In times of need - Field Units

In 1925, then-Salvation Army Chief Secretary Colonel Walter Suttor launched Australia’s first rural motor-van at Bathurst.

The van replaced Salvation Army horse-drawn cavalry forts and enabled Salvation Army officers faster and more comfortable access to farmers in need. In the 1930s, pioneering Salvation Army officers travelled throughout western NSW in Field Unit 1, a mobile ministry unit. They camped and lived on the road, ministering to farmers and small communities.

Today, The Salvation Army’s rural chaplaincy service is still active, with Captains Jeffrey and Sharilyn Bush rural chaplains to the western NSW area, which includes Dubbo’s surrounding districts.