7th August 2025

Design Wiz Needed: Alliance Branding- Expression of Interest

We’re exploring the creation of a brand for the Alliance—and we want your

input! A strong, collective identity that will help us communicate our purpose, values, and

impact more clearly to the wider community, funders, and partners.

Would you like to be part of the conversation?

• We are looking for a graphic designer to bring the brand to life. Interested?

• Express your Interest via email. (this is a paid gig)

• If you're interested in being involved in the brand co-design process, let me

  know via email as well.

Email: kathieh@nrcra.org.au

Stakeholder List - We are casting a wider net to share our collective stories.

As part of exploring a brand for the Alliance, we're also looking at how we tell our

collective story. We are building a list of who we are connected to, who supports us,

and who may like to support us, government, media and those who walk beside us

in the disaster space. We’d love to gather a list of your groups key people who you would like us to share the good work of the Alliance.

If you’re up for sharing their details please click on the HERE link below, the form is

very quick to complete.

DIsaster Adaptation Plan - Northern Rivers

You are invited to contribute to this important regional planning process.

Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or just arrived, your perspective matters.

This workshop has been developed for our Alliance to share what you care about

and what concerns you most.

Living Lab will be facilitating a meaningful, interactive workshop where we’ll

come together to explore what we value about our region—what we want to

protect, what worries us, and what priorities should shape our future.

Tuesday 12th August 2025

1 pm - 3.30 pm | Resilient Lismore: 215 Keen Street, Lismore

This is a perfect opportunity for Alliance members to advocate for "what

matters most" in their community.

If you can’t make it to this one, there will be more opportunities coming up for the

wider community, and we’ll make sure to share those details as soon as they’re

available. Your voice is important in shaping the future of the Northern Rivers.

Introducing the ORACLE: Your One Stop Well of Wisdom for Training, Resources, Workshops and Events.

I am excited to share with you that we are starting to develop the Alliance Online

Resources. Newly named to avoid any confusion with other hubs to become

the Online Resource And Collective Learning Environment otherwise known as

the ORACLE.

We are building more than just a hub — it’s a living, breathing well of wisdom.

It’s where your community group can go to find what you need, and sometimes

what you did not know you needed. 🥳 A place where you can share your

communities resources so you can share your wisdom and reduce duplication.

Success Story - Dr Rebecca McNaught

UCRH researcher and Alliance Steering Committee member Dr Dr. Rebecca

McNaught was named one of two winners in the 2025 Medicine and Health -

University of Sydney Early to Mid-Career Researcher Outstanding Publication

Awards. Congrats to Rebecca for this well-deserved recognition.

Local smarts, local strength: UCRH research shows how communities can lead

disaster recovery

When floods and fires hit the Northern Rivers, it’s locals who step up first. But how

do we make sure that community-led disaster responses actually work, and keep

working? That’s the question UCRH researcher Rebecca McNaught set out to answer in a

new study published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.

Rebecca is the lead author of the research, which dives into how people across

seven local government areas in the Northern Rivers have worked together to

tackle climate change and disaster recovery.

The study looks at real-life experiences, from interviews, events, and even

Rebecca’s own research diary, and finds that collaboration isn’t just a nice idea. It’s

essential. But it’s also messy, challenging, and full of lessons.

Three big takeaways?

• We need better access to local, practical info, not just big-picture climate

  data.

• We need to value community knowledge (yes, locals do know what they’re

  talking about).

• And we need to stop reacting and start planning ahead.

• 
  

This research shows that when communities lead, and when governments and

organisations listen, we get stronger, smarter responses to disasters. It’s a roadmap

for building resilience, not just in the Northern Rivers, but across Australia.

Would you like to share the good work of the Alliance with groups or networks

who may not yet be in the loop?

Alliance Information Package

Whether it’s a local hall committee, a neighbourhood group, or someone quietly

doing great work in their community—everyone is welcome.

This is how we grow stronger, together.

Events

Hearts and Stars - Dress Up and Dine

Hearts & Stars: A Night with Resilient Lismore

Dress up, bring your big hearts, and enjoy a special evening with friends or family

— all for a great cause. There’ll be local music, dinner, drinks and more. Dress to theme, wear your heart on your sleeve, or sparkle like the star you are ⭐

Where: Lismore Regional Gallery

When: Friday 5 September 2025, 5:30 – 9:30pm

Early bird tickets are available until Saturday 23 August — but they’re limited, so

don’t miss out!

August

12th | Disaster Adaptation Planning Workshop

1:00 PM - 3.30 PM | Resilient Lismore 215 Keen St, Lismore

4th | NEMA Community Consultation

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in partnership with CSIRO,

is inviting Northern Rivers residents to join a series of community consultation

forums across the Richmond River catchment.

9AM | Lismore Workers Club

September

2nd | HowWeSurvive '25 - reshaping disaster recovery

People-centred disaster risk reduction. Global and local good practice. Join us for

an engaging day of intriguing discussions in recovery.

Registrations Open Soon

3rd - 5th | Social Impact in the Regions

The conference will explore a range of tools, techniques, beliefs and practices to

better enable you to create more impact in your regional community

19th | Community Congress

Community Congress is an all day virtual event. Community groups, story tellers,

community organisers, community leaders, facilitators and volunteers coming

together for a community-led event.

Registrations Open Soon

November

7th | End of Year Alliance Gathering

Save the Date

Grant Workshops

The NRCF grants team is hitting the road in August to facilitate our free Grant

Writing Workshops across the Northern Rivers, with eight locations to choose from.

Come along and learn tips about seeking and securing funding for your

community projects. We’ll run you through the basics of crafting great proposals

and answer the grant writing questions that keep you up at night.

Grant writing beginners welcome!

When and where:

BRUNSWICK HEADS: Monday 18 Aug, 10 am – 1pm

TWEED HEADS: Tuesday 19 Aug, 10am – 1pm

EVANS HEAD: Wednesday 20 Aug, 10am – 1pm

LISMORE: Thursday 21 Aug, 10am – 1pm

CASINO: Friday 22 Aug, 10am – 1pm R

MURWILLUMBAH: Monday 25 August, 10am – 1pm

BALLINA: Tuesday 26 August, 10am – 1pm

MACLEAN: Wednesday 27 August, 10am – 1pm

ONLINE: If you can’t catch us at one of the above locations then join one of these

90 minutes condensed sessions.

Tuesday 9 September, 12.30pm – 2pm

Tuesday 16 September, 12.30pm – 2pm

Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your skills and boost your chances of

receiving funding from different government and philanthropic sources.

Places are limited for each workshop, so book your spot today!