Janet Swain

Janet Swain is a Byron Shire Councillor, educator, musician and community organiser who has spent decades bringing people together and strengthening her community.

Janet has lived in Ocean Shores since 2014, when she moved to the Byron Shire with her husband and son Lenny to be closer to her ageing parents. A mum of two grown-up children, she has spent the past 12 years teaching music in local primary schools and working with children and families across the Northern Rivers.

Janet studied music education at the University of Western Sydney and Southern Cross University, with honours from Macquarie University. She has also lived and worked overseas, including with the African Children’s Choir and Ubuntu in Uganda and at the British Council in Singapore.

For more than two decades, Janet has used music to bring communities together. She founded Song Dynasty Music and Events in 2000, has established and led community choirs across the Northern Rivers, and founded and directed the Festival of the Voice in Brunswick Heads. She has also organised large community performances involving hundreds of adults and children.

In 2024, Janet was elected to Byron Shire Council, where she has focused on the practical issues that matter to local residents, including roads, infrastructure and the community services people rely on.

Janet’s commitment to community has shaped her working life. Whether teaching children in local schools, bringing people together through music or representing residents on Council, she believes in listening to people, working together and making a practical difference.

With strong connections across the Northern Rivers, a record of community service and experience representing local residents, Janet is ready to be a strong voice for Ballina and deliver for her community.