Building bushfire resilience in Mt Beauty

7 Mar 2025

How a community-led approach is strengthening emergency preparedness in a high-risk area

After the 2020 bushfires impacted Mount Beauty, the local Neighbourhood House recognised the need to strengthen community emergency preparedness—especially given the town’s location in a high-risk fire zone. Often, it’s only after a disaster that vulnerabilities become clear.

To address this, the Mt Beauty Neighbourhood House launched the Keep Calm Committee, a community-driven initiative to develop practical, locally relevant resilience programs.

“With emergency incidents, it’s often after the event that we realise where the gaps are,” said Mount Beauty Neighbourhood House Manager, Trish Dixon. “We saw a real need to help our community feel more prepared and connected, rather than waiting for the next disaster to happen.”

With funding from FRRR, the team conducted resilience picnics and community surveys, revealing that many residents didn’t have a current fire plan. The focus then shifted to equipping people with the tools and knowledge needed to better prepare for emergencies.

“We found that a surprising number of people either didn’t have a fire plan or weren’t sure if it was up to date,” Trish said. “That was a big red flag for us. So we set about making sure they had access to the right information and support.”

Through the project, volunteers were engaged, and strong networks were built with local emergency services, as well as secondary support services like legal and insurance advisors.

“This has been about more than just handing out pamphlets,” Trish explained. “By connecting people directly with emergency services and other support organisations, we’re building relationships and strengthening community resilience. People now know who to turn to and what to do when disaster strikes.”

By fostering connections and increasing awareness, Mount Beauty Neighbourhood House is ensuring the community is stronger, more prepared, and more resilient for future emergencies.