Vickery is up against Lucindale farmer Patrick Ross in the current council elections for the state’s South East council, with her local stomping ground boasting some of the most sought-after farming land in the country.

She too farms sheep on the Lucindale Road and hopes the work she’s overseen during a 12-year reign as Mayor of the council will be enough for about 8500 district voters to back her again.

The standout project she lists is overseeing extensive work upgrading one the largest livestock saleyards in Australia at Naracoorte after the council decided against selling it to private operators.

Erika Vickery OAM

“It’s a really great piece of infrastructure for our primary producers – it’s one of the best-selling saleyards in Australia,” she said.

Ross, who is challenging for the Naracoorte Lucindale mayoral chair, has been a landholder and livestock farmer at Woolumbool for the past 40 years, managing or sitting on various advisory boards and committees.

It is officially a country mayor’s turn to lead the Local Government Association that represents all 68 local South Australian councils, with the job alternating between metro and rural colleagues every two years.

Charles Sturt Council Mayor Angela Evans handed over the baton to Vickery at last week’s Annual General Meeting in Adelaide.

One of Vickery’s early jobs – provided she wins back her Mayoral spot on November 10 and keeps the LGA president role – will be seeing through a new behaviour management framework.

While Vickery admits there are not the same headline-grabbing city council spats emanating from Naracoorte Lucindale’s place of council business, she welcomes the new rules that make it easier to know the “behaviour expectations of elected members and there are also consequences and processes”.

“I think with the new councils starting in mid-November (once elections are over) those behaviour management rules and regulations will come into effect,” she said.

Vickery is also the current president of the Limestone Coast Local Government Association along with filling various other organisation roles throughout the region.

Born in Austria and immigrating with her family and settling in Naracoorte, Vickery has always been involved with the community. She received the Australia Day Citizenship Award in 1991 and Order of the Medal of Australia 2017.

She is also a music fan – a member of the Naracoorte Singers, the South East Primary Schools Music Festival and a patron of the Limestone Coast Symphony Orchestra.

While an eye will be kept closely on river councils needing support with the rising River Murray, Vickery plans to encourage her colleagues to “support each other as a family” through all challenges thrown up by natural events.

She also sees similar solidarity being necessary in one of the other great challenges for councils – ensuring local voices are heard in state and federal government decision-making.