Friday morning’s Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop in Heathcote began early: with a heartfelt thanks to Vicki, the heart and soul of the community in her role at the Community House, who met us at 7:30am to unlock the Oval Room at the Barrack Reserve. Her care, connection and quiet leadership set the tone for a session that was both deeply human and highly practical.

One unexpected and joyful moment came from next door, where a Zumba Gold class was in full swing as we began our workshop. As participants introduced themselves around the room, the unmistakable opening bars of Simply the Best floated through the wall. Coincidence? Probably. Perfect timing? Absolutely. It brought a ripple of laughter into the room and a reminder that even on heavy topics, joy and connection have a place.

From the moment the hall doors opened in Axedale, it was clear this would be a special evening.

A heartfelt thank you to Sue, a local community leader, who opened the hall for us — and whose own “close call” on a high-risk fire day has sharpened her understanding of how quickly plans can be tested. Finding oneself alone, at home, without a car, is a sobering reminder of how vulnerable any of us can be. Moments like these often become turning points, prompting people to review and strengthen their plans before consequences are far more serious.

Last Thursday morning saw an early 8am start for set-up at the City of Greater Bendigo’s (CoGB) Government Hub. A heartfelt thank you to Sue-Ellen for braving the early hour to meet us and support the set-up.

We were delighted to welcome a large and engaged group of 15 participants from across Emergency Services support teams within CoGB, alongside Hayley and Sarah from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR). We are deeply grateful for FRRR’s involvement and support — not only for their presence on the day, but for the extraordinary work they have done over the past two decades. Since 2000, FRRR has awarded more than $200 million in grants to over 15,000 projects, strengthening rural, regional and remote communities across Australia.

Tuesday afternoon’s Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop in Emerald brought together a practical, thoughtful and deeply engaged group of local women.

This session brought together an all-female group, many of whom work in community services and support roles across Emerald and surrounds. These were women who spend their lives making things easier for others. On this afternoon, they paused to make space for themselves, their families, and their future safety.

Last Monday night’s Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop in Emerald was small in numbers, but immense in impact. Our setting was a stunning old church next to the Emerald Fernlea Community House. Incidentally, if you haven’t ever been to the Emerald Community House, it’s well worth a visit. Vibrant colours, super-friendly staff and a comfortable homely feel make it very inviting: no wonder so many community members call it a second home.

From the outset, the Monday night group impressed us with their confidence using VR technology — a detail that allowed the session to run seamlessly, and meant the conversation could quickly deepen into what matters most: how decisions are really made inside households when fire risk is high.

The first round of four-week check-ins from our Kalorama workshops is starting to trickle in, and the early signs point to exactly what the Immersive Bushfire Experience was designed to achieve: lasting shifts in how people think, talk, and plan for bushfire risk.

On Thursday morning we returned to the St Andrews Community Centre for our second Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop. We started the day expecting seven participants, and instead opened the doors to thirteen locals, many of whom had heard about the previous night’s workshop through word of mouth. It was another reminder of how deeply fire runs through this landscape, and how committed this community is to learning, sharing, and supporting one another.

Last Wednesday evening we were welcomed into the St Andrews Community Centre for our first Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop in town. Fourteen residents joined us beneath the centre’s soaring cathedral ceilings, with dusk settling across the surrounding bushland through the tall windows. It was a beautiful yet sobering setting to talk about fire, fear, and preparedness.

Our final workshop for the weekend took place on Sunday afternoon, with a small but deeply engaged group of six Warrandyte residents. Quality, not quantity, defined the session. The room brought together people new to the area, Black Saturday survivors, a former Metropolitan Fire Brigade leader, and residents who had lived through fires in the 1960s, Black Saturday and Black Summer.

Saturday 15 November began with an early start and a long, winding drive to Christmas Hills Fire Station North. Google Maps sent us the scenic way along Skyline Road — a route that, in the early morning light, was truly spectacular. Rolling hills, sharp ridgelines and pockets of dense bush created breathtaking views, while also serving as stark reminders of just how quickly fire can race through this landscape.

Driving into Warrandyte, the dense bushland and the limited roads in and out make the risk immediately tangible. Nowhere is this more evident than in North Warrandyte, where residents live with the knowledge that a fast-moving fire can cut off the township in minutes.

Our third and final Immersive Bushfire Experience workshop in Kalorama was delivered last Sunday – and despite nearly 30mm of rain, it was our biggest turnout yet. Word had clearly spread through the hills since Workshop One, with residents keen to experience the VR simulation and reflect together on local bushfire preparedness.

At Saturday night’s Mums of the Hills workshop at Belgrave CFA, the conversations went straight to the heart of family decision-making. Many of the women who attended said they wanted to leave early in a bushfire — but that their partners often dismissed the risk or wanted to “wait and see.”

Every community reacts differently in the moment—and so does every individual. At our second Kalorama workshop, participants’ responses during the Virtual Reality experience reflected this reality: some sat perfectly still, others became vocal and emotional. Just as in a real emergency, some people freeze, some take action, and some are overcome by feeling.