Goulburn Show stalwart named 2026 Southern Inland Volunteer of the Year
September 16th, 2026
Goulburn Show President and the region’s go-to volunteer Jacki Waugh has been named the 2026 Southern Inland Volunteer of the Year, for her tireless commitment to community, regional events and public safety.
Jacki was recognised today at the 2026 NSW Volunteer of Year Awards at the Goulburn Workers Club.
The NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards are hosted by The Centre for Volunteering to help promote and support volunteering across NSW. The Awards are now in their 20th year and celebrate the work of thousands of individuals and volunteer teams from a diverse range of organisations across the state.
Other individual and team awards were also announced today:
Southern Inland Adult Volunteer of the Year: Jacki Waugh from Towrang
Jacki has been President of the Goulburn AP&H Society for the past decade, where she coordinates a team of 250 volunteers to deliver the region’s signature event – the Goulburn Show.
She drives event planning, grant applications, sponsorship and stakeholder engagement, media promotion, programming and compliance oversight for the annual event.
Jacki also volunteers with several other groups across the region including the Goulburn Lilac City Festival, the Towrang Rural Fire Brigade, the Goulburn Pony Club, Mulwaree Arts and Crafts, and the Goulburn Rodeo Committee.
Southern Inland Senior Volunteer of the Year: Steven Pow from Jerrabomberra
Steven has racked up more than half a century of volunteering with the NSW Rural Fire Service where he repairs and maintains equipment so volunteers are ready to respond to incidents, fires and other emergencies. He serves as Deputy Captain and Treasurer for the Ridgeway Brigade and remains one of the brigade’s key daytime responders.
Steven also volunteered with BlazeAid Australia following the devastating Victorian fires in January 2026, helping fire-affected farmers to repair and rebuild kilometres of damaged fencing to restore their properties and contain livestock.
Southern Inland Emergency Volunteer of the Year: Andrew Heaney from Greenleigh
Andrew has volunteered at the NSW Rural Fire Service for more than 35 years, at Queanbeyan and Ridgeway Brigades, and has held multiple roles including Captain, Senior Deputy Captain, Deputy Captain and Maintenance Officer.
He gives his time as a frontline firefighter, a brigade leader and with other operational support. His skills as a heavy diesel mechanic, auto electrician, and welder are put to good use to maintain and repair critical firefighting equipment. His contribution as a trainer at both zone and brigade level has been significant.
He has contributed to major incidents including the 1997 Thredbo disaster, the 2003 ACT bushfires, 2019-2020 NSW bushfire emergency; and the devastating NSW floods in 2022-23.
Southern Inland Volunteer Team of the Year: We Love Goulburn Gardening Group
The eight volunteers with the We Love Goulburn Gardening Group maintain the region’s public parks, heritage sites, and support community events via thousands of hours of loving hands-on garden work. They clear fallen branches, rake leaves, weed, prune, mulch and restore garden beds.
The group has been on the job for the past 21 years and are inspired by civic pride and a love of gardens and open space. Their work helps to create beautiful open spaces for the wider community and visitors to enjoy.
The Centre for Volunteering CEO Gemma Rygate said volunteers from across the state’s Southern Inland region give so much to the local community.
“Volunteers help build strong and healthy communities across the state,” Ms Rygate said.
“They are always there when we need them most, giving their time and support across all areas of life including health, emergency services, education and community sectors.
“Volunteers are role models for others, highlighting how volunteering can have such a positive impact on people and places. These awards celebrate the volunteering effort and impact.”
The NSW Minister with responsibility for Volunteering, Jodie Harrison said:
“Congratulations to our everyday heroes, the winners of the Southern Inland Volunteer of the Year Awards.
“From the bush to the sea, volunteers are the true heartbeat of our communities. Thank you for your invaluable contributions. You make New South Wales the best state to live in.
“In partnership with the Centre for Volunteering, the NSW Government continues to build a sector that is strong and diverse, and to make sure volunteers like you are recognised for and supported in what you do.”
Southern Inland award recipients will be invited to represent their region at the State Gala Award Ceremony at the end of the year, where the NSW Volunteer of the Year in each category will be announced.