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NEWS
Domino’s registered charity Give for Good announces a one-year partnership with Disaster Relief Australia
With natural disasters becoming increasingly common, Dominos registered charity Give for Good recognises the need for assistance not only after a disaster but also for resilience and preparedness...
9th Disaster Relief Team launched in Tasmania
Disaster Relief Australia launched has launched its 9th Disaster Relief Team (DRT) in Tasmania. With a DRT in every state and territory across Australia, DRA is truly now built to serve. The newly...
Project Resilience ‘Big Map’ Exercise in Willawarrin NSW
On Friday 22 April, Disaster Relief Australia led and managed the first Project Resilience "Big Map” exercise for the community of Willawarrin, NSW. With disasters becoming both more frequent and...
Three years funding support of DRA’s National Veteran Volunteer Service (NVVS)
On 19th April, the Leader of the Australian Labor Party, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, announced that if elected his government would provide Disaster Relief Australia with funding over three years...
Clubs Supporting DRA’s Flood Recovery Efforts
Disaster Relief Australia wanted to assist in the Northern Rivers region, being one of the hardest hit areas during the recent flood emergency. Proudly supported by the New South Wales club...
Mid Op Update | Operation Kelliher
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is underway with a large disaster relief operation in response to the catastrophic flooding of Queensland and New South Wales. DRA members and volunteers initially...
Launch of Northern Territory Disaster Relief Team (NT DRT)
The newly formed Territory DRT launches with a cohort of 30 volunteers ready to serve their local communities and support national operations, such as those currently underway in the flood-affected...
Keno Extends Partnership with DRA for Two Years
Keno has renewed its partnership with DRA for the next two years to aid communities in the aftermath of disasters Disaster Relief Australia CEO Geoff Evans said the essential partnership between the...
Mobilising veteran and Defence community to support major flood recovery efforts across Queensland and NSW
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) is deploying a veteran-led volunteer workforce to Queensland and New South Wales in response to the recent major flood event. The announcement provides a timely...
Disaster Relief Australia welcomes Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants announcement
Disaster Relief Australia has welcomed an announcement they will receive $478,669 under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program. The funding will enable DRA to continue vital work...
Disaster Resilience and Recovery in Mallacoota (Two Years Post Black Summer)
Bushfire Recovery for Mallacoota 2 Years After Bearing the Brunt of Black Summer It is difficult to forget the out-of-control bushfire engulfing the Gippsland township of Mallacoota on New Years Eve...
Guest Speaker David Smith Wednesday 24th November
On Wednesday 24th November 2021, we held a guest speaker series with newly appointed DRA board member Dave Smith. Over an impressive 34 year military career he commanded at every level from platoon...
Resilience Corps Brings Together a Coalition of Groups Including Disaster Relief Australia
Pictured at North Head in Sydney is Emily Copley-Moorby, Monique Lehane, Mark Reilly and Adil Jain. Picture: Richard DobsonYoung people and volunteers from across Australia are being called upon to...
DRA Member Awards 2021
On 28th October 2021, Disaster Relief Australia members Australia wide joined a live linkup to celebrate the milestone of 5 years in serving disaster-affected communities. Guest Speaker Shane Durdin...
Disaster Relief Australia wins Outstanding Achievement in 2021 Australian Charity Awards
Disaster Relief Australia is proud to announce they have been recognised for Outstanding Achievement in The Australian Charity Awards 2021. The Australian Charity Award for Outstanding Achievement...
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 Burriss, then just 42, returned to the groups base at Dubbo RSL after a long...
Afghan Refugees Rolling up 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Recent News
Disaster Relief Australia launched has launched its 9th Disaster Relief Team (DRT) in Tasmania. With a DRT in every state and territory across Australia, DRA is truly now built to serve. The newly formed DRT launches with 42 volunteers ready to serve their local communities and support national operations, such as those currently underway in the flood-affected regions of NSW and Queensland. DRT Manager Kylie Baumback will lead the Tasmanian team and is keen to engage with the Tasmanian community and showcase the nationally accredited and advanced training opportunities that are available for all volunteers. This includes preparedness operations such as aerial mapping exercises and big-map community planning operations, in addition to disaster response skills such as drone operations, plant equipment, logistics, chainsaw, incident management team skills and more. “The geographical location of Tasmania means it can take time to attract and move resources from across Australia to respond to a natural disaster. We must, therefore, build and maintain a level of preparedness that enables the state to commence recovery operations as soon as possible utilising the amazing pool of local talent and collective knowledge of people who are fundamentally driven to the service of those in need.” Special thanks to Pete and the team at the Launceston RSL for hosting us for the event and the Lions Club of Kings Meadows for cooking our bbq lunch.
On 19th April, the Leader of the Australian Labor Party, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, announced that if elected his government would provide Disaster Relief Australia with funding over three years to support DRA’s National Veteran Volunteer Service (NVVS). The Liberal/National Coalition announced via the offices of Senator The Hon. Bridget McKenzie Minister for Regionalisation and Emergency Management and The Hon. Andrew Gee MP, Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans’ Affairs that they will also support the work of DRA and the principles that underpin the NVVS, pledging the same amount of $38.1 million in funds over the next three years. Thank you to both major parties for their recognition and support of Disaster Relief Australia and the National Veteran Volunteer Service initiative. It shows great leadership and vision for the future in support of veterans and the wider Australian community in times of need. What is the NVVS? Every year, Australian communities face devastating losses caused by disasters. Bushfires, floods, storms, and other hazards and their associated consequences have significant impacts on communities, the economy, infrastructure and the environment. The recovery space is quite devoid of assets at the moment with boots on the ground, and there are just so many veterans out there with the military skills required to assist. DRA has been working nationally with the ADF and government for the past five years, and over the last year has campaigned for the establishment of a National Veteran Volunteer Service. Building DRA’s NVVS, which is what the proposed funding will support, is an innovative, proven and highly effective approach to enabling veteran wellness and ability. Veterans have been trained with unique skills and have experiences that can be harnessed to assist disaster affected communities. This initiative will also give us the ability to further integrate with emergency responders and formalise a system for national disaster response based on shared knowledge. How will the funding be used? The pledged funding recognises that a national, coordinated and cooperative effort is needed to enhance Australia’s capacity to withstand and recover from emergencies and disasters. It will provide the level of funding required for DRA to grow, through targeted volunteer recruitment and training to a point where we have the right number of volunteers ready to continue to support communities impacted by disasters. It will also provide veterans with a renewed sense of purpose and self-worth, while also creating a sustainable and fit-for-purpose model of continued service as a much-needed national asset in disaster resilience and recovery.
