Date: 29th July 2026

Central Coast Council has confirmed Jamie Loader, currently Director of Water and Sewer, will step into the role of acting Chief Executive Officer from 2 September, as outgoing CEO David Farmer prepares to retire.

The appointment was made at an extraordinary council meeting held on Tuesday, 28 July, with councillors moving into confidential session before the decision was made public. Mayor Lawrie McKinna formally announced the transition and the accompanying recruitment process for a permanent CEO shortly afterwards.

Mr Farmer announced his retirement around a month ago, bringing to a close five and a half years as Central Coast CEO and a 45-year career in local government spanning five councils. He was originally appointed to the role by then-administrator Dick Persson in 2021, during the council’s period of state administration, and has been credited with restoring the organisation’s financial sustainability and completing the long-outstanding integration of the former Gosford and Wyong council systems.

Mayor McKinna thanked Mr Farmer for his “professionalism, integrity and commitment to the Central Coast community.”

Council has confirmed the recruitment process for a permanent replacement will follow the framework set out in the Office of Local Government’s CEO recruitment handbook, a process expected to take several months.