For MRQ Masig Unit Commander Loice Naawi, volunteering is about more than helping people on the water. It’s about protecting her community, sharing local knowledge and ensuring future generations have access to vital marine rescue services.
Located in the central Torres Strait, Masig Island, also known as York Island, is home to a close-knit community of around 300 people, where the ocean plays an essential role in everyday life.
For residents, travelling by boat is a way of life, connecting families, communities and neighbouring islands.
But with remote waterways, complex conditions and significant distances between islands, having a local marine rescue capability is particularly important.
“We’re seafarers. We like to travel on the sea, and there’s been incidents on the water. That’s why I think it’s very important having a marine rescue unit based on the islands,” Loice said.
For Loice, the importance of marine rescue is deeply personal, having seen the impact of lives lost at sea on communities across the Torres Strait.
“I volunteer because there’s a need in the Torres Strait, there’s a need at York Island,” she said.
“We need to have a unit based in the Torres Strait because of loved ones that we’ve lost out at sea.”
Alongside her responsibilities as Unit Commander, Loice works full-time for the Torres Strait Island Regional Council and also volunteers with Queensland Fire and the State Emergency Service (SES).
Her commitment reflects the important role volunteers play in supporting remote communities, where people often contribute their time and skills across multiple emergency services.
A key focus for MRQ Masig is strengthening the unit’s local capability, including securing a suitable location to store and maintain its rescue vessel.
During a recent visit to the Torres Strait, MRQ Chief Officer Tony Wulff met with Loice and members of the local community to better understand their needs and discuss the future of marine rescue services on the island.
Loice welcomed the opportunity to discuss the challenges firsthand and work towards practical solutions.
“I’m very happy that the Chief came up to visit and with his support, because we’ve been trying hard to get a piece of land to put our vessels so we can bring the vessel out and store it here,” she said.
“With his support, it made a big difference. We took a step forward and now we’re going to move forward from here.”
Beyond infrastructure and equipment, Loice believes local knowledge must remain central to how marine rescue services operate across the Torres Strait.
With generations of experience navigating the region’s waterways, local communities have an intimate understanding of reefs, tides, cultural boundaries and the conditions unique to their islands.
“It’s very important to have local knowledge because these are our waters. We know our waters better,” she said.
She explained that effective marine rescue in the Torres Strait also means respecting the knowledge of neighbouring island communities, particularly when responding to incidents in unfamiliar waters.
Encouraging the next generation of volunteers is another priority for Loice, particularly increasing opportunities for women to become involved in marine rescue.
“Being part of Marine Rescue as a female, because we always see men doing everything, but there’s woman power too,” she said.
“This is not a job only for men, it’s for women as well. For our future, it’s best we get more volunteers.”
Loice has already been encouraging young women on Masig to consider volunteering, while also highlighting the variety of roles available to people of different ages and abilities.
A recent community dinner, held during the Chief Officer’s visit, provided an opportunity for residents to learn more about MRQ, ask questions about training and explore how they could contribute.
Loice said seeing both younger and older community members interested in getting involved was particularly encouraging.
For a community where the ocean is so closely connected to daily life, building a strong local volunteer base is an investment in the island’s future.
And for Loice, it’s an opportunity to ensure the knowledge, skills and commitment of her community continue to play a central role in keeping people safe on the water.
From the volunteers of MRQ Masig to those serving at MRQ Thursday Island, MRQ Kubin and MRQ St Paul’s, local people and their connection to the sea remain at the heart of marine rescue across the Torres Strait.
Interested in volunteering with Marine Rescue Queensland? There are opportunities for people from all backgrounds, with training and support provided.
Find out more about volunteering with MRQ
