Empowering tomorrow: Building resilient communities in the tropics
In the heart of Far North Queensland’s tropical beaches lies Smithfield, a Cairns community often challenged by the elements but driven by a steely resilience.
For local students at Smithfield State High School, these challenges are much more than obstacles, they’re opportunities for innovation and growth.
In 2025, the Year 8 cohort embarked on a transformative project, “Sustaining the Tropics Through Resilient Communities,” which focused on tackling the region’s social, environmental, and economic vulnerabilities.
During the 20 weeks long project, the students researched the historical impacts of natural disasters both in Australia and overseas to analyse and evaluate how risk might have been mitigated and how resilience and capacity could be improved.
That understanding was then applied to the impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper and its subsequent flooding in late 2023 to encourage the students to focus on designing hazard-resilient housing.
Focusing the project around a real-life experience that affected the students personally and collectively fostered a deeper understanding of the project's value and relevance.
Guided by a collaboration involving James Cook University, Cairns Regional Council, local engineers, and builders, the students explored real-world solutions for safeguarding their community against natural disasters while fostering long-term sustainability.
The aim was to enhance infrastructure to withstand extreme weather, minimise risk, and improve safety.
This initiative extended far beyond theoretical studies, with hands-on problem solving, real-world data analysis, and partnerships with industry experts bringing the students’ vision to life.
Key design components included conducting vulnerability analyses on local hazards and risk factors while considering community coping capacities.
The students then translated their findings into practical designs and strategic placement for resilient housing, targeting long-term safety and sustainability goals.
This holistic educational experience not only strengthened ties between curriculum and community resilience but empowered the students with critical skills in disaster mitigation to address challenges both locally and globally.
Feedback from the students indicated strong enthusiasm for the project that not only deepened their understanding of disaster preparedness but also ignited a passion for thoughtful, sustainable design.
The initiative has been heralded as a benchmark for resilience education, culminating in Smithfield State High School winning the Schools category of the 2025 Resilient Australia Awards.
This recognition showcases how young leaders can bring innovation to the forefront of disaster resilience and sustainability planning, equipping the next generation to tackle climate challenges head-on.
It will now compete as a finalist for the National Resilient Australia Awards, to be announced in late 2025.
The full list of Queensland winners and highly commended entrants is available at www.getready.qld.gov.au/RAA25-QldAwards.
