CRaCA

CRaCA is about strengthening community resilience in Belgrave and Tecoma amid increasing climate and social challenges. We aim to build on existing strengths and address key vulnerabilities, to enhance community preparedness, coordination, recovery, and long-term adaptability, supporting a resilient and thriving Belgrave and Tecoma community. This is a new initiative, linked to our successful The Adaption Game event in May 2026.  

The inaugural meeting of CRaCA, held on 4 June 2026, identified two priority action areas. 

The first is growing neighbourhood connections through initiatives such as street-by-street networks, local representatives, communication systems such as phone trees or WhatsApp groups, and community garden maintenance and working bees. 

The second is developing a community inventory to better understand local assets, skills, organisations, infrastructure and emergency resources across the 3160 area. This could include mapping community capabilities, compiling directories of skills and equipment, and creating practical tools such as a community resource guide.

Our local paper reported the event. 

July 2026 - Deep Dive

The CRaCA group came together in late July 2026 to reflect on what makes our community strong, identify some of the key concerns we are facing, and discuss how we might share these insights more broadly. The workshop was facilitated by Jay and Caitlin from Resilience Canopy.

With their assistance, we identified a range of interconnected challenges to community resilience, including rising insurance costs and the risk of uninsurability, increasing natural hazards, pressure on emergency and community services, mental health and social isolation, biodiversity loss, and disengagement among young people and others on the margins of community life.

At the same time, participants recognised considerable local strengths, including active community groups and volunteers, established emergency services, a vibrant arts and cultural sector, strong tourism and natural assets, and valued community infrastructure. These findings reinforce CRaCA’s emerging priorities, particularly around insurance, community connection and preparedness, while highlighting the opportunity to build on existing local skills, networks and assets through a community resilience inventory and stronger neighbourhood connections.

More to come.