atmosphere in the lead-up to Christmas.

We’re inviting performers of all styles to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to be part of this initiative. Whether you’re emerging or established, this is a great opportunity to showcase your talent and help bring our centres to life!

Click here to fill out our expressions of interest form.

Hear from James Craigie - Strathfield's Young Citizen of the Year 2025 

I can't believe that it is almost time to celebrate a new local young citizen of the year! It has been a massive year for me and having completed my HSC exams and wrapped up my volunteering and work for the year I have been enjoying travelling around Europe since early November. Highlights have been visiting Berlin (my new favourite European city), seeing Auschwitz-Birkenau and learning more about the stories of those who experienced it first hand, and spending time in Scotland with my family. It is so great to have the opportunity to travel but it also reminds me of how lucky we are to live in Australia, and how great we have it in our local community. On that note, I am looking forward to being part of the process to select a new young citizen of the year for Strathfield. This will be another new experience for me and I can't wait to learn about all of the young people in the community who have been doing great things. 

There is always so much going on during the festive season and I'm sure that everyone reading this is very busy with life, but it is also a really difficult time for many people. I know from my experiences with volunteering that this is a time when financial struggles can be massive for families and individuals. It is also a time when children go on long school holidays and can be more likely to experience abuse.

Domestic violence increases over holiday periods such as Christmas and New Years Eve. Loneliness is a problem for many people and there are also increases in road accidents and drownings, along with other issues. This makes it the perfect time to get involved in the community to help others in whatever way you can. There are lots of opportunities to give and opportunities to look out for others. I hope in your busy schedules you are able to find some time for this.

This is my last newsletter contribution as young citizen of the year and I want to thank you again for the opportunity to be part of the local community in this way. It has been fantastic. I wish everyone a great end to the year and a wonderful 2026!

PS: You have until 5pm tomorrow to nominate a local hero for the 2026 Strathfield Local and Young Citizen of the Year Awards! This is your final chance to nominate someone and acknowledge their outstanding contributions to the Strathfield community. Click here to complete the nomination form