Tradie and sports star firing up for life-changing new challenge

Zoe Fleming is someone who loves challenging herself.

or signup to continue reading

All articles from our website & app

The digital version of Today's Paper

The lifelong sportswoman also loves being outdoors, keeping active and being part of a team.

So when a family friend, who is a firefighter, suggested she apply for a position being advertised with her local fire station, she thought it sounded like something she would enjoy.

Zoe Fleming is swapping the footy field for the fire truck as one of the Gunnedah 314 station's newest crew members. Picture Fire and Rescue NSW Station 314 Gunnedah Facebook

It wasn't really something she'd really considered at all before, but involved a lot of things that she liked. She also wanted to give back to the community and make a difference.

At 25 she is the baby of the 314 Gunnedah crew, by a few years.

But it's nothing she's not familiar with.

Involved in team sports since she was about six-years-old there have been instances where Fleming has been the youngest, or at least one of, in the team.

Such as the NSW Indigenous women's cricket side, which she first padded up for when she was 15.

Her sporting background ties in well with a lot of the attributes of firefighting. She's well accustomed to working as part of a team, is naturally fit, and has had to face challenging situations, physically and mentally.

Sport has been a big part of Fleming's life since she was old enough to play sport. Rugby league and cricket have been the two most prominent codes. File picture Zac Lowe.

A recent example of such a challenge was her decision to step back from league this season after the Bulldogs opted to just field a side in the women's tackle competition - which they did take out.

Fleming was the incumbent league tag captain, having led them in their 2025 campaign, which wasn't without its challenges. After a horror spate of injuries, for much of the second half of the season they played with as few as 11 players on the field at times.

"I'm a bit too old and injured for tackle these days," she said.

She was still involved, serving as the team's first-aid officer.

"Sometimes it's challenging because you just want to be on the field and then other days you're like, no I don't want to be there at all," she said of not being able to be out there.

On Saturday she was one of the Gunnedah Cricket Club third grade side's best performers with the ball as they began their 2026-27 campaign, taking 2-30 off eight opening the bowling.

She also plays a bit of touch and Oztag.

A carpenter by trade, Fleming works as a general assistant at her former primary school, Gunnedah South.

"There's a couple of teachers here that taught me and my brother so it's a bit weird," she said.

As for why carpentry, she said she knew when she left school she wanted to do an apprenticeship of some sort.

"I knew some people that were carpenters and they offered me a job and I thought it'd be really good," she said.

"I liked being hands on and doing timber and metalwork when I was at school."

She has two modules of her online firefighting training still to do. Then in December she'll start phase training where they go through what happens when you go out on the truck.

Once she does that she can go out on the calls.

Be the first to know when news breaks.