After moving to the country town 14 years ago she couldn’t be happier to be part of such a thriving active community and spending every day of her life doing what she loves – helping others out. 

Mrs Farrow was recently awarded the Murrurundi District Citizen of the Year on Australia Day – a just reward for a woman who gives of herself freely and willingly within her local town. 

Whether she’s at the Visitor Information Centre (VIC), researching at the museum or picking up rubbish along the famous Pages River, Mrs Farrow doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty and getting  the job done. 

Although aware she had been nominated for the award, the modest grandmother said she never thought she would win it.

Her achievement didn’t come as a surprise to fellow community members however, as they realise her value.

Mrs Farrow was born in Sydney along with her two brothers and two sisters, one being well known Murrurundi man, the late Steve Mahony.

Growing up in The Shire, the young woman was educated at Miranda Public School before going to Port Hacking High School for secondary.

Mrs Farrow’s uncle lived in Murrurundi so every holiday the children visited the town, which planted the seed for the future pathway.

Upon graduation, Mrs Farrow entered into the big wide world of city work life becoming a bookkeeper for an accountancy firm in the city – Carl Harboum Accountancy – where she worked for the next eight years. 

It was love and it’s beauties that drove a change in her life as Mrs Farrow met her husband to be Colin and they married before having three children – a son and two daughters. 

Fortunately Mrs Farrow was able to become a stay at home mother rearing the children for a short time in Sydney before moving to Wingham for her husband’s work commitments in Forster. 

The couple stayed put in Wingham for 20 years while their children completed school and it is where Mrs Farrow first started volunteering. 

A keen sportswoman, she coached netball and was very involved with anything that was happening at the school.

As she had first started coaching netball when she was 16, the role was no new one and something she thoroughly enjoyed for many years. 

It was when Mr Farrow retired in 2000 that they started to look for somewhere to retire to, and Murrurundi was at the top of the list.

Mrs Farrow said they had made enquiries into moving to Murrurundi earlier and once their children finished school they made the move on November 11, 2000.

For the first three years as Upper Hunter residents, the Farrow’s busily worked on renovating their house before Mrs Farrow immersed herself into the community.

Following the lead of her parents, Mrs Farrow said she has been involved in her community pretty much her whole life.

This drive is what motivated her to answer a call out in the local paper for volunteers to open the VIC in town, so she went along to the meeting and it all grew from there. 

Mrs Farrow has now been head volunteer at the VIC for 11 years where she is responsible for many tasks including ordering, rosters and office administration. 

Essentially being the key organiser, she ensures the centre’s day-to-day    operation occurs smoothly and enjoys working with the team of 10 volunteers. 

Mrs Farrow said she really enjoys volunteering at the centre as she gets the opportunity to meet so many interesting people, like Tony Abbott when he passed through town on the Pollie Ride.

Her long held love of history is what inspired Mrs Farrow to join the Murrurundi and District Historical Society where she spends many hours researching and collating history.

Throughout her 10 year association with the society, she has been treasurer for about nine, and said she just loves it. 

“We have exhibits in the hall every six months and we’re now starting a mini exhibit in the hallway of the museum which will feature Red Cross,” Mrs Farrow said. 

“I spend a lot of time at the museum, I man it twice a month and also do a lot of work at home. 

“I’m a keen reader and I like to keep busy, so I do a lot of historical research,” she said. 

Although she’s not a keen gardener, Mrs Farrow joined the Murrurundi Landcare Tidy Towns group and Tidy Towns committees about three years ago and she is the Murrurundi Tidy Towns delegate representing the town and region at the annual awards ceremony. 

Every month she meets with her six to eight friends in the Pages River Warriors group to clean up the river and plant trees to sustain the local environment. 

“I’m not a gardener, but I hate to see nice things left to overgrow,” she said. 

Mrs Farrow said she enjoys volunteering and will keep doing so until she can’t.

“I think it gives me a purpose in life.

“I meet so many interesting people and learn so many interesting things through the people I come into contact with all the time,” she said. 

“It was a great honour to receive the award and know that people realise you put yourself out there for the                                  community.”