Vale Lilliane Brady — Farewell to a fighter from the bush

She was five feet nothing in her beloved high heels, but Cobar Mayor Lilliane Brady was feared by politicians, loved by her community and renowned for her fighting spirit.

Mayor Brady passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning after a period of ill health.

She was the longest serving female mayor in New South Wales, holding the office for more than 23 years and serving as a councillor for almost 40 years. Among her many honours is an Order of Australia medal and a Minister for Local Government Award.

Cobar is today a community with services, infrastructure, business, and community events that are a direct result of Lilliane’s drive.

One of her first and most significant legacies was a nursing home which opened in 1982.

She helped organise Australia’s first Grey Mardi Gras in Cobar, to celebrate seniors and to bring tourism to the town. Her never-say-die attitude to fund-raising and chasing down grant money has resulted in Cobar getting improved road and water infrastructure and mining industry support.

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