East Gippsland Shire Council has been recognised for its leadership in emergency preparedness, taking out the ‘Disaster Readiness and Recovery’ category at the LGPro Awards for Excellence in Melbourne last night.

The winning project – Strengthened Disaster Readiness and Resilience East Gippsland – was developed in response to the 2019–20 Black Summer Bushfires and is delivering long-term benefits by embedding community leadership in emergency planning and resilience.

East Gippsland mayor Cr John White said the award is a tribute to the strength and leadership of East Gippsland communities.

“This initiative is about empowering locals to lead preparedness efforts and ensuring every corner of our shire is better equipped for emergencies,” John said.

“We’re delivering real resilience on the ground – from upgraded emergency shelters to inclusive planning tools and community-led response plans. It’s a proud moment to see this work recognised at a state level.”

The initiative has delivered:

• 46 Local Incident Management Plans (LIMPs)

• 14 Community Emergency Management Plans (CEMPs)

• Victoria’s first local government Disaster Dashboard emergencydashboard.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au

• Person-centred emergency plans and sensory-friendly resources to support neurodiverse residents

• Resilient infrastructure upgrades, including microgrids, backup generators, solar and battery systems, water tanks, and improved emergency shelters

East Gippsland is widely recognised for its commitment to disaster preparedness, response and recovery – and this award reaffirms the strong reputation our region holds across the state. Council acknowledges the critical role of community members, volunteers and local leaders who have actively shaped this work. From co-developing Local Incident Management Plans to championing resilience in their own communities, their involvement has made this program stronger and more meaningful. When communities lead and take ownership of preparedness, we are all better placed to face the challenges ahead.  

Watch the video about our award-winning program on our ‘EastGippyTV’ YouTube channel.

Council was also a finalist in the hotly contested Service Delivery category for its Mobile Service Initiative – a multi-service outreach program that delivers library access, customer support, digital connectivity and essential Council services to remote communities across the shire.

Congratulations to Banyule City Council, who took out the category win.