For more than 30,000 years, Aboriginal people from the Cabrogal-Gandangara tribe have lived in the area.

One of Sydney's oldest trees, the Bland Oak, was planted in the 1830s in Carramar.
European settlement began early in the 19th century and was supported by railway construction in 1856.
At the turn of the century the area had a population of 2,500 people and with fertile soils, produced crops for distribution in Sydney.
The council was first incorporated as the "Municipal District of Smithfield and Fairfield" on 8 December 1888, becoming the "Municipality of Smithfield and Fairfield" from 1906.
On 26 October 1920, the council's name was changed to the "Municipality of Fairfield", in recognition of the changing centre of business in the council area.

Rapid population increase after World War II saw the settlement of many ex-service men and European migrants.
Large scale Housing Commission development in the 1950s swelled the population to 38,000.
From 1 January 1949, under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipality of Cabramatta and Canley Vale was amalgamated into the Municipality of Fairfield.
In the 1976 census, the population had reached 114,000 and was becoming one of the larger local government areas in New South Wales.
On 18 May 1979, the Municipality of Fairfield was granted city status, becoming the "City of Fairfield".

On 26 November 2001, the former Deputy Mayor of Fairfield and councillor from 1987 to 1999, Phuong Ngo, was convicted to life imprisonment for the 1994 murder of the local state MP for Cabramatta (and former Deputy Mayor), John Newman, a crime which has been described as Australia's first political assassination.
Controversy has arisen in the years since then of the presence Ngo's name on various council plaques from his time on council.

In September 2006, Fairfield Council announced the introduction of a trail ban on spitting in public on public health grounds.
However, it was reported that advice provided to council from NSW Health was that spitting does not impact on the transmission of infectious diseases.
The law proved difficult to prosecute.
For more than 30,000 years, Aboriginal people from the Cabrogal-Gandangara tribe have lived in the area.
One of Sydney's oldest trees, the Bland Oak, was planted in the 1830s in Carramar. European settlement began early in the 19th century and was supported by railway construction in 1856. At the turn of the century the area had a population of 2,500 people and with fertile soils, produced crops for distribution in Sydney. The council was first incorporated as the "Municipal District of Smithfield and Fairfield" on 8 December 1888, becoming the "Municipality of Smithfield and Fairfield" from 1906. On 26 October 1920, the council's name was changed to the "Municipality of Fairfield", in recognition of the changing centre of business in the council area.
Rapid population increase after World War II saw the settlement of many ex-service men and European migrants. Large scale Housing Commission development in the 1950s swelled the population to 38,000. From 1 January 1949, under the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, the Municipality of Cabramatta and Canley Vale was amalgamated into the Municipality of Fairfield. In the 1976 census, the population had reached 114,000 and was becoming one of the larger local government areas in New South Wales. On 18 May 1979, the Municipality of Fairfield was granted city status, becoming the "City of Fairfield".
On 26 November 2001, the former Deputy Mayor of Fairfield and councillor from 1987 to 1999, Phuong Ngo, was convicted to life imprisonment for the 1994 murder of the local state MP for Cabramatta (and former Deputy Mayor), John Newman, a crime which has been described as Australia's first political assassination. Controversy has arisen in the years since then of the presence Ngo's name on various council plaques from his time on council.
In September 2006, Fairfield Council announced the introduction of a trail ban on spitting in public on public health grounds. However, it was reported that advice provided to council from NSW Health was that spitting does not impact on the transmission of infectious diseases. The law proved difficult to prosecute.
Fairfield City Council