The ongoing health effects of Black Summer fires and “compounding disasters” that followed are being put under the microscope. Photo: Kim Treasure.
Eurobodalla residents are being asked to think back to what their lives were like five years ago as part of a first-of-its-kind research survey.
The Health and Wellbeing Five Years after the 2019-2020 Bushfires survey is being led by public health researchers at Monash University and is funded through the Fire to Flourish program.
Researcher Mellissa Kavenagh said the survey team were examining the relationships between health, community and the Black Summer bushfires and “compounding disasters” that followed.
“It’s about people’s physical health impacts, their sense of social connection and belonging … and how that’s been going over the last five years, as well,” she said.
Ms Kavenagh is a senior program manager in research at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.
The survey takes a holistic view of health, with the person’s community connections and mental health among the factors taken into account.
“We know that people recover and heal in different ways and at different times,” she said.
“Sometimes recovery can take longer for some people and also in terms of looking at health impacts, sometimes they don’t always become apparent soon after a major event like this [the Black Summer fires].”
The study is also the first cross-sectional population study to analyse bushfire-related health impacts in regional Australia, developed in consultation with affected communities.
Eurobodalla Shire is one of four areas chosen for the survey – alongside Tenterfield, Clarence Valley and East Gippsland local government areas.
“We’re all hoping to get a cross-section of people from across the shire,” Ms Kavenagh said.
“We want people who holiday in the area, people who live in the area, people who travelled through the area … [everyone who was] directly or indirectly affected by the fires five years ago.
“We are looking at [the question of], ‘What is the context of regional Australia when those fires or floods hit?'”
In December 2019, SES crews from Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla worked to clear and reopen roads affected by bushfires, such as the Princes Highway at Benandarah (north of Batemans Bay). Photo: Batemans Bay SES Facebook.
In late March, letters were sent to some Eurobodalla households to invite them to complete the survey. Since then, Ms Kavenagh said around 200 people in Eurobodalla had finished it.
The team will also hold three drop-in sessions at Moruya, Narooma and Batemans Bay Libraries in late May.
These will be held from 10 am to 1 pm in Moruya and 2 to 5 pm in Narooma. The Batemans Bay session will be held the following day (30 May), between 10 am and 1 pm.
At the libraries, people will be able to fill-in a paper version, while people can also complete it over the phone.
“We want to make sure that people get the opportunity to participate, in whichever platforms that suit them,” she said.
Professor Jane Fisher, Head of Global and Women’s Health at Monash University, said the five-year milestone since the Black Summer fires provided an opportunity to assess ongoing needs.
“Traditional disaster recovery efforts often focus on rebuilding infrastructure while overlooking the profound and lasting effects on community health,” she said.
“This survey gives Eurobodalla residents a voice in shaping future health and social services and ensuring regional communities receive the long-term care they need.”
The Health and Wellbeing Five Years after the 2019-2020 Bushfires survey is open until 6 July. It has 10 parts and takes about 30 minutes to complete. People must be aged 16 years or older to participate.
Further information is available online. People can call 03 9903 0298 or email [email protected] to complete the survey or ask questions.
