Mayor and Councillors

Whitsunday Regional Council is led by a Mayor and six divisional Councillors, who are elected by eligible voters in each division for a four-year term.

Together, the Mayor and Councillors comprise the governing body of Whitsunday Regional Council and are required to discharge their roles in accordance with the Local Government Act 2009. The Mayor and Councillors represent the interests of the region’s residents and ratepayers and provide leadership and guidance to the community. Their responsibilities include directing and controlling the organisation’s business affairs, overseeing the allocation of the organisation’s finances and resources, and reviewing the performance of Council and its delivery of services.

The incumbent Councillors were sworn in on Wednesday 22 April 2020.

Julie Hall was declared as the Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council by the Electoral Commission of Queensland on 25 August 2022 and was sworn in by CEO Rod Ferguson on 29 August 2022.

Clay Bauman was declared as the Division 2 Councillor of Whitsunday Regional Council by the Electoral Commission of Queensland on 14 December 2022 and was sworn in by CEO Rod Ferguson on 20 December 2022.

Whitsunday Electoral Boundaries

  • Mayor Julie Hall enters the local government arena directly from the private sector where she has run her own business successfully for the past 16 years. A published author and creator of an internationally recognised personal development profiling system, Mayor Hall developed her passion for politics after running for the seat of Dawson in the Federal Election in May 2022.

    Mayor Hall is eager to stamp herself as the People’s Mayor and chose to run for local government as she felt it was the perfect fit for her passion for people and community. Grassroots local government was the best avenue to allow her to truly make a difference and connect and work for the Whitsunday region community. 

    A firm advocate for attracting funding and increased investment in rural Australia are priorities for Mayor Hall to ensure our region moves forward productively and economically into the future.

    She believes as a Council we have a responsibility to support our residents through these tough economic times and that we are proactively addressing community concerns.

    Mayor Hall believes Council has a responsibility to ensure we are providing our rate payers the best value for money in delivering services and enhancing the liveability of our region, without compromising our future financial sustainability.

    Born in Glenelg South Australia, her parents moved to rural SA when she was nine years old. Her childhood cultivated her love for regional living and after residing in the hustle and bustle of the Gold Coast for 16 years, Mayor Hall found her paradise in Bowen. She has three grown children and four grandchildren, and her hobbies include fishing, camping and sailing.

    Council Representations

    • Economic Development Advisory Committee
    • Traffic Advisory Committee
    • Audit & Risk Committee
    • Local Disaster Management Group
    • Bowen Collinsville Enterprises
    • Don River Improvement Trust
    • Regional Queensland Council of Mayors
    • Rural Fire Brigade Finance Committee
    • Tourism Whitsundays
    • Whitsunday ROC T/a Greater Whitsunday Council of Mayors
    • Whitsunday Regional Roads and Transport Group

    Other Representations

    • Whitsunday ROC T/a Greater Whitsunday Council of Mayors - Director
  • Councillor Jan Clifford was re-elected in the 2020 Queensland local government elections as the representative for Division 1 of the Whitsunday Regional Council, making this her fourth successive term as a Councillor.

    Jan is well known for her energy and commitment to the well-being of the Whitsunday area and its citizens and is an active member of the community, serving on many boards and committees and volunteering at events.

    Jan has called the Whitsundays home since early 1995 after a long career across Australia in various management, sales and marketing roles. In 1997 Jan started her own sales and marketing business and was voted Best Sales Representative by A.F.T.A. She was eventually drawn to Council to be of service to the Whitsunday Region and its people.

    Jan has completed a Diploma in Management and has been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. Jan has always been a strong advocate for protecting and preserving the natural environment in the Whitsundays, both on the mainland and in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

    Council Representations

    • Audit & Risk Committee (proxy for Cr Simpson)
    • Environment Recovery Sub-Group
    • Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA)
    • Greater Whitsunday Communities
    • Greater Whitsunday Housing Project
    • Reef Catchments
    • Regional Development Australia - Greater Whitsundays
    • Safe Night Out Precinct
    • Whitsunday Coast Chamber of Commerce
    • Whitsunday Headspace Committee
    • Whitsunday Housing Committee
    • Whitsunday Police Citizen Youth Club (PCYC)
    • Whitsunday Sports Park
    • 2023-24 Volunteer Grant Dawson Committee
    • Country Women's Association of Australia

    Other Representations

    • Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) - State Executive Zone 2
    • QLD Delegate to the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) - National Executive
    • Greater Whitsunday Communities - Director
    • National Rural Women’s Coalition - President
    • Regional Development Australia Mackay-Isaac Whitsunday (RDAMIW) - Director/Secretary
    • Rotary Club of Airlie Beach - President
    • Whitsunday Housing Committee - Chair/Director
Clay Bauman_web tile

Cr Clay Bauman
Councillor for Division 2

Notice of Result

Mobile: 0459 327 494
Email: clay.bauman@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au
Map of Division 2
Register of Interest

  • Clay Bauman was elected as Councillor for Division 2 at a by-election in December 2022.

    Born in Brisbane and educated at Gregory Terrace St Joseph’s College in Brisbane, the travel bug hit Clay and he travelled the world while also working in digital video editing.

    After his return to Australia, Councillor Clay moved to Airlie Beach in 2007 and has now settled in Cannonvale, doing video work and managing private sailing boats.

    Clay has always been an active volunteer for sporting clubs and community groups and is a passionate advocate for retaining the beach town character of the area to ensure a successful future for our region.

    After many years of reading Council agendas and reports and attending meetings, Clay put his hand up and was elected to represent Division 2 following the resignation of Councillor Al Grundy in late 2022.

    Council Representations

    • Tourism Recovery Group
    • Coastal Councils Adaptation Taskforce (C-CAT)
    • Domestic & Family Violence Council Network
    • Local Authorities Waste Management Advisory Committee (LAWMAC)
    • Mackay Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership
    • Reef Islands Initiative Whitsundays Project Advisory Group
    • Suicide Prevention Network Taskforce
    • Tourism Whitsundays (proxy for Mayor Hall)
    • Whitsunday Community Services
    • Whitsunday Local Marine Advisory Committee
  • Councillor John Collins was first elected as Councillor for Division 3 on Whitsunday Regional Council in 2012 and was returned for his third term at the 2020 Local Government Elections.

    Division 3 is centred on the town of Proserpine, which is the Whitsunday region’s agricultural and government services hub, and includes the surrounding rural communities of Mount Julian, Preston, Conway and Wilsons Beach.

    While John’s family lived at Silkwood, south of Innisfail, he was born in Toowoomba. At age four, his family relocated to Proserpine when his father was transferred as the local police sergeant. John completed his schooling at the local St. Catherine’s Catholic Primary School and Proserpine State High School, and currently lives in Proserpine with his wife Jill.

    John and Jill have four adult daughters and since 1990, have owned and operated their own small business on Proserpine’s Main Street.

    Cr Collins is a strong advocate for developing the local rural tourism sector to entice travellers off the highway and into our townships. John has championed the creation of further tourism opportunities at the Peter Faust Dam, which has the largest Barramundi population of any impoundment in Australia and is a strong advocate for promoting Proserpine as RV Friendly town.

    Council Representations

    • Local Disaster Management Group
    • Local Recovery Group
    • Les Stagg Oval Advisory Committee
    • Proserpine Junior Sporting Complex
    • Whitsunday Rivers Improvement Trust
  • First time Councillor Michelle Wright is born and bred in Bowen and lives there with husband Wal and their three children.

    Michelle has previously worked in administration for over 18 years and is also a qualified Swim Teacher and Coach.

    She has been actively involved with community groups for many years and taking the next step to playing a role in Council was the natural progression.

    Being community minded Michelle is passionate in providing improved liveability and care for families, the elderly and future generations.

    She is honoured and proud to have been elected at the 2020 Local Government Elections to serve the Whitsunday region community.

    Council Representations

    • Regional Arts Development Fund
    • Human Social Recovery Subgroup
    • Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA)
    • Bowen Collinsville Community Alliance
    • Bowen Collinsville Community Alliance - Youth Alliance Sub-Group
    • Bowen Chamber of Commerce
    • Bowen Collinsville Enterprises
    • Bowen Gumlu Growers Association
    • Bowen Sporting Complex Committee
    • Collinsville Childcare Centre
    • Collinsville Development and Industry Group
    • Don River Improvement Trust to 30 March 2024
    • Jangga Consultative Committee
  • Councillor Gary Simpson is looking forward to the challenges of the role as a first term Councillor.

    He was born and schooled in Proserpine and first started work on the family farm in 1981.He has been manager of the family business, since 2000 and has recently sold one of the three farms to enable him to concentrate on his Councillor role.

    Gary is married to wife Debbie and Gary has a daughter, Lauren and son, Dean.

    He is a family figure in cane growing circles having been a director of Proserpine District Canegrowers Cooperative (PDCC) for 9 years and was the inaugural Chairman of the SSP Proserpine for 3 years and Deputy Chairman of the PDCC for 3 years.

    In his spare time Gary loves fishing and camping and spending time on the water with his wife around the beautiful Whitsunday Islands.

    Council Representations

    • Traffic Advisory Committee (proxy for Mayor Hall)
    • Audit & Risk Committee
    • Infrastructure Recovery Sub-Group
    • Bowen Burdekin Local Marine Advisory Group
    • Reef Guardian Executive Organisation
    • Whitsunday Catchment Landcare
    • Whitsunday Rivers Improvement Trust
  • The Councillor for Division 6, Mike was born and raised in Collinsville but has lived in Bowen for 20 years where he currently runs a newsagency with his wife Kylie.

    As a former coal miner and former Mayor of Bowen Shire and Whitsunday Regional Councils for 17 years, Mike has a proven track record of delivering outcomes for the people of Bowen and Whitsunday.

    Mike’s background in mining and local government has given him a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by communities, families and local businesses from the coalfields to the coast.

    Mike has always been passionate about creating job opportunities through economic development and that remains his focus today.

    Council Representations

    • Economic Development Advisory Committee
    • Audit & Risk Committee (proxy for Mayor Hall)
    • Economic Recovery Subgroup
    • Bowen Collinsville Community Alliance
    • Community Engagement Committee
    • North Queensland Sports Foundation
    • Tourism Bowen

    Other Representations

    • Bowen Collinsville Community Alliance - Chair
    • Bowen Golf Club - President

Code of Conduct

A mandatory and uniform Code of Conduct for Councillors provides a foundation for a fair and transparent complaints management system. The code outlines how behavioural standards align with the local government principles and assists all councillors in being aware of their obligations as elected representatives. Under the Code of Conduct, councillors must uphold the standards of behaviour as summarised in ‘the three Rs’ of Responsibility, Respect and Reputation.

The Code of Conduct and the associated obligations for councillors commenced on 3 December 2018 and the Minister for Local Government approved changes to the Code on 4 August 2020, to take effect from 12 October 2020. The Mayor and Councillors have each undertaken the Declaration of Office, declaring that they will act in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

Councillor Code of Conduct Documents

Councillor Code of Conduct Documents

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Councillor Declarations of Interest

Councillor Declarations of Interest

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Councillor Committees

Councillor Committees

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