[2] The area around the City of Newcastle as it existed in the late 19th century was divided into a series of small, physically discrete townships—each with their own sense of local identity, Between 1870 and 1890 each of these townships eventually established their own municipal body to deliver essential services such as roads, drainage and nightsoil collection.

[5] Arthur Griffith, the New South Wales Member of Parliament for Waratah, proposed a scheme for the creation of Greater Newcastle in 1901.

At a meeting in February 1901, Griffith expressed his surprise at the number of "pocket-handkerchief municipalities" and his concern about their solvency - offering as a solution a £30,000 grant to kick start a newly unified city council.

[7] In 1919, the New South Wales government held a Royal Commission into the question of the Constitution of a Greater Newcastle.

Spooner introduced the Greater Newcastle Bill in November that year - with minimal consultation with the affected Councils.