Victorian Mayors have united in Murrindindi to turn solidarity into action, strengthening relationships and exploring opportunities for collective advocacy to improve how communities prepare, respond to, and recover from disasters.
Hosted by Murrindindi Shire Council on 24 and 25 October, Standing with Murrindindi: A Mayoral Gathering for Recovery and Resilience, brought together Mayors and Councillors from seven Victorian councils for more than a show of support. Through firsthand conversations with fire-affected communities, visits to impacted areas and dedicated Mayoral discussions, the gathering sought to translate shared experiences into practical collaboration and stronger advocacy for long-term recovery.
The January fires devastated communities across Murrindindi, destroying 217 homes, 519 outbuildings and thousands of kilometres of fencing, with lasting impacts on families, farms, businesses and essential infrastructure.
Murrindindi Shire Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher said the gathering grew from a simple question asked by fellow Mayors following the fires: What can we do to help?
"Our answer was simple. Come and see. Come and listen. Understand what our communities have endured, what they are still navigating, and what needs to change," Cr Gallagher said.
"We didn't invite our fellow Mayors here simply to witness what happened to Murrindindi. We invited them to help shape what happens next, not just for us, but for every community that will face disaster in the future."
Over two days, visiting leaders travelled through fire-affected landscapes, visited Fawcett Bridge and heard directly from community members at Fawcett Hall about the challenges of rebuilding and long-term recovery.
At HG Turf in Alexandra, Gavin Sutherland and Warren Davis, The Unbreakable Farmer, shared insights into business resilience, community capacity building and the importance of investing in people and local leadership.
The gathering also included a dedicated Mayoral discussion, a community dinner hosted by Alexandra Events and breakfast with the Alexandra Fire Brigade, recognising the vital role of volunteers in emergency response and recovery.
Cr Gallagher said the conversations reinforced that disaster recovery extends far beyond rebuilding physical infrastructure.
"Recovery is about restoring livelihoods, rebuilding confidence and ensuring communities have the support and capacity to face future challenges.
"Our communities have already demonstrated extraordinary resilience. The question we must now ask is whether our recovery systems are giving them the tools, resources and support they need to rebuild and thrive, not just today, but for the challenges ahead."
From shared experience to collective action
Council hopes the gathering will provide a foundation for continued collaboration across the local government sector, including opportunities to share lessons and explore future advocacy through established networks such as the Municipal Association of Victoria and Australian Local Government Association.
Areas identified for further discussion include fairer and more flexible disaster recovery funding, improved infrastructure restoration arrangements, stronger community capacity building, and sharing practical lessons to improve emergency preparedness and long-term recovery.
"Disasters don't respect municipal boundaries or council budgets. What happened here could happen anywhere," Cr Gallagher said.
"The true measure of this gathering won't be the conversations we've had over these two days, but how we build on them to help create stronger recovery systems for the communities that need it."
Thank you for standing with Murrindindi
Cr Gallagher extended his sincere appreciation to the visiting Mayors and Councillors from Strathbogie, Towong, Glen Eira, Monash, Macedon Ranges, Maroondah and Horsham councils.
"To our Mayoral colleagues, thank you for your time, your leadership and your willingness to listen. Your presence has shown our communities that they have not been forgotten and that they are not facing recovery alone."
Council also sincerely thanked Sam Hicks and the Fawcett Hall community; Gavin Sutherland and HG Turf; Warren Davis, The Unbreakable Farmer; Alexandra Events; and Alexandra Fire Brigade Captain Chris Lynch and brigade members for their generous hospitality and contributions.
Special acknowledgement was given to Council's Fire Recovery Manager, Anne Leadbeater, for her invaluable insights and guidance, alongside Council's CEO, Councillors and Council staff for their leadership and commitment to the gathering.
"Most importantly, thank you to our communities for sharing their stories with such honesty and courage," Cr Gallagher said.
"Murrindindi's story is still being written. But this weekend reminded us that we are not writing the next chapter alone."
Visiting representatives: Mayor Cr Scott Jeffery (Strathbogie), Mayor Cr Peter Tolsher (Towong), Mayor Cr Dr Simone Zmood (Glen Eira), Mayor Cr Stuart James (Monash), Mayor Cr Cassy Borthwick (Macedon Ranges), Mayor Cr Linda Hancock (Maroondah) and Cr Rebecca Sluggett (Horsham).
