She describes this volunteer work as “pretty standard stuff” for a busy young mum with two daughters and a rugby league playing miner for a husband.

But, somehow along the way, as she became immersed in the “philanthropic culture of Singleton”, simple acts like putting her hand up to work at the canteen, umpiring a sporting match or coaching a team, turned into Lyn becoming more than just an unpaid helper.

Over the years she has raised concerns about various community and environmental issues; stopping a few trains, serving time on picket lines and going up against multinationals.

“My work in the community has just evolved,” she explains.

“You become more aware of how environmental issues impact people’s lives and the flow on effects. 

“Yes, it’s great to have all this but what are we going to pay for it in the long run.

“I don’t think we look hard enough at that before we think we have got the golden egg.”

Although she says the catalyst was when Macquarie Generation began burning alternative fuels without informing the community.

“Several of us had felt like there had been changes and eventually they were forced to hold a public meeting about what they were doing,” Lyn recalls.

“It was the first time I had seen how public relations people work.

“They called the meeting at 11.30am, on a Thursday at the power station, so everyone could get there but to their surprise 80 people turned out and they had to get out more chairs.”

She says at the meeting the company was forced to establish the Macquarie Generation Consultative Committee.

“This led to me learning about PM2.5 and PM 10 and it opened my eyes to all the other things that were going on,” she told The Argus.

“I will never forget one of the comments that came out of the experience. 

“A man said ‘look at all these people coming up here for a green change, they think the air is clean – the air is worse than on Parramatta Road’.

“Well it stuck in my mind and I could not stop thinking – well why is it worse than Parramatta Road?”

She proudly adds: “The Singleton community invented, if that’s the right word, or forced the government to introduce community consultative committees.  

“We were the first; they were part of all the mines consent conditions.”

She says they work so well because “people do care”.

However, trying to explain just how much this generous, altruistic and big-hearted lady does for the community is best summed up by mentioning her recent induction into the Wambo Coal Singleton Hall of Fame.

Such an accolade is reserved for those who have achieved prominence in their chosen field of endeavour and she certainly qualifies when it comes to her category – Community Service.

You would be hard pressed finding a committee this vivacious lady hasn’t contributed to.

From her role as the president of the Tidy Towns Committee and the Family History Society Singleton to being a representative on the Upper Hunter Air Quality Network and serving on the Disability Access Committee, there is nothing she would not do for the betterment of this town.

Nothing gives her more pleasure. The term intrinsic motivation pops to mind; when we act without any obvious external rewards – to simply “enjoy an activity, or see it as an opportunity to explore, learn, and actualise our potentials”.

“You get so much more back than what you give,” she states.

“It’s not a sacrifice at all, it’s a way of life and it gives me so much joy.”

I also forgot to mention she also served two terms on the Singleton Council.

Perhaps the only thing that comes close is when Lyn loses herself in family history.

“I just immerse myself for hours. A name in a book, or on a piece of paper becomes, a real person – a person with flesh on their bones, character flaws and a story to tell.

“Family history is the invisible thread that links us all together. 

“The best thing is when you find that missing piece of the puzzle and re-connect family members.”

Lyn says she truly believes we are all reincarnated souls and we learn something from each of our experiences on earth.

It’s hard to believe this intelligent and articulate lady – who can recall the history of just about every one she has researched off the top of her head – only gained her qualification in this area in 2003.

She went back to university as a mature age student while doing all her community work and raising a family to achieve her lifelong ambition of completing a tertiary degree.

“I had always loved history but at one stage wanted to be a vet because I grew up with horses at Brookvale,” Lyn says.

“It was a very different place back then with lots of market gardens.

“Unfortunately I was forced to leave school at 14 years and 10 months to get a job and this left me with a constant yearning to learn more.”

And, today, she is still full of surprises.

When The Argus caught up with her, just before she was heading off for a well-earned break, Lyn revealed some unexpected information.

Their relaxing jaunt up the coast will be the first time they have used their latest purchase – kayaks.

The brand new rigs were being safely stored in an outdoor shed in the passionate gardener’s backyard oasis.

She considers them quite an extravagant purchase, a reflection of the couple’s modesty and working class background.

“It’s something we have always wanted to try so we will be testing them out at Nambucca,” she laughs.

“Let’s just hope the knees hold out.”

Nambucca Heads is not far from Bellingen which happens to be where Lyn met and fell in love with her husband, Robert.

And this is how she ended up in Singleton as her new beau returned to play football with Singleton Greyhounds after many years away.

The rest is history – her own family history and whether or not her path to Singleton was predetermined or a result of circumstance, Lyn is not going anywhere.

“When Rob retires I would like to do some more travelling but this will always be home.

“The only way I will be leaving now is in a box,” she laughs.