SES Bright Unit

22/05/2026

As National Volunteer Week draws to a close, we would like thank those people and organisations that helped us to celebrate Wear Orange Wednesday.

* Pepo Farms – dressed in orange for the day, accompanied by Deputy Controller, Marcus Warner.

*The Bright Visitor Information Centre hosted a display of SES items.

* Harrietville Bush Kinder extended an invitation for us to visit. We took some equipment out with us and set up a scenario where “Hot Dog”, the boniest kinder member, was lost and had to be rescued.

* Harrietville Primary School hosted us for a presentation where we demonstrated our lightweight mule as well as explaining to the students the importance on knowing the emergency phone numbers -000 for life-threatening situations and 132 500 where there is damage to buildings or floods threatening properties.

The Kinder and the School made us banners which are now decorating our shed.

13/05/2026

W E A R O R A N G E W E D N E S D A Y

Next week (May 18-24) is National Volunteer Week. The week is a celebration of the contributions of volunteers in communities all across Australia.

This year’s theme is “Your Year to Volunteer”. For more details go to
https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/getinvolved/nationalvolunteerweek.

Victoria State Emergency Service contributes to the week by celebrating VicSES volunteers with the “Wear Orange Wednesday” event on Wednesday May 20th.

Bright Unit would like to encourage local people, businesses and organisations to join in the celebration by dressing in orange on the day, or holding an orange-themed event at their workplaces, schools, etc.

Please share your photos of your event to this page.

07/05/2026

Bright SES was invited to attend a multiagency training day at Mt Barambogie last week. The focus was on how to rescue a casualty from a fire tower.
Very proud to have our skills recognised outside our local area.

05/05/2026

Our thoughts are with members of Marine Rescue Ballina as they come to terms with the loss of two members undertaking a rescue mission.

05/05/2026

It’s been Autumn Festival time in Bright with the Gala Day Parade on last Saturday.

This year’s theme was “Gold” which tied in nicely with the double Golden Anniversary of VicSES last year and the Bright Unit this year.

To help us celebrate we invited Paddy Platypus to join us in the parade.

With the sheer force of nature that is Paddy, we had no trouble in winning the Best Emergency Service entry in the parade.

Thanks to Glenn Mercer for arranging Paddy’s participation.

23/03/2026

A late afternoon call for a rock climber who had fallen at the Horn on Mt Buffalo.
The climber was climbing in a group when she fell several metres onto a rock surface.
The location was just below the Horn lookout and was difficult to access, requiring the development of a several plans about the best way to extricate her.
Fortunately the helicopter pilot was able to manoeuvre close enough to winch her out.

Thanks to
SES – SES Beechworth
Ambulance Victoria
HEMS
VicPol – Mount Beauty, Bright, Myrtleford
Police Search and rescue
Polair
CFA – Porepunkah CFA, Bright Fire Brigade, CFA Mount Beauty Fire & Rescue
Fire Rescue Victoria – Wangaratta
Parks Victoria

Estimate of 42 rescue personnel on scene, as well as members of two climbing groups.

16/01/2026

Although SES members do not fight fires, Bright Unit has been actively involved in supporting the fire crews behind the scenes.

Bright SES members have been
* working at the Tallangatta Incident Control Centre co-ordinating SES resources,
* supporting the EPA in monitoring air quality in the Ovens and Kiewa Valleys,
* clearing fallen trees to ensure roads are open for the firefighters and the public, and
• supporting fire fighters and others in the field by delivering meals, moving vehicles around, and transporting resources to where they are needed, at both the Walwa and Longwod fires.

(Note some of these photos show members of other SES units who have been working with the Bright Unit members.)

05/10/2025

So exciting to see the Porepunkah CFA's new facility.

Another great asset for the Porepunkah community.

Well done to the Brigade for all their efforts in raising funds and getting the design right.

18/09/2025

SES Bright Unit
Vic Emergency visited us a little whole ago and talked to members about the challenges of rescues in the high country.

12/09/2025