Jack Tolhurst was born in 1939 Katoomba, moved to Megalong Valley where he went to school, then in his teen:
moved to Blackheath, where he was still living in 2006. He was interviewed for the oral history project by Diana Bratby in September 1984 and a tape of the interview (No. 063) is in the Blue Mountains City Council library. The interview can be downloaded here: Interview with Jack Tolhurst by Diana Bratby
The Blue Mountains Gazette of June 27, 1990 says that he was presented a Ministerial Community Service Award by the then Police Minister, Ted Pickering on 25 June 1990, Jack was nominated for the award by the Blue Mountains Police Rescue, who regarded Jack as an “honorary policeman” for his massive contribution to rescues.
“Jack’s first encounter with rescue duties was in 1960, when as a member of the bush fire brigade he was asked to guide a police vehicle to a spot in the Megalong Valley where a truck had overturned. From then on, Jack was regularly called tp
assist with bush rescues in the Mountains. When the local police search and rescue squad was formed in January 1968,
Jack was asked to attend squad training sessions.
In 1969, Jack started work at the Bush Fire Prevention Association and in the course of this work was allowed to continue with the rescue squad. Jack’s extensive knowledge of the Blue Mountains and his expertise as a bushman has been of great assistance to police as was his enthusiasm. It is a matter of record that Jack was accepted into the squad as an “honorary
policeman”. Many times he was placed in charge of police at rescue scenes because the officers respected his judgement.
Blue Mountains Rescue Squad records show that of 1022 incidents it attended between 1968 and June 1988, Jack was directly involved 238 of them. When he was on leave from his regular lob, Jack has made himself rescue work, and he even attended his lob immediately after involvement rescues. “Mr Tolhurst is an institution not only for police but rescue services in the Blue Mountains,” Mr Pickering said. “For three decades he has given his time, energy and considerable talent to the safety of other people. “l thank him for his dedication.”
In 2006, he was the Deputy Fire Control Officer for the Blue Mountains.