Empowering youth to create disaster-ready communities
When a disaster strikes, it’s not just homes and infrastructure at risk—it’s the mental health and wellbeing of the entire community.
Logan City Council’s "Student Voice in Disaster Resilience: A Walking Fence Exhibition" empowers young people to take an active role in shaping how their community prepares for natural disasters.
Spearheaded by Flagstone State Community College in partnership with Leadrr and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority under the Get Ready Queensland initiative, this project placed students at the heart of disaster preparedness.
The initiative was born out adversity following a series of devastating storms that tore through South East Queensland over the 2023-24 Christmas-New Year period.
These events left widespread destruction affecting homes, schools, roads, power supply, and the emotional resilience of impacted residents.
In response, more than 120 Year 7-9 students from Flagstone State Community College were encouraged to combine artistic creativity with practical lessons on disaster readiness.
The result was a unique public exhibition of life-sized corflute characters inscribed with the students’ personal disaster-preparedness messages.
Known as the Walking Fence, the display became a visual reminder of the importance of resilience and a testament to youth involvement in building safer communities.
The students’ collaboration extended beyond the classroom, linking them directly to emergency services including the Queensland Police Service (QPS), Queensland Fire Department (QFD), State Emergency Service (SES), and council teams.
These connections provided real-world insights into local risks, boosting the students’ confidence and understanding of disaster preparedness while bridging gaps between theoretical learning and practical application.
Debuting during the 2024 Get Ready Queensland Week, the Walking Fence Exhibition sparked widespread community dialogue about disaster preparedness, resilience, and mental health challenges stemming from traumatic events.
By providing a creative platform for youth involvement, the initiative fostered stronger ties between young people, emergency services, and the broader community.
This ground-breaking project, which combined art, education, and practical action, was recognised at the 2025 Queensland Resilient Australia Awards, taking out the Mental Health and Wellbeing category.
It demonstrates the crucial role young people can play in building community resilience and illustrates the power of collaboration and innovation in the face of adversity.
As part of Logan City Council’s broader efforts to prepare the community for natural disasters, the initiative spotlights mental health and wellbeing.
It has not only connected students to disaster preparedness strategies but also transformed them into champions of awareness and resilience.
The Walking Fence Exhibition will now go on to compete as a finalist for the National Resilient Australia Awards, which will be announced in late 2025.
The full list of Queensland winners and highly commended entrants is available at www.getready.qld.gov.au/RAA25-QldAwards
