Cr Damian Ferrari elected 2025/26 Mayor

Published on 13 November 2025

Cr Damian Ferrari has been unanimously elected Pyrenees Shire Mayor for 2025/26 while Cr Rebecca Wardlaw has been voted in as the municipality’s first Deputy Mayor.

It is the second time Cr Ferrari has been elected to the role after serving as Mayor in 2020/21. He was first elected to Council as the Beaufort Ward Councillor in August 2018 following a by-election.

Cr Wardlaw was elected as the Avoca Ward Councillor at the November 2024 local government election.

Cr Ferrari said he took the honour of being Mayor very seriously.

“I thank the Councillors for having the confidence to elect me for the next 12 months,” he said.

“It’s an honour to serve as a Councillor and an even bigger honour to serve as Mayor. It’s not a position I take lightly.”

Cr Ferrari said one of his aspirations was to continue the strong advocacy work currently being carried out by Pyrenees Shire Council.

“I know that in the country…we seem to be a little bit forgotten by downtown, but I think we are going to have a very strong voice, and we will let them know we are still here and we’re not going away.

Cr Ferrari also praised the bond between the current Councillors forged after last year’s election.

“Three new Councillors have come on board and fitted in their role very, very quickly and very well and they perform their roles to a very high standard and very diligently. There is strong representation from the Councillors we have, and I want to thank them for their diligent work over the past 12 months.”

Cr Ferrari also thanked the efforts of Council staff.

“I know how much hard work they’ve (staff) have put in over the past 12 months and it’s just a continuous thing, it doesn’t stop. We get to see a lot of things the community doesn’t see and there is a lot of hard work that we are going to continue.”

Cr Ferrari said he also looked forward to the expanded role of Cr Wardlaw who he said would be a big support to the Mayor, Councillors and Council staff.

Cr Ferrari was presented with the mayoral gavel by outgoing Mayor Cr Tanya Kehoe who he said had put in a lot of extremely hard work and hours over the past 12 months.

“She has been a strong advocate and a strong presence around the state, not just in the municipality. She has put Pyrenees Shire in very good stead. I have very big shoes to fill.”

Both terms are for one year.