Federation Council honours Zoe Wilson who died after anoxeria fight

Federation Council mayor Pat Bourke lead the salute to the Corowa local who endured an eating disorder and related mental illness for many years before passing away on September 15.

"Zoe's family have shared with council that she was a beautiful and much loved member not only of their family unit, but for many people in the community who knew Zoe," Cr Bourke said.

"Zoe unfortunately suffered from anorexia, a severe mental illness for nearly a decade and the suffering from this became too much so that she unfortunately took her own life.

"Zoe's family have highlighted that our community needs more awareness of anorexia, and the mental illness impacts associated with this.

"On behalf of council, our ongoing thoughts and condolences are extended to the Wilson family and we commend them for sharing their unimaginable loss to increase awareness and encourage members of the community who are struggling with conditions such as this to seek support and guidance."

Mother Leanne Wilson watched a live stream of the tribute and subsequent minute's silence for her only daughter.

"It was very good of them to do that - it meant a lot," Mrs Wilson said.

She contacted the council after a similar honour was given at the September meeting to two teenagers, Daniel Mofitt and Kasie Parker, who died in a vehicle crash in Corowa.

"I approached them and said that if you're acknowledging those ones, why aren't you acknowledging another community loss?" Mrs Wilson said.

Miss Wilson, the youngest of three children to Mrs Wilson and her husband Graeme, was born at Corowa and educated in the town before completing year 12.

Anxiety during high school was an initial trigger for her eating disorder, but she was able to start a legal studies degree at the Footscray campus of Victoria University before doing a traineeship with the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and working at the Melbourne Assessment Prison.

Overwhelmed by her heartbreaking condition, Miss Wilson returned to Corowa at the start of 2018 and subsequently seesawed through the health system.

Mrs Wilson said her daughter had three inpatient stints at a private clinic in Geelong, which cost thousands of dollars, but there was a severe lack of assistance on the Border, particularly with the Albury-Wodonga Community Mental Health Services.

"The system is broken, it's got to have change desperately," Mrs Wilson said, noting their invaluable Corowa GP Jess Madden was the only constant in navigating for largely fruitless help.

"We know something is wrong and we begged and cried and Zoe, she was pleading herself, saying I don't want to live my life like this, and they would say 'we do not have anything that's available other than private'.

"That's what she had done at Geelong and that's four hours from home.

"We need a supports co-ordinator in this area, someone people can call and say 'we need a dietitian and a psychologist and a psychiatrist'."

Mrs Wilson has raised her concerns with Albury MP Justin Clancy and corresponded with federal Health Minister Mark Butler.