Mayor 2000 - 2007
I was born Robyn Cameron in Sydney and spent my very early years there until my father gained a soldier settler block at 'Torryburn', west of Armidale.
The nearest primary school was at Kingstown, and then I attended Armidale High School. After school I worked in Sydney and then transferred to CSIRO at Chiswick Armidale.
I married Bryan Jackson of Armidale and spent very happy years at Wandsworth and Inverell. We have three sons, Roger, Andrew and Nicholas.
When we moved to Guyra I was employed by the Guyra Neighbourhood Centre as a welfare co-ordinator and became very aware of the huge problems caused to the community by the closure of the Guyra Abattoir.
I resolved to try to help the community and took the opportunity to stand for council in 1999 on the premise that I would work very hard to find new business for Guyra and district if elected.
Becoming Deputy Mayor at that election was an honour and I worked with Howard Sanderson as the Mayor and the other clear-thinking, active councillors on many strategies and plans.
In 2000 I was elected Mayor and held that position for some years, trying all that I could to attract interest in Guyra. A catch-cry of the time was that 'Guyra is open for business' which is still true today.
Highlights of this time were the setting up of the Costa Blush Tomato glasshouses, the sealing of the gravel section of the Guyra to Ebor main road, some beautification of Bradley Street and many other rural road and drainage improvements.
In 2005 I was awarded the NSW Government Northern Tablelands Woman Of the Year, followed by being a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman Of the Year Awards.
Rotary awarded me the Paul Harris Fellow Medal, and I have felt honoured to represent Guyra on many occasions through the years.
I really enjoyed my time on the Guyra Shire Council, as I like people, and was given the opportunity to help make a difference and I hope that I have repaid the trust put in me.
Robyn Jackson