Gurmesh Singh's election as the new leader of the NSW Nationals is being hailed as monumental for the Australian Sikh community.

The Coffs Harbour MP was elected unopposed on Tuesday, following the shock resignation of former leader Dugald Saunders.

Before his election to the NSW Parliament, Mr Singh ran the farmer-owned OzGroup Co-operative, which runs packing and distribution operations for blueberry, raspberry and blackberry growers on the NSW Mid North Coast.

Generations of his family have worked in horticulture around Woolgoolga, just north of Coffs Harbour, since they first arrived in Australia during the 1890s.

Bhupinder Singh Lalli, a volunteer at the Woolgoolga Sikh History Museum, was quick to offer his congratulations.

"His achievement is great for us as the Sikh communit

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