The courage, humanity, endurance and sacrifice of Eugowra community members on and since 14 November 2022 has inspired a new honour from the Royal Humane Society of NSW.

Eugowra is the recipient of the inaugural Community Resilience Award, presented by Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, as Patron of The Royal Humane Society of NSW at Government House.

Mr David Turner, Chair of the Royal Humane Society of NSW, said the award recognised collective bravery in the face of overwhelming odds in a natural disaster.

“The inaugural Community Resilience Award will be presented to the citizens of Eugowra for their outstanding courage, humanity, endurance and sacrifice in response to the disastrous 2022 flash flood,” he said.

On that day, Eugowra community members turned out as one to rescue their fellow citizens, care for the sick, injured and homeless and deal with the trauma of losing loved ones, houses, community infrastructure, businesses and animals, the Royal Humane Society of NSW acknowledged.

They have banded together to rebuild the town, their community, and their lives.

Even children have played their part, not only displaying great courage during the flood but welcoming their mates to their classrooms when school facilities were wrecked, and recording the day in song and art.

The investiture ceremony also recognised more Eugowra locals and emergency services involved in the rescues that day for their bravery.

Her Excellency was in Eugowra in March 2025 to present bravery honours to 47 members of the community.

At Government House this month, Mr Chris Smith, Mr Jacob Townsend and Mrs Rosemary Townsend were honoured for their deeds that day.

When the flood arrived in Eugowra that morning, Chris Smith moved his mother Diane from her house by the creek to higher ground where friends waited.

When he was later alerted by phone call that she was in a vehicle caught in floodwaters, he tried to get to her – turned back again and again by the raging torrent.

Mr Smith encountered a number of other residents in need of urgent help and assisted in many dangerous rescues.

On several occasions he attempted to enter the water to continue the search for his mother.

Diane was one of two much-loved locals to lose their lives that day.

He was presented with the Royal Humane Society’s silver medal.

Jacob Townsend was also awarded the silver medal and Rosemary Townsend the bronze medal for their acts that day.

Jacob was a member of the civilian team in Phillip Wykamp’s tipper truck that carried out more than 30 hazardous rescues.

When the truck gave out, they joined an RFS truck to continue to help those in danger, including a man who was pinned to the side of their truck by a floating ute in danger of being crushed, and an older man who had suffered a heart attack.

Rosemary was washed across three paddocks by the force of the floodwater but made her way to the showground and joined a fire truck crew who carried out numerous rescues, on some occasions kicking in doors to access victims in their homes.

The community honour also recognises those whose stories remain untold, added Andrew Parsons from the Royal Humane Society of NSW.

Many individual stories of bravery are yet to be told and the Society stands ready to confer further awards in due course.

The Royal Humane Society of NSW was founded in 1877 to honour the bravery of those who risk their lives to save others in life-threatening situations.

To nominate someone, go online to https://royalhumanesocietynsw.org/