Recovery planning templates

Recovery planning in Queensland is guided by the following Recovery Planning Methodology, which provides a structured approach to developing recovery plans after a disaster.

Recovery planning

Figure: Recovery planning methodology, Queensland Recovery Plan (June 2023)

The methodology can be used by an individual or a group, although a collaborative group approach is recommended. It supports planning at the local, district/regional and state levels and follows a cyclical process that can be adapted as recovery needs change over time.

Each stage of the methodology is supported by practical tools and templates to help guide planning and decision-making.

Recovery Planning Tools and Templates

The following tools and templates support the recovery planning process:

This fact sheet provides a summary of the Recovery Planning Methodology. 183 KB
Stages of Recovery Key Activities Checklist - Recovery is a complex, long-term process requiring different leadership and community support at each phase. This checklist provides an overview of activities that could be completed at each stage of the recovery process. Please note that this checklist is intended as a guide only and not all activities must be completed. 5 MB
A local Recovery Sub-Plan is a sub-plan to the Local Disaster Management Plan, developed prior to a disaster event. It is informed by local knowledge, as well as an understanding of the community, its priorities and key considerations. The sub-plan outlines the arrangements for recovery at the local level and incorporates elements of the community overview / profile. This document outlines a suggested structure and content for a local Recovery Sub-Plan. 550 KB
This form summarises the event, identifies risks to recovery, and ongoing response activities. It is recommended that the Local Disaster Coordinator complete this form as part of the formal handover to the Local Recovery Coordinator. 339 KB

Steps to Recovery Planning

This is a fill-in-the-blank template for a Council Community Profile, designed to capture a local government area's demographics, economy, vulnerability factors, disaster history, infrastructure, funding history, and data sources for planning or disaster-resilience purposes. 5 MB
This guide supports local governments to identify potential disaster impacts. The guide is intended as a reference only. Additional impacts may be identified through local impact assessment processes. 4 MB
This tool helps identify and assess the impacts of a disaster on communities, infrastructure, businesses and the environment. The impact identification process captures where damage or disruption has occurred and who or what has been affected. This includes both direct impacts, such as damaged buildings, and indirect impacts, such as disruption to services or local businesses. The process also considers values that are often intangible or difficult to quantify, including intangible Cultural Heritage, Connection to Country, and social cohesion. The impact assessment process analyses the information collected to understand the consequences of the disaster and identify recovery needs that require a response.
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A SWOT analysis template assessing the current position's strengths and weaknesses (the immediate, medium- and long-term recovery tasks and the disaster problem as it stands now) alongside the future position's opportunities and threats (the same recovery stages viewed against what a successful, recovered end-state would look like). 4 MB
This template helps recovery groups document recovery objectives, actions and intended outcomes. It supports a coordinated approach to planning and communicating recovery activities. 3 MB
This template helps local governments develop high-level recovery and resilience plans for specific disaster events. These plans are designed to be public facing, enabling local governments to communicate with their communities about the actions being undertaken to support recovery efforts. 43 KB
This template records recovery actions, responsible agencies and timeframes for delivery. It also assists recovery groups to monitor progress, track outcomes and evaluate recovery efforts over time. 54 KB

When a State Recovery Coordinator is appointed, local recovery and resilience plans are included into the event-specific State Recovery and Resilience Plan. For examples of previous event-specific state and local plans, visit the State Recovery Plans (event-specific) webpage.

The Recovery: local recovery planning webpage features a video outlining the steps to take in preparing for a natural disaster and developing and event-specific recovery and resilience plan.

Support for councils 

QRA supports councils to strengthen local recovery capability.

Recovery and Resilience Officers (RROs) can provide tailored information and learning opportunities to build council knowledge, skills, and governance for recovery. Support can include workshops and guidance on:

  • recovery governance and Recovery Sub-Plan development
  • recovery planning and use of the Recovery Planning Methodology and templates
  • development of Event-specific Local Recovery and Resilience Plans.

Contact your RRO to discuss your council’s needs and available support.

QRA Reference CM GF/73779: Last updated 28 September 2026.