Warren Shire's Barbara McKay advocates for rural healthcare

Originally a pathology technician from Sydney, Ms McKay has represented country communities for Red Cross, as well as being on the patient safety committee and the advisory board at the Warren Multi-Purpose Health Service.

As a dedicated advocate, long-serving volunteer and valuable member of the community, Ms McKay said she is very proud of Warren and what it has to offer.

"I lived in Sydney before I came here, where I worked as a pathology technician, back in those days the roads weren't good and the cars weren't like they are now, so it wasn't feasible to travel to Dubbo for work in a similar role," she said.

Upon moving to Warren, Ms McKay joined the Red Cross so she could get to know people and it wasn't long before she took on secretary and president duties.

"Only once was I the treasurer but that was not my scene at all," she said.

Ms McKay then became a zone representative, where it was her job to keep all the towns between Trangie and Bourke updated with what the Red Cross was doing.

Continuing with her passion for the Red Cross, she joined the Advisory Committee as a country representative where she travelled once a month to Sydney.

Having five children, it was only a matter of time before Ms McKay got involved with the schools.

"At the Sydney schools, I was again a country representative, and then at St Mary's I was president and secretary," she said.

"We used to swap around, I never did more than three years or so at a time because I used to get stale."

Following on from her work with the Red Cross, Ms McKay became involved in the local hospital.

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She is currently on the Warren MPHS advisory board and the Patient Safety Committee as a community member.

"I enjoy working at the hospital because I've always been interested in the medical field and I think that it's important," she said.

"Dubbo's not next door, so we need to have quality healthcare services and facilities here for people when they need them."

Ms McKay's dedication to her town can also be seen through her volunteer work at the Visitor Information Centre, where she offered her services after a number of people would come in to her craft shop and ask questions about where things were in the area.

"We said to the council that if they gave us the information we could just hand it out and that's more or less how it started," she said.

"You meet very interesting people in these types of roles. It's important to support our local visitor information services because if you want things to work, you've got to put something in to get something out."

Tackling all her work at the Red Cross meant that Ms McKay was never able to take on an official position at the Country Women's Association, but she did offer her help on more than one occasion.

"I always said, "if you want some help, just tell me". Usually, what was needed was food and with a bit of notice, I could easily rustle up a cake or some biscuits when needed," she said.

"I think the CWA is a valuable voice for women in rural areas."

Currently Ms McKay's favourite place in Warren is the WOW Centre and the Warren Museum and Art Gallery.

"I love the beautiful garden out at WOW with all the native plants in it - it's beautifully kept, and I think those panels in the garden are great for people to learn from," she said.

"I've also been on the committee responsible for the new Warren Museum and Art Gallery and I'm very happy to support something as good as that."

Ms McKay said the thing she loved most about the Warren community was the friendly attitude of the people that lived in the area.

"It's a lovely community and everyone's very supportive of each other. In a bigger town, you probably don't know your neighbour," she said.

As for any advice she would give to other women living in country communities she said "life was only going to be what you make it".

"You've got to make the best of what's around you and have a go," she said.

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