Project Overview

Would you like to champion your community's recovery from the January 2022 storm and flood event? The Municipal Recovery Committee is calling for members of the storm affected communities to nominate for the Community Recovery Committee.

The establishment of a Community Recovery Committee is a critical ingredient in supporting community-led recovery, so that affected communities can lead and drive their own recovery processes. This Committee will represent the communities across Hepburn Shire who were affected by the January 2022 storm and flood event, ensuring that local knowledge and expertise are front and centre in long term recovery planning.

The Committee's role is to give a voice to the broad views and recovery goals of affected communities of the January 2022 storm and flood in Hepburn Shire. The Committee will provide a link between communities, Hepburn Shire Council and other state government agencies to address each community's priorities.

Specifically, the Committee plans, coordinates and leads the recovery process and supports recovery efforts in all affected communities. To achieve this:

  • Provide advice to the Municipal Recovery Committee to ensure that recovery programs and services meet the needs of the communities impacted by the event
  • Recommend projects for the $20,000 January 2022 Storm and Flood Community Recovery Fund aimed at supporting social, economic and environmental recovery to ensure that they are community-owned and targeted to best support the recovery of impacted communities
  • Provide a central point of communication and coordination for the actions of the wide range of recovery-related services and projects being progressed outside of the direct control of the Committee
  • Provide input into evaluations concerning the recovery process
  • Respond to recovery-related issues that arise in the community and advocate for appropriate action.

A minimum of seven and maximum of eleven community members will be sourced through a public Expression of Interest process. Membership of the Committee is an unpaid, voluntary role. Council will provide assistance where requested.

We are looking for Committee members that have an understanding of, and an interest in, the local area and in assisting people with their recovery from the event. People who live outside the storm affected area cannot nominate for the Committee.

Members will be selected by the Municipal Recovery Committee to represent the community based on the following broad criteria:

  • Ability to demonstrate:
    • A strong connection to community eg. Previous or current involvement in community organisations
    • Experience listening to others in order to represent their views
    • Desire to assist the community with recovering from the January 2022 storm and flood event in Hepburn Shire.
  • Demographic markers:
    • Including diversity of location (ensuring balanced representation across the storm footprint), area of interest, gender and age group.

Members will be appointed to the Committee as individuals, not as formal representatives of their community, community organisation or business interest.

How to Participate

If you are interested in becoming a Committee member or would like more information, please contact our friendly Storm Recovery Officer to have a conversation about your Nomination.

The Storm Recovery Officer will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the Committee and the nomination process. They can personally take you through the Nomination process over the phone, with no need for any forms.

The Storm Recovery team will be available at the Creswick Community Listening Post on 27 July 2022 between 4pm and 6pm at the Creswick Town Hall if you would like talk about the Committee.

The Storm Recovery Officer can be contacted by calling 03 4373 7373 or by email at stormrecovery@hepburn.vic.gov.au.

Nominations close at 5pm on Thursday 18 August 2022.

Next Steps

Nominations will be reviewed by the Municipal Recovery Committee at the 22 August 2022 meeting. Nominations will be reviewed against the criteria outline in the 'More about Committee membership' section of this page.

Successful nominees will be advised of the outcome by the Storm Recovery team on the 29 August 2022.