A new podcast focused on how communities recover after major fire events has just been released by a Macedon local.
The podcast, titled ‘Democracy After Disaster’ is a nine-part narrative featuring stories, interviews and ideas about the landscape of recovery many communities in Victoria face after major fire events.
Kate Lawrence, who hosted and produced the podcast, said she has worked on the project over the last four years, chatting to local people with lived experience of bushfires and the recovery process.
Ms Lawrence said the podcast covers bushfire events across Victoria, including in the Macedon Ranges.
“The podcast was inspired when Steve Pascoe from Strathewen came to Woodend to give a talk about how his community went about leading their recovery after the 2009 Black Saturday fires,” she said.
“And this is the story we focus on in the first episode.”
In later episodes the series explores Macedon’s recovery from the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires (episode two), the impact on Noojee of the 1939 Black Friday fires (episode three), before coming back to 2009 and recovery in Kinglake (episode four). Mallacoota after the Black Summer fires features in episodes five and six.
“In amongst the stories from people in communities impacted by the fires, is an exploration of big issues like democracy, bureaucracy and disaster,” Ms Lawrence said.
“Later episodes then look at some amazing democratic innovations that can dramatically improve our collective recovery.”
Former mayor of Baw Baw council Ruth McGowan praised the project, and said lived experience was vital to tell.
“With a drastically changing climate driving the increased risk of devastating bushfires, millions of Australians are at risk,” she said.
“That’s why it’s so timely to hear from people with experience of surviving fire disasters – both on a personal level and as community activists who rallied and organised devastated communities to not only survive but thrive in the months and years after fire.”
Democracy after Disaster is available to listen now.
Details: https://storyground.com.au/democracy-after-disaster
