Our Journey So Far — Steels Creek Community Resilience Project
  Our Journey

Where Steels Creek Is Up To

From a community meeting and an activation grant, to a lunch where 70+ locals had their say, to a published Harvest Report — here's the story so far, and what's coming next.

Wondering what The Resilience Canopy actually is? Start with About the Project first.
About this page This explainer is hosted by Steels Creek Landcare as a community service. The Resilience Canopy program in Steels Creek is led by the Steels Creek Community Resilience Project — an independent, community-led initiative. Landcare supports the program because resilient communities and resilient landscapes go hand in hand, but the project itself is run by locals for locals, not by Landcare.
Our journey so far

Where Steels Creek is up to

Here's the actual story of how the Steels Creek Community Resilience Project came to be — and what's still ahead.

1
June 2025
Community meeting and decision to apply
Steels Creek held a community meeting to consider working with The Resilience Canopy. Locals decided to apply for an activation grant and formed a project team to drive it forward.
2
March 2026
$25,000 activation grant received
The Steels Creek Community Resilience Project successfully secured a $25,000 activation grant to fund the early stages of our resilience-building work.
3
17 May 2026
Community Lunch & Workshop — 70+ locals had their say
Our first consultation event. Over a free lunch, more than 70 residents, absentee owners, newcomers and long-timers contributed ideas, concerns and resources across six resilience boards, plus a community mapping exercise.
4
July 2026
Harvest Report published
Everything gathered on the day was analysed and written up into the Steels Creek Harvest Report — eleven cross-cutting themes, ten grouped project ideas, and eight areas needing further investigation.
Now — Prioritising together We are here
The community decides what matters most
We're at Steps 2 and 3 of the Canopy process — deep dive and field of opportunities. Read the findings, add to the six boards, and rate the themes so we know which projects to start first. This is where you come in.
5
Coming next
Resilience Plan developed and partners found
From the community's priorities we'll build a Steels Creek Resilience Plan, then look for the grants, partners and supporters needed to turn the chosen ideas into real projects.
In the news
The project was featured in Mountain Views Star Mail — 5 May 2026 edition, page 14.
Read the article
  Now you know — here's how to be part of it

It started with a lunch. Now it's your turn.

Over 70 locals came together on 17 May and told us what matters. That's all been written up — and you can still add your voice, whether or not you made it on the day.

See how the day went
  Local Event — Completed

Our Community Lunch & Workshop was a success

Sunday 17 May 2026 — the first step in our community's resilience journey, led by us and shaped by us.

Hosted by the Steels Creek Community Resilience Project · Supported by The Resilience Canopy · Promoted by Steels Creek Landcare

Supported by
The Resilience Canopy
More than 70 community members came along. Over a free lunch, residents, absentee owners, long-timers and newcomers worked through six resilience boards and a community map, sharing what's working in Steels Creek and what needs attention. Everything gathered that day has now been analysed and published.
When
Sunday 17 May 2026
11.00 am – 2.00 pm
Where
Steels Creek Community Centre
699 Steels Creek Rd, 3775
Who came
70+ locals
all ages, old and new
A big thank you to Sliders on Tyres and Mountain Tucker for the delicious food, to Karen Groat and Greg Bourne for the joyous kids' activities, and to every one of the 70+ community members who came along and contributed points that will help shape a more resilient future for Steels Creek.

It was great to see such a diverse representation of our wonderful community — people of all ages, both longtime and new community members, a mix of residents and owners not living in the valley — all coming together. The information gathering was great fun and the buzz of conversation in the community centre was fantastic.

After a short introduction from a Resilience Canopy Community Leader, we explored together:
  • What's working well in Steels Creek
  • What we want to strengthen
  • What areas deserve deeper attention
"This isn't a tick-the-box consultation. It's a real conversation about our future, and everyone — long-timers and newcomers — is warmly invited."

The project team has turned everything gathered on the day into the Steels Creek Harvest Report. As a community we now work together to identify actions and create a Resilience Plan that turns ideas into reality. So if you missed the lunch but are keen to have your say — you still can.

  What happened next
Everything from the day is now written up and open for your input.
See what we discovered Download the Harvest Report

Got a question? Ask a local.

If you'd like to know more, want to ask a question, or have an idea to share — the best person to talk to is a member of the local project team.

  Steels Creek Community Resilience Project
Fiona Martin
Project Team Member
0432 025 041

Want background information about the wider program?

Visit resiliencecanopy.com.au See our Steels Creek profile
Canopy national line: 1300 955 428 Registered Australian Charity (ACNC)