Former Moorabool Shire Council mayor and Ballan businessman Paul Tatchell has been named the Liberal candidate for the new seat of Eureka.
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The news came through hours after the death of Queen Elizabeth II - and a planned media conference with Cr Tatchell and Ripon Liberal MP Louise Staley was cancelled a short time later.
Speaking to The Courier, Cr Tatchell said he remains an advocate for regional and rural areas.
"It's something I'm incredibly passionate about - I think country people need to get a return on their investment, they pay taxes to three levels of government, and what caught my interest is Matt Guy said 25 per cent of infrastructure (spending) would be going to the regions," he said.
"He was once planning minister, I know he's well aware of the issues confronting regional Victorians in terms of infrastructure."
He said he decided to nominate to put some "grassroots people into the party room".
"In my view, it's a time for a change, and an opportunity for the Liberal Party to reset in terms of the broad church DNA they've started with," he said.
"It's exciting to see they've chosen candidates invested in their community - people know them, they know what they stand for, and what you see is what you get
"I know I'm in for a tough fight on this one, I'm coming in late, six goals down kicking into a breeze, but people that know me know I don't go down easy."
Cr Tatchell confirmed he would take a leave of absence from his council duties for the campaign, withdrawing from his council allowance.
With the boundary change and new name, the shift from the Buninyong electorate to 'Eureka' means candidates in this seat lose more than 1500 voters in Sebastopol, according to 2018 figures, retain more than 2000 in Buninyong, but gain more than 4100 in the two main Bacchus Marsh voting centres.
Bacchus Marsh has now become the community candidates need to win over - and while it has been a 'Labor' town for decades, the community has been scarred with the threat of toxic soil dumping, high voltage transmission lines, a lack of schools, and is the biggest regional town in Victoria without an indoor pool.
It is unclear how that will boost the votes of Bacchus Marsh-based independent candidate Nicola Reid, who has been vocal on these issues since standing for Moorabool Shire Council in 2020.
Eureka also has a 'blue ribbon' running through it, with consistent booth-by-booth wins for the Liberals in Clarkes Hill, Springbank, Bungaree, Warrenheip and Mount Wallace.
Elaine has long been a marginal booth - with the two main parties each gaining 126 votes each at the last state election.
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Cr Tatchell stood for the Nationals in the 2016 federal election, gaining 4.2 per cent of the vote in the Ballarat electorate.
He was elected to the central ward of Moorabool Council in 2012 and served as mayor five times.
Also standing in Eureka are incumbent Michaela Settle, for the Labor Party, and Sam McColl for the Greens.
In Wendouree, incumbent Juliana Addison will face the Liberal Party's Samantha McIntosh, a current City of Ballarat councillor and former mayor standing for the Liberal Party.
The state election will be held on November 26.
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