Mrs Starmer and her husband Neil, a GP at Queen Street Medical Centre in Moruya, moved to the Eurobodalla Shire in the late 1990s after Neil finished a Naval posting in Darwin.

"We drove in here with two babies and made Moruya home," Mrs Starmer said.

"Neil joined Queen Street Medical Centre, and I'd been a financial markets trader with HSBC, so there weren't many job opportunities for me here.

"For the next 20 years I worked as a volunteer while studying."

Mrs Starmer and her family were heavily involved with the Moruya Surf Club for many years, and she was also the vice president of the junior club at the Broulee Dolphins.

She was also president of the Parents and Friends Association for St Peters Anglican College, the secretary for the Mirrabooka Riding Club, a co-ordinator for the Moruya Jazz Festival, and an organiser of the Moruya Town to Surf Fun Run.

"I've been deeply involved, you could say I've had my finger in a lot of pies in this community," she said.

"Surf Club was totally new to our family when we moved here, but I've always been a passionate rugby person so that was a natural progression for my son.

"Equestrian was something I always dreamed of doing and I took the opportunity when we moved here."

Mrs Starmer said she was inspired to run for Mayor as part of The Mayne Team from a sense of "fury" and "frustration".

"I've been a long follower of politics and government in my life," she said. "I studied economics and government at Sydney University, so I have a long-held interest.

"I believe the council has lacked leadership, and it really distressed me that our democratic process and decision making came down to a show of hands.

READ MORE

"Huge decision were being made just with a show of hands, and I feel the atmosphere had become toxic and combative.

"As Mayor, I would work to become more collaborative with other councillors. We're not always going to agree, but a strong group of nine gives you a good feel for representing the community's wishes.

"All of the candidates who are standing are already talking to each other, which is a really good sign for whoever comes in.

"The challenge now is we need voters to know who we are and what we stand for, and that, come election day, they're not just voting for familiar names, because there are some really good people coming through."

Now, after more than 20 years in the community, Mrs Starmer said her and her family definitely consider it "home".

"After we left Sydney in 1995, I realised how rich regional life can be," she said.

"I like knowing the people I live near and engaging with people in the street.

"Neil and I had always loved the South Coast, and it really grabbed my heart as soon as we moved here.

"When we were in the midst of the evacuations from the fires, my son, who is 23, was deeply distressed at the thought of losing the only house he's known.

"He eventually agreed that it was his connection to the valley, the hill we live on, and the sense of place rather than the bricks and mortar that make up the house.

"I just love it here, this is home."