Back then she found it difficult to get her point across to male councillors, who weren't use to females in their chambers.

Today, Wollondilly Shire Council has a reputation of women in executive positions leading the way.

Mrs Towndrow said it was her big mouth that saw her nominated to run for council.

``At the time the council wasn't very forthcoming about when it would put in the water supply for Appin, Wilton and Douglas Park,'' she said. ``The community held public meetings and I opened my big mouth at one of them. Then the progress association bought a nomination form in and I signed it.''

Mrs Towndrow was elected in 1977 and was a councillor until 2004.

She said it was a bit of a culture shock for all the farmers on the council who had ``ruled the roost from the beginning of time''.

``Sometimes I would move a motion and not even get a seconder, but then the next week a male councillor would move the same motion and it would be passed,'' she said.

``I had a bit of a hard time getting my point across, but there were very few women in politics back then.''

Since 1994 the council has had four female mayors and now has just as many women in its executive team as it does men.

Ally Dench is one of the council's assistant general managers and Janice Hardacre is the council's manager of executive services.

The council also has two female councillors at present Judy Hannan and Cassandra Twarloh and a number of female managers and team leaders.

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