Joy Baluch, Mayor Extraordinaire

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We saw this eye-catching statue in Port Augusta, South Australia, on our recent trip in that area. The woman depicted is Nancy Joy Baluch who served as Mayor of the town, over two periods, for a record 29 years. Joy as she was known was born in 1932 and later married a Ukrainian who had been held captive in Dachau concentration camp during World War II. She owned a motel from 1961 to 1981. She became involved in politics, campaigning for improved health services. This was prompted by the severe asthma that affected her son. After being elected mayor in 1981, she banned drinking in public places and later imposed a night-time curfew on the town to reduce violence. Following the death of her husband around 1997 from lung cancer attributed to working in power stations, she campaigned for solar-thermal energy as a replacement for coal-fired power. She died in 2013, still mayor, after a long battle with breast cancer. Joy Baluch was awarded several honours in her lifetime. The statue captures the essence of a strong, vibrant woman, don't you think?