Know your neighbours
When emergencies happen, it’s often the people around you who make the most significant difference. Knowing your neighbours and staying connected are among the simplest and most effective ways to build community resilience.
Lismore City Council encourages residents to strengthen local connections, share information and look out for one another before, during and after emergencies.
Your neighbours are often the first to help, providing vital information and assistance when you need it most. Building these connections now can reduce stress, improve coordination and enhance the safety and well-being of everyone involved during emergencies.
Learn how you can connect with your neighbours and get ready for emergencies together.
Lismore Community Resilience Network
The Lismore Community Resilience Network (CRN) brings together local organisations, community groups and services to strengthen Lismore’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
By working together, knowledge is shared, connections are built and community-led initiatives that enhance resilience across the Lismore Local Government Area are supported.
Join the network to stay informed, contribute your skills and help make the community safer and more connected.
See the Lismore CRN Terms of Reference(PDF, 197KB) for more.
For more meeting dates, contact Council on (02) 6625 0500.
Know your community
Across the Lismore LGA, several dedicated community-led groups are working together to strengthen local preparedness, share knowledge and support each other before, during and after emergencies.
Each group reflects the unique strengths and needs of its community, from remote rural valleys to vibrant village hubs.
If you live in one of these areas, consider connecting with your local group to learn how you can get involved and help your community prepare for and recover from emergencies.
Nimbin
The Nimbin Disaster Resilience Group was formed after the 2019–2020 bushfires to help the community prepare for, respond to and recover from future emergencies. Supported by Lismore City Council, the group created the first version of the Nimbin Community Disaster Plan(PDF, 16MB) to strengthen local connections and ensure no one is left behind when disaster strikes. The plan was substantially revised and updated by the Nimbin community following the 2022 floods.
Key projects include:
- Community Care Teams – trained local volunteers who check on residents, provide support and identify needs during emergencies.
- Nimbin Emergency Radio Network – a community communication system that keeps Nimbin connected with emergency services when phones and internet are down.
- Evacuation Centre and Emergency Staging Ground support – provide supplies and equipment kits.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?
The Channon and surrounds
The Channon Hub Disaster Resilience Plan(PDF, 21MB) was developed by the community, with support from Council and funding from the Bushfire Community Resilience & Economic Recovery Fund, to strengthen local preparedness, build resilience and support community-led recovery following the 2019–2020 bushfires.
The Channon Resilience currently has two working groups:
- CB Emergency Radio Network – enhancing resilient communications through CB and Meshtastic (long-range) radio systems operating across The Channon, Terania Valley, Koonorigan, Wallace Road, Tuntable Creek Valley and the northern Keerrong Valley.
- Terania-Keerong Flood Safety Project – developing local flood intelligence for the Terania sub catchment, providing valuable flood information for both residents and the broader Lismore community.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?
Larnook
The Larnook Community Resilience Team (CRT) is a resident-led group that has established a UHF radio network to keep the Larnook community connected when emergencies disrupt internet, phone, mobile and electricity services. Staying connected with neighbours means residents can share information, check in and support each other during and after emergencies.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?
Rock Valley
The Rock Valley CRT supports the Rock Valley, Wongavale and Chelmsford communities in staying connected during emergencies.
The group operates a ‘communication tree’, a neighbour-to-neighbour system designed to keep residents in touch when traditional communication fails.
The area is divided into zones based on distances between houses, creek crossings and other local factors. Each zone has a Branch Contact who links directly to the ‘trunk’ of the tree – the CRT Coordination Team. When mobile and internet services are down, messages can be relayed through a UHF radio network.
If a Rock Valley neighbour needs help, the ‘communication tree’ can alert others, including emergency services or local support, which can be vital when roads are cut, or power and communications fail. The CRT aims to ensure no one is forgotten, isolated or without assistance, particularly the most vulnerable residents.
Less than a month after completing emergency communications training, during Tropical Cyclone Alfred, community members supported one another and even saved a life, using their new network to coordinate help and rescue a man stranded in floodwaters as depicted in this video.
Other activities of the CRT include preparing the Rock Valley Hall to support the community in emergencies, managing access to a defibrillator and first-aid kit, networking with those with first-aid skills, distributing emergency preparedness information and running workshops and community events.
The Rock Valley CRT is a subcommittee of Rock Valley Hall Inc.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?
Whian Whian
The Whian Whian CRT is a volunteer-led organisation initiated in March 2022 and formalised as a sub-committee of the Whian Whian Hall Committee in August 2022. Based at the Whian Whian Hall, the goal of the CRT is to develop better preparedness, localised response capacity and resilience to disaster events.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?
Minyon Falls, Coopers Creek, Repentance Creek, Rosebank and surrounds
The Minyon Resilience Network is a CRT bringing together the villages of Coopers Creek, Repentance Creek and Rosebank to strengthen local preparedness and support during emergencies.
Through a network of Area Contacts, neighbours stay connected in person, by phone, or online, ensuring information and assistance can flow quickly when needed. Each Area Contact is linked to a Primary Contact, who maintains direct communication with emergency services such as the SES, Council and Fire Department.
This simple ‘communication tree’ enables a deeper capacity to respond to local area situations as they emerge.
For example, before Tropical Cyclone Alfred the local CRT helped put in place resilience measures which ensured the community were adequately prepared and supported, as this video depicts.
Live in the area and want to get in touch?