Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) CEO Murray Wood has announced his resignation from the position, effective from December 2025.
Mr Wood will move from Dubbo to the position of General Manager at Coffs Harbour City Council.
He has served as CEO since 2021, leading the organisation through a period of significant growth and transformation.
He said it was a tough decision to leave Dubbo, and his new job was a challenge for his career.
“It’s a different challenge in a community that I will be learning about, and I am really thankful for the faith they have shown in me to award me that position.”
Mr Wood has worked with three elected bodies during his time at Council, with three Mayors in the role.
“I want to thank the mayors and the elected bodies for the initial opportunity in this role, but also the way we have worked together with them, senior staff and all staff, having a strong trust and focus on community outcomes,” Mr Wood said.
DRC Mayor Josh Black said the news has been a surprise, but it was a great career opportunity for Mr Wood.
“Murray will be a big loss to this organisation. It is under his leadership that Council has delivered for our community over the past four years,” Clr Black said.
“We wish him all the best as he wraps things up here over the next five months and we will work on a transition plan over coming months.
Mr Wood moved to Dubbo in 2003 for a role with Dubbo City Council. In 2018 he started a position with the State Government in Economic Development. He returned to Dubbo Regional Council in 2021 as CEO.
“Dubbo has been incredibly rewarding for my professional career and the opportunities it has given to my family as well.
“We moved to Dubbo for the work-life balance. I wanted to expand my professional career but in a way that wasn’t going to harm my family life, and as a Sydney boy I didn’t realise how well you could get that work-life balance in a regional centre like Dubbo.
“I was able to develop my career, but not at the expense of time with my family. It’s been very rewarding to be able to be involved in footy teams, help the swimming clubs and volunteer but not at the expense of my career and not at the expense of my family,” Mr Wood said.
Mr Wood said he started with Council in the months before Dubbo became a Covid hotspot and the response from Council staff and the community was one of the highlights of his time as CEO.
“When you ask about the highlights the first thing that comes to mind is the images of how well we did as a community during that period.
“The patient queues at the showgrounds, where even Council staff were assisting with testing, then that huge queue here where we had the Australian Defence Force doing vaccinations at the theatre.
“From Council to the community, we really showed the nation what we could do in that difficult time,” Mr Wood said.
As he makes the move to Coffs Harbour City Council, Mr Wood said it was the culture and kindness of the people at Dubbo Regional Council that he would miss the most.
“We want to help other people; we want to do a great job. Within Council in our areas of expertise our people want to be the best and show the nation that Dubbo can lead the way in several different areas.
“They do that within the resources they have and that is really professionally rewarding.”
Over the coming months a transition plan will be put into place within the organisation until a new CEO is appointed.