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How Marong Became a Canopy Community

A case study

Prepared by The Resilience Canopy Team
Published 13 November 2025

Intro

To help communities better understand how to join the Canopy movement and what it means to be a Canopy Community, we present the pathway that the community of Marong VIC took, and some of the early benefits they have experienced.

While we’re the first to acknowledge that no two communities are the same, we hope this helps your geographic or interest-based community learn more about the benefits of joining our program, no matter what stage of your unique resilience journey you’re on or how established your existing community is.

About Marong

Marong – a Dja Dja Wurrung word for the Murray River Pine – is a town in the City of Greater Bendigo VIC, home to approximately 2,000 residents (ABS 2021).

The post office opened on 1 January 1860, symbolising how long the town has been around for. To further signify the town’s place in Victorian history, it was its own local government area from 1861 right up until 1994.

Marong is growing rapidly. The profile of the community is changing. It has a higher-than-average proportion of young families, as well as rural farmers, urban dwellers who have moved to the country, the elderly...some have been there forever, some have just arrived.

The town is at risk of bushfires and floods. Another well-known risk is a dangerous intersection where road accidents happen frequently.

Snapshot

8.9%

↓

The decline in volunteering rates in Australia between 2001-2020 (23.2% in 2001 > 14.3% in 2020). Source

Social

Capital

A key determinant of community recovery and resilience. Source

44

The number of Canopy Collective events held (from Dec 2023-Oct 2025).

930

The total number of attendees at Canopy Collective events (from Dec 2023-Oct 2025).

How Marong HEard About The Resilience Canopy

Community members in Marong first heard about The Resilience Canopy from their local council, the City of Greater Bendigo, in 2023.  

Keen to learn more, two of Marong’s community leaders attended Resilience Canopy Practitioner Training sessions.  

Heather, a longstanding resident and President of the Marong Community Action Group (MCAG) attended our training in Bendigo in 2023. Peter, a fellow Marong resident, MCAG member, and the community’s main contact at the City of Greater Bendigo, followed suit in Melbourne in May 2024.

Both left as Resilience Canopy Practitioners and feeling inspired to use their newfound skills, connections, resources and support to help their community thrive.

Their interest was further piqued when they heard about the funding potential; The Resilience Canopy offers initial $25k Activation Grants to help communities action their identified challenges and priorities.

Combine this with the results seen in other Canopy Communities like Millgrove VIC, which transformed $20k of initial funding into over $700k of investments in their local community, and it’s clear why MCAG is so enthused about progressing through our program.

Just like in Millgrove, Marong benefits from having an established, engaged community action group in MCAG, which supported Heather and Peter during their training, and which will be a driving force in building community resilience. 

Peter and Heather during one of the MCAG community resilience workshops.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities provided by the Collective, particularly the calibre and breadth of speakers who share their insights and expertise. I have formed new connections of mutual benefit, both personally and perhaps more vitally, in aid of the mission of my organisation. The Collective being a free resource is particularly paramount, given the finite resources of my NFP organisation.”‍
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— Maddi, Alpine Valley Communities Leadership

Marong's initial engagement with The Resilience Canopy

In January 2024, roughly three months after Heather attended our practitioner training, MCAG members had an initial meet-and-greet with The Resilience Canopy team. Their Activation Grant application was approved shortly thereafter.

Things continued to move quickly from there. MCAG and The Resilience Canopy met again in April, so that the whole MCAG group could hear about The Resilience Canopy skills, resources, networks and funding to help them to achieve their goals. 

MCAG then launched a community survey to hear wider, diverse perspectives on resilience, and hosted a Deep Dive workshop where the community explored their resilience challenges, strengths and opportunities.

The turnout was impressive; 50 residents came along, demonstrating the desire within the community to come together and have a say.

On reflection, the following enablers, barriers and lessons were identified:  

Enablers

  • Jumping on funding opportunity soon after training 
  • An established and inclusive community group, with strong existing relationships 
  • Two members who attended The Resilience Practitioner Training 
  • Council staff member attending training – shared language/community led 
  • Conducting the community survey  - inviting diverse voices
  • Door knocking to welcome participants 
  • Deep dive – Resilience Canopy practitioners supporting workshop facilitation – free pizza from the pub 

Enablers (cont')

  • Community spirit of volunteerism 
  • Already worked on a community plan together
  • The Resilience Canopy support at sessions (three times so far) 

Barriers

  • Capacity of MCAG community leaders – they organise so many community activities 
  • Getting younger people involved 
  • Time
  • Our first real emergency – shutting off gas! 

Lessons

  • It takes longer than you think – life gets in the way 
  • Plan for succession 

Impacts: what worked?

The Resilience Canopy program centres around Connection, Respect, Empowerment and Wisdom (CREW).

Although Marong is still in the early stages of their Resilience Canopy journey, the community has already seen these principles playing out...  

  • Connection

    “I have been a community leader here for decades...I really care about where I live and am willing to stick my neck out to get things done that benefit my community.”

    -     Heather Wearne (President, Marong Community Action Group)

Heather is obviously not alone in this sentiment, not if the incredible turnout at their first Deep Dive session is anything to go by. Getting 50 community members (that’s 2.5% of their overall population) to attend shows strong community connectivity around a shared goal. And free pizza from the pub is a nice early example of collaboration.  

Moreover, having community members and local council members both completing The Resilience Canopy Practitioner Training has created a shared language, which ensures, for example, that everyone understands that this journey is community led.  

Impacts

  • Respect
    By conducting community surveys and door knocking, MCAG is actively including people who may not have heard about The Resilience Canopy or the community group, welcoming input from diverse participants and inviting them to attend meetings.

    Acknowledging potential barriers, like the group’s limited capacity and their ongoing struggles in getting younger people involved, also displays respect.  
  • Empowerment
    The community members who completed the Practitioner Training now feel more confident to take meaningful steps, such as starting conversations with local organisations and partners, identifying community strengths and challenges, and working on community plans.

    Knowing that The Resilience Canopy is there for guidance and support also empowers MCAG to think big and keep all ideas on the table.  
  • Wisdom
    One key benefit to Marong having a long-standing community group is that, through years of observation and evidence, they have accrued local wisdom and have already identified a range of challenges they want to solve.

    Add to this the wisdom learned in the Practitioner Training and the power of the Canopy Collective network, which includes hundreds of practical resources and a network of potential partners to collaborate with and to seek funding from.  

Impacts: what worked?

Want to know more about C.r.e.w.?

What characteristics does a resilient Canopy Community have in common? Connection, respect, empowerment, and wisdom, also known as C.R.E.W.. Find out more on our Program page

Looking ahead...

Marong will continue to hold community consultation workshops and to work on developing its community resilience plan with key community challenges, which will include climate and societal pressures.

But another challenge looms large on their horizon. The community has an embedded gas network, and their gas company has announced that it will stop supplying gas by February 2026, costing households $28K to convert to electricity. Suffice to say, community members are not best pleased.  

But instead of leaning into despair, the Marong community is feeling quietly optimistic, thanks in part to The Resilience Canopy.
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“Now we feel organised to fight,” says Heather resolutely. “But it might mean we are a bit behind with our Resilience Canopy milestones though!”

You can keep up to date with Marong’s progress on its dedicated Canopy Community page.

Marong’s strong community group and relationships with their local council aided them in becoming a Canopy Community. But we can also guide and support communities with one or two driven individuals and no group or networks in broader engagement.

Learn more about becoming a Canopy Community or view our current Canopy Communities here.