Original Beyond Bushfires Study
Beyond Bushfires was a five-year study led by the University of Melbourne in partnership with a range of others, including community, government, emergency, and service agencies, which has now been extended into the 10 Years Beyond Bushfires study. The original Beyond Bushfires study explored the medium to long term impacts of the Victorian 2009 bushfires on individuals and communities. The communities selected for this study have a range of bushfire experiences from low impact to high impact. In order to understand these impacts, the study collected information in multiple ways including: surveys, interviews, focus groups and community visits (over the study period). The study looked at impacts on residents such as mental health, wellbeing and social relationships, within selected communities. There were just over 1,000 participants who completed surveys in 2012 (see survey), who were followed up again in 2014 (see survey). Over 2013 and 2014, in-depth interviews and focus groups took place to explore participants' experiences over time and attitudes to place and community. The research team also carried out community visits throughout the whole study to share information with community members and gain a better understanding of local conditions and issues. This helped direct the way the study was conducted locally to ensure the findings were accurate and relevant to the communities involved.
For detailed information about the study methodology refer to the study protocol paper.
What have we learned about the impact of disasters?
Communities included in the study
- Axedale
- Callignee
- Dixons Creek
- Darnum
- Eildon
- Kinglake, Kinglake Central, Pheasant Creek & Kinglake West
- Koornalla
- Marysville, Narbethong, Granton, Buxton & Taggerty
- Mudgegonga (& surrounding communities)
- Steels Creek
- Tallarook
- West Bendigo
Original Beyond Bushfires research team
- Prof Lisa Gibbs - Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program & Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety, University of Melbourne
- Prof Richard Bryant - School of Psychology, University of NSW
- Prof Louise Harms - Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne
- Prof David Forbes - Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, University of Melbourne
- Dr Karen Block - Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program, University of Melbourne
- Dr Colin Gallagher - Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology
- Mr Greg Ireton - Centre for Disaster Management and Public Safety, University of Melbourne
- Mr John Richardson - Red Cross Australia
- Prof Philippa Pattison - Office of the Deputy ViceChancellor (Education), University of Sydney
- Prof Colin MacDougall - Southgate Institute for Health, Equity and Society, Flinders University
- Dr Dean Lusher - Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology
- Ms Elyse Baker - Past staff member of Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program, University of Melbourne
- Ms Connie Kellett - PhD Candidate,University of Melbourne
- Ms Alana Pirrone - Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program, University of Melbourne
- Ms Robyn Molyneaux - Jack Brockhoff Child Health & Wellbeing Program, University of Melbourne
- Ms Lauren Kosta - PhD Candidate,University of Melbourne
- Kate Brady - PhD Candidate,University of Melbourne
- Dr Marian Lok - PhD (Completed),University of Melbourne
- Dr Gisela Van Keessel - Prof Doctorate, Flinders University
- Vale Prof Elizabeth Waters - University of Melbourne