On May 8 Governor General David Hurley and his wife Linda Hurley made a special visit to the Cobargo Rural Fire Service shed to honour the local firefighters.

Volunteer firefighters from both Cobargo and Quaama Rural Fire Brigades joined a combined National Medal presentation, with numerous National Emergency Medals awarded.

Cobargo Rural Fire Brigade president John Walters said the private medal presentation was a humbling experience.

"It was an absolutely magical day and we were so excited. I think it was significant that we were able to host the Governor General and Mrs Hurley in a private ceremony at the station," he said.

Mr Walters said the Governor General encouraged the recipients to embrace the medals and recognition given.

"The Governor General was very clear in his advice to all of us, that we often feel reluctant to receive these awards and that's fairly common. We often feel that we could have done more and we probably haven't been ready to be recognised.

"But he told us all that we should stand up proudly, and we should accept the medal with the thanks of the nation with which it was given."

From both brigades, 18 Cobargo and 11 Quaama firefighters were presented with National Emergency Medals, which is awarded when a person has rendered either sustained or significant service during a nationally-significant emergency.

Mr Walters said the speech and medal presentation was an emotional event for their members.

"I've got to say, for the first time, I saw a few of our very hardened firefighters shed a tear. It was very emotional," he said.

At the end of the presentation, the Governor General's wife made the entire gathering sing You Are My Sunshine, a tradition for which she is renowned, and which she later made audiences sing at the Cobargo Concert

Other local honoured guests invited to attend the medal presentation, for their contribution and help in 2019 and 2020 fires that went through Cobargo and Quaama, were John Cullen, Tamsyne Harlen, Iain Stroud, Garry Cooper, John Inskip and Fiona Campbell.

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