Last week we visited Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Victoria, meeting with locals from flood-impacted communities and government stakeholders in Castlemaine, Campbells Creek and Newstead, as part of Mount Alexander Shire Council’s Community-led Flood Recovery and Resilience events.
Our Executive Director, Elly Bird, and Communications Officer, Maddy Braddon, were joined by Georgina Bruinsma, Senior Manager Aboriginal Leadership & Engagement at Social Futures. We shared insights from Northern Rivers’ community-led recovery and explored where our work is heading.
Georgina spoke powerfully about her experience leading Rekindling The Spirit Limited the Spirit during the 2022 floods, highlighting the strength of First Nations-led responses and the power of community leadership during crisis.
We also heard from Andrew Parry, a long-time Lismore resident, who shared his lived experience of the 2017 and 2022 floods and his journey as a deaf person navigating recovery. His video message was a powerful reminder of the need for inclusive, accessible communication during disasters.
We met with local leaders from the neighbouring flood impacted community of Rochester and our friends from DisasterWISE Communities Network.
We know communities must be supported to lead their own recovery. This visit reminded us that while every place has their unique challenges, strengths and we are not alone in this work.
Thank you to Mount Alexander Shire Council, local teams, and all presenters for creating space to learn, share, and strengthen the growing community resilience movement.
