Nicholas Swadling
Position: Warrego Representative
Address: 235 Parry Street, Charleville Qld 4470
Email: warrego@rfbaq.org
Phone:
Mobile: 0427 106 353
I hail from East Balmain NSW, spending my early youth on the working waterfront of Sydney Harbour, a ‘Boy’s Own’ existence.
My working career began as a 15-year-old Australian Army Apprentice Carpenter and Joiner at Balcombe Victoria in 1969. After graduating the four-year apprenticeship, I was posted to Brisbane and served a further eight years in the Royal Australian Engineers, working with construction, field, and ordnance units. On leaving the ADF I went into partnership and developed Mobike Motorcycle Hire in Brisbane for a few years until the desire for country life and family grew.
I met Jennifer Tindall a young student teacher in 1975, we married in 1977, moving to Tambo area in 1983 and became a Licenced Builder in 1986. Four children resulted and grew up in Western Qld, those four have delivered twelve grandchildren, with room for a couple more.
1992 – 2006 Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service as Ranger in Charge Northern Mulga-lands Management in Charleville Western Qld, comprising four national parks, one conservation area and four forestry blocks, fire management on park and with adjoining neighbours was a critical strategy. My other responsibilities included District WPHS Officer, District Built Environment Project Management, and District training and assessment. Whilst with QPWS I gained an Advanced Diploma in Conservation and Land Management.
2006 - I took up a position with Qld Department of Primary Industries, delivering support and research services to landholders and entrepreneurs proposing industries that were not traditionally DPI as the State Emerging Industries Development Officer, an exciting role with some odd yet wonderful clients.
Now semi-retired, I am hosting the development of a First Responder and Veterans Retreat for injured personnel needing respite, the retreat is being created at ‘Magpie Lane’ Charleville, covering 3000acres of soft Mulga lands and White cypress sand hill communities, its aim is as a place of nature and quiet to help our injured get back on track.
Volunteering – I called a public meeting in June 1998 with the intention of applying to form a local Rural Fire Brigade, the participants duly declared their interest to be establish South Charleville Rural Fire Brigade. Inspector Ray Klein forwarded the resolution to the RFS, and in July, SCRFB came into being with brigade number 1955, however with the demise of West Charleville RFB, we absorbed that area and changed our name to Charleville RFB.
I have served most roles as a volunteer within our brigade several times and am currently the First Officer/Fire Warden. Our brigade is well resourced because our members are active in resource procurement and development of the brigade volunteers, an example I wish to emulate within my role as the Roma Area RFBAQ representative through active communication to brigades of issues and initiatives arising from RFBAQ representations to the RFS and government.
Whilst I may have done a Stephen Bradbury without competition for this appointment, I’m expecting to raise the level of interest of volunteers in standing for election next time, that way our brigades will have more choice of candidates to represent the Roma Area, a challenge I’m eager to pursue.