It’s the third resignation announcement today, following that of the General Manager of Hawkesbury City Council, and the CEO of the City of Whittlesea.

Mayor Liz Schmidt confirmed that Ms. Ewer resigned without notice on Monday, April 13, according to a report from The Cairns Post. Speaking on the departure, Mayor Schmidt said Ms Ewer had “decided she wasn’t a good fit for us.”

While describing the exit as “all a bit sudden,” the Mayor reassured residents that the council remains on stable footing.

To ensure continuity, the council has turned to a familiar face. Former CEO Martin Drysdale has agreed to return to the helm in an interim capacity while a permanent replacement is sought.

Ms. Ewer’s departure marks the end of a brief chapter for the region’s administration. She officially took the reins in August 2025, arriving with a resume of leadership roles in interstate local governments, including:

• Berrigan Shire (NSW): Served as CEO before resigning for family reasons.
• Streaky Bay Council (SA): Served as CEO.

Despite her experience, both previous jurisdictions were significantly smaller than the Charters Towers Regional Council, which manages a more expansive portfolio of assets and services.

The council is now preparing to engage professional recruiters to find a long-term successor.

“We’ll go to the recruitment stage, the recruiters will bring us some candidates, and we’ll go from there,” Mayor Schmidt told the Post. There is currently no confirmed timeline for when a permanent appointment will be made.