Mark grew up in Gravesend, the son of Jack and Nancy Coulton of Avondale, and Mark lists his parents as the two most influential people in his life.

“My father taught me the value of hard work and my mother taught me the importance of compassion and always seeing the other side of the story,” he said.

Mark attended Warialda Public School then Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School as a boarding student.  

After completing the HSC, Mark returned to the family farm where he worked for 30 years to build a farming and grazing enterprise of cropping and cattle with his wife Robyn, and to raise their three children Claire, Sally and Matthew.

From 2004 until 2007 Mark was the mayor of his local Gwydir Shire Council, serving on numerous parliamentary committees before being elected to House of Representatives for the seat of Parkes.

Mark and his wife Robyn are still a strong team, travelling large distances across the Parkes electorate, from community to community to meet with constituents.

Fitting then that if Mark could invite anyone to dinner it would be his wife Robyn, his predecessor John Anderson for a greater insight into leading a government and slim dusty to provide entertainment.

His favourite thing to unwind? Mowing his lawn at the end of the week.