80 years of serving our community

Editor’s Note: Image of NSW SES volunteer Matthew McMahon are available via hightail - https://spaces.hightail.com/space/5YTQ1jA1My 

Bathurst SES volunteer Gavan Ellis and Oberon SES volunteer Matthew McMahon have chalked up an extraordinary milestone of 40 years of service each, helping their communities through emergencies, disasters and difficult days. 
 

For the Oberon Unit member, Mr McMahon said his volunteering all started after a major tornado tore through the region in 1984.  
 

“There was a major weather event just before I joined, a tornado destroyed homes, ripping rooves off houses and sending dogs flying that were chained down and that sparked my interest,” Mr McMahon said. 
 

“When I joined, we were selling firewood down the street every second weekend to fund our unit, we used our own money to pay for the radios and everything else.” 
 

As a farmer, boilermaker and long-time local, Mr McMahon said volunteering in a small town is about far more than just responding to incidents. 
 

“In a town like Oberon, everyone knows each other - you know their families, you grow up together, and that creates a really strong bond,” he said. 
 

He said while the jobs may vary, the reason for staying has never changed. 

“We do it for the community, that’s what keeps most of us going,” he said. 
 

For Bathurst Unit volunteer Gavan Ellis, joining the NSW SES was driven by a simple goal -making sure his community had the support it needed. 

Working as an ambulance officer in Broken Hill at the time, Mr Ellis saw a clear gap in local rescue capability and took it upon himself to help fill it. 
 

With the support of a local police officer, he helped establish a rescue capability from the ground up, bringing together volunteers, sourcing equipment and building a unit from scratch. 
 

“There was no rescue squad, no gear, no nothing - so we got a group together, found a trailer and just got started,” Mr Ellis said. 
 

“We had about 25 people willing to help, found somewhere to base ourselves, and off we went.” 
 

More than 40 years on, Mr Ellis said he never expected his volunteering journey to last this long. 
 

“No way in the world,” he said. 

“But my reason for staying is simple - I love it.” 
 

Mr Ellis said while the work of NSW SES volunteers often happens quietly, its impact is deeply felt across local communities. 

“The SES is an unsung hero in a lot of local communities,” he said. 

“We do it for nothing, but we’re just as committed as anyone.” 
 

Beyond frontline response, Mr Ellis has played a significant role in building capability across the Central West. 
 

Once a Regional Learning and Development Officer, he helped deliver storm, water and rescue training to volunteers across the region.  
 

With that momentum, he also worked to ensure road crash rescue operators met training and compliance standards. 
 

NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said both men embodied the spirit of service. 
 

“Gavan and Matthew represent the very best of the NSW SES - humble, dependable and committed to helping others,” Assistant Commissioner Malone said. 
 

“Forty years of service is an incredible achievement, and their dedication has made a lasting impact on their communities.” 
 

To recognise their dedication, both members were presented with 40-year Long Service Awards at the Central West Command Awards Ceremony on Sunday. 
 

In addition, the NSW SES presented a further 54 awards, including National Emergency Medals, National Medals, Premier’s Flood Emergency Citations and NSW SES Commissioner’s Unit Citations.