Resilient Villages supports, celebrates and facilitates community led, locally driven, resilience plans and actions in the Blue Mountains.
Please note that the RV project ended on 31 March 2025. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this important project.
Any RV related enquires can be directed to the Mountains Community Resource Network at manager@mcrn.org.au or eo@mcrn.org.au.
Bye for now. Take care.
The Resilient Villages Team.
On March 12, 2025 Resilient Villages joined forces with the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) and the Local Community Services Association (LCSA) to host the Community-Led Disaster Resilience webinar.
RV’s Renee Vincent recently joined forces with the team at the Blue Mountains Women's Health & Resource Centre to host a high tea and PCEP (Person Centred Emergency Preparedness) workshop.
Despite cold and rainy weather, locals turned out in force this weekend for our two Get Ready events which were held at the Little Village Co cafe in North Katoomba and Rosey Ravelston Books in Lawson.
Resilient Villages and ABCD Inc recently presented at the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience Conference in Sydney and hosted a day long field trip to the Blue Mountains for around 80 conference delegates.
Under a beautiful starry night, residents of Bell, Clarence and Dargan recently came together for a glamorous, fun-filled evening at Mt Vic Flicks to celebrate the launch of their community video project.
Long term Blue Mountains residents will never forget the speed with which the 2013 bushfires rocketed though townships of Springwood, Winmalee and Yellow Rock, destroying homes and bushland within minutes.
Following the success of last year’s first ever Megalong Valley Community Expo, this year’s FireWise Expo aimed to put bushfire preparedness at the front of residents’ minds.
Local community group ABCDinc (Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan) recently joined forces with the Zig Zag Railway to host a combined community event which attracted large crowds from across the Blue Mountains, Sydney and beyond.
Students of Kindlehill School recently attended a performance of ‘Time to Leave,’ a short play by local playwright, Liz Barclay.
For many people, buildings play a special role in creating and preserving the heart and soul of a community. Not only are they a focal point, but they also serve as memory holders, as they provide a place for people to come together and share experiences over time.
Community members recently came together to hear Dr Jean Renouf, CEO and Founder of Plan C, Northern Rivers speak about how his region is rising to meet the challenges posed by multiple disasters and the impacts of climate change.
Over four weekends in April and May, residents of Bell, Clarence and Dargan turned out in large numbers to hear bushfire expert Tony Hawkins talk about how to reduce the risk of bushfires in their homes and neighbourhoods.
Over a hundred attendees travelled from across New South Wales to attend the Resilient Villages Conference which was held at the stunning Fairmont Resort in Leura on the weekend of February 11 and 12, 2023.
Residents of Bell, Clarence and Dargan came together in August to celebrate the launch of the new Clarence Community Hall which has been a significant victory for the residents in what has been a hard-fought, 20 year battle to restore their only community facility.
With the stunning backdrop of the Megalong Valley Escarpment behind them, residents of the Megalong Valley recently came together on Saturday, 24 September to experience their first ever Community Expo.
News
Mt Irvine resident Allen Hyde, has founded the Rainforest Conservancy. This project is restoring the rainforest in the Mt Irvine region after it was devastated by the 2019/2020 bushfires. This moving video tells the story of Allen’s family and their long standing connection to the rainforest.
Hear from grass-roots community associations and organisations who are living and working in the Blue Mountains, Lithgow, Nepean and Hawkesbury areas and are working on the frontlines of disaster recovery and risk reduction for the benefit of their communities.
In September 2024, Resilient Villages hosted a day long field trip for delegates of the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience (AIDR) conference so they could travel to the Blue Mountains to see first hand, what on-the-ground resilience activities are being undertaken in the region.
In September 2024, Resilient Villages hosted a day long field trip for delegates of the Australian Institute of Disaster Resilience (AIDR) conference so they could travel to the Blue Mountains to see first hand, what on-the-ground resilience activities are being undertaken in the region.
Karen Cody, Vice President of ABCD Inc and Firefighter Clarence / Dargan RFS shares her personal story of fighting fires during the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires to protect her home in Dargan, NSW.
Karen Cody, Vice President of ABCD Inc and Firefighter Clarence / Dargan RFS shares her personal story of fighting fires during the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires to protect her home in Dargan, NSW.
Karen also talks about the formation of the community group ABCD Inc in the aftermath of the fires.
This project was funded by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by both the Australian and NSW governments.
Although funding for this project has been provided by both the Australian and NSW governments, the material contained therein does not necessary represent the views of either government.
Bushfire consultant Tony Hawkins meets with residents of the NSW villages of Bell, Clarence and Dargan to discuss ways to reduce the risk of bushfires impacting their homes. In this episode he looks at identifying and dealing with specific property risks.
Bushfire consultant Tony Hawkins meets with residents of the NSW villages of Bell, Clarence and Dargan to discuss ways to reduce the risk of bushfires impacting their homes. In this episode he looks at identifying and dealing with specific property risks.
This project was funded by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by both the Australian and NSW governments.
Although funding for this project has been provided by both the Australian and NSW governments, the material contained therein does not necessary represent the views of either government.
Bushfire consultant Tony Hawkins meets with residents of the NSW villages of Bell, Clarence and Dargan to discuss ways to reduce the risk of bushfires impacting their homes. In this episode he looks at identifying and dealing with specific home construction risks.
Bushfire consultant Tony Hawkins meets with residents of the NSW villages of Bell, Clarence and Dargan to discuss ways to reduce the risk of bushfires impacting their homes. In this episode he looks at identifying and dealing with specific home construction risks.
This project was funded by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by both the Australian and NSW governments.
Although funding for this project has been provided by both the Australian and NSW governments, the material contained therein does not necessary represent the views of either government.
Students of Kindlehill School in Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains comment on the performance of 'Time to Leave' written by local playwright Liz Barclay.
Students of Kindlehill School in Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains comment on the performance of 'Time to Leave' written by local playwright Liz Barclay.
The play tells the story of two sisters who are confronted by the reality of an approaching bushfire and have to decide what to do next.
Interview with Dr Jean Renouf, Founder of Plan C, a Northern Rivers based community organisation.
Interview with Dr Jean Renouf, Founder of Plan C, a Northern Rivers based community organisation. Dr Renouf talks about why he feels optimistic about how community organisations, emergency services personel and governments are working together to address the climate crisis.
Following the success of the first ever Megalong Valley Community Expo in 2022, the 2023 FireWise Expo aimed to put bushfire preparedness at the front of residents’ minds.
Following the success of the first ever Megalong Valley Community Expo in 2022, the 2023 FireWise Expo aimed to put bushfire preparedness at the front of residents’ minds.
Highlights of the 2023 Resilient Villages Conference which was held at the Fairmont Resort in Leura in the Blue Mountains region of NSW.
Highlights of the 2023 Resilient Villages Conference which was held at the Fairmont Resort in Leura in the Blue Mountains region of NSW.
The conference was hosted by Dr Kate Brady and included the keynote speakers Carol Hopkins, Chair of MADRA (Mallacoota & Districts Recovery Association) and Elly Bird, Executive Director of Resilient Lismore and Councillor on Lismore City Council.
Carol Hopkins, Chair of MADRA (Mallacoota and District Recovery Association) speaks about the trials and tribulations of community-led recovery as her community navigates their third year after the devastation of the 2019 / 2020 bushfires.
Carol Hopkins, Chair of MADRA (Mallacoota and District Recovery Association) speaks about the trials and tribulations of community-led recovery as her community navigates their third year after the devastation of the 2019 / 2020 bushfires.
With the stunning backdrop of the Megalong Valley Escarpment behind them, residents of the Megalong Valley recently came together to experience their first ever Community Expo.
With the stunning backdrop of the Megalong Valley Escarpment behind them, residents of the Megalong Valley recently came together to experience their first ever Community Expo.
Few people in Australia or around the World will ever forget the nightmarish images that were beamed from the coastal holiday town of Mallacoota on New Years Eve during the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/20.