David hits 50 years of firefighting service
Wonga Beach RFS
Wonga Beach Rural Fire Service volunteer David Price, 68, may not head out on the truck anymore, but his dedication to helping to protect life and property throughout his community has not waned for 50 years.
David began his rural firefighting journey aged “around 18” in Goulburn, NSW, spending 40 years as a volunteer in NSW before moving to Wonga where he has been a constant face at the Wonga Beach RFS for the past decade.
On Australia Day, 2025, his 50 years of volunteering will be recognised by his peers and the community.
“I had some mates where I used to live go along to the fire service so I just went along too as it was something to get involved in,’’ he said.”
“It was known then as Civil Defence, then the Bushfire Brigade and later the Rural Fire Service.’’
His firefighting took him into the devastation of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria where 173 people lost their lives, and he was there in Canberra in January 2003 “the day fire blew over Canberra’’.
Wonga Beach RFS has around 20 active members, and David says it is a strong team who all get along well.
David says that, due to his health, he can no longer go on the trucks to attend fires and other emergencies, but he still is able to and enjoys manning the station and keeping that operating smoothly.
“We don’t do road accidents anymore, which is a good thing,’’ he said.
“That’s one thing that I don’t miss. The things that I have seen over the years… I can’t look at it anymore.
“We did a lot of clean up after Cyclone Jasper…. We were busy for a long time with that.
“They go and do that sort of thing to help the people out.
“The group we’ve got here get along together. They’re very welcoming and we’ve built a bigger station in the time that we have been here.’’
David’s wife, Michelle, also is a dedicated volunteer with Wonga Beach RFS and still attends fire emergencies, herself closing in on 50 years of service.
The fire service also has rewarded David in the sporting arena. A more than half decent clay target shooter, David won a silver medal in the discipline at the 2012 World Fire Fighting Games in Sydney.
“I’m not a fisherman, so that’s probably one thing that has kept me active in the RFS… I wasn’t off fishing,’’ he laughed.
“I’ll just keep going with how I can and do what I can for as long as I can,’’ he said.
Wonga Beach rural fire brigade captain Stuart Yendle was in August recognised by Queensland RFS as the Volunteer of the Year for the Northern Region.
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