Local resilience planning important for stronger communities

Lockyer Valley Regional Council’s updated Local Resilience Action Plan (LRAP) is focused on helping residents stay safe, connected and get back on their feet after a disaster.

Unique to Queensland, LRAPs identify and prioritise practical projects to help communities better withstand and recover from disasters.

Recently, a milestone in Queensland disaster resilience was achieved, with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) and all the state’s 77 councils completing crucial updates to their LRAPs.

The Lockyer Valley’s plan outlines strategies on strengthening essential infrastructure, improving access and reducing disaster risk to help protect the places we call home.

It also helps Council seek funding for these local priorities when available, giving the QRA and Queensland Government a clearer picture of where investment can make a difference for Lockyer Valley residents and support our communities’ long-term resilience.

Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said Local Resilience Action Plans are crucial tools to guide investment and project delivery.

“LRAPs allow councils and the QRA to identify projects focused on growing community resilience, reducing disaster risk, and strategic alignment with local and regional needs,” Minister Leahy said.

“We encourage councils to keep their LRAPs current, and the fact all 77 Queensland councils and the Weipa Town Authority have completed their plans for 2026 is testament to the priority they put on increasing our collective disaster resilience.”

Lockyer Valley Regional Council Mayor Tanya Milligan said Council’s endorsed 2026 LRAP reflected the region’s practical resilience priorities.

“People across the Lockyer Valley know only too well the impacts flooding and severe weather can have, so our focus is on practical projects that reduce risk and make our communities safer and more resilient,” Mayor Milligan said.

“Resilience is about making sure our communities can stay connected when conditions turn bad, with safer roads and evacuation routes, reliable warning systems and the emergency capability we need when it matters most.

“We know the risks our region faces, and the priority has to be investing before the next disaster wherever we can, strengthening critical infrastructure, improving preparedness and reducing the disruption our communities experience when severe weather strikes.”

To view Council’s LRAP, visit www.lockyervalley.qld.gov.au/our-council/publications

For more information on QRA Local Resilience Action Plans visit www.qra.qld.gov.au/resilience/local-resilience-action-plans-lraps