The Charleston community faced devastation during the 2019 bushfires. Multiple homes were destroyed and tragically, one local lost their life. This drove the community to become more resilient and ready for future disasters.

The December 2019 bushfires affected the Cudlee Creek area. This includes communities in Lobethal, Woodside, Harrogate, Charleston and the surrounding areas. This was the first extensive bushfire the community had experienced in many years.  

Following the bushfire, the community applied for grants through local, state and federal agencies. They formed the Charleston Emergency Response and Recovery Group (CERRG).

The CERRG is operated out of the Charleston Community Hall. The hall was built in the 1920s and was designed for the community to come together. It has the same purpose today but for an entirely different reason.

Building resilience capability  

We supported the Charleston community by providing $99,532 through the Preparing Australian Communities Program.  

The group started by getting help from the Red Cross to train and educate them on how to prepare and respond to future emergencies by identifying their risks and opportunities.  

“We worked out what our priorities were moving forward,” said Chris Cotton, Emergency Coordinator, Charleston Emergency Response and Recovery Group.

“In the 2019 bushfires, we lost power, we lost mobile phone communication, and a number of homes were destroyed.”  

“We looked at what our funding opportunities potentially were, and what we would like to provide to the community, particularly in the first 2-3 days after a major emergency.”  

Supporting communities to respond to disaster

Through the grant, they were able to put a Bushfire Protection Spray System around the Charleston Community Centre Hall.

The system can be turned on during a bushfire to protect the Hall from ember attacks. This allows the community to protect their own homes and know they can come to the Hall afterwards for essential resources such as clothing, food, shelter and Wi-Fi connection.  

The grant also allowed the community to purchase an AV system and set up a satellite broadband system. They now have their own independent communication capacity. This means locals can call their families to let them know they’re okay and can connect with what is happening outside their community.  

“I think the community is better prepared. It is a big advantage for us,” said Peter Stanbury, President of the Charleston Community Centre.  

The new facilities granted through the Preparing Australian Communities Program allows the committee to be more capable of looking after their community and keeping the hall safe from bushfires.