Remembering Frances Simes
A life of service to the Riverland, its people and its future
It is with great sadness that we farewell Frances Simes, Chair of the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, and a woman who dedicated much of her life serving the community and caring for the place she called home.
Frances was a lifelong Riverland resident. She understood this region through years of living, working and contributing within its communities, as well as through an impressive career in water policy, licencing and governance.
She joined the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board in 2022 and became Chair in early 2025, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience, along with a genuine commitment to the future of the region.
Frances understood that caring for the region was about more than the environment. It was about the people who live and work here, the industries and communities that depend on it, and ensuring there is a healthy and sustainable future for generations to come.
Her career and community service reflected that commitment. She worked with South Australian Murray Irrigators, the Qualco-Sunlands Groundwater Control Trust and the Department for Environment, served as a councillor with the District Council of Loxton Waikerie, and contributed to numerous regional and state committees and boards.
But it was the way Frances used that experience that made her such a valued leader.
She listened to different perspectives, understood the importance of local knowledge and believed in bringing people together to find practical ways forward. She was a strong advocate for the Murraylands and Riverland region and cared deeply about its future.
During her time as Chair, Frances helped guide the landscape board through an important period for the region, including the development of the 2026-2031 Regional Landscape Plan. She was proud of the role the community and partners played in shaping the regional landscape plan and of the shared commitment to the future of the region.
That spirit of collaboration is perhaps one of the greatest legacies Frances leaves behind.
Her contribution will continue through the partnerships she strengthened, the decisions she helped shape and the many people she supported throughout her years of service.
Frances leaves an enduring mark on the Murraylands and Riverland, and we are deeply grateful for the knowledge, leadership, generosity and commitment she gave to our region.
Our thoughts are with Frances’ family, friends, colleagues and the many people across the Murraylands and Riverland who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside her.
Thank you, Frances, for everything you gave to this place and its people. You will be greatly missed.
