General News
24 April, 2026
Ararat SES recognised for 60 years of service
THE Victoria State Emergency Service unit in Ararat was recognised by the Victorian Government this week for 60 years of service to the local community. Member for Ripon Martha Haylett visited the unit to present a certificate of recognition, along with a letter from Minister for Emergency Services Vicki Ward.
In the letter, the milestone was described as a reflection of decades of commitment from local volunteers.
“Reaching this significant milestone reflects six decades of dedicated service to the Ararat community by generations of SES volunteers. Your members have consistently stepped forward in times of need, providing vital assistance during storms, floods, fires, road rescues and other emergencies,” the letter read.
“This anniversary is also a reminder of how deeply SES volunteers are embedded into their communities.”
During her visit, Ms Haylett toured the recently updated facility and praised the contribution of local volunteers.
“I wanted to use this opportunity to acknowledge them, to give them a certificate of my appreciation and to give them a personalised letter from the Minister for Emergency Services to acknowledge all the hard work that they do,” she said.
“Sixty years is such a big milestone, and I was hearing today they created SES in Ararat before there even was SES in the state, which is a tribute to the locals who put this amazing unit together. I hope that they have 60 more years and beyond.”
Ms Haylett said the community appreciates the work of SES volunteers who mobilise within minutes of their pagers going off.
“These are people who jump on a truck when other people are literally driving the other way, they go towards the danger and they are helping people and saving people’s lives,” she said.
“It is so inspiring to see, they do amazing work. Seeing it in action makes you realise even more how amazing those people are and how grateful we are for all the work that they do. It’s really inspiring.”
Ms Haylett said the work of SES volunteers often goes unrecognised.
“There is still really a lack of knowledge from the community about exactly what their SES do. I know that they are supported by this community, but it’s really important that everyone knows that they are there.”
Unit controller Dylan West thanked Ms Haylett for the recognition and said the milestone highlighted the long-standing history of the Ararat unit.
“It’s been around for a long time,” he said. “SES celebrated 50 years last year and Ararat SES is 60 years old, so we are actually older than the service itself.”
Mr West said there was still a need for greater support and awareness.
“We don’t advertise, we don’t jump up and down as much as we should, but we definitely need more community support and more support from council,” he said.
He confirmed the unit is planning a special community event later this year to celebrate the anniversary, with details to be announced in future editions of the Ararat Advocate.
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