Volunteers celebration lunch created great camaraderie
Published on 26 May 2026
More than 100 people attended Nambucca Valley Council’s volunteer celebration lunch at the Nambucca Heads RSL Club on Friday 22 May.
The event was heartfelt and it brought together many of our valley’s volunteers who help to care for our sports fields, community halls, museums, libraries, Visitor Information Centre and other special places.
Nambucca Valley Mayor Gary Lee gave a speech at the lunch, saying everyone in the room provided the value our community appreciates.
“It’s a privilege to be able to get together during this National Volunteer Week,” he said.
“Everyone in the room has dedicated years of service to our community and every day, you give the value we all appreciate.
“I want to thank you all for your dedication, generosity and community spirit.”
Council has about 250 volunteers supporting it to administer our public facilities and support services through a Section 355 committee, operating under Section 355 of the Local Government Act 1993.
One such Section 355 Committee is Mary Boulton’s Pioneer Cottage and Museum. Leanne Welsh, who has volunteered at Mary Boulton’s Cottage for many years, said the lunch helped to create connections with like-minded people.
“I really enjoyed seeing the volunteers from the Nambucca Headland Museum and from the Visitor Information Centre, as I could talk to them about how many people they are getting through and what experiences they are offering,” she said.
“Thank you to Council for putting the lunch on and for the Councillors who attended to catch up with us.”
The theme of National Volunteer Week was ‘Your Year to Volunteer’, and it ran from Monday 18 May to Sunday 24 May 2026.
The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are currently open to applications. There are seven award categories, including Young Volunteer of the Year and Senior Volunteer of the Year, among others. Eligibility criteria applies to applications – learn more at https://www.volunteering.com.au
To learn more about the numerous volunteer roles available at Council, visit https://www.nambucca.nsw.gov.au/Community/Get-Involved/Volunteer
ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES TO:
Mr Bede Spannagle
GENERAL MANAGER
DATE: 26 May 2026