Novocastrians are being invited to bypass the ballot and sit in the hot seat as Lord Mayor - complete with robes and chains - as part of an exclusive tour of City Hall.
Participants will be guided through 160 years of local government in Newcastle to discover how Durban in South Africa inspired the construction of City Hall, what happened during a famous 'surrender ceremony' in 1938, and how council changed after the election of the city's first female Lord Mayor in the 1970s.
Lord Mayor Gavin Morris and Cr Callum Pull join Liv Roskovic in the former Council Chambers, wearing the replica Lord Mayoral robes and chains.City of Newcastle's Executive Manager of City Venues, Samantha Bullen said the inaugural tours are a chance for people to explore the hidden history of Newcastle and how democracy shaped the city.
"Most of us just think about council and City Hall as the way it is today, but the path we took to get here is fascinating and these tours will help people appreciate the twists and turns Newcastle has taken along the way," Ms Bullen said.
"We want people to be thinking about questions they've never considered before: why did Newcastle in the 1850s even want a council, why does Newcastle have a Lord Mayor, and where did council meet before City Hall was built?
"The team has done a great job to make sure the tour is fun and engaging for everyone, and we're excited to welcome people to City Hall in a way we've never really done before."
Tickets for the tours, which run from Monday 28 September to Thursday 1 October, are on sale now.
Each session will run for an hour, starting in Wheeler Place at the foundation stone of City Hall, stopping by a special lamp post on King Street dedicated to a former Mayor who made the Civic precinct possible, and into the former Council chambers inside City Hall.
A set of replica Lord Mayoral robes and chains have been carefully crafted for the tours, giving visitors a chance to wear the uniform of Newcastle's top job and 'address' the Council chamber.
Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said this was a great opportunity for Novocastrians to learn more about their local government and the remarkable City Hall.
"The history of Mayors in Newcastle stretches all the way back to 1859 when James Hannell was our city's first elected leader, and this tour will bring those stories of the past to life," Cr Morris said.
"It's an incredibly interesting look at the inner workings of the City Hall building itself, and people will be surprised at some of the nooks and crannies that are hidden inside.
"One of my favourite parts of the Lord Mayor's office is a peephole that would have allowed those in the chair in years gone by a chance to look inside the chamber before entering so they knew what they were walking into!"
In August last year, Councillor Callum Pull moved a Notice of Motion that called for the public to be given more access to the former Chambers.
"There are many people in Newcastle who are passionate about our city's history, and the old Chambers at City Hall hold a particularly significant place in our City's story," Cr Pull said.
"These tours are a fantastic way to open the space to the public and provide more opportunities for the community to visit the Chambers and learn more about our civic history and our city's past."
For more details or to book a tour, visit the City Hall website or head to the Civic Theatre ticket office.
