SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR - VOLUNTEER 2026
Volunteer Category
Stefania Ring
Marine Rescue NSW
Stefania Ring
Marine Rescue NSW
Shoalhaven RESCA Honour Roll
About the Honour Roll of Recipients
The Honour Roll of Shoalhaven Emergency Services Community Awards (SESCA) recognises past recipients whose service reflects the Rotary motto of Service Above Self. It is a living record of volunteers and staff from across our emergency services who have gone above and beyond for the Shoalhaven community.
This page lists award recipients by year, category and agency wherever possible. It is not only a record of gratitude, but also a source of inspiration for new nominations and a reminder of the depth of commitment shown by our local emergency services personnel.
Jump to a year
Select a recent awards year to view recipients:
- 2026 recipients
- 2025 recipients
- 2024 recipients
- 2023 recipients
- 2022 recipients
- 2021 recipients
- 2020 recipients
- 2019 recipients
For more background about the awards, visit our About SESCA page, explore our Award Categories & Eligibility, or read How to Nominate to put forward someone whose contribution deserves recognition.
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR - PAID 2026
Salaried Category
Daren Hamdorf
NSW Ambulance
Daren Hamdorf
NSW Ambulance
SHOALHAVEN POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2026
Sworn Category
Senior Constable Jackson Gallagher
NSW Police
Senior Constable Jackson Gallagher
NSW Police
SHOALHAVEN AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE ORGANISATION 2026
Community Volunteer of the Year
Able Seaman Joseph Fernon
Royal Australian Navy
Able Seaman Joseph Fernon
Royal Australian Navy
OFFICER OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS 2026
Rural Fire Service NSW
Joseph Revesz
Thomas Tait
State Emergency Service NSW
Richard Findsen
Maddison Stone
NSW Police
Detective Senior Constable Leanne Barrett
Senior Constable Jackson Gallagher
Constable Jeremy Hanks
Sergeant Jason Klein
Joseph Revesz
Thomas Tait
State Emergency Service NSW
Richard Findsen
Maddison Stone
NSW Police
Detective Senior Constable Leanne Barrett
Senior Constable Jackson Gallagher
Constable Jeremy Hanks
Sergeant Jason Klein
OFFICER OF THE YEAR - FINALISTS 2026
NSW Ambulance
Daren Hamdorf
Fire & Rescue NSW
Callum Wirth
Marine Rescue NSW
Mark Asper
Stefania Ring
Rod Jones
Surf Lifesaving NSW
Joshua Chambers
Daren Hamdorf
Fire & Rescue NSW
Callum Wirth
Marine Rescue NSW
Mark Asper
Stefania Ring
Rod Jones
Surf Lifesaving NSW
Joshua Chambers
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2025 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | SHOALHAVEN ADF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR |
Lesley Harper Australian Red Cross | Peter Bugden Fire + Rescue | Sergeant Paul Hoyer | Warrant Officer Simon Carr RAN |
AGENCY WINNERS 2025 | FINALISTS 2025 | ||
FIRE + RESCUE NSW Peter Bugden MARINE RESCUE NSW (Volunteer) Merryll Gomm MARINE RESCUE NSW (Salaried) Stuart Massey NSW POLICE (Sworn Category) Sergeant Paul Hoyer | S E S Gerda Tolhurst SURF LIFE SAVING NSW Robert Brayne RED CROSS Lesley Harper ROYAL AUSTRALIAN NAVY Community Volunteer of the Year Warrant Officer Simon Carr RAN | Fire & Rescue NSW Peter Bugden John Rigoni Marine Rescue NSW Merryll Gomm Stephen Jarvis Stuart Massey NSW Police Senior Constable Bridie Dorans Sergeant Paul Hoyer Constable Ryan King Constable Lee McLaughlin | State Emergency Service NSW Tenniel Horwood Gerda Tolhurst SURF LIFE SAVING Robert Brayne Andrew Fenech Karl Poulton David Schofield RED CROSS Lesley Harper SHOALHAVEN ADF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR Warrant Officer Simon Carr RAN |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2024 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | SHOALHAVEN ADF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR |
Simon Fillery - Surf Lifesaving | Robert Mason - Fire + Rescue | Sgt Matthew Breed - NSW Police | Lieutenant Stewart Mathies RAN |
AGENCY WINNERS 2024 | FINALISTS 2024 | ||
Fire + Rescue Robert Mason Marine Rescue NSW Lynne Hocking NSW Police (Sworn) Sergeant Matthew Breed NSW Rural Fire Service Jennifer Lawther AFSM | State Emergency Service NSW William Frazer Surf Life Saving NSW Simon Fillery ADF Community Volunteer of the Year - RAN Lieutenant Stewart Mathies RAN | Fire + Rescue NSW Robert Mason NSW Police Sergeant Matthew Breed Marine Rescue NSW Lynne Hocking Daniel Pauperis NSW Rural Fire Jennifer Lawther AFSM Janet Ford | State Emergency Service NSW William Frazer Jeremy Sheen Surf Life Saving NSW Simon Fillery Shoalhaven ADF Community Volunteer of the Year - RAN – HMAS Albatross Lieutenant Joshua Chambers RAN Lieutenant Stewart Mathies RAN Andrew Rolfe RANR |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2023 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | |
Linda Tiltsen - Australian Red Cross | Captain Paul Collings - NSW Fire + Rescue | Senior Constable Todd Cremer | |
AGENCY WINNERS 2023 | FINALISTS 2023 | ||
NSW Ambulance Johannes (Joe) Ludick Fire + Rescue CAPT Paul Collins Marine Rescue NSW Leona Curran NSW Police (Sworn) Senior Constable Todd Cremer | NSW Rural Fire Service Suzanne Borrowdale State Emergency Service NSW Franco Palmieri RAN – HMAS Albatross LCDR John Oddy Red Cross Linda Tiltsen | NSW Ambulance Johannes (Joe) Ludick Fire + Rescue NSW CAPT Paul Collins NSW Police Senior Constable Todd Cremer Detective Sg Shane Watters Marine Rescue NSW Leona Curran Charles L’Heureux Peter White | NSW Rural Fire Suzanne Borrowdale Natalie Went State Emergency Service NSW Adam Carney Franco Palmieri RAN – HMAS Albatross LCDR John Oddy Michelle Rutledge Red Cross Sandra Arnold Linda Tiltsen |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2022 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | |
Karen Lowry - Marine Rescue NSW | Sean Doohan - NSW Fire + Rescue | Detective Sergeant Ryan Sheaff | |
AGENCY WINNERS 2022 | FINALISTS 2022 | ||
NSW Ambulance Matthew Potter Fire + Rescue Sean Doohan Marine Rescue NSW Karen Lowry | NSW Police (Sworn) Detective Sergeant Ryan Sheaff NSW Rural Fire Service Steve Townsend State Emergency Service NSW Tracy Provest | NSW Ambulance Matthew Potter Fire + Rescue NSW Sean Doohan Luke Bramley NSW Police Detective Sergeant Ryan Sheaff | Marine Rescue NSW Karen Lowry NSW Rural Fire Brian Coulthart Geoff Phillips Stephen Thomson Stephen Townsend State Emergency Service NSW Tracy Provest |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2021 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | |
Ronald (John) Ashton AFSM OAM - NSW Rural Fire Service | John Dun AFSM - Fire + Rescue NSW | Senior Constable Kyle Wilson | |
AGENCY WINNERS 2021 | FINALISTS 2021 | ||
NSW Ambulance Tara Picker Fire + Rescue NSW John Dun AFSM NSW Police (Sworn) Senior Constable Kyle Wilson | Marine Rescue NSW William (Pat) Welsh NSW Rural Fire Ronald (John) Ashton AFSM OAM State Emergency Service NSW Alan Pheeney | NSW Ambulance Tara Picker Fire + Rescue NSW John Dun AFSM NSW Police S/Constable Kyle Wilson S/Constable Brandon Nixon Marine Rescue NSW William (Pat) Welch | NSW Rural Fire Stephen Heggie Stephen Heycox Charles Schusser State Emergency Service Alan Pheeney |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2020 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | |
Dianne Heggie - NSW Rural Fire Service | Peter Arndell - NSW Ambulance | Senior Constable Doug Nyholm | |
AGENCY WINNERS 2020 | FINALISTS 2020 | ||
NSW Ambulance Peter Arndell NSW Police (Sworn) Senior Constable Doug Nyholm Marine Rescue NSW Allan Brook | NSW Rural Fire Dianne Heggie State Emergency Service NSW Sandra Zigra Surf Life Saving NSW James Connolly | NSW Ambulance Peter Arndell Matthew Potter NSW Police Inspector Ray Stynes Sergeant Kevin Henry Senior Constable Doug Nyholm Senior Constable Mark Willard Marine Rescue NSW Michael Boadle Allan Brook John Eltherington Alex Ross | NSW Rural Fire Dianne Heggie Shannon Judge Paul Lea Charlie Magnuson State Emergency Service NSW Sandra Zigra Surf Life Saving NSW James Connolly Karl Poulton David Schofield |
SHOALHAVEN OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2019 | |||
ESA - Volunteer Category | ESA - Salaried Category | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (Sworn Category) | POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR (UnSworn Category) |
Velma Walker - NSW Rural Fire Service | Faye Stockman - NSW Ambulance | Detective Senior Constable Jason Glover | Kylie Revesz |
AGENCY WINNERS 2019 | FINALISTS 2019 | ||
NSW Ambulance Faye Stockman Fire + Rescue NSW Ross Goodger NSW Police (Sworn) Detective Senior Constable Jason Glover NSW Police (Unsworn) Kylie Revesz | Marine Rescue NSW Danielle Carter NSW Rural Fire Velma Walker State Emergency Service NSW Bill McInnes | NSW Ambulance Faye Stockman Fire + Rescue NSW Ross Goodger NSW Police Kylie Revesz Jessica Thomas Robert Thompson Kelly Carter Paul Cottom Jason Glover | Marine Rescue NSW Harold Plumb Danielle Carter Jurgen Kiaupa Jacqueline Klausen NSW Rural Fire Russell Bell Peter Johnston Paul Lee Sam Thompson Velma Walker State Emergency Service Bill McInnes Bob Williamson |
How Past Winners Inspire Future Nominations
Reading through the Honour Roll, a clear picture emerges: SESCA recipients do not seek recognition. They are men and women who quietly put the community first, often over many years and in confronting circumstances.
Sharing their stories helps the community understand the breadth of work carried out by our emergency services and can prompt us to think about the people we know who show similar dedication. A neighbour who always steps up during storms, a team leader who supports their crew after tough incidents, or a long-serving volunteer who never misses training may all be potential nominees.
Past winners can also guide you in framing a strong nomination. Their citations highlight specific examples of leadership, teamwork, community engagement and compassion. When you nominate, you are not only acknowledging one person or team – you are helping to shine a light on the values that keep the Shoalhaven safe.
Use the links below to review the award categories and prepare a nomination that clearly tells your nominee's story.