VRA Rescue NSW

05/09/2026

RESCUE DADS ROCK!!!

A big shoutout to all the dads out there! Especially all the Volunteer Rescue Dads, who often have to leave their own families to be there for someone else’s.

WE SEE YOU.
WE APPRECIATE YOU.
WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR YOU.

Happy Father’s Day!

NSW SES
NSW Rural Fire Service
St John Ambulance NSW
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
NSW Government

01/09/2026

Support a good cause and help one of our own founding VRA Rescue NSW Manilla Squad members in the https://www.rememberseptember.org.au/fundraisers/TeamGregPhelps 💚

78 Australians die each week from Pancreatic Cancer.

For the month of September Members of VRA Rescue NSW Manilla will be walking 78 kms to help to remember those we've lost and stand with those impacted by pancreatic cancer.

Our mate, Greg Phelps, President, former Captain and one of the founding members of the new VRA Rescue NSW Manilla is now in the battle of his life. Please get on board and support Team Greg Phelps by clicking the link below.

https://www.rememberseptember.org.au/fundraisers/TeamGregPhelps

VRA Rescue NSW
VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
VRA Rescue NSW Region North West

30/08/2026

🏆 Cave Rescue Wins NavShield! 🧭

A fantastic result for VRA Rescue NSW at this year’s NavShield, with one of our Cave Rescue two-day teams taking out first place in the Emergency Services category!

The team finished with an impressive 1,920 points across 26 hours of challenging navigation, endurance and teamwork.

VRA Rescue NSW Cave Rescue had three teams competing this year:
🔹 1 × One-Day Team
🔹 2 × Two-Day Teams

They were joined by fellow VRA Rescue NSW competitors from VRA Rescue NSW – SORU and Central Coast Rescue Squad – VRA Rescue NSW.

NavShield provides an excellent opportunity for our volunteers to test their navigation skills, decision-making, endurance and teamwork in demanding terrain.

A huge thank you to the NSW SES Bush Search and Rescue Unit for once again organising another outstanding event, and congratulations to all of our VRA Rescue NSW members who took part.

👏 A brilliant result for Cave Rescue and a great weekend for our volunteers!

VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
VRA Rescue NSW - Cave Rescue Squad
VRA Rescue NSW - SORU
Central Coast Rescue Squad - VRA Rescue NSW
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
NSW Government
Peter Rothwell - For regional NSW
Roy Butler MP

26/08/2026

Great team work from Taree Rescue Squad - VRA Rescue NSW and emergency services on this road crash in a suburban street in Taree as captured by 7News Taree.

25/08/2026

Happy National Dog Day!

Today, the spotlight belongs to some very special four-legged heroes - the incredible VRA Rescue NSW Search Dogs.

These highly trained dogs work alongside their dedicated handlers to search for missing and vulnerable people across NSW, using skills including air scent area search, scent-specific trailing, water search, and human remains detection.

Today, it’s all about the dogs.
Our heroes. Our searchers. Our four-legged lifesavers.

Happy National Dog Day to all our amazing search dogs, past, present and future!

VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
VRA Rescue NSW Search Dogs
NSW Government

23/08/2026

We are excited to be here today for the Sydney Roosters third annual Emergency Services Match at Allianz Stadium. 🏈

The triple-header event honours the incredible men and women across NSW who serve in our emergency services - our local first responders and front-line volunteers including our members from across the state showcasing our equipment and vehicles. 💚

From road crashes to vertical rescues, missing person searches, natural disasters to education, engagement and prevention, our amazing volunteers support regional, rural and remote NSW every day. 🚨

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to see us at our display, chat with our members and see how we're bringing increased capability and resourcing across NSW. 🙏



VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
Cessnock District Rescue Squad - VRA Rescue NSW
VRA Rescue NSW SRG Metro
Dubbo Rescue Squad - VRA Rescue NSW
Bega District Rescue Squad - VRA Rescue NSW
Jihad Dib MP
Sydney Roosters
Wests Tigers
NRL
Chris Minns
NSW Nationals
Roy Butler MP
Peter Rothwell - For regional NSW

23/08/2026

23/08/2026

Mounted Search & Rescue Training | Gresford, NSW 🐴

Our Mounted Search & Rescue team recently took part in a great weekend of training in Gresford, NSW, building skills, confidence and capability both in the saddle and on the ground.

Training covered:

🐴 Desensitisation checks and training
🤠 Horsemanship and horse handling
🦺 Safety principles and procedures
🔎 Search patterns and procedures
🤝 Building confidence, capability and teamwork

Mounted Search & Rescue provides a valuable capability for operations across challenging terrain, with highly trained teams and horses working together to locate and assist those in need.

A fantastic weekend of learning, teamwork and capability development for our members and their four-legged partners.



VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
NSW Government
NSW Nationals
7HorseRacing
Racing.com
Racing TV
Racing NSW
Australian Turf Club

21/08/2026

Over the last fortnight we've been releasing teasers of our new light rescue vehicle that VRA have developed in conjunction with Hidrive.

AFAC 2026 saw the official release of the vehicle, which gathered large amounts of attention and positive feedback from attendees.

Today our Capability Development Manager provides a video tour of the vehicle, its innovative features and stowage. The design in an evolution in emergency vehicles and we're excited to be placing this one into service at a Squad to be announced soon.

VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
Hidrive
AFAC News

19/08/2026

🔍 SEARCH EFFORTS CONTINUE IN NATTAI NATIONAL PARK

VRA Rescue NSW volunteers continue to support an ongoing multi-agency search operation in Nattai National Park.

Our amazing and dedicated volunteers have been working across challenging and rugged terrain, assisting with ground search activities and supporting the broader coordinated response.

Search operations in remote bushland can be physically demanding and require careful planning, teamwork, resilience and close coordination between participating agencies.

We are incredibly proud of the commitment shown by our volunteers, who continue to give their time, skills and energy to support operations such as this. Their dedication to helping others and serving the community is at the heart of VRA Rescue NSW.

Our crews will continue working alongside emergency service partners and supporting the search effort for as long as our assistance is required.

Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers involved in this operation and to the families who support them while they are away from home.



VRA Rescue NSW Commissioner, Brenton Charlton
VRA Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner, Alix Thom
VRA Rescue NSW - SORU
Jihad Dib MP
Chris Minns
NSW Government
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service
NSW Rural Fire Service
NSW Police Force
Rescue & Bomb Disposal - NSW Police Force
PolAir - NSW Police Force Aviation Command
NSW SES