But that's exactly what it did, and her life in Port Pirie has become the cornerstone of her devotion to her current home of Melbourne, as mayor of the city of Monash; a cosmopolitan city of more than 163, 000 people.

Mrs Banerji is the daughter of former Port Pirie GP Nitu Banerji, who became a feature of local healthcare and was one of the first overseas-trained doctors to set up practice in the city.

Although she lives a fast-paced life in bustling Melbourne, Mrs Banerji still loves to come back to the city that first opened its arms to her family, and deep down still considers it her family home.

"Port Pirie has definitely had a bearing on my life - I'd have to say that my experiences living here were overwhelmingly positive," Mrs Banerji said.

"My work as mayor is very time consuming, so when I get a chance to take a holiday it's great to be able to come back to Pirie - I love living in Melbourne because it's such a diverse city but Pirie is very laid back and I still love that."

During her visit, mayor Geoff Brock presented Mrs Banerji with a copy of Port Pirie, the Undaunted Years and outlined plans for the new foreshore development.

Mrs Banerji, who is used to major construction in her council area, most notably the redevelopment of Waverley Park, said the new look foreshore would be an asset to the city.