In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, join us for this timely event as we 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.
Speakers
Event MC - Anne Crestani, Project Lead Resilient Villages
Anne has worked in the Community Sector for 25 years and has been leading a variety of Disaster Recovery and Resilience teams and projects for the last 12 years. Anne is committed to working alongside local, grass-roots community resilience groups to support them in realising their community's goals and priorities. This includes advocating for increased recognition and resourcing of community led disaster resilience actions.
Event Partner Peak Organisations
Cara Varian - Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS)
Cara is a strong advocate for equity, opportunity and dignity for all. NCOSS is the peak body for the social services sector and the leading advocate for people and communities who are experiencing poverty and disadvantage in NSW.
Prior to joining NCOSS, Cara worked across the not-for-profit, public service, political and corporate sectors. She has experience in the military and at all three levels of government in Australia.
Can Jasmut - Executive Officer of the Local Community Services Association (LCSA)
In previous roles Can has worked for the Upper Mountains Youth Services, St. George Migrant Resource Centre, Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre, Mountains Community Resource Network and for ANTaR NSW (Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation).
Having gained experience in the community sector as a community development worker and project coordinator, Can is committed to promoting the importance of small, community based not-for-profit organisations and the value of cross-cultural understanding and community engagement.
Presenters
Max Horn, Megalong Valley Community & Landowners Association (MVCLA)
Max Horn is a resident of the Megalong Valley, member of the RFS, and former president of the MVCLA. He actively supported the community push against the proposed heli-tourism venture at the Katoomba airfield. As part of his involvement in the Megalong association, he has engaged with local, state and federal government representatives on various issues including fires, roads, community building, and communications. One outcome of that engagement is the creation of the Bush Telegraph app.
Mark Turl, President of the Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan (ABCD Inc.)
Mark is a recent member of the Association of Bell, Clarence and Dargan (ABCD) and is its new president. By his own admission, he is on a steep learning curve. A property owner in the upper Blue Mountains for 25 years, his bush block was razed by the 2019 disaster. He has an ongoing love of the bush and is currently a resident of Bell. As president, his focus is on serving the residents of the three villages and endeavours to address their concerns and preferences with regard to connectedness, bushfire preparedness and longer term resilience.
Karen Cody, Vice President, ABCD Inc.
Karen was instrumental in forming the association and ensuring it’s activities reflected the community’s expressed needs. She designed and led a program of activities to prepare her community for the next bushfire event, using knowledge gained through 20 years of experience in federal policy and program management and as a volunteer with the local bushfire brigade.
Lewis Adey, Community Emergency Response, Macdonald Valley Association (MVA)
Lewis is part owner of Yanada retreat and has lived in the valley for 9 years. As a resident small business owner, he is grateful to be part of our close community that looks out for each other, provides opportunities and complements each other with skills and talents.
In his first year at the MVA he has taken over the Community Emergency Response Plan (CERP) project and set up a sub-committee. The committee obtained mapping information from Council and have liaised with the SES and RFS culminating in a community survey. This will inform the details of the plan to be rolled out next year. They have also prepared a federal grant application to provide UHF radios and emergency packs to all residents of the valley as part of the CERP project.
With over 30 years experience as a Town Planner, most of that in local government, Lewis is familiar with committee structures. He has extensive experience in the voluntary sector; as a convenor, in Surf Lifesaving, in the former Valley Exchange Group project and, currently in the RFS.
Siobhan Mahoney, Telecommunications, Macdonald Valley Association
Originally from the UK, Siobhan emigrated to Australia with her husband, Rick, in 2001. They soon discovered St Albans and loved the Macdonald Valley so much they bought a property there.
Siobhan works in the software industry and can work from home much of the time as long as she has good communications. It was with this in mind that she agreed to join the MVA executive.
She have been a member of St Albans RFS since 2008.
Allen Hyde, Mount Irvine Progress Association
Allen is retired and lives with Robyn on a 50-acre walnut and chestnut farm at Mt Irvine, known for its temperate rainforests, rich basalt soils, and a wet microclimate. His background is in telecommunications engineering and information technology - primarily in banking - and company start-ups.
He is a past member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia and CPA Australia and was a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Since moving to Mt Irvine in 2014 he has been involved in the Mount Irvine Progress Association (current President) and is the current Chair of the local Crown Land Managers.
He joined the local RFS brigade in 2001 and is currently a Deputy Captain and Vice President. Following the 2019/20 fires at Mt Irvine, and seeing the damage caused to its precious environment, he founded the Rainforest Conservancy of which he is President. With the assistance of Resilient Villages, he and the Mt Irvine community are currently developing the Mt Irvine Resilience Action Plan.
Panellists
Brett Henderson, Charles Sturt University
Brett was a member of the NSW Police Force for over 35 years, having served across metropolitan and country NSW. During this time, he was appointed as an Emergency Operations Controller including the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Penrith. As a SES member he has deployed to flooding events in Western NSW and West Australia. He has trained Police and emergency services personnel in Australia and the Pacific.
Brett has tertiary qualifications in Justice Administration, Law and a Masters in Business and Emergency Management. His Doctoral dissertation addresses community participation in emergency management. He is a member of the NSW Board of the Australasian Institute of Emergency Management. He is a certified Emergency Services Manager.
Cathy McNamara, Communications Team, ABCD Inc.
Cathy MacNamara is a co-founder of ABCD Inc. which was formed following the Gospers Mountain Bushfire that devastated the area in 2019. She saw a need for a local association to advocate for the community, apply for bushfire grant funding for the community and to connect residents trying to rebuild and recover from the disaster.
Cathy‘s career of over 30 years working in education allowed her to bring skills in communication, organisation, event management, graphic design and publication to ABCD Inc. projects.
Rosie Scott, President, Mcdonald Valley Association
Rosie has lived in the Mcdonald valley for 40 years. She had been a member of the MVA for many years but joined the Committee in November 2021 and is now its President.
Without the great team they now have, the success of the MVA would not have been possible, as all Committee members have a focus on individual roles whether it be Telecommunications, Wildlife, Events, Roads and ferries, Membership etc. with all roles reporting back to a monthly/bi-monthly Committee meeting.
Kris Newton, Executive Officer, Mountains Community Resource Network (MCRN)
Kris has been the Manager at Mountains Community Resource Network since 2012 as has now stepped up to the EO role. MCRN is the peak body for the Community sector in the Blue Mountains. This role convenes and supports a range of interagencies and networks (including the Recovery, Resilience & Preparedness, or RR&P, Group) as well as develops policy and undertakes systemic advocacy.
Kris was previously involved in the management of national NFP peaks in Canberra for 10 years. Prior to that, Kris had her own consultancy firm; worked in several federal public sector agencies; was a secondary teacher; and also volunteered with a local ACT community sector organisation for 14 years.
Following the 2013 and 2019-20 Blue Mountains bushfires, she Chaired the Wellbeing Recovery sub-committee; and is now a permanent Observer (representing the community sector) on the BM Local Emergency Management Committee.
Kris is a passionate advocate for community-led resilience and recovery, and for the effective resourcing of local placed-based organisations trusted by community to help them undertake this work.
Also joining the panel discussion are Karen Cody - (ABCD Inc) and Allen Hyde (Mount Irvine Progress Association).