Recognising recovery in Bunbury / City of Bunbury.

Highly Commended: Post-disaster Category, Local Government Stream, Safer Communities Awards 2006.

Recovery is about community development and partnerships working together for a safer and sustainable community pre and post disaster. The City of Bunbury, Western Australia, has provided a practical example of how this can be achieved. In May 2005 a Tornado carved its way through Bunbury with over 200 properties damaged, many beyond repair. The most notable of the community buildings damaged was St Patrick?s Cathedral, the extent of damage being so extensive, that demolition was necessary. Estimates suggested damage to the City to be over $40 million. The Premier of Western Australia declared Bunbury a disaster area and the city quickly found itself deep into a recovery operation. A broad based recovery committee was formed to deal with all aspects of Bunbury?s recuperation. The recovery effort undertook to embrace all facets of community recovery. An extensive list of actions were put into place, culminating in a photographic and experiences exhibition that was displayed all over the Bunbury area, enabling community members to participate in, recognise and offer closure after the event. As a result of this experience, the City of Bunbury, its local emergency management committee and the community developed an innovative recovery planning model through staging a community recovery workshop, initiating a recovery committee and developing Bunbury?s recovery arrangements. This illustrated the commitment and involvement of the community. Bunbury now has a working recovery committee made up of five subcommittees ensuring the five areas of recovery are all catered for. These are: community, health and well being, critical infrastructure, business/financial and environment. Over 58 community members, organisations and agencies are involved in the recovery committee framework. ?Recognising Recovery? is available to assist others in their quest to develop community driven plans, arrangements and partnerships.