The National Party expects to gain three new lower house seats and an additional Senate spot at this election, proof the party of rural and regional Australia has life in it yet.
The Nationals have likely held the NSW seat of Riverina after a fierce three-cornered contest, and gained Dawson and Flynn in central Queensland.
After early counting in Western Australia, the Nationals were also looking to unseat Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey in the seat of O'Connor.
In Riverina, the Nationals' Michael McCormack has won the seat with 68 per cent of the two-party preferred vote with 73 per cent of the vote counted. The seat was previously held by the Nationals' Kay Hull, who has retired.
Dawson, taking in the city of Mackay, was once a safe Nationals seat held by Howard government minister De-Anne Kelly and now looks likely to be recaptured for the Nats by candidate George Christensen.
Liberal National Party candidate Ken O'Dowd snatched Flynn, which includes the city of Gladstone, from Labor's Chris Trevor, the surprise winner of the new seat in 2007.
In WA, Mr Tuckey has held O'Connor since 1980, but Nationals candidate Tony Crook was helped by a boundary redistribution that added farming areas to the seat.
With 20 per cent of the vote counted, Mr Crook was enjoying a swing of 21 per cent.
In the Senate, the Nationals' Fiona Nash had the coalition's third spot on the NSW Senate ticket, and looked like holding on.
The Nationals should also have a new senator in Victoria's Bridget McKenzie.
Nationals leader Warren Truss said all of his MPs received "very handsome" swings, including Paul Neville in the Queensland seat of Hinkler, with a nine per cent swing, and John Cobb in the NSW seat of Calare, who benefited from a 26 per cent swing.
"In spite of all predictions before the election about the doom of the Nationals and how independents were going to take away our seats. In reality they've all done exceptionally well," he told AAP.
Mr Truss said the likelihood of a hung parliament made him nervous.
"An unstable government is not good for the country," he said.
But he was elated about the strong showing of the rural-based party, which has looked uncertain in recent years.
Mr Truss is often overshadowed by outspoken Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce, and independents and Greens are inching into traditional Nationals territory.
There have also been worries the Nationals brand was weakened by a coalition merger in Queensland and splits with the Liberals on crucial rural issues, like the Murray-Darling Basin.
"Those predictions have been made now for 70 years, they've always proved to be wrong," Mr Truss said.
"Tonight has been another occasion which demonstrates those who predict our doom do not understand the importance of having a party that stands up for regional Australia and makes sure regional Australians get their share."
