A burnt stump. A wild orchid. A recovery duck.

I wrote this story a while ago and have been waiting for the “right’ time to share it, out of respect and admiration for those communities impacted by fires, floods and other disasters. Life’s continual challenges remind me of the realities of our world and the courage we need to hold dear to our hearts as we seek to do the best we can for this and future generations.

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There were many moments that remain with me when I reflect on my time working and supporting the amazing communities across East Gippsland impacted by the 2019/2020 Black Summer fires. These are three key moments that provide an insight into my journey.

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A burnt stump. There was much devastation between Bairnsdale and Mallacoota as a result of the Black Summer fires that I saw and heard about. One story I remember being told was the view from the from the Bairnsdale Bushfire Response Control Centre looking towards Sarsfield, Clifton Creek and Marlo. As the fires took hold in early January 2020 those at the control centre recalled seeing houses and domestic gas bottles exploding like fireworks. I was not there but I can only imagine the scenes as I stood on the site of the control centre. And I can only imagine the fortitude, despair and drive of the local community as they bandied together as this disaster unfolded.

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After travelling many hundreds of kilometres along East Gippsland, I visited Cape Conran - a slice of paradise in far-east Victoria. There, I got to look through a window into the ferocity of the fire and the utter destruction of the fire front. The fire had burnt all the way to the water’s edge. Not a single tree was spared along this beautiful and rugged coastal reserve, including the Burnt Stump standing proud by the water’s edge.

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This was a moment I felt humbled to be supporting communities recover and rebuild following this natural disaster.

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It was here and on this day we started to broker a partnership with state government agencies for local Aboriginal community members to be involved in the clearing of land and reinstating walking trails. This was to be a lovely example where connection to culture, country and recovery were anchored in the values of self-determination.

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A wild orchid. The world’s eyes were on Mallacoota as images of smoke-filled air, a permeant red haze, roaring flames and people being evacuated anyway they could - by land and sea – filled our TVs and social media feeds.

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For me, Mallacoota became one of 12 communities I had the privilege of working alongside in their recovery journey. This community, like all 12, had established a Community Recovery Committee – a group of local volunteers who worked tirelessly to lead recovery and rebuilding efforts so their communities were stronger than what they were before the fires swept through their lands.

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Form the outset, Mallacoota’s recovery efforts were well organised. They formed a temporary committee, a Thinking Group, that supported the establishment of their Community Recovery Committee. There were community elections, run through the state government’s electoral commission to ensure a formal and transparent process was followed in the establishment of this committee. I cannot recall the exact figure, but the Mallacoota Community Recovery Committee (full name – Mallacoota and District Recovery Association, MADRA) had a membership of close to 1,000 community members. Of those members, 90% voted-in the 11-person committee.

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Members of this committee were very clear that they were not representative of the Mallacoota community. They were individuals, each with their own opinion, brought together by a common cause – to ensure the needs, wants and aspirations of our community are considered as part of the recovery process (MADRA mission statement). No matter the challenge, they flexed and found a position that placed the best interest of their community at the centre of the decision-making process.

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This group organised their recovery, like many other of the committees, against the five pillars of the recovery journey as defined by Bushfire Recovery Victoria Framework: 1. Environment and biodiversity 2. Building and infrastructure* 3. Business and economy 4. People and wellbeing 5. Aboriginal cultural and healing.

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They connected, advocated, pushed and prodded as they give the local community a voice in the recovery process. They applied for grants. They lobbied local, state and commonwealth members of Parliament for projects that would support their communities find their feet again. They oversaw the setting and delivery of community priorities based on the funding envelop available to them. Importantly, they looked after one another and their community.

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A member of the Thinking Group shared with me a photo of a Wild Orchid they took while on a nature walk in an area known for its flora and fauna. This image represented a turning point for me and the work I was supporting to deliver. The image gave me a sense of rebirth and hope. It was a moment in time that showed recovery was taking hold not only in Mallacoota but across East Gippsland – on country and in community.

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[Note. A term I came across as we worked across the five pillars of recovery was vertical recovery. That was in relation the rebuilding of the physical infrastructure – halls, recreation reserves, buildings of historical or cultural significance. However, as emphasised by the fact there are five pillars of recovery, disaster recovery is so much more than vertical recovery - buildings and infrastructure.]

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A recovery duck. Towards the later part of my time with Bushfire Recovery Victoria I was presented with a Recovery Duck. It was given to me as a sign of thanks and gratitude from the Clifton Creek Community Recovery Committee. A committee that was made up of inspirational, fair and passionate community members dedicated to getting their community back on its feet. The individual differences of committee and community members were valued and harnessed to drive their recovery journey. Their similarities created a common bond to get things done. They were a practical bunch, doing all they could to make change real and meaningful.

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I had the privilege of being their connector to state government and other channels of the recovery process. I brokered relationships. I did what I could to drive the best outcome for that community (like I did with all 12 Community Recovery Committees). It was not all smooth sailing. There were times I had to say “no”. There were times I said “I tried but that’s just not possible”. There were times I had to show vulnerability, open my heart, pull down any barriers and explain why things worked the way they did (in government) and what that meant to their recovery journey. I explained how processes could help but also how they would hinder.

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I am forever grateful to those community members and mentors that welcomed and worked alongside me to drive a recovery process that created value and meaning. An I have my Recovery Duck sitting on my desk to remember them all by.