Community-driven disaster preparedness in NSW Australia: insights from Landcare’s scalable model for agricultural resilience

Community-led approaches to disaster preparedness are gaining international recognition for their effectiveness in building scalable, inclusive, and cost-efficient resilience. This paper critically examines the People Led Preparedness (PLP) program, a statewide initiative delivered by Landcare NSW across nine regions between 2022 and 2024. Guided by behavioral science frameworks (COM-B and EAST) and grounded in hybrid, multilevel governance, PLP demonstrated high levels of engagement—reaching 1,614 participants—with 92% reporting improved preparedness and 74% taking tangible action. Economic analysis using the NSW Treasury (2023) Disaster Cost–Benefit Framework suggests a return on investment exceeding 4:1, with total avoided disaster-related costs estimated at up to $10.4 million. PLP’s braided governance approach enabled alignment between government agencies, Traditional Owner groups, and community organizations, operationalizing collaborative disaster planning at scale. The findings highlight the strategic value of investing in place-based delivery platforms and offer a practical, transferable approach to embedding community leadership within Australia’s evolving disaster resilience system.