NSW SES Parkes Unit

22/05/2026

🎉🥳Saturday is going to be a big day for Parkes Unit with the offical (invitation only) opening of our new facility which includes a very big shed, operations and meeting rooms.

🫣Unfortunately today’s event is not a public one, but rest assured we can’t wait to show everyone how wonderful the new facility really is. We moved in just over two weeks ago and just need a little more time to settle in and get to know the place before we have an open day to show it off.

🆕🌈🚨 Our overwhelming gratitude to the cast of hundreds who have helped get us here, and to everyone wishing us well. We look forward to showing you around soon.

The Parkes Phoenix
Parkes Bulletin Board
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
Central West Police District
Parkes Champion Post
7NEWS Central West
Parkes Shire Council
NSW SES
Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes
ABC Central West
Parkes Chamber of Commerce
WIN News Central West
Cookamidgera Community Notice Board

19/05/2026

Legends both.

It has been almost 57 years since the Billabong Creek tragedy of 31 May 1969, when a vehicle carrying multiple people to a school fete was swept away in floodwaters. Several people sadly lost their lives.

The tragedy deeply affected the town and exposed the urgent need for trained local rescuers, proper equipment and an organised emergency response capability. It became the catalyst for the formation of the Parkes and District Rescue Squad which then evolved into our NSW SES Parkes Unit in the 1990’s.

“If we had an organised team and even a little bit of equipment, we could have got the car out and helped those people much sooner,” original rescue squad member Neil Parker said.

Neil reminisced on the freezing cold conditions at the time and how he had stood on shards of glass from the shattered windscreen for up to six hours without even realising it.

Founding Parkes SES Unit volunteer and former Parkes Unit Commander Allan Draper said “Back then we had to make do with whatever we could get our hands on. If we found something useful, we’d paint it yellow, claim it our own and call it rescue equipment,”

Today, the Parkes Unit is made up of 23 female members and 19 male members, reflecting the significant evolution of the Service over the decades.

Current Parkes Unit Commander Kim Palmer said the official opening of the new headquarters was an exciting milestone for the Unit and a chance to reflect on how far the local capability has come.

🧡 In the lead-up to WOW Day on May 20, we’re shining a spotlight on some incredible people like Neil and Allan, who help make the SES what it is.

19/05/2026

🥳Whether it’s a high-vis jacket, a warm
Orange scarf or socks to keep the May chill at bay or just a pair of funky orange earrings, put on some colour for WOW day, Wednesday, 20th May.

🤔 You might find yourself asking - but what is WOW Day?
And we would say, WOW stands for Wear Orange Wednesday (Wow, see what we did there?)🤦‍♀️

🫶WOW is a national day held during National Volunteer Week dedicated to saying a massive "THANK YOU" to the volunteers of the State Emergency Service (SES) in every state.

🥰And, while we have your attention, we also especially want to recognise and say thanks to our families, friends and employers who give us the freedom and support to stand by our communities during storms, floods, searches, rescues and other emergencies.

⛈️🌊NSW SES volunteers are ready to answer the call for help at all hours and at a moments notice, to help strangers in their darkest hours.

🍊A simple splash of orange is a small gesture — but it’s a powerful reminder that this service doesn’t go unnoticed.

🔸WOW Day isn’t just about wearing orange.
It’s about recognising courage.
It’s about community.
It’s about mateship, resilience, and people helping people.

🧡 🧡 Because behind every orange uniform is an ordinary person doing extraordinary things for their community.

🩳 If you have something orange, wear it proudly tomorrow. Spread the word. Share a photo. Say a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the incredible volunteers of the SES.








🧡 🧡

Cookamidgera Community Notice Board
ABC Central West
Parkes Champion Post
Parkes Bulletin Board
7NEWS Central West
WIN News Central West
The Parkes Phoenix
Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes
Parkes Shire Council
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
NSW SES
NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
Central West Police District
Parkes Chamber of Commerce

15/05/2026

☔️😬 In welcome news for farmers and water tank owners, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting the potential for a bit of rain around the traps from Sunday through to Tuesday.

So if you were thinking laundry, definitely aim for Saturday - and while you are hanging it all out on the line, take a moment to do a quick ‘storm ready’ check around your home.

🪾🏡As always, we recommend planning and preparation to prevent pain, especially while the weather is good. This means checking the gutters, cutting back overhanging branches and putting those pesky aerodynamic trampolines and the lighter garden furniture under cover.

⛈️ While NSW SES volunteers are ready to respond to any calls for assistance, we ask the community to be prepared too.

😳 📲 Given the uncertainly in the forecasts, we also urge you to monitor conditions over the coming days. So if you haven’t already, Download Hazards Near Me (https://www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/prepare/apps) or visit the NSW SES website (https://ow.ly/zRyu50UE3pt) to stay up to date with warnings and information.

If it does get wild and woolly out there remember to:
🚗 Move your car under cover or away from trees and powerlines if safe to do so.

🪟 Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.

💦 Keep clear of creeks and storm drains

📞 If you do require assistance in floods and storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call Triple Zero (000).








NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
Parkes Chamber of Commerce
Cookamidgera Community Notice Board
ABC Central West
7NEWS Central West
Parkes Bulletin Board
Central West Police District
Parkes Shire Council
Parkes Champion Post
The Parkes Phoenix
WIN News Central West
NSW SES
Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
Lachlan NSW SES

08/05/2026

😳There is a LOT happening around Parkes on Saturday (May 9) including a Crop Swap from 9am to 11am with Parkes Community Arts; a Fete from 10am to 1pm Southern Cross Care NSW & ACT Parkes; an Open Day from 10am to 2pm at the Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes: and from 8:30am to 3pm the Grand Official Opening of Parkes Mitre 10. 😮‍💨

😬So of course this is also the Saturday, from 9am - 1pm, that we at NSW SES Parkes Unit and Lachlan NSW SES decided to host a Get Ready Workshop for residents at our Zone Office at 55 Matthews St. 🤷‍♀️🙀

Everybody is welcome and the first 30 people to stop by to learn how to lay a sand bag, clean gutters safely and why you need one, will get a free starter emergency kit thanks to AAMI🫶🚨

Central West Police District
7NEWS Central West
Parkes Chamber of Commerce
The Parkes Phoenix
ABC Central West
NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
Parkes Shire Council
Parkes Champion Post
WIN News Central West
Parkes Bulletin Board
Cookamidgera Community Notice Board
NSW Reconstruction Authority
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
NSW SES

06/05/2026

shire community noticeboard
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes
Parkes Bulletin Board
NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
Parkes Chamber of Commerce
Central West Police District
NSW SES
WIN News Central West
Parkes Champion Post
Parkes Shire Council
7NEWS Central West
The Parkes Phoenix
ABC Central West
Cookamidgera Community Notice Board

05/05/2026

🌧️ Get Ready Parkes – Free Community Workshop 🌧️

Severe weather can happen at any time—are you and your household prepared?

Join the NSW SES Parkes Unit & the NSW SES Lachlan Capability Unit for a Get Ready Workshop and learn simple, practical steps to prepare for storms and floods.

📅 When: Saturday 9 May 2026
⏰ Time: 9:00am – 1:00pm
📍 Where: Parkes Zone Office, 55 Matthews Street, Parkes

This is a great opportunity to:
✔️ Learn how to prepare your home and family
✔️ Understand local risks
✔️ Ask questions and connect with your local SES volunteers

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Open to all community members – bring your family along!

👉 Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/EFWXGqXe9E

Let’s work together to keep our community safe 💛

05/05/2026

Our deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of those brave members of Marine Rescue NSW involved in the tragic incident off Ballina Bar overnight.

We grieve, not only for the lives lost responding to the incident but also the loss of life on the vessel they were attempting to reach.

It is a devastating reminder of what every member of the emergency services can face whenever they answer a call for help, often in the most challenging and dangerous of conditions.

We extend our sympathies to all the members of Marine Rescue NSW, as well as all anyone else affected by this tragedy.

Our thoughts are with you all during this difficult time.💙💙

03/05/2026

Congratulations to all the teams who took part, we know you all did your very best, and we are looking forward to hearing all about the tips, techniques and new skills you have learned.

And a huge thank you to the organisers, support crews, volunteer ‘casualties’, moulage artists, exhibitors and sponsors who worked so tirelessly to make this Challenge such an amazing experience for both participants and spectators.

And let’s not forget the dozens and dozens of cars that were chopped, cut mangled and reorganised in ways their manufacturers could never have anticipated.

Results will be posted later in the week and we will let you all know how our combined NSW SES Forbes Unit and NSW SES Parkes Unit team did - although they are already all winners as far as we are concerned.

Cookamidgera Community Notice Board
Parkes Shire Community Noticeboard
Parkes Bulletin Board
Parkes Shire Council
Parkes Chamber of Commerce
Parkes Champion Post
ABC Central West
Fire and Rescue NSW Station 417 Parkes
NSW SES
WIN News Central West
7NEWS Central West
Central West Police District
NSW RFS - Parkes Headquarters Brigade
The Parkes Phoenix