Wear Orange Wednesday (WOW Day) , taking place on Wednesday, 20 May, is a national day dedicated to celebrating and showing appreciation for the incredible SES volunteers in Queensland and across Australia. These selfless individuals support our communities during storms, floods, and other emergencies, often in the most challenging circumstances.
This past year has been particularly demanding, with Queensland experiencing another severe weather season. Despite these challenges, our SES volunteers have once again shown exceptional commitment and resilience, responding to over 14,000 requests for assistance since WOW Day in May 2025!
WOW Day provides a wonderful opportunity for people across Queensland and the nation to express their gratitude to these volunteers who generously give their time to help others in need. Many choose to show their support by sharing WOW messages and photos in the lead-up to the day and by wearing orange on Wednesday, 20 May 2026.
This year, WOW Day coincides with National Volunteer Week (18–24 May), a time to recognise the invaluable contributions of volunteers from all walks of life. The theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week is "Your Year to Volunteer", encouraging everyone to reflect on the importance of volunteering and consider how they might contribute to their communities. As we celebrate WOW Day, let’s take a moment to thank the volunteers in our lives and think about how we, too, can make a difference.
