NSW RFS Lake George Remote Area Fire Team

04/09/2026

Queanbeyan will be hosting the last of three Operate in Remote Environment (ORE) courses for the NSW RFS this year. Residents along Captains Flat road can expect a heavy RFS vehicle presence over the weekend of the 19th and 20th of September. Around 45 RFS trainees and instructors will be operating within the Cuumbuen Nature Reserve for a 48h period, including night operations. Torch lights may be seen well into the night on the 19th as trainees conduct night navigation exercises across the hills.

01/09/2026

Lake George RAFT had a cracking weekend at SES NavShield in Belanglo State Forest.

It was great to be out there, and even more so to sit back and watch how tightly the event was run. Events like this don’t just happen. The planning, logistics and hours that go into making NavShield work are enormous, and it showed.

We won’t pretend the setting didn’t sit with us. Belanglo carries a tragic history, and none of us ever expected to choose to walk or camp there. What surprised us was the forest itself.

State forests really are public places, well maintained and more accessible than many people realise. One course took us from tall, nearly mature pines with a damp, green understorey out onto dry, exposed cliff lines, 100-metre drops and waterfalls. Then back through dense bush into more open forest, with light coming through and a mix of mid and low understorey.

A place with a horrific past, and still some of the most striking and unknown views we’ve seen. That contrast is hard to shake.

Thanks to NSW SES, Bush Search and Rescue and everyone who put the weekend together. Great training, great people, and a reminder that even the hardest country can still stop you in your tracks if you allow yourself to take a breath to take in the scenery.

30/08/2026

Reports of a fire at Lake George. Thanks to Anita Bryant for the photo.

28/08/2026

Lake George RAFT warming up for today’s NAVSHIELD event run by the SES. This year is being held in the Belanglo State Forest - Never felt the need to camp or walk in this forest, but here we are.

02/08/2026

Over this weekend, ten members of Lake George RAFT re-qualified in Helicopter Insertion Techniques (HIT) at Cooma and Hume. HIT involves hover exit and entry, and winching from a helicopter into remote areas where the helicopter cannot land.

13/07/2026

30/06/2026

Note: All spots now filled.

🔥 Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of RAFT? 🔥

If you enjoy the bush — bushwalking, hiking, fishing, hunting or camping — becoming part of a Remote Area Firefighting Team (RAFT) could be the perfect way to utilise your RFS skills in a new, remote environment.

🌲 Lake George RAFT – “Try Before You Apply” 🌲
📅 5 July
🕘 9:00am
📍 Googong Downstream Picnic Area
🗺️ 55H GA 054 791

We’re running a relaxed, no-pressure morning designed to give you a real feel for RAFT operations — with no commitment required.

This session will run like a mini RAFT deployment:A small team will assess the task, review terrain and risks, develop a plan, and then carry it out together.

💡 Did you know?
On LG RAFT operations, there is no rank structure. Everyone on the team contributes equally — agreeing on the plan, identifying risks, discussing mitigation strategies, planning communications, and preparing emergency response plans if things go wrong. It’s a different way of operating, and one of RAFT’s biggest strengths.

👀 What you’ll learn:
- What RAFT does (and why it matters)
- The type of terrain and conditions we operate in
- How we access remote areas (including helicopter winching)
- Pack Test (Arduous) requirements
- How RAFT compares to normal brigade volunteering
- The training pathway and how to formally join Lake George RAFT

🚶‍♂️ The morning will finish with a light bushwalk (~2.5km) planned by participants using core RAFT skills. No extreme fitness needed — just the ability to walk gently with a day pack (water + snacks).

✅ Open to any Zone member with an interest

📬 See the LG Zone newsletter for contact details

🚒🌲 Come and see what RAFT is all about — before you apply.

28/06/2026

Pre-season training looks time-intensive, but it’s a range of events that members can choose to attend if they need the qualification or have a skill to build/practice. RAFT is built on skills already gained through the normal RFS brigade structure. We are just sharpening or adding specific skills where remote areas and firefighting create unique access issues and risks.

10/05/2026

Welcome to all our new followers who have come out of the blue. We hope to add more content over the Winter/Spring training season.