Safer Together Bushfire Resilience Project

A small shoot of green regrowth appears from a blackened tree.

The Safer Together program is led by the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), in partnership with local government authorities and key land and fire management agencies, including Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic), Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), Emergency Management Victoria (EMV), and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).

Victoria is one of the most bushfire-prone regions in the world. Safer Together responds to this challenge by creating opportunities to:

 •  Increase community and local government involvement in bushfire risk management
 •  Trial innovative approaches to reducing bushfire risk
 •  Invest in science, research, and technology to strengthen evidence-based bushfire mitigation strategies
 •  Improve collaboration between fire agencies

 As part of this initiative, Pyrenees Shire Council is working with Pyrenees Community House to deliver the Safer Together Bushfire Resilience Project — a community-focused program designed to support residents living in fire-prone areas.

Pyrenees Fire Wise Garden Guide(PDF, 17MB)

The project includes:

 •  A guided bus tour of local fire wise properties
 •  A fire wise forum and workshop
 •  Pyrenees Fire Wise Garden Guide
 •  A demonstration fire wise landscaped garden
 •  Resilient Homes Expo

 

Resilient Homes Expo

The Resilient Homes Expo will bring together local organisations, emergency services, industry experts, community groups and businesses to share practical information, advice and solutions to help households prepare for bushfires, extreme weather and other emergencies.

Through expert presentations, demonstrations and interactive displays, visitors will gain practical, easy-to-understand information they can apply to their own homes and properties.

The expo will help residents turn awareness into action by exploring practical steps that can improve household resilience before, during and after emergencies.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore:

  • Bushfire-resilient homes and building design
  • Retrofitting existing homes to improve bushfire resilience
  • Bushfire-ready landscaping and property preparation
  • Climate adaptation and sustainable living
  • Emergency preparedness and planning
  • Renewable energy and household sustainability
  • Communications and connectivity during emergencies
  • Practical demonstrations and interactive activities

Visitors can also speak directly with experts and exhibitors, ask questions, and discover resources, products and services to support a more resilient home and community.

Event details

  • Sunday 11 October 2026
  • 10 am to 4 pm
  • Lexton Community Hub and Lexton Recreation Reserve
  • Free family-friendly community event

Residents from Pyrenees Shire and surrounding communities are encouraged to attend for information, resources and practical advice to help them get prepared ahead of the bushfire season.

More details, including the full program, participating organisations and a special guest announcement, will be released in the coming weeks.

The Resilient Homes Expo is being delivered by Pyrenees Shire Council through the Safer Together Bushfire Resilience Project.

 

Building a fire wise landscape garden

This project will create a demonstration fire wise garden at the Lexton Community Hub in partnership with the Community Hub Committee, local Landcare and CFA groups, and community volunteers.

Through hands-on workshops, participants will learn about fire wise landscaping while helping to build the garden together.

The garden will also feature as part of the 2026 Resilient Homes Expo, where a fire wise expert will lead guided talks and tours throughout the day.

A long community building with the sign Lexton Community Hub

Previous Events

Fire Wise - Landscaping Q & A Forum and Garden Design Workshop

A well designed and maintained garden can have a significant influence on house survival in a bushfire.

Pyrenees Community House and the Victorian Government's Safer Together Program hosted the Fire Wise Landscaping: Q & A Forum and Garden Design Workshop in June 2026.

This event was created to help Pyrenees residents build practical knowledge of bushfire hazard reduction and resilient landscape design. 

A garden of shrubs of various colours including purple and yellow flowering shrubs in the foreground and taller trees and mountains in the background.  

This event covered:

•  Creating defendable space around the house
•  Removing flammable objects close to structures
•  Breaking up fuel continuity
•  Selecting, positioning, and maintaining trees thoughtfully to reduce fire exposure

The speakers included Owen Gooding;
Expert CFA Bushfire mitigation, vegetation management, and sustainable fire management expert.

Other speakers included Kate Blood and Rob Pelletier; local experts in fire preparedness, horticulturalists, botanists and owners of Heritage Fruit Trees. 

Saturday 13 June 2026

Fire Wise Bus Tour

This initiative was organised by Pyrenees Community House to help Pyrenees residents build practical knowledge of bushfire hazard reduction and resilient landscape design.

Participants had the opportunity to:

 •  Tour local fire wise properties and learn from real-life examples
 •  Attend hands-on landscaping workshops focused on bushfire resilience
 •  Hear directly from CFA representatives and fire wise experts
 •  Receive free bushfire dscaping resources and educational materials
 •  Learn how to create safer, more resilient homes, gardens, and properties
 •  Connect with local community groups, including Landcare networks and CFA brigades

Person at the front of a room giving a talk, they are holding up a book   Person giving a talk to a group of seated people. There is a screen and they are pointing at the screen.   A person stands at the front of a large room. An audience sits at tables and chairs in a dining room style. Large windows are behind them.    A group of people walk down a path Tall trees line the country path.  

 

By combining expert knowledge with local experience, the project aims to strengthen community resilience, encourage preparedness, and support safer living in bushfire-prone environments.

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