Bush Champion recognition for respected VICSES Birchip Unit leader

26/08/2026, 3:21 PM
VICSES Birchip Unit Controller Darlene Emblem (second from right) with daughters Lisa and Lauren and husband Eddie, has been nominated as a Community Champion as part of News Corp Australia's Bush Champions initiative.

Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) Birchip Unit pillar Darlene Emblem has been recognised for her undying commitment to Mallee communities, named as one of 30 finalists of News Corp Australia’s Bush Champions Awards initiative in 2026.

Nominated as a Community Champion alongside fellow first responders and community leaders from across the country, Darlene’s contributions as VICSES Birchip Unit Controller and as a volunteer have been profound across the Mallee, greatly increasing operational response capacity in the local area and bolstering the long-term wellbeing of her beloved unit.

Having initially moved to the area in 2017 from New South Wales to pursue a passion for horses, the Emblem family gravitated towards the local VICSES unit in an effort to meet members of their new community.

Darlene quickly ascended to unit leadership and has spent seven of her eight years with VICSES as Unit Controller, fostering a welcoming culture and inspiring unit members and others in her community to consider how they can best contribute to a volunteer-driven town culture.

Overseeing a committed volunteer cohort of around 10 members, Darlene has expertly balanced the external demands of farming and family, the latter of which has been made somewhat easier by the long-time involvement of husband Eddie and daughters Lisa and Lauren with VICSES units across the region.

This family legacy is well known throughout the Mallee and beyond, with Lauren a long-term VICSES Birchip Unit volunteer, Lisa having returned to the unit after a stint as Unit Controller of the nearby VICSES Woomelang Unit and late husband Eddie a committed member for many years.

Throughout her VICSES tenure, Darlene has repeatedly led from the front to provide much needed assistance to her community, exemplified by her coordination of emergency response to severe flooding in 2018 which saw Birchip isolated and 20 homes inundated.

With additional support at least 24 hours away, Darlene and her fellow volunteers worked tirelessly to aid their community, with Darlene herself attending 10 different callouts in a single day while overseeing the response effort.

Always showcasing exceptional commitment and skilled leadership, Darlene’s service has more broadly reinforced VICSES’ standing in the local community and fostered valuable partnerships with other local first responders, strengthening collective emergency response in Birchip and surrounding towns and building resilience across these communities.

Darlene’s exceptional commitment to her local community and VICSES as an organisation ensure her standing as a worthy nominee in the ‘Community Champion’ category of the 2026 Bush Champion awards, which will be announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the National Bush Summit in Dubbo on 26 August.

To find out more about volunteering with VICSES, visit www.ses.vic.gov.au/join-us.

Quotes attributable to Darlene Emblem, VICSES Birchip Unit Controller:

“To be recognised for service to my community is a great honour and one you never expect as a volunteer.

“This acknowledgement is not mine only. It celebrates the work of all our incredible VICSES Birchip Unit volunteers who go above and beyond to support their local community in times of need.

“To be nominated as a Bush Champion is lovely recognition but to be able to shine a spotlight on our rural community and the amazing commitment of its people is just as nice.”