Mareeba Shire is made up of many unique communities, each having different risk profiles and experiencing different impacts in the face of disaster events. Council is committed to building and maintaining resilient communities able to adapt to an increasing occurrence of natural disasters.

Thanks to funding from the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, a range of community training opportunities and events will be occurring throughout 2026 to support communities to gain the skills and knowledge they need to bounce back from disaster.

Community Training Opportunities

FREE Chainsaw (basic) training is being held across the Shire throughout April.

Irvinebank (location TBC) – 7 April
Chillagoe, Hub Meeting Room – 8 April
Kuranda, Community Centre (above the library) – 28 April
Mt Molloy, Memorial Hall – 29 April
Mareeba, Cedric Davis Hall – 30 April

The training will be from 8am – 5pm.

This is Nationally Accredited training and covers the following units of competency:
– FWPCOT2254 Maintain chainsaws
– FWPCOT2273 Trim and cut felled trees
Places are strictly limited and registration is essential.

Express your interest today:
https://mareebashirecouncil.snapforms.com.au/form/community-training—expression-of-interest

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Is there any training you believe would be particularly beneficial to your community? Let us know at disastermanagement@msc.qld.gov.au.

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The Community Resilience Network

Council is building a Community Resilience Network (CRN). The CRN will comprise a core group of people in the local community who have the knowledge, training and skills to support disaster management operations and build more resilient communities.

Our aim is to establish a strong, sustainable community network that can provide vital support during disaster events, helping our communities recover more quickly. A new, shire wide volunteer network will form a key part of the CRN, connecting Council with local perspectives in each of our unique communities.

Community Guardians

Community Guardians are key links between Council and the community. They are passionate volunteers with localised knowledge and community connections. These trusted points of contact who share information and liaise with Council help to ensure communities are prepared before, during and after disasters.

Council is always seeking expressions of interest from community members who would like to join the Community Resilience Network as Community Guardians.

 

What does being a Community Guardian involve?

Community Guardians come from a variety of backgrounds, and each bring unique skills and interests to the Community Resilience Network. They undertake a variety of functions from community engagement to operational disaster management duties.

As a Community Guardian you could find yourself:

  • Acting as a key point of contact in your community
  • Maintaining a two-way flow of communication between the community and Council during severe weather events
  • Engaging with your community through community meetings and events – assisting residents to locate resources and information
  • Assisting with evacuation centre activation and operation
  • Undertaking specialised training such as first aid, mental health first aid, evacuation centre management or Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements

What are the requirements?

  • 18+
  • Willing to register as a volunteer with Mareeba Shire Council
  • Willing to undergo a police check.

You don’t need disaster management experience to become a Community Guardian, just an interest in the program and a desire to help your community.

Tell us why you’re interested and what skills you could bring to the CRN.

Register your interest today

Applications are open year-round and reviewed periodically

 

Community Guardian Expression of Interest