Dheera Smith, MidCoast Councillor and teacher dies

As a local politician and teacher, former MidCoast councillor Dheera Smith will leave a profound legacy in her community. She died on Thursday holding her husband’s hand as the sun rose.

Former MidCoast councillor Dheera Smith has died.

As a politician and teacher on the Mid-North Coast, Dheera Smith will leave a profound legacy in her community.

Her sudden retirement from MidCoast Council came in April due to the onset of a serious illness.

Now just two months later people have been left shocked and saddened by her passing.

Dheera passed away peacefully in her sleep on Thursday morning with Raj, her husband, by her side, holding her hands as the sun rose.

Representing The Greens she is being remembered as a “passionate earth warrior” by community leaders like Donna Carrier.

In recent times, she spoke out about the “whole petrol headedness” of jet skis in the Great Lakes and called for greater monitoring of the impacts of 4WDs on beaches.

Dheera Smith.

Others have remembered her lasting lessons while in the teaching profession.

“Such a beautiful person lost to the world,” Aaron Hart posted on Facebook.

“Dheera made such a wonderful and lasting impact on so many of us, inside and out of the school system. She taught me so much about being a great teacher, friend and most importantly, a kind person.”

Ms Smith was originally from California and studied journalism at the University of California, Berkeley before moving to Australia and settling in the small town of Wingham which was recently devastated in the record-breaking floods.

Upon her retirement from council in April, mayor Claire Pontin paid tribute to her dedication, passion and integrity.

“Her leadership and compassion have been greatly valued and will be deeply missed around the council table,” Ms Pontin said.

Janeece Irving.

Ms Smith was first elected to MidCoast Council in 2021 and was most recently re-elected in the September 2024 local government elections.

She has been replaced by Janeece Irving by the NSW Electoral Commission based on a countback of votes from that election.

Relatives and friends are invited to her funeral service in the outdoor chapel of the Manning Great Lakes Memorial Gardens, Pampoolah, on Saturday, June 14 at 11am.