RDRP workshops bring farmers, businesses, community groups and government together

The Regional Drought Resilience Planning (RDRP) team has just wrapped up several weeks on the road, travelling across the Wide Bay Burnett to gather wisdom, insight and perspective on-the-ground in communities to gauge the relevance and strength of both the Mary and Burnett Regional Drought Resilience Plans.

Six workshops held everywhere from the Kilkivan CWA Hall to the Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce, brought together a myriad of keen to contribute farmers, business owners, community representatives, industry groups and government staff, all sitting together and bound by common purpose: to make sure the region is better prepared for the next drought, whenever it arrives.

These were productive days filled with capacity building, action planning, idea testing and bared, sometimes emotional reflection. The facilitation, led by Dr Robert Mellor from the University of Southern Queensland and his team, played a large role in shaping the atmosphere in every room. Their calm, light-touch approach created an environment built on trust, clarity and structure, one where people felt comfortable speaking openly and where ideas had the chance to grow. That grounding helped us stay aligned with the original plans while making space for the realities, challenges and opportunities communities are facing right now.

One of the strongest impressions from the roadshow was the diversity of voices contributing to the process. It was encouraging to see farmers, local businesses, community groups and different levels of government working side-by-side. The drought plans were never meant to exist solely for primary producers; they also play a role in supporting the local economies and communities that depend on them. That mix of people made the discussions richer and the resulting plans more robust. Just as significant were the candid conversations that emerged. Participants shared stories ranging from weed control and creek management to the pressures of infrastructure, labour and finances. These exchanges highlighted how varied the impacts of drought truly are, and how important it is that every action proposed in the plan is grounded in lived experience.

It was almost as tangible as the worksheets themselves, that people are done talking.  It is well overdue to now move from conversation to action. Tim Sayre, RDRP Program Manager commented,

“While government processes inevitably take time, the workshops offered a chance to confirm whether the ideas developed 18 months ago still matched what communities want today. Front-of-mind was also cost.  Value for money, in regions where every dollar is stretched, people want to know that investments are targeted, practical and worth it. There’s little point delivering something no one asked for or spending limited resources on projects that fall short of what communities actually need”.

The next drought is coming.  The adage is, that the only certainty in life is death and taxes, but in Australia, the third certainty is that drought is coming, we just don’t know when. Farmers shared theories, some based on weather patterns, others on instinct or the kind of experience that only comes from decades on the land. What is certain is that preparation needs to start before the dry years appear on the horizon. The best time to plan is when the paddocks are still green, the dams are comfortably full and businesses are trading well, when the ground is cracked, we are too late, and this was fully appreciated across the workshop attendees: now is exactly the right time.

As the plans evolve, some potential projects have begun to emerge as clear front-runners. Each community highlighted different priorities, which reflects the region's varied land uses, industries and climates. That diversity is part of what makes the planning so valuable.  There is no one-size-fits-all drought response, and the roadshow reinforced just how important it is for each community to have a genuine say in shaping its future.

Over the Christmas period, the comments and ideas gathered from all six workshops will be reviewed and consolidated. Community members who were unable to attend still have a chance to contribute, with feedback open until mid-January through the RDA Wide Bay Burnett website. After that, the focus shifts from planning to action. Some steps can begin immediately in partnership with local organisations, while larger projects will require funding support from a range of sources.

This process has never been about producing a glossy document that sits on a shelf but creating a working plan rooted in local knowledge to help people prepare for the next drought and ensure the region is positioned to grow when conditions inevitably turn again. The conversations held across the Wide Bay Burnett over the past few weeks have laid strong foundations. What happens next will determine how ready our communities are when the dry years return, as they always do.

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