News
27 September, 2026
Council moving quickly on PLB loan initiative
Wollondilly Shire Council is progressing plans to establish a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) loan program as a legacy to Oakdale teen Lily Hooper.
Wollondilly Shire Council is progressing plans to establish a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) loan program as a legacy to Oakdale teen Lily Hooper.
Wollondilly mayor Matt Gould provided an update on the project at council’s September meeting.
Cr Gould said the loan program would initially be trialled at three locations – the NSW Rail Museum at Thirlmere, the Warragamba Dam Visitor Centre and the Wollondilly Civic Centre – with council also looking at a suitable location in Lily’s hometown.
Five PLBs will be provided at each location, allowing council to assess demand and how the loan arrangements operate in practice before considering any future expansion.
Council passed a resolution at its August 25 meeting that it purchase PLBs and make them available, on loan, free of charge to bushwalkers.
Cr Gould – who moved the recommendation as a Mayoral Minute – said at the time that it was an “incredibly fitting way” to remember the much-loved 18-year-old.
“A PLB is something you hope nobody ever needs to activate,” Cr Gould said.
“But if someone does find themselves in trouble in remote country, having one can make an enormous difference.”
Cr Gould said council had been working closely with the National Parks and Wildlife (NPWS) over the past four weeks to get the PLB loan service up and running.
He said the NPWS was also exploring opportunities to expand its own PLB loan service through locations such as the Fitzroy Falls Visitors Centre, “providing an opportunity to continue working together to improve bushwalking safety across the region”.
Cr Gould said council had received a number of offers of support from community members, schools and businesses wanting to donate funds towards the program or to supply PLBs.
“This generosity reflects the genuine desire of our community to contribute something positive and practical in Lily’s memory,” he said.
He said grant funding opportunities would be explored to help with the future expansion of the program.
“This program is about providing something practical and potentially lifesaving for our community while encouraging everyone who explores our beautiful bushland to be better prepared,” Cr Gould said.
“Most importantly, it delivers on our commitment to create a meaningful and lasting legacy for Lily – one that helps people explore safely and, hopefully, helps more people make it safely home to the people who love them.”
Cr Gould thanked staff for working so “quickly and diligently” to get the loan scheme off the ground.
Wingecarribee Shire Council resolved at its September meeting to work collaboratively with Wollondilly on the PLB loan initiative.
Council resolved on the motion of Cr Nicole Smith that it “accept Wollondilly Shire Council’s offer of PLBs for use within the Wingecarribee Shire and support the objective of making PLBs accessible to people undertaking bushwalking and other recreational activities within the region’s national parks, reserves, walking tracks and trials”.
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