Welcome to the March update about the Whole of Home Resilience project. Find out about upcoming workshops, our plans for the coming months and more.

April workshops

Analysis has begun on the Whole of Home Resilience project. We are getting a better understanding of the resilience of our homes to bushfire and storm and how our homes perform in hot and cold weather.

We are hosting workshops to present findings from the assessments, understand local trends and sharing resources. We are keen to hear from workshop participants to understand how they may prioritise their actions, share what they have learnt and if they have tried any of the recommendations.

We would love to share these workshops with the community. There are spaces available, even if you didn’t participate in the program.

Workshops details:

• Where: Castlemaine - address to be advised
• When: Morning session - 9.30am - 11.30am, 9 April 2025 or, evening session - 6.00pm - 8.00pm, 9 April 2025

Delicious spread to accompany these informative and interactive workshops.

Please contact lisa.merkesteyn@castlemaineinstitute.org.au for more details and booking information.

Photo Credit: Penny Ryan Photography

What next?

• Four case studies will be developed to learn from project participants and their homes. The case studies look at homes that represent the various conditions from the program and demonstrate the types of houses most of us live in.
• Over the coming months we will analyse the information gathered to understand the scope of retrofits and estimate the costs required to raise the resilience and energy efficiency of houses in the region. This will be presented in a public facing report finalised in mid-2025.

Participant testimonials

Following his assessment with Mick Lewin, Nick is looking to tidy up loose items around the house to improve bushfire resilience. It is best to keep loose items a minimum of two metres away from your windows and external walls and windows.

‘Thank you so much for this, much appreciated and really learned a great deal. We were encouraged by our fire proofing/works, but have too much clobber round the house. I look forward to the overall results.’

Nick, Fryerstown

On the Resilience Rating website, the Resilient Building Council list the areas of a home that are vulnerable to bushfire attack and the suggested separation distances to reduce the threat to the home from nearby items igniting.

Project Partners

The project is co-delivered by the Castlemaine Institute and Resilient Building Council, in partnership with Mount Alexander Shire Council and the Victorian government Department of Energy Environment and Climate Action, with support from Emergency Recovery Victoria.