Mr Christian, a member of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, looks set to win one of the nine places on council – an outcome that looked impossible just a month ago.

The serving police officer was a virtual unknown across the Bathurst region when he nominated as a solo candidate for the election.

With seven above-the-line tickets listed on the ballot paper, few gave Mr Christian a chance but a high-energy campaign focused on “nuts and bolts” issues clearly struck a chord with voters.

As the distribution of preferences continues this week, Mr Christian is well-placed to secure one of the nine spots up for grabs.

As someone with no family links to the Bathurst region who has lived here only six years, he said even he was surprised by his strong polling.

“Most of the people who helped me out on Saturday handing out how-to-vote material – my family and close mates – couldn’t even vote for me because they don’t live in Bathurst,” he said.

“But I had members of the community that I had never met come forward to help me and it was a real community effort.”

Mr Christian said there appeared to be an easy explanation for his success.

“I just kept it simple,” he said. “I produced simple policies and I had a lady say to me at pre-polling that she like the way I talked with people not at them.

“My number one thing was the CCTV but also the West Bathurst roundabout and moving pedestrian crossings away from roundabouts. Safety is the most important thing.”

As the SFF continues its hunt for a candidate to take on the Nationals’ Paul Toole at the 2019 state election, Mr Christian categorically ruled himself out.

“I love my job and I love my life,” he said.

“I would like to get at least another 10 years out of the police so while you can never say never and you don’t know what the future holds, in 18 months’ time it’s definitely a no.”