LOCAL PROFILE: ROBYN SEYMOUR, CEO – SURF COAST SHIRE
Settling in on the Surf Coast By Moreen Dainty
Victoria was hit by wild weather on Friday 29 October, just as the state was preparing to come out of another period of extended lockdown. Traders were getting ready for the Melbourne Cup weekend when wind gusts of over 100 kmh caused property damage across Victoria. Homes were damaged up and down the Surf Coast and uprooted trees and branches caused power outages. It was the last thing anyone needed. I was scheduled to interview Robyn Seymour, the Surf Coast Shire’s new CEO, that afternoon. When she appeared on my Zoom screen, we agreed it had been ‘quite a day’. Robyn had woken up to trees swaying dangerously in the garden of her home in Anglesea. She had quickly abandoned any idea of an early morning walk and set off early to the Shire offices in Torquay.
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‘My heart sank as I drove past some of the local shops. They were without power. I just hoped that it would come back on quickly so they wouldn’t lose their stock ahead of the anticipated bumper Cup weekend.’ By midday, the Shire Council had fielded over 130 calls from the community, mostly from Anglesea to Torquay. There were more than 120 jobs to be done to clear local roads. In the west of the state, some 180,000 Powercorp customers were without power. Robyn took on the role of CEO in early July. I was keen to find out a bit more about her and how she was finding the transition into local government.
When she applied for the job, she was really excited about the possibility of the role, but wasn’t sure she would get it. As she talked me through her career to date, however, it was easy to see why others felt this slightly built, personable woman would be up to the task of heading up one of Victoria’s largest and fastest growing Shire Councils. Robyn grew up on a small country property near Warrandyte. Her father is a forester working for Melbourne Parks and Waterways and her mum is a medical scientist. ‘We often went camping, visiting the most scenic parts of Victoria and New South Wales. Dad would teach me about the wildlife and the rich diverse plant life.
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