Former Cessnock mayor and community champion Alison Davey dies aged 86

newy.com.au – Cessnock City Council has announced the death of former mayor and Freeman of the City Alison Davey, who has died aged 86 after almost three decades representing the community.

Council described Ms Davey as a long‑serving councillor, mayor from 2008 to 2012 and deputy mayor in 1998–99, whose 29 years on Cessnock City Council were matched by decades of work in local business, community health and volunteer groups.

Maitland City councillor Mitchell Griffin paid tribute on social media, writing: “Very sad to hear the passing of former Mayor of Cessnock and Cessnock Freeman of the City Alison Davey,” adding that the community would miss her deeply.

Ms Davey was first elected to Cessnock City Council in 1983 and went on to serve on seven successive councils. A long‑standing independent, she was popularly elected mayor in September 2008, defeating Labor’s Bob Pynsent after preferences.

Speaking after that election, Ms Davey said her victory reflected years of grassroots work. “I’ve worked hard for council for 25 years and worked hard in this community for 25 years and the hard work has paid off,” she told the Herald.

Beyond local government, Ms Davey twice sought to represent Cessnock at higher levels of politics. She ran as the Nationals candidate for the federal seat of Hunter in 1990 and again for the state seat of Cessnock in 2011, finishing second to Labor’s Clayton Barr after preferences. During that campaign she juggled her role as Cessnock’s independent mayor, the then 72‑year‑old had pledged to serve only one parliamentary term if elected.

In a 2012 interview reflecting on her time in public life, Ms Davey said: “I bring with me 29 years of experience on Cessnock Council and a record of proven honesty and integrity.”

Her mayoralty coincided with major economic and political pressures in the Hunter. When Pacific Brands announced the closure of Cessnock’s Bonds factory in 2009, costing 83 local jobs, Ms Davey warned the decision would hurt far beyond the factory gates. “It will mean tough times for some families and it will flow down right through the community,” she said at the time.

She also steered council through bitter internal disputes over general manager Lea Rosser, instigating Supreme Court proceedings in 2012 in a bid to stop councillors from voting to remove the executive. During this period she reported being the target of intimidation, including an attack on her home.

Even health problems did little to slow her. In 2011, while being treated in Cessnock Hospital for cellulitis stemming from a spider bite, she continued to work from her bed. “I’m keeping on top of all the civic issues … but I am missing my day to day mayoral duties,” she told the Newcastle Herald, saying she was keen to return to work.

Away from the council chamber, Ms Davey built a parallel career in education and community service. A retired school principal, she was a long‑time member of the Cessnock Chamber of Commerce and treasurer of multiple community organisations, including local radio and health programs. Council records note she played a central role in establishing the Cessnock family support service in 1987 and the Cessnock Healthy Heart Beat program, serving as treasurer of both from 1988 to 2018.

She was also a driving force behind civic pride initiatives. Ms Davey helped found the Cessnock Tidy Towns Committee in 1986, which later saw the city named NSW Tidy Town of the Year in 2018, and more recently received a special commendation as founder of Cessnock Tidy Towns in the 2023 Tidy Towns awards. Her involvement with the Business and Professional Women’s Association was instrumental in creating Cessnock’s Australia Day celebrations, now one of the city’s key annual events.

Her decades of voluntary work were recognised formally many times. Ms Davey was awarded Local Government NSW’s Outstanding Service Award in 2012 for 29 years as a councillor, made an Emeritus Mayor in 2013, named Cessnock’s Senior Citizen of the Year in 2016 and received a lifetime achievement award from international biographical publisher Marquis Who’s Who in 2019. That same year, she was granted the city’s highest civic honour, being named a Freeman of the City.

Announcing the Freeman title in 2019, then mayor Bob Pynsent said: “The distinction, honorary Freeman of the City, is the highest acclamation a City can bestow upon one of its citizens,” describing Ms Davey as a deserving recipient for her “extensive and continued contributions” to Cessnock.

Even after leaving elected office in 2012, Ms Davey continued to raise money and support local groups, including a 2015 donation to restore air‑conditioning at Hope Valley Church and advocacy for the heritage‑listed Marthaville Homestead.

Ms Davey was married for more than 50 years to teacher and rugby league figure Brian Davey, who died in 2015 after a long career in Cessnock schools and sport.