community - 2026-05-15

Northern Beaches Celebrates Its Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

Council honours hundreds of local volunteers as National Volunteer Week shines a light on the people who keep Northern Beaches communities thriving

Every year, tens of thousands of people across the Northern Beaches quietly give something extraordinary: their time. As National Volunteer Week 2026 runs from 19 to 25 May under the theme "Something for Everyone", Northern Beaches Council is taking the opportunity to formally recognise the individuals and groups whose unpaid efforts underpin so much of what makes this region special.

Every year, tens of thousands of people across the Northern Beaches quietly give something extraordinary: their time. As National Volunteer Week 2026 runs from 19 to 25 May under the theme "Something for Everyone", Northern Beaches Council is taking the opportunity to formally recognise the individuals and groups whose unpaid efforts underpin so much of what makes this region special. Council figures show that more than 32,000 registered volunteers are active across the Northern Beaches local government area, contributing to everything from surf lifesaving patrols and Rural Fire Service brigades to bushcare groups, community gardens, aged care visiting programs, and youth mentoring initiatives. When the economic value of their contribution is calculated, it runs into the hundreds of millions of dollars annually — but for most volunteers, the motivation has nothing to do with money. Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins acknowledged the depth of this contribution at a special recognition morning tea held at Manly this week. "Our volunteers are the backbone of this community," she said. "They show up in the early hours of the morning to patrol our beaches, they sit with elderly...