THE Gold City will have a new mayor with Frank Beveridge elected to the top job of the Charters Towers Regional Council.
While the Electoral Commission of Queensland is yet to declare the position, former Mayor Liz Schmit has conceded defeat after four years in the role.
Mr Beveridge, who served as mayor from 2012-2016 until he was unseated by Ms Schmidt, said while he was awaiting for official confirmation from the ECQ, he was eager to get to work.
Mr Beveridge said once the challenges of coronavirus had subsided, he was keen to work with the councillors to establish their next moves.
"One of the greatest challenges for all regional towns is population drift and economic development," Mr Beveridge said.
"The agriculture industry has a bright future at the moment, we will see the mining industry bouncing back and we want to make sure that we are on the right side of any prospective jobs from the Adani development."
Mr Beveridge said ensuring Big Rocks Weir passed the next approval was vital and he would request a meeting with the relevant State Government minister as soon as was possible.
Despite the challenges, Mr Beveridge said the Charters Towers region had a bright future.
"Unlike a lot of regional towns we aren't a one trick pony.
"Our five biggest job creators are mining, agriculture, education, retail and health."
Further north in the Etheridge Shire, Gulf Cattleman's Association president Barry Hughes has been declared mayor, with the ECQ naming him as the successful candidate after receiving 64.93 per cent of the counted vote.
Cattleman and Saxby Roundup president Philip Curr has been named as the new mayor of the McKinlay Shire, with former mayor Belinda Murphy deciding not to recontest the position.
In the Flinders Shire, Jane McNamara is set to be returned to the mayoralty for a second term. With 80.14 per cent of the official first preference counted, Cr McNamara is streets ahead of her nearest challenger, with 42.62 per cent of the vote.
Her nearest rival Graham Sealy has 30.48 per cent of the first preference votes, with Greg Jones attracting 26.90 per cent.
The Cassowary Coast mayoral position continues to be a tight race between Mark Nolan, who has attracted 38.16 per cent of the official first preference count ,with 77.27 per cent counted.
Hot on his heels and just 254 votes behind is Bryce Macdonald on 36.43 per cent. Current mayor John Kremastos has attracted 25.41 per cent of first preference votes.
Further north, the Douglas Shire has a new mayor in Michael Kerr, who unseated Julia Leu, who has been on councils in the region pre and post amalgamation, for 12 years, and was elected mayor of the newly established Douglas shire in 2014.
Mr Kerr attracted 54.95 per cent of the official first preference vote to Ms Leu's 45.05 per cent.
On the Tablelands, Rod Marti had a convincing win over his three other rivals, attracting 47.99 per cent of the official first preference vote.
In Mareeba, Anglea Toppin has been declared the winner, attracting 53.06 per cent of the first preference vote to Nipper Brown's 46.94 per cent.
