The Disaster Resilient: Future Ready (DR:FR) Burnett Inland program has made significant inroads in strengthening the capacity of communities across the region to prepare for future disasters.
Delivered in partnership with Red Earth Community Foundation, and supported by funding from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Preparing Australian Communities – Local Stream and Minderoo Foundation, the three-year program supports development of an ongoing evidence base about what works to strengthen resilience in communities before, during and after disasters.
The model seeks to help remote, rural and regional communities to be better prepared for future disasters, and to support local people and organisations to develop and fund projects and initiatives that will improve disaster preparedness and community resilience.
Since early 2023, Red Earth staff have been working in the communities of Kalpowar, Dallarnil, Kumbia, Proston, Tansey and Cherbourg to identify resilience building initiatives.
All initiatives need to evidence broad community need through the concept development process, including endorsement by the DR:FR Internal Advisory Group (IAG). The IAG is comprised of community and sector-based representatives from the Burnett Inland (QLD). The views and feedback from the IAG are sought for all projects for a high level ‘concept endorsement’ to identify potential partnerships and to avoid duplication of local efforts.
Applications for endorsed concepts have been invited from locally based not-for-profit organisations for:
- Local Community Initiatives that have been developed and agreed through the DR:FR workshops; and
- Regional Initiatives that respond to needs identified through DR:FR community workshops, consultation with the DR:FR Local Advisory Group and in collaboration with locally based organisations with aligned purposes.
To date, a total of $665,763 in grants has been approved to support the initiatives that community groups and local organisations have identified.
The rest of 2025 is full of community initiative activations including local events, training, infrastructure upgrades and promotion of disaster preparedness resources. A key part of these efforts is ongoing collaboration between grassroots informal community organisations and volunteers and formal emergency management agencies, including South Burnett Regional Council, North Burnett Regional Council, and Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council. We thank all stakeholders for their contributions to DR:FR Burnett Inland to date, and as the program culminates, will continue to put energy into these vital local networks to support sustained efforts into the future.
As grants are awarded, we will add them to this story.
If you’d like to know more about any of the projects, contact Nancy Sposato.
Program guidelines can be found here.
| Organisation | Project Brief Description | Location | Amount Awarded | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Community Initiatives | ||||||
| Kumbia & District Memorial School of Arts Inc | Increasing Digital Capability of Kumbia Hall and Raising Awareness of Mental Health and Recovery Networks Upgrading digital and IT equipment to activate the Kumbia Hall as a Community Meeting Place and information hub, supporting Kumbia to be better prepared and resilient in the face of disasters. | Kumbia | $14,590 | |||
| Kalpowar Hall Committee Inc | Activation and Protection of Kalpowar Hall as a Community Meeting Place Increased engagement of the Kalpowar Hall as a Community Meeting Place; supporting, connecting and informing locals, tourists and emergency services through outdoor facility upgrades, events, UHF capability and defibrillator access. | Kalpowar | $59,309 | |||
| Cherbourg Historical Precinct Group Inc | Protecting Cultural Assets: The Ration Shed Museum Protecting First Nations cultural assets and ongoing practice from climatic impacts through emergency management planning and improvements to critical equipment and infrastructure at the Ration Shed Museum. | Cherbourg | $84,136 | |||
| LiveBetter Services Ltd | The Dallarnil Community Resilience Connection Project Strengthening relationships, developing skills, and enhancing preparedness in the Dallarnil community. | Dallarnil | $90,000 | |||
| Kalpowar Hall Committee Inc | Resourcing Kalpowar Hall for Disaster Response and Information This project involves upgrading the Kalpowar Community Hall and equipping locals, tourists and itinerant workers with resources and skills to be more prepared and resilient before, during and after disaster. | Kalpowar | $34,760 | |||
| Kumbia & District Memorial School of Arts Inc | Kumbia Hall Prepare and Connect This project will activate the Kumbia Memorial Hall as an accessible Community Meeting Place that supports resilience building and disaster preparedness now and into the future, through hall upgrades, a schedule of events, training, resources and information sharing. | Kumbia | $76,229 | |||
| Dallarnil Sports Club Inc | Consolidating the Dallarnil Hall as a Community Meeting Place Through Support for Required Resources Supporting the activation of the Dallarnil Hall to function as a Community Meeting Place through upgrades to communication systems and equipment resourcing.    | Dallarnil | $9,554 | |||
| Graham House Community Centre | Disaster Resilient: Future Ready Proston Strengthening disaster resilience and preparedness for Proston through resourcing community project officers to prepare and distribute Disaster Information Kits and complete individualised P-CEP plans with residents, equipping community members and local organisations with networks and knowledge to activate in times of disaster and to inspire their ongoing efforts. | Proston | $97,185 | |||
| Tansey Progress Association | Disaster Resilient Tansey | Tansey | $104,730 | |||
| Regional Initiatives | ||||||
| South Burnett CTC Inc | Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (PCEP) Training for the Burnett Inland Delivery of an online, self-paced certificate course to develop knowledge and skills in how to facilitate and implement person-centred emergency preparedness (PCEP). | Nanango; Monto; Mundubbera; Murgon | $6,000 | |||
| South Burnett CTC Inc | Burnett Community Centre Preparedness Network, PCEP Plans and Events Project | Nanango; Monto; Mundubbera; Murgon | $194,000 | |||