Pene Dobell-Brown (Forster), Jan McWilliams (Tuncurry), Jim Morwitch (Forster), Carol McCaskie (not listed), Timothy McLean (Taree) and Sharon Wilson (Forster) were among the first candidates to be announced.

Karen Hutchinson (Booral), Tony Summers (Forster), Monique Cahill (Taree), Ian McLennan (Forster), Christine Stani (Booral) and Chloe Dalrymple-Hutchinson (Booral) will contest the election on the same ticket known as the “Karen Hutchinson Group”.

The Country Labor team of David Keegan (Pampoolah), Claire Pontin (Red Head), John Weate (Tuncurry), Gaye Tindall (Green Point), Graham Robinson (Forster) and Louise Collins (Nabiac) has also been officially announced.

Other candidates have announced their intentions to run for council publicly but are yet to be featured on the official list. 

Eddie Loftus on the qualities of a good councillor 

Speaking with the Manning River Times in June, former Greater Taree City mayor Eddie Loftus encouraged hard working and committed residents to nominate as a candidate. 

“We’re all good enough to become councillors or mayors.

“You don’t need a tertiary education or be a Rhodes scholar to become a councillor.

“You need some good common sense and a care for the people,” Mr Loftus said.

Nominations opened on July 31 and will close on Wednesday, August 9 at noon.

The election of MidCoast Council will take place on Saturday, September 9 where 11 councilors (including a mayor and deputy mayor) will be chosen.