Meet the Leadership Team
The Barcoo Shire Councils leadership team is made up of a team of 5 with a wealth of knowledge bringing a collective of over 100 years experience to local government.
Edwina Marks - Chief Executive Officer
Edwina brings a wealth of Local Government and Corporate experience to the Barcoo Shire with a career spanning more than two decades in banking and regional, rural and remote councils in Qld, NSW and the NT. She is guided by her values of integrity, accountability and service and believes in the importance of actively collaborating with communities to build a resilient and sustainable future. Her approach includes implementing sensible and transparent financial management practices whilst embracing innovation and a commitment to open communication to build trust in the council and its organisation. Edwina holds a Masters in Business, a Phd and Masters in Fine Art (Research) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is looking forward to her new role in the Barcoo Shire to deliver on Council objectives now and into the future.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tony Klein - Group Manager Community Services
Tony has over 20 years Queensland Local Government experience predominantly working in senior management and leadership roles in rural areas, the likes of Yuleba, Roma, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Gayndah and now Jundah. His Local Government roles have mainly been in the community and corporate services areas, with his passion being in the community development space.
Tony came to the Barcoo on a 6 – 8 week contract basis back in October 2020 and has stayed with us since then. It’s safe to say he’s a country boy! Prior to his Local Government career Tony worked as a business advisor in Roma for a regional organisation of councils for almost ten years.
Tony believes that the Barcoo’s greatest asset is its pristine natural environment – beautiful waterways, perfect for our primary production and visitors to our shire. Tony is committed to helping the community and the organisation being the best it can.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Bill Pitman - Operational Works Manager
Bill was born in Moree, NSW and moved to Queensland to work in 1973. Bill worked on several properties in the Barcoo region for a number of years before taking up a position on the Barcoo Shire Council in February 1985. Initially Bill worked on the Concreting Gang followed by truck driving on the Construction Gang. Bill then progressed to Foreman and worked in this role for a number of years until taking up the position of Town Services Manager. This led to Bills present position as Operational Works Manager beginning in August, 2006. Bill is married with three grown children all of whom spent their childhood in Jundah and attended Jundah State School.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Chris Richards - Group Manager - Town & Rural Services
Chris grew up in the Barcoo region and returned back to the Barcoo Shire area in late 2011 with his wife Julie and 3 children Jamie, Jacob and Lillie, With Cooper then joined his family while Chris and family were living in Windorah.
Prior to returning to the Barcoo Shire Chris lived in Cardwell where he worked as a the Maintenance and Construction Supervisor for the Cassowary Coast Regional Council (CCRC). Towards the end of his time in CCRC he was heavily involved in the clean up after cyclone Yasi and the rebuilding of roads and infrastructure.
Chris has been involved in Local government and Councils since 1998, having 24 years’ experience with everything from labouring to managing projects from start to finish. Chris holds a Certificate 3 in both Water and Sewage, and Civil Construction.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Brett Williams - Acting Chief Finance Officer
Brett has over 25 years of Local Government Experience working in both Queensland and New South Wales in management and leadership roles. His Local Government Experience have been mainly in Finance, Assets, IT, however, also has experience in Pest Control, Recycling/Waste, Stores, Water and Street Maintenance.
Brett came to Barcoo for 3 months in November 2020 and has stayed with us since then, it must be the peace and quiet. Prior to working in Local Government Brett has a vast array of roles from manager of Woolworths, furniture removalist, to serving 12 years in the Australia Army.
Brett believes that no problem can’t be solved if we all work together and believes this is the success to any Community.
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Details
Council Structure
Council is a major employer in the Barcoo Shire. The organisation also relys on contract personnel. Council endeavours to maintain a well-trained and resourced administration, works and services centre.
- Details
Meet the Councillors
The current Council was sworn in on 2 April 2024 and is comprised of four Councillors and a Mayor, who were elected by eligible voters in the Barcoo Shire.
Sally O'Neil - Mayor
Mayor Sally O’Neil was born and raised in Longreach before going away for her secondary education. She later returned to the region to learn the art of opal cutting and opened a retail opal shop. After about 5 years, she decided it was time to further her education. Sally first completed a Diploma of Fine Arts majoring in Silver Smithing and soon realised the Arts were not going to make a living and went on to complete a Civil Engineering Degree. Since then, she has worked on projects in the South East corner of Queensland in civil construction and later mining infrastructure. The following is a list of major projects she has worked on.
- Ipswich Motorway Centenary Highway Intersection upgrade
- Port of Brisbane – Captain Bishop Bridge and Port Drive Upgrade
- Springfield – Various subdivisions
- Port of Brisbane – Port of Brisbane Motorway Upgrade
- Moranbah – Daunia and Caval Ridge Mine Coal Infrastructure
- Rolleston – Sections of the Dawson and Carnarvon Highway rehabilitation
- Stanwell Corporation – Black Creek Diversion Channel
In 2016, Sally completed a Graduate Diploma of Secondary Education and returned to Longreach to teach at the Longreach State High School. This opportunity gave Sally’s daughter Louise, then 9, the opportunity to experience the freedom of growing up in the bush that both her and her husband Brett had. Sally’s teaching career was short-lived when she saw an advertisement for the position of Director of Works and Services for the Barcoo Shire Council and applied. Sally was successful and was appointed to the Director role in October 2017. At that time, Sally and her daughter relocated to Jundah. Since then, Sally and her family have thoroughly enjoyed living in the Barcoo Shire. Her love for the Barcoo Shire is what led to her decision to stand for Mayor in the 2020 elections.
Sally looks forward to the challenge of leading the Barcoo Shire Council as they work together as a transparent, ethical and moral Council.
M 0447 723 193
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Downloads:
Tony Jackson - Deputy Mayor![TonyJ](/images/councillors/councillors/TonyJ.jpg)
Tony Jackson came to the Stonehenge area in 1989 after purchasing Hillview Park. Tony also purchased the Stonehenge Hotel in 2016.
Tony has a passion for supporting the community and currently is on several executive committees across the central west. Interests include sheep dog trailing which involves travelling eastern Australia both competing and judging.
Tony has two children, a daughter at university in Brisbane and a son working on a sheep stud in New South Wales.
M 0428 583 254
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Downloads:
Roger Batt
Roger was born in Townsville in 1988 and moved with his parents to Eldwick in 1989.
He has lived in the community all his life and his family being wife Steph and four daughters will always call the Barcoo Shire home.
Anyone that knows Roger knows that he is a sports tragic and enjoys watching any and every sport. Roger tries to involve himself in any local sport he can.
He also enjoys living and working in the rural sector and has an off farm business with his brother, James Batt as an electrical contractor in the Barcoo Shire.
As a Councillor he hopes to keep the Barcoo Shire going as an excellent place to work, live and for families to grow up and enjoy their time here just as he has and still does.
M 0448 585 942
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Downloads:
Andrew Miller
Andrew was born and raised on a pineapple farm near the Sunshine Coast. He first came to the Barcoo Shire as a 15 year old in 2000 where he spent a few years working and contract mustering in and around the area.
After marrying the girl next door, they spent some time working on grazing and farming properties in Southern Queensland before moving back in 2011 with their young family.
Together with his wife Megan they have generations of family connections to the Barcoo Shire with parents and grandparents having lived here.
He currently manages ‘Braidwood’ Station outside of Jundah with Megan and his four daughters, Bridie, Alice, Grace and Faith.
He is passionate about the way of life out here and looks forward to being a part of the growth and progression of Barcoo Shire.
M 0428 437 975
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Downloads:
James 'Dude' Kidd![Dude](/images/councillors/councillors/Dude.jpg)
Dude was born in Longreach and has been a lifelong Barcoo Shire resident.
He currently lives on Ourdel Station Windorah with his wife Helen and his son Charlie.
Dude was a helicopter mustering pilot in the Channel Country and beyond for 24 years before retiring from flying and concentrating on Ourdel. He is proud the be a fourth generation Barcoo Shire Councillor and is looking forward to serving the Barcoo community to the best of his ability during the upcoming council term.
M 0475 800 388
E This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Downloads:
For an interactive map of the electorate boundary, please see the Electoral Commission Queensland website.
- Details