Volunteering

Goomburra is the first community across the Region to develop a Local Emergency Action Plan. Disaster preparedness is one of the Goomburra Town Hall (GTH) Committee’s aim for the Goomburra Valley and North Branch Road as there is only one road in and out.

When two retired farmers founded the Jeparit Waterwatch Group in 1995, they wanted to track the Wimmera River’s water quality and health for the benefit of the whole community. The impact of the Millennium Drought, 2010 floods, water for the environment releases and everything in between is part of a 28-year data set that builds a fascinating picture of Victoria’s only inland waterway that doesn’t flow into the sea.

The Veteran Games is an exciting opportunity for former and current serving military personnel to showcase their physical resilience, teamwork and problem-solving in an Australian-first team competition.

More than 5,000 trees and shrubs now call the banks of Thowgla Creek home thanks to the combined efforts of more than 30 volunteers over three days. The plantings will accelerate the recovery of the water system following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires by stabilising banks, providing shade and housing terrestrial food items that fish love.

Regional Cities Victoria (RCV) launches ‘The Winning Formula for Regional Victoria’, a document outlining the group’s priorities to ensure a lasting legacy is created for the whole of regional Victoria as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games ... The Winning Formula for Regional Victoria examines six key areas with recommendations that will ensure a lasting legacy for every regional city beyond the event period and across the whole state, not just for the five cities hosting events...

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) will celebrate its 95th anniversary of operation on 17 May 2023, as the world-famous organisation edges closer to a centenary of service ... "Within the South Eastern Section we offer GP clinics, extensive mental health and alcohol and other drug services, dental services and reproductive health services": Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section) CEO Greg Sam.

Things might be looking up for the Wycheproof SES unit, which had an encouraging number of new volunteers sign up to support the essential service.   The unit has been campaigning for new recruits for quite some time, and under the threat of closure, SES members recently held an open night in one final forage for the numbers they need.  

The Tarrangower Cactus Control Group (TCCG) along with many volunteer Cactus Warriors gathered in the warm ambience of the Baringhup Supper Room last weekend to pay tribute to a remarkable individual who has dedicated over two decades to eradicating the invasive Wheel Cactus from the region. Ian Grenda, a true champion in the fight against this insidious plant species, was honoured with the first-ever Life Membership bestowed by the TCCG.

Hoorah! Rappville has a community bus ... The 2019 bushfires destroyed 23 properties; the pub was saved from flames twice. Residents had to rebuild, recover and find ways to move forward after the disaster. Dave and the other members of the Rappville Social Club had to decide how best to use the donations coming in from “all over Australia”.

Millions of years after Dinosaur nests were dotted around Outback Queensland, the Eromanga Natural History Museum (ENHM) is unveiling a newly created bronze nest at the internationally renowned Museum and home to Australia’s biggest dinosaur ... Designed by artist Phill Wharton and developed by 3d printing firm StudioKite the bronze artwork is a scaled representation of a dinosaur nest of the large sauropods found in the Eromanga region.

During [National Volunteer Week] Two Rocks Yanchep Assisted Cancer Travels, (TRYACT), Two Rocks Yanchep Culture & Arts Network (TRYCAN), Two Rocks & Yanchep Residents Association, Yanchep Community Men’s Shed, Yanchep Two Rocks RSL, Liam James McLaughlin Memorial Hospice, Yanchep Two Rocks Probus Club and Story Dogs have all had stalls in the old Westpac space.

Blake Lee. National Volunteer Week acknowledges the people who generously give up their time to support and benefit their communities. From May 15 to 21, National Volunteer Week is celebrated right across Australia. In 2023 the theme is “The change makers” to recognise the millions of volunteers who play a vital role in creating positive change in their communities and beyond.

During this National Volunteer Week both the CFA and SES have publicly thanked their members for their dedication and selflessness. In the Upper Murray, the local CFA and SES units go "above and beyond" for their communities and have a long history of service however, similar to other volunteer organisations, their numbers have been dwindling.

From kindergarten to high school, Sunshine Coast students are turtle-y in love with turtles ... “Hatchlings are the most popular topic with the kids wanting to know if they can breathe under the sand, how they get out of the nest, what happens if they get left behind and if a mother turtle can find the hatchlings if the nest is relocated": Leisa Baldwin.

Restoring the Nhill Silo isn’t a small endeavour, nor is it a cheap or an easy one. Nevertheless, a passionate group of local volunteers is committed to making it happen. The Nhill Silo Heritage Project was incorporated in 2021, following the purchase of the structure on behalf of the community.

CFA is asking regional Victorians to “Give Us a Hand” in an effort to recruit new volunteers to join its 52,000 community-minded members in protecting lives and property across the state.  The call out is part of a new volunteer recruitment campaign, which aims to encourage selfless Victorians to take up a firefighting, or support role with their local CFA brigade.

Few countries worldwide have such lengths of road, or greater need for drivers to stay alert for every moment of their time behind the wheel. That is one reason why the Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES) volunteers, together with Lions Clubs, Rotary and RSL, operate more than 45 Driver Reviver sites around the state on holiday weekends, and peak traffic days, offering motorists a safe place to stop and refresh.

Nhill Leo Club members, along with their mentors, attended their first Victorian Leo Summit on Sunday 26th March, which was held at the University of Melbourne Shepparton Campus and hosted by the Lions Club of Shepparton ... The majority of Leos’ Clubs in attendance comprised youth older than Nhills’ Leos, however, it was soon evident that the Nhill crew could hold their own amongst them.

Richmond Landcare has set an inspiring precedent for reconciliation by being the first Landcare group in NSW to have its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) endorsed by Reconciliation Australia. The Reflect RAP outlines the group’s dedication to increasing cultural awareness and knowledge, promoting engagement strategies, and building collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Volunteer-based not-for-profit organisations have received vital support through the Early Needs Recovery Program to help re-build, repair and clear fences in flood-affected areas ... "By providing this funding to ShoreTrack, BlazeAid and Rotary Australia to help with the fence rebuilding process, it is hoped to take some of the pressure off farmers to get this done so they can concentrate on other parts of their businesses and recover production quicker": Peta Holcombe, Early Needs Recovery Project Manager.