Community organisations across NSW have been recognised for their work protecting locals from major bushfires, flood zones and disaster events during the 2019 Resilience Australia Awards ceremony at NSW Parliament today.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said this year celebrates 20 years of building disaster resilience across Australia.
Among the winners include a Goobang community led initiative focused on developing vulnerability mapping and information for locals, a community service directory and a 'Go Box' full of documents and equipment for faster recovery.
"The Resilient Australia Awards are about celebrating the accomplishments of community groups, emergency services, state and local government, and education providers in making NSW communities more resilient, better equipped and safer in the face of adversity," Mr Elliott said.
"People who care about their communities are the greatest resource we have in reducing the impact of natural disasters and other emergencies. The deeper and stronger the community connections, the better they are able to prepare and recover when disaster strikes.
"Most of our finalists have been affected personally by disasters which had widespread impact on their communities. Many are still recovering. We have much to learn from their projects and initiatives."
The 2019 Resilient Australia Awards winners, and the Get Ready Community Award winner, are:
- Goobang Community Resilience Network (Community): Local Leaders Project setup a vulnerability mapping, a community service directory and a 'Go Box' filled with documents and equipment for faster recovery.
- Gateway Family Services (Community): Walk with Project is an online learning resource with information for families and communities for disaster support.
- Tathra & Region Chamber of Commerce (School): The Tathra-Sapphire CoastTourism Resilience Project uses local forums to connect businesses with emergency services following the Tathra bushfire in 2018.
- Tathra Public School (School): When the Fire met the Sea uses narratives, poetryand art to describe the bushfires in 2018. The profits go toward regeneration projects within the school and community.
- Tweed Shire Council(Local Government): Industry Central Land Swap has successfully moved landowners and businesses in the high risk flood zone in South Murwillumbah to flood free land.
- NSW Rural Fire Service (Government): Ten Years of Prepare Act SurviveCampaigns which has increased bushfire preparedness and develop a bushfire survival plan.
- Taylor Adair (Photography) with a photograph titled Life Line of NSW Rural Fire Service Group Captain in Valla NSW.
- Get Ready Community: Kyogle LGA Communities supported by Kyogle Council Entry: Kyogle Community-Managed Action Plan for an Emergency EvacuationCentre so residents have a 'Plan B' should a disaster occur.
The winners of the NSW Resilience Australia Awards categories may also be selected as finalists in the National Resilient Australia Awards in November.
