By Tyler Wright
With a $2,000 boost from Yarra Ranges Council’s Grants for Community 2023 round, The Hills Creative Alliance (HCA) will look to archive stories from those involved in the recovery from the June 2021 storm event.
A team of community members will be established to collate information on the unusual ferocity of the winds in the storm event, the trauma of trees falling, devastation to property, stories of emergency services that provided immediate relief as well as the weeks without power following and impacts felt the year after.
‘Stories of the Storm – June 2021’ will be in operation in 2023, with hopes the stories will be archived with help from the Public Record Office of Victoria for researchers to access in the future.
“We want to understand the stories from the people who helped us; the stories about what the CFA did, what the SES did…we’ll be including the story of the wonderful Kalorama collective… local people in Kalorama who responded immediately to provide warm drinks and support to people whose homes had been devastated,” HCA secretary Liz Millman said.
The ‘Stories of the Storm’ project is a continuation of the work the HCA has been doing throughout 2022, including storytelling sessions on Fridays at Olinda Community House and an art exhibition at Kalorama’s Karwarra Gardens.
“We need to be looking at emergency planning…so that all the families who are living in the area along the [Mount Dandenong Tourist] road in the hills have clear direction as to the safest plan that will take them off the hill and where they need to register in turn of another emergency…
“Because it could be [fallen] trees, or it could be landslides, if the roads become impassable, we need to have a plan for the community to respond to that eventuality.”
More than 60 local community groups will share in more than $480,000 in grant funding after being announced as successful applicants for the 2023 Grants for Community program.
Streeton Ward Councillor Andrew Fullagar said the program which has been running for many years, was one of Yarra Ranges Council’s most loved initiatives.
“It’s fantastic how our grant programs empower the community and allow local groups and individuals to do what they do best, and the Grants for Community program in particular is a shining example of that,” Cr Fullagar said.
Three funding streams make up the Grants for Community program, including Community Development, Arts and Heritage, and Festivals and Events.
Grant applications were assessed by two independent assessment panels made up of five people each, with a mixture of community members and a Yarra Ranges Council staff member on each panel.
“To be able to support their endeavours and their vision through a program such as this is a real privilege, and I can’t wait to see the great outcomes from it,” Cr Fullagar said.
“To those who were not successful on this occasion, I hope we can do all we can to help you be successful next time as well.”
