REVEALED: Gympie’s best painter stoked after winning vote by just 1 per cent

In what was one of the tightest results of any Gympie Times people’s choice voting competition, a longtime local has won the region’s unofficial best painter title by the slimmest of margins.

Josh Coyne of JCPainting (right) has taken out the unofficial title of Gympie's best painter.

In what was one of the tightest results of any Gympie Times people’s choice voting competition, longtime local Josh Coyne has won the region’s unofficial best painter title by the slimmest of margins.

Asked to name their favourite local painter, Gympie readers came up with ten worthy nominees before voting lines opened last week, but a two-horse race saw Coyne, owner of JCP Industries, come out on top with 23 per cent of the final vote.

Josh Coyne of JCPainting has taken out the unofficial title of Gympie's best painter. Pictured is the Gympie Railway Station, a job completed by the JCP team.

In second was Tash Ball, who polled an agonising 22 per cent, followed by Tony Di Carlo and Steve of As Smooth As with 11 per cent each.

Coyne said he was stoked to finish just ahead in the final rankings.

“It’s a pretty good achievement. It’s nice to get that feedback. I’ve been painting in Gympie since I was 18, so about 17 years and JCP for 12 years,” Coyne said.

“We do residential and commercial, what we mainly specialise in is repainting Queenslanders.

“The best part of working in Gympie is working for local people and doing jobs for people who are your friends and family, or who was your schoolteacher once or something like that.

Wheels on Mary May 21, 2021 in Gympie – Andy Lowe and Josh Coyne. Pictures: Josh Preston

“You also get the big jobs that are part of the town and you can look back on, like the railway station.”

Coyne wasted no time crediting his success and acclaim about town to his hardworking team through the years.

“I want to thank everyone who voted and recognised the hard work, and the people who have worked with me over the years,” he said.

“It’s been a team effort and it’s all been a part of what’s come out of it.”