Mr Parry, who was the chief executive at the Gore council for 23 years, is the new general manager of the Walcha Council.
The council is located in the New England Tablelands region of New South Wales, roughly halfway between Sydney and Brisbane.
Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes welcomed the appointment.
He said Mr Parry’s depth of experience in leading rural councils, combined with his transparent, people-focused approach, made him an outstanding fit for Walcha. His track record in building strong council cultures, navigating complex regulatory and planning matters would serve the Walcha community well, he said.
A qualified solicitor and experienced negotiator, Mr Parry had led multimillion-dollar developments, including a new wastewater treatment facility and a 35-lot residential subdivision, and had played a direct role in negotiating major public-private partnerships and utility infrastructure deals, the statement said.
Mr Parry said in the statement he was drawn to the role by Walcha’s unique rural character and the opportunity to make a real difference.
"I look forward to working with the mayor, councillors, staff and community to support growth, improve services and foster a strong, collaborative council culture," Mr Parry said.
Mr Parry, who is believed to be in his early 60s, started the role at the start of the month.
Walcha district is an agriculture district and also includes national parks. The council website listed a population in the district of about 6000.
Mr Parry left the council in May last year after a drama-filled previous two years.
He fell out almost immediately with Mayor Ben Bell after Mr Bell was voted into the role in 2022 and the duo ended up not talking to each other with an intermediary appointed.
There was a failed vote of no confidence in Mr Bell by a set of councillors in early 2023 and in September of that year Mr Parry tendered his resignation with an indication he would finish at the end of October. But the hunt for a successor took a while and Mr Parry stayed through to May last year.
Debbie Lascelles is now the chief executive of the Gore District Council. — Allied Media
