Disaster Recovery

The Centre has a long history with disaster recovery and works towards supporting disaster affected communities through activities that they identify. We also provide financial/practical assistance. Disaster we have been involved in:

• 2001/02 Black Christmas fires that ravaged NSW and the ACT from the mountains to the coast, a fire in the Glenbrook-Warrimoo area destroyed 20 homes;
• January 1994 -Hawkesbury Heights/Blue Mountains;
• Midday on 17 October 2013 Winmalee/Yellow Rock bushfires destroyed 195 houses and damaged a further 146 buildings in the small communities.  A significant amount of destruction occurred in the initial hours of the fire around Buena Vista Rd., Emma Pde., Heather Glen Rd., Moray St. and Purvines Rd. A number of houses were also destroyed in Paulwood Ave., close to St Thomas Acquinas Primary School which was evacuated to Winmalee Shopping Centre and destruction also occurred on Singles Ridge Rd., where the children of Rainbow Pre-School were evacuated and the playground destroyed;
• 2019/20-Black Summer was one of the most intense and catastrophic fire seasons on record in Australia. The Centre undertook recovery in the Hawkesbury, Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Mid and Central West regions;
• In 2020 we saw the COVID pandemic change the face of how we operated. Through the lockdowns, as an essential service, the Centre remained open and assisted with financial and practical help; and
• The March 2022 flood was the largest since 1978. More than 634 millimetres fell in the Hawkesbury-Nepean in 14 days in late February and early March. The area was slammed by five floods between February 2020 and July 2022. A year after the March flood, residents are still feeling the impact and the Centre continues to support those who are still recovering.

Programs that we have initiated over the years have assisted in rebuilding connections and resilience. These include: Art in the Park (Yellow Rock Mosaic project), Business Supporting Community, Plant a Thought, Art of Recovery, Planting the Seeds of Recovery, Weeds After Bushfire, Women Skilled and Ready, Phoenix Wellbeing, Leadlight, Women in Disasters, Beeing One with Your Community, Culinary Communities, Women's Financial workshops, Essential voucher program i.e. Bunnings/Coles/KMart etc, Unfinished Business, Stories of Hope, Bringing Back the Birds, Children's Play Area, Rising from the Ashes, and along with these projects we have auspiced over 15 community grants where community members have applied for a grant and need an incorporated association, (Indigenous Cool Burning, Meeting By the River etc).

A handbook with an NRMA grant Emergency Readiness-Experiences of Pre-Schools During the 2013 Winmalee/Yellow Rock Bushfire. This booklet retold the experiences of Rainbow, Lizzards, and Winmalee Preschools along with Family Day Care, Bunya Child Care, Red Cross, RFS, and Ben Curran.

The NSW government-Education https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/operating-an-early-childhood-education-service/current-service-providers/emergency-Emergency Planning, Management, Response and Recovery contains resources and templates designed and intended for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services, such as long day cares, family day cares, preschools, outside school hours care (OSHC) and occasional care. For primary or high school, please refer to the Emergency Management page for schools.

HAVE YOU BEEN AFFECTED BY FLOODING IN April in the Hawkesbury? 

Flood Information and Recovery Support Hub will continue to be available, each Wednesday for the next month on the following days:

Wednesday -  8 May and 15 May

Where: Wilberforce School of Arts Hall – 531 Wilberforce Road, Wilberforce

When: 10 am – 2 pm 

Services available:

·        Service NSW

·        Service NSW Business concierge

·        NSW Reconstruction Authority – Disaster Relief Team

·        Local Land Services

·        Multicultural NSW (face to face translating for Cantonese and Mandarin)

·        Rural Financial Counsellor

·        Red Cross

·        Salvation Army

·        Anglicare

·        Peppercorn Recovery Services & Peppercorn Mental Health Support

·        Western Sydney Community Legal Centre/Legal Aid

·        Disaster Recovery Clinicians for mental health support and referral

·        Hawkesbury Nepean Valley Disaster Adaption Plan team

Come in a see the team, have a cuppa, and have your questions answered.

Waste Management for residential properties impacted by the floods.

The Hawkesbury Waste Management Facility will be accepting flood waste for FREE commencing Saturday 13 April, from residential properties impacted by the floods. We kindly ask residents attending the Waste Management Facility to show PATIENCE, KINDNESS, and RESPECT to our onsite staff. For everyone's safety, traffic control will be in place over the weekend.

Remember, flood waste should not contain prohibited items such as, soil, fibro, or asbestos. Loads will be checked at the weighbridge as per normal. Loads containing asbestos or any other prohibited waste will be rejected. These cannot be accepted even if it is flood waste. If you need additional clean-up assistance, please visit the Recovery Centre and register with Service NSW for assistance. The Recovery Centre is open, Saturday 13 April 10am to 4pm at Windsor Function Centre.

Note: Charges apply for other waste that is not flood waste and for residential properties that are not flood affected.

📍 The Waste Facility is open to Hawkesbury LGA residents from 8am to 4pm, 7 days a week (excluding Public Holidays).

Don't forget to bring proof of address such as a Driver's Licence or Rates Notice. ℹ️ Recovery Centre is open, Monday 15 April - Friday 19 April 10am to 4pm at Windsor Function Centre.

Grab & Go Bag

If you haven't received a grab and go bag and would like to access one, please visit either:

• Council Administration Building - 366 George St Windsor 9am-4pm Mon-Fri
• Hawkesbury Central Library - 300 George St Windsor 9am to 7pm Monday - Friday
  9am to 1pm Saturday
  2pm to 5pm Sunday
• Richmond Branch Library - 29 West Market St Richmond 9.30am to 6pm Monday - Friday
  9am to 1pm Saturday
• Visitor Information Centre - 328 Hawkesbury Valley Way Richmond 9am to 4pm 7 Days
• Hawkesbury Regional Museum - 8 Baker St Windsor 10am to 4pm - 6 Days Mondays and Wednesday through to Sunday
  (Closed Tuesdays)

Or from one of the weekly Community Hubs between 9:30am and 1pm at:

• Wilberforce School of Arts Hall, 531 Wilberforce Road - Wednesdays
• Colo Heights Hall, 2996 Putty Rd - Thursdays
• St Albans School of Arts Hall, 7 Upper Macdonald Road - Fridays

Each Bag contains a handy fact sheet and waterproof document wallet. Click on the images below to view both sides of the fact sheet and wallet and to download.

Disaster and Emergency (External link)

 Call Triple Zero (000) immediately in life threatening situations

 Translating and Interpreter Services call 13 14 50

 For Mental Health Support 24/7 you can call: Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.

If you live in the Hawkesbury or near bushland, a river, creek or on a floodplain, sooner or later you may be impacted by a natural disaster. This page has numerous resources to help you understand your risk and to assist you in beginning to prepare for disasters that may impact your community.