Cr O’Rourke was one of four councillors to nominate for the position, which was decided by a secret ballot. 

The Eppalock Ward councillor will become the first mayor to serve three consecutive terms since council amalgamations in 1994 when she is formally sworn in at a special council meeting on November 20. 

Cr Rod Fyffe – who also nominated for the role of mayor, along with councillors Andrea Metcalf and Jennifer Alden – has been named deputy mayor-elect.

Cr O’Rourke said the most difficult part of leadership was making the tough decisions.

“You have to have a thick skin to be a councillor or a politician because you have to make decisions that are unpopular,” she said.

“I’m respectful of all the community, no matter what position they come from, and I think that's really important.

“You can't be everything to everyone - it’s working through those priorities and making decisions with the best information and the facts in front of you. One of the challenging things is that everyone does see things from a different viewpoint.”

Cr Fyffe, who has been mayor four times in a 22-year local government career, said serving the community was his motivation.

“It’s a role that is a real blessing because you've got that opportunity to work closely with the community, with councillors and council staff to help make a difference,” he said.

Cr O’Rourke nominated for an unprecedented third consecutive term as mayor of Bendigo.

She was the first councillor to serve back-to-back terms as Bendigo mayor since the City of Greater Bendigo was created following council amalgamations.

Read more: Councillor Malcolm Pethybridge replaces Julie Hoskin in Whipstick ward

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