“These are people who literally, in a space of minutes, went from living their normal daily lives to saving lives.”
Those are the words of Royal Humane Society of NSW president Colonel Alexander Dangar (Ret.) on those who became heroes when tragedy struck Eugowra on Monday 14 November 2022.
From a town of about 800 people, 159 people were airlifted to safety, with many more rescued from the fast-moving floodwaters by vehicles and boats. Tragically, two people lost their lives during the emergency.
Mr David Turner, Chair of the Royal Humane Society of NSW, said the organisation was honoured to recognise and award the many life-saving acts of courage performed in the direst circumstances that day.
"Many of these people resist the title of ‘brave’ or ‘heroic’. The truth of the matter is, that is exactly what they are, and that is what they are being recognised for today," he said.
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Ms Kathy Merrick, Royal Humane Society of NSW Vice Chair, led the verification and research of bravery award nominations to the society ahead of the Eugowra investiture.
“Bravery is not limited by age," Ms Merrick said.
"Some recipients of awards and recognition were in primary school, others were older people performing rescues that would push the limits of strength and endurance of people half their age.
“Many of the events from that day in November 2022 have been captured by a local author, Linda Clark.
"This book of stories, when published, will give a detailed account of extraordinary humans caught up in an extraordinary emergency.
“This is also a day where we acknowledge that there will be other people from Eugowra who performed feats of courage who
have not come forward for an award. These are truly the unsung heroes.”
Recipients of honours invested on Friday 20 March 2025 were:
SILVER MEDALS
Eugowra Rural Fire Service Brigade: Captain Bill Turner, Senior Deputy Captain Dallas Pearce, Firefighter Patrick Welsh and Firefighter Michael Miles.
This RFS team drove the Eugowra category 1 tanker from the onset of the flood, rescuing up to 60 residents in chest deep water without any thought for their own safety.
Mt. Pleasant RFS Brigade: Captain Alan Noble, Firefighter Lachlan Noble and Firefighter John Agustin
This RFS team carried out dangerous in-water rescues in the brigade’s category 1 tanker, evacuating many residents from their homes to safety.
The Orange SES In-water Rescue Team: Tyler Johnson, leader, Grace Langlands, Oscar Meek and Zach Schneider
This team worked to rescue residents, to establish an emergency medical centre and help treat victims with issues including shock, lacerations, fractures, hypothermia, dehydration, sunburn, heatstroke and exhaustion.
The Orange SES City Unit: Nicholas Brown, Joshua Granger, Natalie MacFarlane and Timothy Thornton
Team members helped with doorknocking, medical emergencies, and prepping residents for evacuation from their homes through fast flowing flood waters.
The SES South-East Zone Team: Paul Diaz, Joshua Hurst, Ray Merz, Andrew Short and Justin Thomsen
The team conducted grid searches of houses in Eugowra removing trapped and injured residents by inflatables or carrying them through the flood.
Senior Constable Tim Rogers, Probationary Constable Rebekah O’Connor and Judd McKenna
Senior Constable Tim Rogers carried out numerous rescues in swift, chest high water, initially by himself and then with Judd McKenna on the Eugowra RFS truck.
Probationary Constable Rebekah O’Connor carried out a number of rescues, and when the flood was at its height she rescued one lady from her flood home - finding a tree for them both to cling to in the freezing floodwater until they were rescued by helicopter.
Judd McKenna rescued families with young children from roof tops and people trapped in cars, entering the raging floodwaters repeatedly using houses and sheds as landmarks to help him navigate.
Mackinley Den and Thomas Turner
Mackie Den (18) and Tommy Turner (16) worked together for 18 hours collecting residents, pets and livestock in a utility and driving them to higher ground. When the floodwater became too dangerous they continued their efforts in an RFS truck with Phil Wykamp and his crew.
SILVER MEDALS
John Agustin, Patrick Welsh, Stephen (Snow) Jones and John Dukes (John Agustin received his silver Medal with the Mt. Pleasant RFS Crew, and Patrick Welsh received his silver Medal with the Eugowra RFS Brigade)
BRONZE MEDALS
Greg Agustin, Matthew Park
John Dukes, the Deputy Unit Controller of the Eugowra SES Unit, doorknocked to alert residents and help them move to Eugowra showground.
He then returned to the town, was halted by floodwater and, assisted by Matthew Park, proceeded to wade chest deep to evacuate more residents. He continued with these rescue efforts for 24 hours without stopping.
SES members John Agustin and Stephen Jones and RFS member Patrick Welsh were evacuating a resident in an ambulance, when rising waters suddenly overwhelmed the ambulance and pushed it off the road against a tree - trapping them inside.
Greg Agustin helped Welsh force the ambulance doors open, and to help the resident into the SES vehicle in rapidly rising water.
The water now too strong, they helped move the patient to an RFS tanker.
John Agustin and Stephen Jones continued to assist with other rescues well into the evening.
SILVER MEDALS Phillip Wykamp, Jacob Townsend and Laurie (Truckie) Jones
BRONZE MEDALS Simon Moore, Craig South
Phillip Wykamp, Simon Moore, Craig South, Jacob Townsend and Laurie (Truckie) Jones worked as a team carrying out over 30 rescues in Phillip’s tipper truck.
Their rescues included: saving a wheelchair bound woman, her carer and numerous pets by moving them to a tank stand for a helicopter rescue, rescuing an English couple who were terrified of snakes in the water and an older man who had suffered a heart attack.
They rescued one man who was pinned to the side of the truck by a floating ute which they managed to shove out of the way.
When the tipper truck gave out they joined an RFS truck with Matthew Park and others to continue with further
rescues.
BRONZE MEDALS
Karen Gilchrist and Ben Turner
Karen and Ben helped an elderly couple onto the roof of their Landcruiser and stayed on the garage roof to reassure them until they were rescued by helicopter.
BRONZE MEDAL Joel Neville
Joel Neville helped his father onto the roof of his ute in the raging waters.
The flood continued to rise and the father’s head was barely above water when John Agustin and Pat Welsh arrived in an RFS vehicle and pushed a canoe and a life vest over to them using a TV aerial off a neighbouring house.
Joel, John and Pat got the father into the canoe and Joel paddled him to safety on the roof of a nearby house.
CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
Anne South
Anne was trapped in her house with her daughter, six-day-old granddaughter and a friend. Anne moved her friend onto a high bench, and her daughter and the newborn into the roof where they were rescued hours later.
LETTER OF COMMENDATION
Jason Smith and his horse ‘Bootleg’ aka ‘Boots’
Jason and Boots were moving cattle on his farm to higher ground when they were hit by a wall of water. They fought for 30 minutes to get reach a spot where they could stand.
THE SIR NEVILLE PIXLEY AWARD
Brayden Robinson (year 3) and Amber Robinson (kindergarten)
The Sir Neville Pixley Award is presented to young people who perform humane acts.
Brayden and Amber were staying safe with their grandparents when the floodwaters rose. Although they scrambled onto the table and then the kitchen bench, the water rose above Amber's head and their grandfather was hit on the head by floating furniture.
Brayden spotted a red fire truck outside and smashed against a window to raise the alarm. They were rescued by Mackie Den and Tommy Turner.
TEAM AWARD
The Eugowra SES Unit: Unit Commander John Agustin, John Dukes, Julie Dukes, Joy Anthes, John Anthes, Mareea Agustin and Greg Agustin
This is a new award and the Eugowra SES Unit has set a high bar for other recipients in the future.
Led by Greg Agustin and John Dukes the team coordinated the initial response to the flood and managed the operation, setting up the Emergency Evacuation Centre at Eugowra Showground, attending to sick and injured residents and triaging those that needed to be airlifted to hospital.
The team worked for many days both during the initial emergency and subsequent follow up.
