Gary passed away at Milton Ulladulla Hospital peacefully after a short fight with cancer on Monday June 14.

As the Brigade Captain of the Manyana Rural Fire Brigade, Gary covered the localities of Bendalong, Berringer Lake, Cunjurong Point, Manyana and North Bendalong.

Known as a fierce advocate for bushcare and community safety, Gary dedicated around the last 17 years of educating school children, families and working closely with Shoalhaven Mayor Amanda Findley.

"He coordinated the bushcare program around Bendalong Manyana and he was absolutely instrumental in fighting back the weeds in the area, which was one of his pet hates," said Cr Findley.

"With his RFS role, he did loads and loads of education. He was always directing people to get their fire plan organised."

"To me he was just one of those really committed community people. If he thought something needed attention then he would just do it. And I always really liked that about him, that he was really motivated.

"I'll miss seeing him around the place and I'll miss our corny conversations. I'll really miss laughing with him."

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Fellow RFS NSW volunteer James Morris who worked alongside Gary for more than 15 years remembers him as being a gentleman with a "heart of gold".

"He was just a true gentleman with a heart of gold and with a real strong passion for helping the community. I think a lot of people share that idea about Gary," he said.

"He was always doing things for the betterment of the community, he had a very big passion for that.

"And it all stems from both talking to people at street meetings and how to prepare their homes and how to defend them. But he was also very big with school visits."

James said Gary was one of those people you always knew were around because you would hear him, or his car, before you would see him first.

"He had an old Commodore for a very long period of time and you could certainly hear him coming into the fire control centre before he walked in the door," he said.

"It's just the little things like that that we're going to miss the most."

Gary would also play 'Santa' and do firetruck demonstrations at playgroups in the community.

An outpouring of condolences are flowing in for Gary on social media.

Details of a funeral are unknown for now.