The Queensland Maroons trounced the NSW Blues in State of Origin on Wednesday, giving him tongue in cheek bragging rights as he settled into the chair.

Mr Johansson was appointed Goulburn Mulwaree Council general manager in June, succeeding Warwick Bennett.

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He has moved his wife, Sandra, and teenage daughter from Charters Towers, where he was that council's CEO for almost five years. Before that, he worked as Isaac Regional Council's corporate, governance and financial services director and chief financial officer.

The qualified chartered accountant began his career as a retail banker in Queensland and has worked in mining, education and financial services management roles. He has experience as a project manager and is an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate.

The leap from warm sunny climes to frosty Goulburn mornings was something of a novelty as his daughter scraped ice from the family car, two days running. It hasn't dampened Mr Johansson's enthusiasm.

"As a family, we're enjoying it," he said.

"This is a wonderful city to work and play in and it certainly has a lot of long-term benefits. There are tremendous growth prospects here and the community has been so welcoming, as have the councillors and staff."

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Mr Johansson said he was impressed by Goulburn Mulwaree's infrastructure and over the past week, has toured major projects like the performing arts centre and $29 million aquatic centre.

He resigned from Charters Towers Regional Council in May, seeking a new challenge.

The lure of a growing regional centre close to Canberra and the chance to work in a new legislative environment, proved attractive.

"It's not that I want to live or work in Canberra, but it's about advocacy for community and making sure you're getting as big a slice of the pie as you possibly can," Mr Johansson said.

He's not making any bold statements about the future at this stage but says the council is in a sound financial position, with a solid staff base. He ruled out and "broad, sweeping" staff restructures.

Over the next 100 days Mr Johansson is on a self-directed mission to talk to as many people as possible, including staff, councillors and key community members. He'll also visit the smaller towns and villages.

"As much as it's important for me to be behind the desk doing the work, I've made it clear I like to be out and about talking to people and staff, understanding their roles, and what we can do to better serve the community, " he said.

"...That 100 days will set up what my five-year term here looks like. What are the things we do well and what can we do to improve, if required. I'm also looking forward to working with councillors and understanding their strategic priorities."

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He speculated that like other regions, Goulburn's current "tight" housing market could impede growth. At the same time, Marulan had major residential development coming online. This was important in housing people as the area's commercial sector grew.

Councillors and staff were aware of the challenge and focused on Goulburn Mulwaree's continued growth, he said.

Similarly, councils needed to find ways of accommodating weather changes. Successive heavy rain had impacted roadwork and major projects. In future, this would have to be considered in project phasing.

"It's important to me to be sustainable financially and environmentally," Mr Johansson said.

"Some of the measures the council has put in place, like the green bin initiative...are amazing. If you can use that waste for the good, and give more airtime with landfill, you save ratepayers' money.

"The circular economy is definitely something I want to continue to look at. Conversely, we need a balanced approach in the way we do business."

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The new GM said he had five core values in personal and business life: safety; 'no surprises'; accountability and transparency; having courage to make decisions and sometimes have difficult conversations; and to have fun.

"It's government 101; if you can't be accountable for your actions..., do what you say and be transparent in your dealings, I'd say you probably shouldn't be in local government," he said.

"...I come to work most days with a glass half-full approach. I said to all staff that if you're dragging your feet to work each day, you're probably in the wrong job. Council is probably one of the most diverse employers and...we have opportunities for people to grow and develop.

"My view of the world is when you go to work, it's an important and lengthy part of your life, so you should get job satisfaction out of it."

Mr Johansson described Goulburn Mulwaree as "a region on the rise" and said he was looking forward to tackling its opportunities and challenges.

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