Vivian Slack Smith describes the moment her name was called out during the council meeting on Monday in which she was elected mayor.

"One minute I was sitting in my usual chair, the chair I sit in for council meetings, and next minute I’m at the top desk sitting next to the General Manager," she said.

"I opened my mouth to speak, and nothing would come out." She laughs and describes it as a bit of a shock.

Although Mrs Slack Smith is the first woman to take the Mayoral chair in Brewarrina, she believes that it should not be a focus.

"That's just the way the card fell," she said. "It's more abut being the person respected by the community to do the job."

Vivian Slack Smith is the newly elected Mayor of Brewarrina Shire. PHOTO: Lara Taylor, taken at the Baiame’s Ngunnhu (fish traps) Festival in Brewarrina, 2021.

Mrs Slack Smith was first elected to Brewarrina Shire Council in 2017, and says that she hopes transparency is something she can bring to her new role as Mayor, along with her approachability.

"I want people to feel they can talk to me," she said. "I want to be open, and although I might not be the one to resolve an issue, I will listen and take it to council if that’s appropriate. Obviously not all issues are easily resolvable but listening is a start, and I will always do what I can to help." 

As Manager of the Ochre medical practice in Brewarrina, where she sees community members on a daily basis, she will no doubt get that opportunity.

Mrs Slack Smith says the community and her colleagues have been positive and supportive since the announcement and she acknowledges the work of past councils.

"The completion of the Goodooga Road has been a major achievement," she said.

"These things don’t happen overnight and the project which saw the laying of bitumen on the Goodooga Road began ten years ago. It was finally completed at the end of 2021, as the roads team battled with much needed rainfall in order to finish the last ten metres."

Vivian talks with great earnestness about the significance of the Barwon River.

"It’s in all our hearts and with it so high at the moment, it brings so much joy to the town."

"You can see people drive down there daily, to have a look, or they sit… and just stare. The river is a part of the community that everyone loves and is proud of."

As Mayor, Mrs Slack Smith is taking it slow and won’t be forced into saying anything about the future of the town just yet.

"It’s a settling period," she says. "We need to get to know each other as a new council. We will let you know when things are happening."

She says she very much appreciates the team that voted her in and one of her first priorities is to give them full support and encourage a co-operative culture.

"At the end of the day, I love my community," Mayor Slack Smith says.

"It doesn’t matter who you pass on the street, everyone’s pleasant and says hello and you just have to look at the feeds of any Brewarrina Facebook page to see the affection that people have towards each other. Once you’ve been here, Brewarrina stays with you."

"That’s what I love about this town."

Mrs Slack Smith comes from a bit of a mayoral family, including her husband Matthew, who was mayor of Brewarrina from 2009 to 2014 and again in 2016, and with her daughter Sarah, who is the newly elected Deputy Mayor of Warren Shire Council.