Resilience and cultural pride at the heart of Wujal Wujal’s recovery journey

The Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire, nestled in among the lush tropical rainforests of Far North Queensland, is more than just a remote community, it’s a place of deep cultural heritage, strong community ties, and immense natural beauty.

In December 2023, Tropical Cyclone Jasper struck the region with devastating force significantly damaging homes, infrastructure and services, resulting in the evacuation of the entire community and deeply impacting the lives of residents.

The emotional toll on the community, with families distanced from cultural practices and a sense of normalcy, was truly profound.

Recognising the need for a recovery process that extended beyond physical restoration, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council engaged specialist recovery project management experts the Yellow Company in early 2024 to lead a truly community-first recovery project. 

This holistic effort prioritised cultural leadership, psychosocial well-being, and cross-agency collaboration in its blueprint for rebuilding.

By centring on locally identified priorities, the project moved beyond traditional infrastructure recovery by emphasising the revitalising of community life, maintaining cultural continuity, and fostering social connectedness.

This meant engaging with community Elders for advice, integrating traditional knowledge into planning, and ensuring all works aligned with the community’s vision for healing and resilience.

Recovery planning included a focus on building essential flood-mitigation infrastructure, reinforced community spaces, and the development of sustainable governance models. 

A critical aspect of the project was a focus on community engagement and leadership. 

All community engagement was designed to accommodate and promote cultural considerations, ensuring participation was authentic and inclusive. 

Elders, artists, youth, and members of the Justice Group were actively engaged by Yellow in shaping direction and priorities. 

The damage to sacred places and vital community meeting places was extensive, and prioritising their reinstatement was at the forefront of identifying projects, scope and funding sources.

Alongside technical rebuilding, the project actively worked to reconnect and strengthen the community’s social and spiritual bonds, providing a foundation for long-term self-determination and enhanced cultural pride.

Throughout the project, the Yellow Company ensured careful attention was placed on fostering collaboration between businesses, community members, and external partners to ensure the delivery of innovative and locally relevant solutions.

Funded through support from the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, the Wujal Wujal Rising project stands as a national example of how effective collaboration, cultural leadership, and innovative approaches to recovery can greatly enhance disaster resilience.

Wujal Wujal Rising took out top honours in the Business Awards Category at the 2025 Queensland Resilient Australia Awards.

It will now 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.