Following the devastating 2019/20 bushfires, communities across Victoria’s Alpine Shire identified a critical gap. While emergency services and recovery agencies were sharing large volumes of information, it wasn’t always reaching people in ways that were accessible or timely.
With a Prepare and Recover grant through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program, Alpine Community Recovery Committee Inc set out to address this challenge by transforming a trial communications platform into a permanent preparedness and recovery tool. The result is The Loop – a curated, fortnightly newsletter designed to strengthen community connection and amplify emergency preparedness and recovery messaging.
Rather than relying on traditional top-down communication channels, The Loop uses a novel, community-led distribution model. Information from emergency services and recovery agencies is shared through trusted local Community Connectors. These might include hairdressers, sporting clubs, neighbourhood houses, estate agents and chambers of commerce. What began as a small trial with around 20 connectors has grown into a well-established network of more than 50 local distributors, demonstrating strong community buy-in and trust. Since April 2023, The Loop has published 67 editions, supported by 139 Community Connectors and contributions from 34 different agencies.
The impact has extended beyond bushfire preparedness alone. In October 2024, The Loop was used to share recovery and support information following a tragic shooting incident in Porepunkah, highlighting its adaptability and value as a rapid-response communication channel during emergencies.
Funded by The Percy Baxter Charitable Trust, the $24,810 grant played a crucial role in enabling the project’s transition from trial to permanent program. The grant supported technical and communications infrastructure, paid for key subscriptions and domain hosting, in addition to the hiring of a moderator for the platform. Moving forward, Alpine CRC is hoping to build a sustainable network of 500 Community Connectors and all key Resilience and Recovery Agencies by 2030.
By harnessing existing community networks, The Loop has changed how preparedness and recovery information flows across the region. It empowers local people to be informed, connected and ready, reinforcing that resilience isn’t just built through services and systems but through trusted relationships embedded in everyday community life.