National Volunteer Week (May 18-24) is Australia’s largest annual celebration of civic support and the Upper Murray community is a leading example of selflessness.

National Volunteer Week recognises the contribution of millions of volunteers across the country and invites everyone to discover how giving their time and talents can create connection, purpose and stronger communities.

CEO of Volunteering Australia, Mark Pearce, said “This National Volunteer Week we’re recognising how integral volunteers are to cohesive and inclusive communities.

“In a year marked by natural disasters, rising cost-of-living pressures, and growing social challenges, the role of volunteers has never been more important – they are the heart of our communities.

“Their contributions are vital in times of need,” Mr Pearce said.

“While volunteers’ contributions uplift others, volunteering also has a profound impact on the volunteers themselves – fostering lasting relationships, community engagement and a feeling of belonging in an increasingly complex world.”

The theme in 2026 is ‘Your Year to Volunteer’ which honours the contributions of volunteers and invites people across Australia to make this a year of meaningful involvement, in ways that work for them.

It is a time to thank those who already give their time and to invite others to discover how volunteering can create connection, purpose and lasting positive change.

“Volunteering is not limited to formal roles or long-term commitments,” Mr Pearce added.

“It includes the everyday ways people support each other and strengthen their communities.

“Your Year to Volunteer is both a recognition of what already exists and an invitation,” Mr Pearce explained.

“There is no single way to volunteer. What matters is that people can take part in ways that work for them.”

Volunteering in Australia is significantly higher in regional and rural areas compared to major cities and Corryong and the Upper Murray punch well above their weight when it comes to participation rates.

According to the 2021 ABS Census the rate of 28 per cent in Corryong surpasses the regional Victoria average (17.3 per cent) and the national Australian average (14.1 per cent) by a significant margin. The locality with the highest proportion of people performing voluntary work was the Nariel Valley.

Regional areas consistently experience higher volunteerism rates due to tighter-knit community structures and a reliance on grassroots emergency services, sports clubs and localised health services.

Being a tight-knit rural community, Corryong relies heavily on unpaid and voluntary work across its critical services including health and emergency services such as the Country Fire Authority (CFA), State Emergency Service (SES) and Ambulance Victoria. Community members also often contribute to the management of local assets such as the Corryong Recreation Reserve.

Major events in the district also rely heavily on volunteers for their continued success including the Man From Snowy River Bush Festival and the Towong Cup race meeting.

During this National Volunteer Week, emergency services have put out a call for more volunteers to ensure that smaller rural communities like Corryong and district are not disadvantaged.

CFA’s Acting Chief Officer, Garry Cook, said that “Following an incredibly challenging and devastating fire season and one that impacted every region of Victoria, it may very well be Your Year to Volunteer and embed yourself in the spirit of CFA.

“Our volunteers are the backbone of Victoria’s emergency response and we wouldn’t be here without them. We’ve seen first-hand this season the incredible contributions and sacrifices our dedicated members make – leaving events, families and work at the drop of a hat, to protect communities.

“As we celebrate and thank our 52,000 members this week, we also use this opportunity to grow and encourage the community we work closely each and every day to join our organisation.

“At CFA, there is a role for everyone. You don’t have to squirt water onto a fire to play an important part. There are a range of support roles and we’re here to find the perfect one for you.

“There are some incredible opportunities for you as a CFA volunteer and you could make a significant difference to our emergency response in your area,” Mr Cook said.

For more information visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteers-careers/volunteer-with-cfa/apply-to-volunteer.

Volunteers also play a crucial role supporting Ambulance Victoria’s work right across the state.

Ambulance Victoria (AV) Hume Director Regional and Clinical Operations, Narelle Capp, said volunteers make a big impact in their communities and to the lives of Victorians.

“At Ambulance Victoria we are very proud of our hundreds of community-minded, selfless Victorians who give their time to support the vital work of our organisation,” she said.

“This National Volunteer Week we’re calling on people in the Hume region who have ever thought about volunteering, to consider the life-saving impact you could have at Ambulance Victoria and make 2026 Your Year to Volunteer.”

Ambulance Victoria recruits volunteers primarily as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members and Ambulance Community Officers (ACOs) to support rural and remote communities. Prior medical experience is not required, as AV provides all initial and ongoing training.

For more information visit www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/get-involved.

Each year VIC SES celebrates Volunteering Week on ‘Wear Orange Wednesday’ (WOW Day), a national day of thanks to the thousands of SES volunteers who serve their communities 24 hours a day, seven days a week through storms, floods, rescues and so much more.

For information about joining the Corryong SES Unit visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us/volunteer-opportunities.

This article appeared in Corryong Courier, 21 May 2026.