The new facility will house Batemans Bay’s SES and RFS units. Photo: NSW SES.
The NSW SES Batemans Bay Unit is preparing for one of its biggest moves.
Its base was razed in the 2019/2020 bushfires, leaving it without a permanent location.
Batemans Bay Unit Commander Kevin Shepherd said the the unit had operated for the past six years from a temporary home – a repurposed office building.
“Our current position is great – given that we’re in town – but also has its challenges because we are in town.”
He said that while there was room for most of their equipment in the building, it was a different story for their vehicles and boats.
Three trucks are parked at the unit’s current location, while two boats are stored nearer to their original location.
“Given that it’s an office building, it hasn’t got garages attached to it, it hasn’t got sheds … It’s a very, very tight carpark,” he said of the current site.
“It’s made for cars, not rescue and storm trucks.”
The headquarters of the NSW SES Batemans Bay Unit was destroyed during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires. Photo: Mike Day.
That is all set to change at the new home, within the $5.8 million Surf Beach Emergency Services Precinct on George Bass Drive.
“I know the brigade and the members relatively well,” he said.
“They’re just as much looking forward to moving in as what we are.”
A NSW SES spokesperson said the nearly $6 million price tag was shared between the Federal Government, NSW Government (including the SES and RFS) and Eurobodalla Shire Council.
NSW SES committed $2.1 million towards the project.
Construction of the new facility started in June 2025, which will be a purpose-built home for the local SES and RFS units.
Its opening date is soon to be confirmed, but is expected to be in early 2026.
Mr Shepherd said they were waiting on the finishing touches, with a move-in date expected “before the end of the financial year”.
“The last site visit we had was just before Christmas … You could see it as a workable building.
“It wasn’t just a frame, it wasn’t just a shell. It was becoming ours, very quickly.”
It is also set to have spaces dedicated to the SES and RFS members.
He said the organisation’s Eurobodalla units would be based out of the same location for the first time.
“We can start utilising them a little bit more if we need extra assistance – even joint trainings will be a lot easier to organise.”
He said the new facility featured a three-bay shed, which would provide easy access to their vehicles and boats.
“If we have to be operational for days, we’ve got enough facilities there to assist our members in cooking and having meals … We’ve got showers.
“To be able to do that at the unit will just make life a lot easier.
“We can keep the mess there, and everybody can go home clean and refreshed.”
Mr Shepherd said it had been a long wait, but his team had shown professionalism and adapted to their new location.
“It’s a testament to our team at the Bay. They’ve taken everything that’s been dealt to them over the past six years in stride,” he said.
“We kept rolling with the punches … It makes me very proud to be the unit commander at the moment, just to see how the unit has come together and stayed together over the last six years.”
He is keen for the move later this year and said the unit has started to plan (and pack) for it.
“We’ve been able to see progress … Having that end time [in mind] of a couple of months, when we’ll be in there.
“It’s an unreal feeling.”
