Esme Martens, an engineering trailblazer and champion for women reflects on her lengthy career

Following an unsuccessful tilt for reelection to Council in 2021, she has had time to reflect on her extraordinary career which spanned many decades.

At the ripe age of 27, Ms Martens made history, becoming Australia's first female Shire Engineer in 1967, when she was appointed to Woodburn Shire at Coraki.

Ms Martens was the only female in a class of 600 to graduate from the University of Queensland in 1962 with a degree in Civil Engineering.

With a passion for learning, in the early 70s she completed a Degree in Economics, a Certificate of Qualification as Local Government Engineer, and a Certificate in Construction Management.

After her position as Shire Engineer at Woodburn Shire came to an end due to an amalgamation, Ms Martens soon took up the position at Rylstone in 1976, a role she occupied for 18 years.

Ms Martens went on to dedicate many years to the region, and in 1988 was honoured with an AM for her service to the local government and community.

The once engineer and town planner had been a councillor for the Mid-Western Region since 2006, and after failing to secure enough votes, Ms Martens bid the role farewell in December 2021.

"I think I was a very active councillor at the time despite my senior age," she said.

"I don't believe that people thought I had been a bad councillor, I've been totally for the community.

"The most memorable thing is having served the community for such a long period. I advocated for a lot of projects that I was very lucky to have seen completed during my time as a councillor, including the sealing of the Bylong Valley Way, the Sofala Road, and the expansion of the Cudgegong Waters Park.

"I persuaded the council to grant land for a group home at Kandos which was quite an achievement. I also strongly supported giving money to the Kandos Community Shop and the Holtermann Museum at Gulgong.

"Mudgee has a lot to offer, it's a beautiful area and it certainly has lots of agriculture potential and I don't think that's been fully developed. And certainly from a tourist point of view."

Having stood with the Minister for Local Government and Minister for Women in Sydney in recent times, Ms Martens has always been a champion for women, and said the best way to increase female representatives on council is to "support each other".

"Start right now, build up a profile, and support each other next time," Ms Martens said.

"I was disappointed that women, in my opinion, didn't support women. I don't believe that any of the women candidates supported me. Had I stood alone, that may have been better but you can't look into a crystal ball.

"Men seem to have a higher profile than women, there were a lot of groups this time with women but they didn't get in, did they? It's a pattern.

"I think women have to support each other a lot more because at the moment, I don't think they do."

Although Ms Martens has suffered from macular degeneration for the past five years, the soon to be 83-year-old still leads an active lifestyle, managing her farm at Running Stream.

"I don't have any spare time because I run a three thousand acre grazing property which is quite difficult with macular degeneration and everything else," she said.

"I've always got heaps to do but I do miss the Council, I miss doing the things I used to do.

"But, I'm just as bright as I ever was."

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