GEBC May Luncheon Event

Please join us for the GEBC May Luncheon with Guest Speaker David Farmer, Chief Executive Officer - Central Coast Council.

David Farmer commenced in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Central Coast Council on 12 April 2021.

An accountant by profession, David has nearly 40 years’ experience in Local Government in New South Wales and Queensland.

He has been the Chief Executive of four Councils over the past 23 years, being Mudgee in Western NSW, Cairns City in Far North Queensland, his home town of Wollongong and recently as the CEO of Ipswich City Council, the fastest growing Council in Queensland.

Each of his last three roles have involved major challenges in governance and finance. David has assisted an elected Council successfully return from a period of Administration at both Wollongong and Ipswich. At Cairns he oversaw the recovery of the organisation, taking over 5 years after a poorly implemented merger. This involved turning around a deteriorating financial situation and correcting a failed IT systems implementation.

Two of his proudest achievements are the major foreshore projects of the Cairns Esplanade and Wollongong’s Blue Mile.

Across these diverse locations he has been able to partner in developing major industry growth in sectors such as tourism, agribusiness- particularly wine, and urban development. In Wollongong he led the city as it successfully transitioned from its dependence on its traditional industries of coal and steel making into tertiary sectors such as financial services and international education.

David is married to Andrea and together they have four adult children.