Canopy Communities

Carisbrook, in middle of Victoria's Central Goldfields region is a little town with a big history.
They’re looking to reinvigorate the heart of their town, and build stronger connections within their small community. Being vulnerable to floods over recent years have helped them prioritise their need for a community led solution to deal with such challenges. They will lean on their strong volunteer base -Lions club, historical society, sporting groups and CFA to work together.

Surrounded by nature, Gympie QLD is a place where coastal beauty and agricultural hinterlands meet. Tourism drawcard, Fraser Island (K'gari) is right on the doorstep of the region, making Gympie a regular spot for Sunshine Coast visitors. But Gympie is not a transient town.
Young people in Gympie, as the next generation of community leaders and custodians of nature, are being given the chance to create a vision for their place and to offer them a vibrant and connected future.

Marong is a growth community, 15km west of Bendigo, surrounded by forests and farming lands. As young families continue to move to the area and grow the population, Marong has a strong opportunity to grow its social connectedness and work toward community goals.

Marong's Community Action Group hopes bringing these groups within the community together will help empower residents to also make the best decisions around preparing and living through emergencies and stresses such as fire, floods accidents and more.

Warburton, in Victoria's Yarra Ranges, is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the risk of fires in particular. Its geographic location and topography in the Ranges, the singular road in and out, have heightened the awareness of residents toward their risk of emergency. They're also aware of the impact of tourists in the area complicating response processes, and the relative difficulty accessing services.

The Warburton Emergency Planning Group are a highly engaged group of locals, seeking to help the town prepare for future disasters and build strong social connections in the community. The group has been through a process of building disaster resilience before, but this revisit and review will see them build on earlier strengths and set clearer resilience goals that reflect community need.

On the Yarra River, surrounded by mountains, Millgrove's small but active community have been working closely together for many years bringing their vision of a safe, vibrant and welcoming community to life.

Recognising the threats posed by fire and flood, residents group MRAG led the community in developing their first Community Resilience Plan - with initiatives they believe will make the most difference to their community in being prepared and connected.

In the far south of the Huon Valley, the rural and close-knit community encompassing Dover and Southport are deeply connected to their pristine natural surroundings. They are also aware of the vulnerabilities of food security during natural disasters, such as fires which can cut them off from external supply chains.

Given the significant role and opportunities of agriculture, fishing and aquaculture for the region, this community will be looking to boost their resilience in areas of food security and production.

In the Huon Valley, the 'Resilient Rainbows' aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment where LGBTQIA+ individuals feel valued and empowered, reducing isolation and vulnerability in rural communities where support networks may be limited.

Recognising the unique vulnerabilities faced by the LGBTQIA+ community during natural emergencies and disasters, the community aims to address their specific needs during crisis by working together with local authorities, emergency services and community organisations.