Golden Plains mayor Sarah Hayden in hot water over Las Vegas trip

A mayor’s Las Vegas trip while on duty has ended with a different kind of hangover that has left some in her community in “disbelief”.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor Sarah Hayden divides community after posting photos online from her Las Vegas trip while on duty.

A mayor is experiencing her own edition of Hollywood hit The Hangover after images she posted of her Las Vegas trip referencing drugs, guns and being “whipped by topless girls” have left some ratepayers in “disbelief”.

Golden Plains Shire mayor Sarah Hayden was given permission by the shire to work remotely while on her overseas trip.

Photos of Ms Hayden in Las Vegas were posted to her personal Facebook this week, but on Friday were shared to a public community group.

The photos show Ms Hayden smiling in front of Strip Gun Club and a shooting range on Las Vegas Blvd, and wearing a nasal cannula with her husband at a bar where people inhale concentrated oxygen to recover from hangovers.

Another image showed two bare-bummed women in the streets.

“Vegas is absolutely crazy baby,” the caption on one collection of photos posted this week said. “The Hangover movie did not lie.

“If you don’t mind being whipped by topless showgirls when you walk out of your hotel in the morning just to grab a coffee, enjoy your drugs purchased in a drive-through and flamingoes in the hotel gardens, this is the holiday for you.”

Photos have emerged online of Golden Plains mayor Sarah Hayden's trip to Las Vegas.

Ms Hayden has defended her trip to Las Vegas while on duty.

“There is absolutely no story – many people work remotely and it doesn’t matter where that occurs,” she said.

“The fact someone has gotten my photos privately is absolutely disgusting.”

The online posts come after six-year-old Caleb Wesley was fatally struck in an alleged hit-run in Teesdale while walking to catch a school bus on March 27, an incident which left the Golden Plains Shire shaken.

Residents had been calling on the shire to improve road safety in the area including reducing the speed limit and installing pedestrian crossings.

“This poor family are trying to grieve and they have this constant circus around them,” Ms Hayden told the Geelong Advertiser.

Teesdale resident Andrea Bolton said she was “in disbelief” when she saw the photos and “horrified” by the references to machineguns and drugs. “I was in disbelief that when a community is in mourning and there are children having nightmares about this and some people still haven’t been able to go back to work that witnessed it … she is on holiday.

“This has made people angry.”

Ms Hayden outside shooting range Strip Gun Club in Las Vegas.

However, another resident said Ms Hayden wasn’t the leader of a country so should be allowed to enjoy herself.

Golden Plains Shire acting chief executive Phil Josipovic said Ms Hayden sought advice from council on whether to take leave or not for the week she planned to be away.

“Ms Hayden was able to fulfill her duties remotely and there were no formal council meetings scheduled during that period, the advice provided was that she could work remotely,” he said.

“Ms Hayden has and continues to be able to fulfill her role, including attending internal meetings, managing correspondence and is available to be contacted as needed, whilst working remotely.”

Photos have emerged online of Golden Plains mayor Sarah Hayden's trip to Las Vegas.

Golden Plains councillor Brett Cunningham said Ms Hayden had told councillors she would be working remotely. “It was not until I was contacted by some residents asking me if Ms Hayden was currently overseas did myself and a couple of my fellow councillors become aware of Ms Hayden being out of the country,” he said.

Ms Hayden became mayor last November shortly after becoming a first-time councillor.

She is serving a 12-month term for which she will receive an annual salary of $109,144.

Originally published as Golden Plains mayor Sarah Hayden in hot water over Las Vegas trip