MidCoast Council’s Tracey Hamer has been recognised for breaking down barriers in engineering, receiving a Highly Commended Award at the 2026 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government.
The awards recognise women who have challenged traditional career pathways and broken down gender barriers and stereotypes in local government.
Tracey was recognised at an awards ceremony at NSW Parliament House on Thursday 22 October, celebrating the achievements of inspirational women working in local government across NSW.
MidCoast Council’s General Manager Adrian Panuccio said receiving a highly commended in the Breaking Barriers Award was well-deserved recognition of Tracey’s achievements and leadership.
“Tracey is a fantastic example of what can be achieved through hard work, determination and a willingness to challenge expectations,” Mr Panuccio said.
“She has built an impressive career in a traditionally male-dominated field and her journey is also a great reminder that there is no single pathway into engineering and that it’s never too late to pursue a new career.”
After eight years working in administration and management in the heavy vehicle industry, Tracey returned to university later in life to study Environmental Engineering, graduating with First Class Honours in 2006.
She joined MidCoast Water as a Planning Engineer in 2007, when she was the only female engineer in the planning team.
Since then, Tracey has progressed through a number of leadership roles to become Council’s Manager Water Planning and Assets, helping guide the long-term planning and management of the region’s water and sewer infrastructure.
Her career has also included opportunities to step into executive-level leadership roles, further challenging traditional expectations in the engineering industry.
“Tracey has made a significant contribution to Council over many years, and her technical knowledge and leadership have helped shape the way we plan for our region’s future infrastructure needs,” Mr Panuccio said.
“We’re incredibly proud to see her achievements recognised at a State level and hope her story encourages other women to consider careers in engineering and local government.”
The Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government celebrate the leadership, innovation and contributions of women working in councils and communities across NSW.
