Disaster Resilience

One of the most effective ways to strengthen disaster resilience in Noosa is by engaging our Year 5–7 students. Through the Get Ready Schools program, up to 2,500 local students take part each year, helping build awareness and preparedness across the community.

 

Learning about local hazards

Many local schools and flexi schools study natural disasters and multi‑hazard events as part of their curriculum, often just before or during severe weather season. To support this learning, Council has developed an interactive Minecraft‑based presentation that teaches students how to prepare for real‑world even

The program focuses on Noosa’s four main disaster threats: 

• Floods

• Storms

• Heatwaves

• Bushfires

Council’s Disaster Management team coordinates school visits ahead of each storm and bushfire season, joined by representatives from Queensland Police, Noosa SES and Queensland Fire Department. 

What students experience during a visit

Each session includes:

• An interactive presentation using Minecraft to explore local hazards

• A tour of emergency services vehicles

• Insights into how agencies work together during severe weather

• An overview of Noosa’s Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) and Local Disaster Coordination Centre (LDCC)

• A look at how Council, Queensland Police and other emergency services coordinate response and recovery during an event

These hands‑on experiences help students understand how disasters unfold and what actions keep people safe.

Take‑home resources for families

At the end of each presentation, students receive a Get Ready Noosa emergency information pack to share with their parents or guardians. Each pack includes:

• The Noosa Emergency Action Guide (pictured below)

• An Emergency Severe Weather Plan

• An Emergency Contact List

• Partner resources such as the Rural Fire Service Bushfire Safety Guide, Queensland Ambulance Service First Aid booklet, and SES sandbagging tips

Two student favourites are also included: a compact first aid kit and a lanyard with a USB containing all materials, with QR codes linking back to the Noosa Disaster Dashboard.

To book a visit or find out more about the Get Ready Schools Program email the disaster education team.  

The Get Ready Noosa program works closely with aged‑care communities across the region - including over‑50s villages, lifestyle and independent‑living communities, and high‑acuity care facilities - to strengthen preparedness among some of our most vulnerable residents.

Annual disaster‑readiness workshop 

Throughout the year, the Get Ready Noosa team and emergency services partners conduct site visits with interested aged‑care facilities. These sessions are tailored to residents or staff, depending on what each facility prefers, and focus on building personal and organisational resilience. Conversations often centre on the Noosa Emergency Action Guide, the Noosa Disaster Dashboard, how to sign up for Noosa Alert, and the roles Council and emergency services play in preparedness, response and recovery.

Take‑home resources for residents

Every attendee receives a Get Ready Noosa emergency information pack and is encouraged to prepare a household emergency kit that would support them for three to ten days if an evacuation became necessary. These packs help residents understand local risks, organise essential items, and make informed decisions during severe weather. To learn more about the aged‑care resilience program or to collect a free emergency information pack, call Council on 5329 6500.

Our Queensland‑first Simtable uses 3D hazard‑mapping technology to show residents how disasters—particularly bushfires—could affect their homes, neighbourhoods and evacuation routes. This immersive tool helps people visualise real‑world fire behaviour and better understand their personal level of risk. Council’s Disaster Resilience and Fire Management team partners with the Queensland Rural Fire Service to deliver workshops for interested residents and community groups.

How the Simtable and Big Map support community preparedness

The Noosa Big Map is a 5 m × 4.5 m floor map of the region, which is used alongside the Simtable to engage locals in conversations about their exposure to bushfire, flood and cyclone hazards. The scale of the map encourages people to step into their landscape, identify risks around their home or facility, and consider practical preparedness actions. These sessions remain especially popular with aged‑care facilities but can be adapted for any community group.

Both tools highlight the importance of:

• Developing a detailed household or facility emergency plan

• Understanding local evacuation routes and triggers

• Preparing early for bushfire, flood or cyclone impacts

• Knowing how to act quickly if an evacuation becomes necessary

Supporting aged‑care facilities

For aged‑care providers, the Simtable and Big Map presentations offer a valuable opportunity to plan for how a disaster could affect their village layout, resident mobility, access roads and communication needs. Facilities use these insights to refine evacuation procedures and strengthen their own emergency plans.

To learn more about the Simtable or the Noosa Big Map, call 5329 6400 and ask to speak with a member of Council’s Disaster Management team.

    

Community members who want to better understand their local risks during severe weather can take part in our Get Ready Noosa community engagement sessions. These usually take place on weekends in a local park or gathering space, where emergency services agencies come together to deliver a multi‑hazard briefing tailored to the neighbourhood.

What happens during a community session

These sessions, coordinated by Council’s Disaster Management team, bring together representatives from Queensland Police, Noosa SES, Queensland Fire Department and Queensland Ambulance. Agencies meet informally with residents to discuss the hazards most relevant to their area and the practical steps households can take to prepare. Topics commonly covered include:

• Bushfires

• Storms

• Flooding

• Heatwaves

• Cyclones

• Hazard‑reduction burns

• Permits to burn

The relaxed setting encourages open conversation, giving residents the chance to ask questions and receive direct guidance from the people who respond during real emergencies.

How these visits support community resilience

These sessions take time to coordinate but offer significant value. Residents gain a clearer understanding of their local risks, learn how to strengthen their own household emergency action plan, and build confidence in how to respond if conditions change quickly.

Every attendee receives a Get Ready Noosa emergency information pack to take home, helping them continue their preparedness planning with their household.

To discuss whether a session would benefit your community, contact Council’s Disaster Management team on 5329 6500.

Council is undertaking a new project to design a future replacement of the Noosa Main Beach seawall. Find out more about this important project that will strengthen the Noosa Main Beach precinct's resilience to natural disasters and rising sea levels due to climate change.