Murray Shire president David Bolt has expressed his joy at being re-elected to the “best job in the world” as the local government election campaign ended on Saturday with one new face joining the council.

Councillors Steve Lee and Ange Rogers were re-elected, with Nicole Willis, a business owner and founder of Pinjarra Community Garden and Pinjarra Connect, elected for her first four-year term.

Ms Willis received the highest number of first preference votes at 37.56 per cent, with Ms Rogers receiving 28.65 per cent just ahead of Mr Lee at 28.28 per cent.

Mr Bolt, who has already had eight years as a councillor and six as shire president, will also carry on for another four years after he was re-elected unopposed.

Mr Bolt said he was happy to continue in the “best job in the world”.

“There’s obviously opportunities and challenges that come along with the role, but I can genuinely say I really love it,” he said.

“It feels like for me being on a holiday every day.

“And it sounds strange, but in this region people come and visit here all the time, but getting the chance to live here and then help with the council and the Shire to set the direction for this environment into the coming decades, that’s a real privilege.”

Mr Bolt said the focus was now on a range of areas, from infrastructure projects in the Shire, including advocating for the construction of the Pinjarra heavy haulage deviation, to making more health services available locally, growing the Peel Business Park and enhancing Pinjarra’s tourism appeal.

“We’re a growing region and over the next 20 or 30 years, we’re probably going to see a four times expansion of the number of people living here, up into about 70,000-75,000 people in the Shire of Murray,” he said.

“So we really have to have a planning scheme that remains relevant and modern while also maintaining the region’s unique country, heritage and rural charm, so balancing those growth aspirations as people come to live here.”

This election was the first chance for Murray ratepayers to elect a shire president but Mr Bolt was the only nominee.

When asked why he thought there were no other candidates for the plum gig, Mr Bolt said the challenges of the role may put some people off and felt his continuance in the position confirmed the community and council’s support of him.

“It’s fairly full on and challenging and I guess it’s not for everybody,” he said.

“One old CEO told me ‘David, if they like what you’re doing, they probably won’t tell you, but they’ll certainly tell you if they don’t like what you’re doing’.

“So I take it as they probably are happy with what we’re doing, what council’s agenda is, and I’d like to think that they feel we’re heading in the right direction and I’ve been supported in that.”