Cr Martin Bella is serving his third consecutive term on council, having been re-elected in 2024.
During his first terms from 2016-2020 and 2020-2024, he earned a reputation for being straight-talking and a strong voice for rural landholders.
He is especially a key advocate for residents in the southern part of our region, including Sarina, Sarina Range and Koumala.
After being heavily involved in recovery in that southern region post Cyclone Debbie in 2017, he again helped lead residents in those areas during an unprecedented bushfire crisis in November 2018 and through the subsequent recovery.
A former Queensland State of Origin and Australian representative in rugby league, he’s tackled his role as a councillor with plenty of passion.
His expertise in sugar and beef provides council with a good insight into these industries, as well as landholder issues like pest and weed management.
Cr Bella’s career has included a vast range of roles, such as cane farming, grazier, mining, retail agricultural sales, construction and maintenance, sales, hospitality and transport and freight. He is a qualified physiotherapist and has owned and operated his own practice in Anzac Street, Sarina.