Preparing for a Brisbane summer is never easy, and Sandgate residents have faced numerous challenges in recent years, including storms, floods, and a cyclone.
A new local group, Resilient 4017, aims to bring the community together, share skills, and prepare for whatever the summer season has in store.
Group members, Miree Le Roy and Zaida Variava, said the Resilience Project started in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.
“There’s a network of groups springing up,” Miree said. “After the 2022 floods, and Cyclone Alfred, I think a lot of people realised the government was ill-prepared.
“So, with that in mind, we wanted to launch something that will help our community be prepared.”
Zaida added the gaps between weather events were getting smaller.
“We really need to take care of each other, there’s a lot we can do, and if we work as a collective, we can be stronger than before,” she said.
“There are big challenges ahead, but we can face them. We’re looking at options like WhatsApp groups for streets, with a street captain type of model for different areas.”
The group has already hosted an SES workshop with members from the Ascot SES, and a session with the Red Cross about what to do in an emergency.
“During Cyclone Alfred I knocked on the door of an elderly man who knew nothing about the cyclone at all, and wasn’t prepared,” Zaida said.
“All the information is online, and not everyone has access to that.”
Miree added there were several local issues the group were keen to have addressed, including the lack of an SES base in the 4017, and access to sandbags in a flooding emergency.
“The closest sandbags are at Zillmere, and you have to go down Sandgate Road to get there,” she said. “And unfortunately, it’s a road which floods very quickly.”
Next year, Resilient 4017 is planning more events, including a workshop with the Gumbuya Community Gardens about composting and your own food at home.
Workshops, Local Issues, and Community Connection
The group holds a community barbecue on the first Friday of each month, at Marine Rescue Queensland (formerly Volunteer Marine Rescue), on Allpass Parade, Shorncliffe. Their end of year celebration will be held at that location on Friday, 5 December from 5pm, and all community members are welcome.
To learn more or keep in touch with the group, find them on Facebook or on Instagram.
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