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NEWS
Veterans Benevolent Fund keeps veterans safe as disaster season looms
In August 2018, Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) came seriously close to suffering a fatality from a heart attack. Brett Buriss, then just 44, returned to the groups base at Dubbo RSL after a long day assisting farmers with drought relief in Western NSW. A little later...
Afghan refugees rolling up their sleeves for disaster relief
In December 2019, devastating bushfires ripped through the Adelaide Hills, destroying 86 houses and damaging around 160 more as well as burning through hundreds of hectares of farmland and vineyards. Following these unprecedented Black Summer bushfires, Disaster...
Newsletter September 2021
I’m constantly amazed by the fortitude and resilience of our members. An enduring seemingly never-ending situation reduced our ability to get out on the field in mass numbers but we've adapted and found new pathways to serve our communities. We will arrive at the...
Disaster Relief Teams put down chainsaws and pick up food boxes for ACT communities in lockdown
With ACT in lockdown until at least October 15th, the need to distribute food and hygiene boxes to ACT residents in isolation is critical. In response, an innovative solution has developed between Disaster Relief Australia and the Canberra Relief Network. Small...
2021 Speaker Series – Brendan Barry
Brendan Barry - Wed 29th Sept AEST 7pm Brendan works with Open Arms, MESHA, Trojans Trek and the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management in Tasmania delivering Mental Health First Aid courses and other programs including “Living our Vales” and “Curious...
Fundraise for DRA While You Shop With Ritchies IGA
A new Ritchies Card loyalty program allows you to fundraise for DRA whilst you shop at participating Ritchie's IGAs found in NSW, VIC and QLD. Since the Ritchies program began in 1993, over 150,000 people have signed up and $51 million has been raised for community...
2021 Speaker Series – CAPT Toovey
CAPT Hoovey joined us on 26th August, 2021 as a DRA guest speaker. He is self-proclaimed “One Nut, Half a Gut,”. He founded 25 STAY ALIVE to encourage young people to be proactive with their health. He says "Yes, you can face multiple life-threatening diseases and...
2021 Speaker Series – Daryll Ainsworth
Daryll Ainsworth joined us on 29th July 2021 for the first Disaster Relief Australia guest speaker series for this year. DRA member Daryll Ainsworth, comes from a military background with the Australian Army which included one year on active service in South Vietnam...
Lieutenant Colonel William Donovan Joynt | The Story Behind the Name
Operation Joynt is named for Melbourne born William Donovan Joynt. For his ‘most conspicuous bravery’ he won the Victoria Cross.
Melbourne Volunteers Out of Lockdown to Aid Devastated Dandenong
Following a wave of destruction left by a storm front across the state of Victoria, both regional and metropolitan areas have suffered extensive damage. The Dandenong Ranges have been the subject of disastrous weather causing extensive treefall resulting in property...
Newsletter June 2021
It often feels like we are moving slowly in DRA because it is in our nature to focus on trees and not the forest. In October this year we will be five. 4.5 years ago we mobilised 43 people to Proserpine for our first operation. In the six months of 2021 we have so far...
Operation Corkhill Phase 2 On Hold
Due to the recent COVID-19 complications in NSW, we are unfortunately required to put Operation Corkhill Phase 2 on hold until further notice. This is the second pause we have been forced to endure in the region due to COVID-19. Our commitment to providing help and...
Melbourne DRA Volunteers Band Together to Aid Horse Therapy Charity
Gippsland residents have been hit hard over recent years. Below average rainfalls, the Black Summer Bushfires of 2019-20 summer, the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently catastrophic flooding. The floods caused mass evacuations, downed trees, and collapsed power lines,...
DRA returns to Bega Valley Shire for Critical Bushfire Recovery
Disaster Relief Australia deployed a six week bushfire recovery operation to the Bega Valley Shire on 29th May, 2021. The veteran led volunteer organisation will bring vital bushfire recovery to Bega residents still suffering the destructive effects of the Black...
Operation Elliot Post Op Summary
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA), conducted a flood recovery operation in the area of the Port Macquarie – Hastings and Mid Coast Council areas named Operation Elliot, commencing on 10 April 2021.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Pinson Volunteers for Flood Recovery
Peta Pinson is the first woman elected to the role of Mayor in the region of Port Macquarie-Hastings, NSW. For her first term in office, she has witnessed two fires, an ongoing pandemic and is now overseeing the recovery of her community after the devastating...
Operation Elliot May Update
With just over a week and a half to go on Operation Elliot on the NSW Mid North Coast our teams on the ground have been busy over the past four weeks assisting members of the community impacted by the recent catastrophic floods. Since our operation began on 27th...
Operation Woods Post Op Summary
Operation Woods was Disaster Relief Australia’s (DRA) first major operation in Western Australia, incorporating the launch of our Perth Disaster Relief Team. DRA collaboration with the Minderoo Foundation’s Fire and Flood Resilience initiative, partnering to rapidly deploy volunteers into the region to help with recovery efforts for the Perth Hills Bushfire.
ABC National Breakfast Interviews Disaster Relief Australia about NSW Mid North Flood Recovery
Operation ELLIOT Mission Commander Davina Pye spoke with Radio National Breakfast this morning 13th April, 2021. Fran Kelly and Davina discussed the Mid North Coast Floods and how Disaster Relief Australia has deployed veteran volunteers to assist with vital flood...
DRA Launches Vital Flood Recovery to Port Macquarie and Surrounds
Disaster Relief Australia has launched a flood recovery operation dubbed Operation ELLIOT to the Port Macquarie area. The operation will bring vital flood recovery to a community still recovering from the Black Summer bushfires of 2019. The operation will deploy for 8...
Operation Woods Update
Disaster Relief Australia felt a sense of urgency to quickly gear up and provide much needed bushfire recovery to those affected by the Perth Hills bushfires. We leaned forwards to spin up our newest Disaster Relief Team in Perth. This was no small task and a worthy...
Disaster Relief Australia Plans for NSW Flood Recovery
The NSW floods have inundated communities just 18 months after the destructive Black Summer bushfires. NSW government has declared a natural disaster in 24 local government areas. Over 18 thousand people have been evacuated from their homes after experiencing...
Operation Corkhill Phase 1 March Update
Disaster Relief Australia relaunched bushfire recovery operations in the Eurobodalla Shire on the South coast of New South Wales, continuing the work in communities devastated by the 2019/2020 fire season. DRA worked with the Eurobodalla Bushfire Recovery Support...
A Partnership Forged in Fire: Disaster Relief Australia and Minderoo Foundation Join Forces
Disaster Relief Australia, a veteran-led disaster relief organisation, is collaborating with Minderoo Foundation’s Fire and Flood Resilience initiative to increase the deployment of volunteers to more operations in fire-affected parts of Australia as part of a $2.4...
Service Project Latrobe On Hold Due to VIC Lockdown
Due to the recent COVID-19 complications in Melbourne, we need to put Service Project Latrobe Legacy on hold while parts of Victoria enter a 5-day lockdown. Our Melbourne DRT has already been working closely with the local community conducting Damage Assessments and...
Jacobs cyclist riding for DRA at RoadNats
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is the official volunteer partner of an electric weekend in Aussie Cycling beginning 5th February, 2021. RoadNats, as it’s affectionately known, is the most prestigious national event on the Australian road cycling calendar. Australia’s...
Disaster Relief Australia Ramps up to Bring Urgent Recovery to Bushfire Survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland
Disaster Relief Australia, (DRA) is launching our first major operation for 2021, returning to bring urgent recovery to 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland.
How to Support the Adelaide Hills Bushfires
The 2019-20 Australian bushfire season, also known as Black Summer, saw an extended period of multiple large-scale and intense fires. Australia’s Black Summer megafires were a severe blow, with hundreds of homes lost, millions of hectares of lands burned and parts of the ecosystem destroyed.
A Family Affair – Veterans Prepare for Gippsland Bushfire Recovery
Our Melbourne Disaster Relief Team recently assisted the Latrobe City Council in the Gippsland region, providing bushfire recovery post-Yinnar South bushfires of March 2019. Our members sharpened their chainsaw skills in December 2019 in preparation for an upcoming...
Double Your Impact by Volunteering at a Major Sporting Event to Raise Funds for Disaster Relief Australia
An exciting opportunity is available for anyone in the Ballarat area over the age of 18 to volunteer at The Federation University Road National Championships on 3rd - 7th February 2021 in Ballarat, VIC. Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is the official volunteer partner...
Newsletter December 2020
Members Only Shop 2020 Year in Review Member Awards National Emergency MedalsACFID Membership 2019 - 20 Annual Report Member Support Social Media Use and Our ValuesMembers Only Shop 2020 Year in Review Member Awards National Emergency Medals ACFID Membership2019 - 20...
DRA featured in BankSA Focus Magazine
Disaster Relief Australia were recently featured in BankSa Foundation's Focus Magazine. This edition of Focus 'A year of challenge' focused on SA's resilience through bushfires and COVID-19. Lifting the load If anyone knows what it’s like to be living and working on...
DRA returns to Adelaide Hills for Black Summer bushfire recovery
Disaster Relief Australia is launching a Service Project in the Cudlee Creek bushfire area to continue assisting with bushfire relief and recovery from the Black Summer 2019/2020 bushfires. In 2019/2020 DRA completed 7 domestic operations, 1 international operation,...
Disaster Relief Australia’s Members awarded the National Emergency Medal
Disaster Relief Australia’s disaster response teams met Australia wide to celebrate and recognise the achievements of members awarded the National Emergency Medal. On Sunday November 15, 2020, DRA members met in person and participated in an online presentation led by...
Taming Disaster: Drones for Good
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly stayed longer than expected, but with all its devastating effects has also brought positive outcomes, especially with the reaches of the virtual environment, we are now able to connect with people in ways that we were never forced...
Operation Mason on hold due to SA lockdown
2020 continues to throw curveballs our way. With the six-day lockdown now in effect in South Australia we unfortunately will have to postpone our upcoming Black Summer bushfire relief and recovery efforts in the Adelaide Hills as part of Operation Mason. We will look...
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) withdrawing from Kangaroo Island Operations
Due to recent concerns regarding an outbreak of Covid-19 in the Adelaide area, several states have declared that borders will be closed to South Australia as of midnight tonight. Unfortunately, a number of our deployed volunteers working on Kangaroo Island have...
The Story behind Operation Dexter
Before Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) deploys for an Operation, we endeavor to research the history of veterans in the local community. We name our Operations in honour of local Defence veterans and their families. Thomas and Irene Dexter Our recent return to the...
DRA Guest Speaker Series 2020 with Mike Hartas
Michael (Mike) Hartas commenced his military career at Duntroon in Canberra in 1996 and graduated in 1998 to the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. Posted to the 1st Field Regiment in Brisbane commanding a Section of Artillery Guns, Mike settled into Regimental...
DRA Guest Speaker Series 2020 with Billy Hedderman
Billy Hedderman presented live on Thursday, 29 October 2020 as a DRA Guest Speaker of the 2020 Series. Billy Hedderman is a recovered quadriplegic. The ex-Irish Special Forces officer broke his neck on a beach in Australia in 2014 and was instantly paralysed. Lucky...
DRA Guest Speaker Series with Matt Newlands
Disaster Relief Australia was privileged to be joined by Mat Newlands as part of our Guest Speaker Series on 15th October 2020. Matt worked as a Police Officer with the South Australian Police from 2006 until 2016, in varied roles from general patrol duties, uniform...
Disaster Relief Australia returns to assist bushfire affected Rosedale community with Operation Dexter
Disaster Relief Australia, (DRA) is launching a Type 4 bushfire recovery operation in the SW area of the Gladstone Regional Council LGA, commencing on the 14th of October 2020. In November/December 2018, a bushfire originating from Deepwater, Queensland southwest of...
DRA Guest Speaker Series with Maj (Retd) Nick Garland
Nick Garland is a former British Army officer who fought back from life threatening injuries sustained during operations in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, returning to lead soldiers on two further operational tours, for which he was decorated for leadership and...
DRA Guest Speaker Series with Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook
Listen to Dr Elizabeth Rushbrook Chair of Disaster Relief Australia and Executive Director of the Metro North Hospital and Health Service QLD, deliver an inspirational talk on how she has overcome adversity and achieved great things. Dr Rushbrook joined the Royal...
Thanks to Disaster Relief Australia partner Mitsubishi
In just five months this year Disaster Relief Australia partner Mitsubishi Motors Australia have donated over $107,000 to our Operations through the use of their Fleet.
Re-branded to become Disaster Relief Australia
As of Friday 29th May 2020, Team Rubicon Australia has re-branded to become Disaster Relief Australia (DRA). It is important to note that only the business name and associated branding will change. DRA retains the same board of directors, leadership, members, and...
A Current Affair highlights Greyshirts
Did you catch ACA on Saturday 2nd May? This story on our grey shirts and our partnership with Mindaroo was filmed as we underwent Mission Ryan in Cobargo.
Disaster Relief Australia and Minderoo Fire Fund join forces
Disaster Relief Australia and Minderoo Fire Fund join forces to provide relief to fire affected communities of Australia Sydney, NSW (March 6, 2020) Disaster Relief Australia, a veteran-led disaster relief organization, is collaborating with Minderoo Fire Fund to...
Bushfire Recovery February 2020
Disaster Relief Australia is now conducting concurrent Operations in 3 states including Cudlee Creek, SA, Cobargo, NSW and Buchan, VIC.
Currently Monitoring
We are now Disaster Relief Australia