Local Government Focus catches up with Hawkesbury Mayor Sarah McMahon.
Tell us about your area: What makes your council special or different?
Our council area is the Hawkesbury in NSW. With our iconic river, valleys and mountains, it is a place of pristine beauty, although mother nature sure has shown her might over the last few years with bushfires and floods. As the third colonial settlement of mainland Australia, we have a rich and diverse heritage, which also includes our amazing Indigenous history. Most of our council area is bushland, dotted by small towns and villages that weave their way through the landscape.
Do you have a favourite part/aspect/attraction in the council area?
Here in the Hawkesbury, we really exist due to our river. It is our lifeblood and I absolutely love it. It supplies water, fertile floodplains for farming, fishing and of course, supports a large recreation sector for water skiing and boat racing. Whilst most of the time it is a beautiful and calming place to be, it also can be ferocious, as we have seen in recent floods, causing immeasurable damage. There is something uniquely special about it though and is something that attracts many people to the area.
How long have you been on council and why did you become involved in local government?
I have been a Councillor since 2016 and I am currently in my first term as Mayor. I initially ran for local government when I was 21, before I had my children. From a young age, I held a strong sense of community and wanted to be involved as a participant to create change and better outcomes for all who live here. Over the years, I have achieved some amazing results, including advocating for half a billion dollars for local infrastructure and being known as a staunch supporter for small business and tourism. It is these outcomes that will last for decades to come. Leaving a positive legacy is so important to me.
Do you have another job? Tell us about that and how it contributes to your role/views as a councillor.
As Mayor, I do not have another job. Because our community has been through such a hard time lately with natural disasters, I believe it is important to be a full-time Mayor, focused on our recovery and providing constant advocacy to other levels of government for our needs. Prior to council, I was a lawyer working in a law firm in Parramatta.
What activities do enjoy outside of work hours?
Most importantly, being a mum means everything to me and I love spending time with my children, supporting them in their interests and activities. I have two girls and a boy and they are fun, intelligent and driven. Helping nurture their needs as they grow is a big priority to me. I also enjoy reading, swimming and finding new local places to explore.
Council goals, challenges, and achievements: What are they key challenges facing you and your council?
Presently, our largest challenge is flood recovery. We have over $240 million worth of damaged infrastructure. Our staff are working really hard to fill potholes and organise contractors for major reconstruction projects. In addition, we have just received $98 million from the NSW WestInvest program to implement game changing projects locally. Ensuring these are delivered on time, to provide the greatest benefit to our community, is paramount.
What innovative projects or policies is council working on?
The March 2021 flood caused significant damage to Greens Road at Lower Portland. Repairing this road has been a significant engineering challenge and while planning for repairs was underway in 2021, there was a period where additional heavy rain had the potential to cause further deterioration or collapse of the road into the river. For the safety of motorists, the road had to be closed when 20ml or more of rain was predicted or had fallen until fresh safety inspections could be carried out.
To provide residents with as much warning as possible, we developed a database of residents’ mobile phone numbers, which enabled council to set up a mobile phone SMS alert system to inform residents of an impending road closure and reopening.
The success of this led council to implement the same system when Thomas James Bridge in the Macdonald Valley was similarly damaged in the March 2022 flood. It has been very beneficial as a communication tool since we have had six floods in three years, and these residents live in very isolated areas with few other access roads. It has enabled them to plan access to their homes, their workplaces and local schools in advance. Council expects that this process will serve as a model for keeping residents informed during future disaster events.
Work has also started on the incredible restoration of Thomas James Bridge, its approaches on Settlers Road and adjacent rockface – all damaged during the flood events of March and July 2022.
Thomas James Bridge is the oldest in-use road bridge on mainland Australia and was constructed using convict labour in 1830. It is one of two routes accessing St Albans from Wisemans Ferry – and the primary access for residents of Lower Macdonald and Central Macdonald.
The restoration of the bridge will involve the replacement of the timber spans and the reconstruction of the convict-built sandstone retaining wall. Each sandstone block will be catalogued, numbered, removed by hand, placed into storage before being placed back into position once the underlying bridge structure has been replaced.
Tell us about a specific success you have had in local government.
One of the largest successes I have had is to advocate for the $500 million allocated for an additional bridge across the Hawkesbury River. Before this occurred, the NSW Government has decided to build road corridors through some of our most pristine land, and I fought hard to make sure that plan was scrapped. As a result, I was involved with the process for this additional bridge and working very hard to secure this funding. I will always be very proud of that achievement.
What is the best part about being a councillor?
Community connection. Undoubtedly. I grew up in the Hawkesbury and have chosen to raise my own children here, Being so heavily involved in local community groups and volunteer organisations, where we all work to help others and improve our local area, gives me such a sense of pride. People say that if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work, and that is exactly how it is for me in this role. Achieving outcomes that make things better for people is what it is all about.
What is the worst part?
The abuse. I cannot sugar coat it – the abuse is quite frankly, disgraceful. I have had to take out an interim AVO on a resident for stalking and harassment and I am currently being subjected to some of the most horrific online abuse by a very small group of local people who not only target me, but also my family members. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and stronger laws need to be put in place to stop this from being an inevitable part of this job.
What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
In the future, I would like people to look back on my time in leadership in the Hawkesbury and say it was positive, productive and inspiring. I would like to achieve a range of infrastructure projects, as well as empower initiatives that improve people’s lives. I hope the difference that I make is one that last for generations.
