She was voted into the job at a special council meeting last Tuesday, ousting mayor Bill McClenaghan, who stood against her.

Cr Booth received five out of a possible seven votes to clinch the job for the next 12 months.

Cr Rod May was appointed deputy.

Cr Booth said she was "humbled and pleased" to be the shire's new mayor.

Her postie run last week was slower than usual, with people stopping to congratulate their new mayor.

"What should take me an hour-and-a-half took me two-and-a-half hours," Cr Booth said."

Cr Booth, who served as deputy mayor during the past 12 months, was first elected to council four years ago.

Before local government amalgamations Cr Booth was a councillor in Creswick shire.

Cr Booth is the shire's third female mayor and the first Creswick mayor since 1997.

"I'll be focusing on what's good for the shire rather than being so ward-focused," she said.

Cr Booth bought Creswick Post Office 12 years ago.

She told The Advocate that the timing had been right to run for mayor as her daughter Casey had recently begun working full time at the post office.

"I'll be here to lend a spare hand and the rest of the time I'll be able to attend to mayoral duties," Cr Booth said.

She said that in the next 12 months her goal was to bring "an approach of co-operation".

"This council is now, I believe, at a crossroads," she said.

"It is now time to move forward in a positive and solutions-focused way. Co-operation and fair-mindedness needs to drive our actions. "

Cr Booth's appointment as mayor will coincide with the National Year of Women in Government in 2010.

Shire chief executive officer Kaylene Conrick last week congratulated councillors Booth and May on their election.