Winners will be selected by a panel of highly respected judges in September.
Among the 2023 finalists were two long-standing members of the Rural Fire Service:
Maxwell Pearce - As the first officer at North Dallarnil rural fire brigade, he has served the community for 42 years. From long haul operations containing fires for seven days straight to helping those impacted by floods. In his spare time, Max works with local school children and each year, he facilitates and encourages students to write an essay for a competition where Max then reads each essay and awards prizes to the students.
David Lyons - As First Officer of the Gilston/ Advancetown Rural Fire Brigade, he has led the brigade through many major emergencies, including the 2019/2020 fires and 2022 floods and served on the ground as well as with his team. David has spent countless hours to make this brigade what it is today alongside his team, which has grown from 10 active members in 2019 to over 25 active members in 2022.