Mr Tilley was announced as the Liberal candidate in the seat he has held since 2006 when no preselection challengers stepped forward before the noon deadline on Friday.

He said his focus was firmly on winning the November 2018 poll and helping the Coalition return to office after being dumped after only one term two years ago.

But recent events in the NSW seat of Orange where the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party upstaged the National Party which had held the seat since 1947 and the success of One Nation in this year's federal election has Mr Tilley prepared for similar assaults.

An independent with the backing of the Voices For Indi movement can't be ruled out from contesting Benambra which has been in Liberal hands since 1976.

“It's a democracy and people are entitled to run,” Mr Tilley said.

“On a personal level I've got a lot of unfinished business and I want to see it completed.”

Mr Tilley didn't nominate specific projects, but the trouble-plagued North East rail line is shaping as the most important issue two years out.

He faced only three challengers at the 2014 election, Labor's Jennifer Podesta, Green Richard Wellard and Australian Country Alliance's Phil Rourke.

The biggest field of rivals he faced was in 2006 when he stood for the first time.

He encountered five rivals including former Wodonga mayor Lisa Mahood, who stood for the Labor Party for the one and only time.

Mr Tilley recently celebrated his decade in parliament with party leader Matthew Guy and state president Michael Kroger travelling to Wodonga to mark the occasion.

Mr Tilley wasn't included in the Coalition shadow ministry announced on Friday.

But Nationals’ member for Murray Valley Tim McCurdy holds onto the veterans affairs, sport and gaming and liquor regulation portfolios.