WHITSUNDAY MP Jason Costigan believed his party had missed a "rare opportunity” by passing on his bid this week for the LNP deputy leader role.

In a major party shake-up in Brisbane on Tuesday, former deputy Deb Frecklington was elected as the new leader on a joint ticket with Tim Mander, Mr Costigan's sole rival for the deputy job.

Although the party room didn't officially release the vote count, The Courier Mail reported that Mr Costigan, who stood on a standalone ticket, recorded just two votes against Mr Mander's 37.

"Personally, I'm bitterly disappointed because I thought it was a rare opportunity for us to go in a different direction, with a special focus on the north,” said Mr Costigan, who ran as the 'Barnaby of the North, in reference to the popular regional federal MP Barnaby Joyce.

"There were 39 votes in the room, but I just didn't have the support from North Queensland that I would have liked to give us a real shot.

"It's far from ideal, but that's the decision of the party room. I don't agree with it, but I respect it and we've got to move on.”

Mr Costigan said he'd like to thank all his supporters from the Whitsunday region and beyond who called him in the lead-up to the ballot to lend their moral support.

"It's so humbling; I had calls from right around central, north and Far North Queensland, and I'm sorry that I've disappointed them.”

Mr Costigan had previously questioned the viability of a leadership team coming from within a 200km radius of Brisbane - Ms Frecklington is from Nanango and Mr Mander from the Brisbane seat of Everton.

But he said he took some comfort from knowing that scenario was a lot better than that of the Labor leadership in terms of an affinity with the regions.

"Only two of their cabinet is north of Redcliffe; what's that going to do for North Queensland, including the Whitsundays?”

At deadline for this issue, Mr Costigan, a Shadow Assistant Minister for North Queensland under former LNP leader Tim Nicholls, was unsure if he'd have a role to play on Ms Frecklington's new frontbench. A decision on the line-up wasn't expected before tomorrow.