Community
21 May, 2026
Decades of dedication
TERANG’S Ken McSween, Bruce Moore and Kerrin McKenzie are among the volunteers who quietly give countless hours of their time to make their town a better place to live.
This week marks National Volunteer Week, Australia’s largest annual celebration of volunteering.
Among the volunteers dedicating their time is Terang Progress Association president Ken McSween.
He has been a part of the Terang Progress Association for more than a decade, prior to which he was with a previous version of the group under a different name.
The Terang Progress Association is behind a number of events and indicatives, such as the Colour Terang Festival, Terang and District Traders Gala Night and the wetlands project.
No matter the approach, he said he’s always felt a strong sense of fulfillment in giving back to his beloved community.
“The last Colour Terang Festival I was walking down the street and just seeing smiles everywhere,” Mr McSween said.
“Let’s face it – most of the people who walk down the street can seem a little down in the dumps but then you’ve got everyone smiling, having a good time and you find yourself feeling uplifted.
“That’s what most volunteers are looking for.
“I try to make it a point to give them a pat on the back and thank them where I can, but mostly volunteering is about knowing from within that you’ve made a difference.”
Mr McSween said he enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with others through the Terang Progress Association, particularly in the past year when an expanded committee allowed members to focus in on their strengths.
“They’re not tied to every aspect if they have an interest in a specific area, so if they’ve got an interest in the wetlands, they can be involved in that – we like to look at what area people are interested in and give them a licence to actually run with it,” he said.
“Things have been really good with the new committee which has come on this year.
“They’ve all taken control of different areas which is lightening the load on everyone.
“All these things prove a bonus for us going forward.
“Volunteers are the basis for any organisation – if you haven’t got the volunteers, you’re limited in what you can actually do.”
Among the volunteers who have helped boost the efforts of the Terang Progress Association is Bruce Moore, who has stepped in as a grants officer to ensure the group has the funds it needs.
Volunteering is nothing new to Mr Moore – it’s something he’s been doing his whole life.
“I’ve been a volunteer since I was young – having joined surf-lifesaving soon after leaving school,” he said.
“I had a hotel in Guyra, New South Wales, for a couple of years and volunteered with the Lamb and Potato Festival there.
“I’ve been part of Rotary and been a driver for the hospital too.
“I’m now going to be involved with BlazeAid, volunteering for 10 days to help farms which have been impacted by fire.
“I just wanted to do a little bit more for communities because farmers have been hit with fires and flood – at the moment they’re up in Skipton after the January bushfires.”
The devastation of fire is something Mr Moore has experienced previously as he was a member of the Victorian State Emergency Service (SES) when the St Patrick’s Day Bushfires of 2018 ripped through Terang.
“At one stage we were doing some trees out at Noorat before we got messages saying it was too late to evacuate Terang – we didn’t even know we were going to have to evacuate Terang,” he said.
“The fires were all around the area so we got back to Terang – they were starting to evacuate May Noonan residents to the Return and Services League (RSL) but we suggested bringing them across the road to the SES because we had a generator and power, while the RSL didn’t.
“They spent the night with the SES while we were out and about doing jobs.
“From Friday night, we didn’t finish until Sunday afternoon – it was a busy time.”
Mr Moore said he felt volunteering had become less culturally relevant over the years, but hoped to see more people taking up the mantle.
“I think it was part of the Australian nature during the 70s, 80s and 90s,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we seem to have moved away from that now, and it’s getting more and more difficult for younger people to be volunteers.
“Some say it’s because they’re too involved with their screens and social media, but even when we were younger we had other things to do.
“I don’t think there’s a great difference, but maybe we as a country have lost some of the mateship – the work for the country type of attitude.
“But I enjoy it, and I enjoy helping other people.”
Kerrin McKenzie has been a member of the Terang and District Lions Club for around 15 years now, taking on a variety of roles including extended periods as the group’s secretary.
“I was invited by friends, just knowing a few people in there, while at the same time I enjoyed doing community work as well,” he said.
“They do great work for the community so that’s been a motivating factor behind my decision to continue for so many years, but also the camaraderie within the group.
“The meetings, though sometimes serious, are lots of fun.
“We look forward to catching up, and having a drink before or after, so it’s social as much as doing good for the community.”
During his time Mr McKenzie has had the opportunity to be involved in a range of initiatives which have enhanced the town – and, in some cases, even helped to save lives.
“The Lions Walking Track is great because the community can always use it,” he said.
“There’s always lots of barbecues and we have the skin cancer checks coming up – which is all free because the club covers the costs, and in some cases has been a lifesaver for people.
“We also have responsibility of the Terang Community Caravan Park, which is a great facility.
“Just helping other groups and individuals financially is another important part of what we do.”
The theme for National Volunteer Week this year, Your Year to Volunteer, encourages people to give up some of their time to build stronger communities, make new connections and enjoy the sense of purpose volunteering provides.
Mr McKenzie said it was a message he could get behind.
“The world would be a better place if everyone could give back to their community in some way,” he said.
“Even if it’s only a small way.”
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