Cr Morse was swept onto council as the number three on former mayor Paul Toole's ticket in 2008 and was returned at both the 2012 and 2017 elections.

She listed the bicentenary and carillon upgrade among the highlights of her time on council but was now "retiring gracefully".

"I think 2015 was a highlight with what we did for the 200th anniversary of Bathurst," Cr Morse said.

"We worked for a long time before 2015 on the flagstaff project because, as I had been saying for several years, there was a dunny on the site where Macquarie had first planted the flag in 1815.

"[Architect] Henry Bialowas also did a great job with the flagstaff and when I drive past there now I always think how lovely it is.

"The other highlight has been the carillon. If we think back to 2012, I started then trying to get the carillon finished and now it is finished, so that's wonderful."

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Cr Morse said working with people committed to making Bathurst a better place had been one of the joys of her time on council.

"I've been able to meet a lot of interesting people and I have enjoyed being involved in a lot of community groups," she said.

"[For example], I was at a meeting the other day for the Evans Arts Council. They work very hard but are also very interested in the future of the community and take a great interest in council so they're the sort of people I've had the pleasure of working with and I've enjoyed it very much.

"Of course, some things have been difficult, such as being the only woman on council [from 2012-2017]. That was tough but that idea of equal representation for women is something that's really in the news now."

Cr Morse hoped more women would nominate for the September election and has long been an advocate for more women on council.

"I've held two workshops for women candidates and there is a big one coming up on April 30 so I think after I've encouraged people to run for council they then have to do it themselves," she said.

"There's a lot of support for women on council and I think there's a move to replace some of the councillors that are there, so it is a good environment for change.

"But I will keep out of that and sit back to watch what happens."

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