More than 300 female and gender-diverse VICSES volunteers will gather for Women in Rescue 2026 across seven locations in Victoria, including an event outside of Echuca.
Photo by
JAMES ANDERSON
More than 300 female and gender-diverse Victoria SES volunteers will gather across seven locations in Victoria, including one outside Echuca, this coming weekend for Women in Rescue 2026.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Volunteers from the Loddon Mallee region will participate in a groundbreaking 24-hour training event at Echuca's Billabong Ranch from Saturday, March 21 to Sunday, March 22.
The flagship initiative, now in its ninth year, aims to strengthen emergency response capacity through collaborative training.
VICSES Loddon Mallee Women in Rescue volunteer organiser Laura Nelson said the event provided unique opportunities for skill development.
“Women in Rescue is a fantastic opportunity for female and gender-diverse volunteers to come together in a collaborative and tailored environment to further bolster their emergency response capacity,” she said.
“Hosting an overnight event is a really exciting way to add a unique twist to the established Women in Rescue initiative, allowing volunteers to develop a range of vital rescue skills in challenging conditions.”
The 24-hour training event at Echuca’s Billabong Ranch aims to strengthen emergency response capacity through collaborative training, marking the first overnight Women in Rescue event.
Photo by
JAMES ANDERSON
This marks the first overnight Women in Rescue event, allowing participants to develop land search skills in realistic bush conditions during darkness.
Expert VICSES trainers and specialist members of the Victoria Police Missing Persons Squad will support the training.
Participants will gain experience in map navigation techniques, establishing portable lighting and safely transporting casualties across challenging terrain while learning about night-time emergency challenges.
The hands-on training focuses on building confidence, capability and connection among volunteers.
Participants will refine technical rescue skills, operate equipment in realistic scenarios and strengthen teamwork in a supportive environment.
Women comprise nearly 34 per cent of VICSES' volunteer base.
The organisation remains committed to increasing participation to better reflect the communities it serves.
Founded in 2018 by female volunteers for female volunteers, Women in Rescue continues to grow in scale and impact.
Those interested in joining VICSES can visit ses.vic.gov.au/joinus for more information.
