NSW SES - Tumut Unit

04/10/2026

WANT TO HELP, BUT NOT SURE HOW? START HERE.

Imagine a severe storm hits Tumut.

Trees are down, properties need protecting, sandbags need filling, supplies need moving and there’s plenty of work to be done.

You want to help your community — but you’re not looking to become a regular SES volunteer.

That’s where Spontaneous Volunteering comes in.

Spontaneous Volunteers are members of the community who can put their hand up to help NSW SES during a specific emergency or event, without an ongoing volunteering commitment.

Depending on the situation, you might help with:
🟠 Protecting properties from flooding
🟠 Preparing communities for severe weather
🟠 Sandbagging
🟠 Storm clean-up and debris removal
🟠 Moving equipment and supplies
🟠 Logistics or administrative support
🟠 Helping distribute community safety information

When spontaneous volunteers are needed, NSW SES can provide a briefing, short induction and suitable tasks so community members can safely work alongside SES operations.

Tumut SES is currently gathering expressions of interest from local people who might be willing to lend a hand when our community needs it most.

There’s no weekly training commitment and no expectation that you’ll always be available — we simply want to know who in our community may be interested when the call goes out.

👇 COMMENT BELOW IF YOU’RE KEEN 👇

Even if you’re just curious and want to know more, drop a comment and we can keep you informed.

More information about Spontaneous Volunteering with NSW SES:
https://www.ses.nsw.gov.au/volunteer/spontaneous-volunteer

19/09/2026

I’D LOVE TO JOIN SES… BUT…
We hear it all the time.
🗣️ “I’m a parent.”
💼 “I work full-time.”
✈️ “I work away.”
🌙 “I work shifts.”
🌴 “I’m retired.”
😅 “Life is just really busy.”

And you know what?
So are our volunteers 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

Our members have jobs, families, commitments, hobbies and busy lives outside of SES.

We don’t all have the same schedules.
We don’t all have the same availability.
And we definitely don’t all have endless free time.
That’s the point!

VOLUNTEERING DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN PUTTING YOUR LIFE ON HOLD.
You give what you can. 🤲
You learn new skills. 🧠
You meet great people. 🤝
You become part of a team. 🧡

So if you’ve been thinking:
🤔 “I’D LOVE TO JOIN SES… BUT…”
Maybe your "BUT" isn’t a reason not to join.

🧡 THERE’S A PLACE FOR YOU AT THE TUMUT UNIT 🧡

PS: Thanks to our mates at the Yass Unit who we’ve stolen this post off. We will be holding an open day soon! Stay tuned.

09/09/2026

NAVSHIELD 2026 – TUMUT SES RESULTS

A fantastic result for Tumut SES members Jobe Gentle and Lane Heynes, who competed as Team 127 at NavShield 2026 in Belanglo State Forest.

🏆 3rd placed NSW SES team
📊 840 points
🥾 19th overall

NavShield is the Australian Emergency Services Wilderness Navigation Shield, run by NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue. Teams are given grid references at the start and must navigate to as many checkpoints as possible, with checkpoints worth different points depending on their difficulty.

The event tests much more than navigation — route planning, endurance, teamwork, decision-making and the ability to operate effectively in difficult bush terrain.

For Jobe and Lane to finish 3rd amongst NSW SES teams and 19th overall is an outstanding achievement and a great reflection of the skills and capability within Tumut Unit.

A huge congratulations to both of them. 👏

30/08/2026

29/08/2026

NavShield 2026 – Six Hours In!

Our two Tumut SES ASAR specialists are well underway at NavShield 2026 in Belanglo State Forest!

As of 3:00pm, the team has been navigating for 6 hours, covering approximately 11.3 km (7 miles) through the forest while hunting down checkpoints using traditional map and compass navigation.

And there’s still a long way to go! 🌲🧭

They'll continue navigating through the afternoon, into the night and right through until midday tomorrow, testing their navigation, route planning, teamwork and endurance along the way.

📍 LIVE TRACKING:
For anyone interested in following their progress, check out the link below, we've clipped a Garmin to them so we can see where they're going!

Keep checking back to see where the team ends up overnight!

https://live.garmin.com/session/b73dfd5d-ba3d-8591-890c-fb768e7a2601/token/438337EB217BD52D942D0C65F8DE0ED?fbclid=IwY2xjawT_SWBwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7Wxl1K6pMPqAfHnJdu_0Alls1fT0YcZ3e5Dn__EcrIZg6coJq0EvO523yL_Q_aem_qp67p35yZ10GgRNYdSh60A

28/08/2026

And they are off!

Follow them live;

28/08/2026

🧭 Tumut SES taking on NavShield 2026! 🧭

This weekend, two members from NSW SES Tumut Unit, who are also qualified Alpine Search and Rescue (ASAR) operators, are putting their specialist skills to the test at NavShield 2026.

NavShield is the Australian Emergency Services Wilderness Navigation Shield, run by NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue. Our members are taking on the overnight two-day event, heading into the bush at 9am Saturday and not finishing until midday Sunday.

Armed with only a map and compass for navigation, teams must plot checkpoints, plan their own routes and navigate through rugged bushland — including throughout the night — to locate as many checkpoints as possible.

For our ASAR operators, NavShield is also a great opportunity to practise the navigation, endurance, teamwork and decision-making skills used when searching for missing or injured people in remote and difficult terrain.

📍 Want to follow their progress?
Tomorrow morning we’ll share a live Garmin tracking link, so our followers can watch the Tumut team make their way around the course in real time.

They’ve spent tonight preparing their maps and equipment, ready for a big 27 hours of navigation ahead.

Best of luck to our Tumut team — stay safe, trust the compass and enjoy the challenge!

25/08/2026

Tumut
flooding
Monitor conditions
Advice

NSW SES advises people in the following area(s) to MONITOR CONDITIONS of the minor flooding on the Tumut River:

- Tumut

You should stay informed by monitoring warnings issued by NSW SES on their website, HazardWatch and pages, the Hazards Near me mobile app, local radio or television, and by following the latest weather information from the Bureau of Meteorology online.

What are we expecting?

The Bureau of Meteorology advises rainfall observed from late Monday night into Tuesday has caused river level rises on the Tumut River.

Minor flooding may develop at Tumut from Tuesday afternoon. Further rainfall is forecast during Tuesday, which may lead to further river level rises.

River levels have now eased following a peak below the minor flood level overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

The Tumut River at Tumut is currently at 1.10 m and falling, below the minor flood level. The Tumut River at Tumut is expected to remain below the minor flood level (2.00 m).

Based on predictions from the Bureau of Meteorology, the following areas may be impacted by floodwater:

- Low lying roads
- Low lying culverts
- Campgrounds
- Unsealed roads

View the full warning: https://hazardwatch.gov.au/a/O_U0El

Download the Hazards Near Me App and set up ‘Watch Zones’ to receive warnings in real time. https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app

For emergency assistance during a flood, storm or tsunami, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Post current at 9:48am on Wednesday 26th August 2026.

25/08/2026

Tumut
flooding
Stay informed
Advice

NSW SES advises people in the following area(s) to STAY INFORMED about predicted possible minor flooding on the Tumut River:

- Tumut

You should stay informed by monitoring warnings issued by NSW SES on their website, HazardWatch and pages, the Hazards Near Me mobile app, local radio or television, and by following the latest weather information from the Bureau of Meteorology online.

What are we expecting?

The Bureau of Meteorology advises rainfall observed from late Monday night into Tuesday is causing river level rises on the Tumut River.

Minor flooding may develop at Tumut from Tuesday afternoon. Further rainfall is forecast during Tuesday, which may lead to further river level rises.

The Tumut River at Tumut is currently at 0.51 m and rising, below the minor flood level. The Tumut River at Tumut may reach around the minor flood level (2.00 m) Tuesday afternoon. Further rises are possible with forecast rain.

Based on predictions from the Bureau of Meteorology, the following areas may be impacted by dangerous floodwater:

- Low lying roads
- Low lying culverts
- Campgrounds
- Unsealed roads

View the full warning: https://hazardwatch.gov.au/a/CFA7hj

Download the Hazards Near Me App and set up ‘Watch Zones’ to receive warnings in real time. https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app

For emergency assistance during a flood, storm or tsunami, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Post current at 11:44am on Tuesday 25th August 2026.

24/08/2026

Tumut
flooding
Stay informed
Advice

NSW SES advises people in the following area(s) to STAY INFORMED about predicted possible minor flooding on the Tumut River:

- Tumut

You should stay informed by monitoring warnings issued by NSW SES on their website, HazardWatch and pages, the Hazards Near Me mobile app, local radio or television, and by following the latest weather information from the Bureau of Meteorology online.

What are we expecting?

The Bureau of Meteorology advises rainfall forecast from late Monday night into Tuesday is expected to bring river level rises on the Tumut River. Depending on the amount of rain that falls, minor flooding may develop at Tumut during Tuesday.

The Tumut River at Tumut is currently at 0.29 m and steady, below the minor flood level. The Tumut River at Tumut may reach the minor flood level (2.00 m) during Tuesday.

Based on predictions from the Bureau of Meteorology, the following areas may be impacted by dangerous floodwater:

- Low lying roads
- Low lying culverts
- Campgrounds
- Unsealed roads

View the full warning: https://hazardwatch.gov.au/a/zyhSuz

Download the Hazards Near Me App and set up ‘Watch Zones’ to receive warnings in real time. https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app

For emergency assistance during a flood, storm or tsunami, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

Post current at 2:04pm on Monday 24th August 2026.