From surprise Bluesfest cameo to Byron mayor: Sarah Ndiaye reflects on her unlikely path at 50

In the fourth instalment of our Mayors of the Northern Rivers series, Byron Shire mayor Sarah Ndiaye reflects on an unexpected path to public office, the challenge of leading one of Australia’s fastest changing regions, and balancing growth, housing pressures and climate resilience.

When former Byron Shire mayor Simon Richardson suggested she run for council, Sarah Ndiaye’s initial response was: “no way!”.

“You guys get paid really badly, blamed for everything and have so little power – there’s no way I’d do it,” she said.

But as a radio producer for ABC North Coast and a single mum, Ndiaye felt she understood many of the issues facing the community, such as the impact short-term holiday rentals were having on housing affordability. She began to think she might have something to offer.

 

 

Ndiaye was elected to Byron Shire Council as a Greens councillor in September 2016, became deputy mayor in 2022 and was elected mayor in 2024.

“I guess those things that I was feeling resonated with quite a lot of people,” she said.

After recently celebrating her 50th birthday with friends and family at ROCA Cabana Pool Club at Aquarius Resort, Ndiaye has been reflecting on how different her life looks to a decade ago.

“When I turned 40 and had a party, I had no idea I was even going to run for council, so it’s funny seeing how much my life has changed and how much I love my mad, crazy life,” she said.

Ndiaye grew up in Bondi and fell in love with the region after coming to see American blues artist Taj Mahal perform at Bluesfest – where she was plucked from the audience to sing on stage – when she was 18.

The following year she moved up to study dance at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium in Lismore, later doing writing and media studies at Southern Cross University, which led to her role at the ABC, later returning to study teaching.

She taught English, drama and PDHPE at Shearwater, the Mullumbimby Steiner School before becoming mayor.

After ten years on council, she’s enjoying being in a role where she can advocate more strongly for the community – talking directly with ministers and government departments to try to get funding or advocate for change in areas that need it.

But she said it’s only when you’re sitting in the chair that you understand the breadth and complexity of the role.

 

 

One of her proudest achievements as mayor is fostering a more collegial and proactive relationship among councillors, who now represent a broader range of ages than previous councils, include more women than men for the first time, and feature two Indigenous representatives.

“There’s so much the community needs and if we’re not supporting each other, we won’t get those things done,” she said.

She is also proud of major infrastructure projects Council has delivered, including the recent completion of $10 million in post-flood recovery works on Wilsons Creek Road, the Mullumbimby Road upgrade and the ongoing Byron Bay drainage upgrade.

Looking ahead, her priorities include developing an affordable housing project on the Mullumbimby Hospital site, providing accommodation for emergency workers at the rear of the site, and progressing construction of the Byron Shire section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.

Another key goal is to address fundamental flaws in the funding model.

“The biggest problem facing councils generally is that we’re grossly underfunded,” she said. “I’m part of a campaign to increase the percentage of GDP councils get from 0.5 per cent to one per cent. We deliver so much in terms of roads and other infrastructure and community services such as swimming pools, libraries, water, sewerage. We get $25 per property per year to manage drainage – that’s to keep them clear, maintain them and upgrade them. And that hasn’t changed in many years; it hasn’t been attached to CPI.”

 

 

Ndiaye said that when local government is not adequately funded, the most vulnerable are the ones who suffer most, with fewer resources available for services such as emergency housing for people at risk of homelessness and victims of domestic violence.

“I find it horrific in this day and age that as a society we don’t have the basic services that are needed,” she said.

“The demographics between the haves and have nots seems to get wider with people moving here with more money, and even though I’m in a more stable position now I understand what it’s like to have to choose between buying milk and toilet paper to get through the week, so I hope we can do all we can to look after our most vulnerable.”

Byron Shire Council is also a leader in climate change adaptation, becoming the first council in the Northern Rivers region to trial a hydrogen-powered electric garbage truck in the Byron Bay CBD, for example.

“Since I have been on council we have had multiple floods, droughts, fires, cyclones and they’re coming thicker and faster than they ever have before,” Ndiaye said. “Prioritising the way we are going to adapt to those changes and make sure that our infrastructure is fit for purpose becomes really critical.”

Ndiaye, who swims every day, has long been involved in volunteer organisations spanning everything from theatre groups to surf lifesaving.

She also has a strong affinity with the creative community through events such as Bluesfest, where she worked managing photographers. But it is her role as mayor that she feels allows her to make the greatest impact.

“It’s really rewarding to be able to feel like you can actually do something in this world that’s quite disempowering,” she said. “You’re actually there making decisions and you can see the tangible difference happening, even if it takes longer than you’d like.”