Melbourne’s Dawoodi Bohra community have joined local councils and emergency services in Victoria’s fire-affected north to deliver supplies and support recovery hubs, as regional towns begin the long clean-up after a fortnight of destructive bushfires.
Volunteers travelled to communities including Yea and Longwood to assist relief efforts, working alongside local recovery coordinators to distribute non-perishable essentials such as bottled water, protein snacks and medical rehydration supplies. The effort was organised under the community’s global Project Rise banner, which supports humanitarian and resilience initiatives internationally.
“When you see the impact of these fires on families in Yea and Longwood, you realise the importance of coming together,” said Mustafa Poonawala, a volunteer involved in the local response.
“This isn’t just about providing supplies; it’s about standing side-by-side with our fellow Victorians during a very difficult time.”
The support comes as fire-impacted councils across the north and north-east continue to manage ongoing relief and recovery needs. Victoria declared a State of Disaster earlier this month as multiple major fires burned across large parts of the state, with authorities warning conditions were among the most dangerous since the 2019–20 Black Summer.
The Longwood fire event, which spread across multiple shires, has been one of the largest and most complex incidents, with Murrindindi Shire Council reporting the Longwood fire footprint stretching across 144,000 hectares and impacting communities through Murrindindi and neighbouring local government areas.
Across Victoria, the damage bill has been severe. Public reporting in recent days has put the number of destroyed or damaged buildings at close to 900, while emergency agencies and councils have warned that assessments will continue as areas become safe to enter.
In towns such as Ruffy, residents have described returning to streetscapes where only a handful of buildings remain standing, as communities begin the process of rebuilding homes, sheds and local infrastructure.
Local government and emergency management agencies have established information hubs and pop-up services to link affected residents to grants, temporary accommodation, insurance support and mental health services, while also coordinating donated goods and volunteer assistance.
The Dawoodi Bohra volunteers said their local response was designed to complement those formal arrangements, providing practical items that are immediately useful in staging areas and recovery centres. Their work also reflects a broader surge of community-led support across the state, as faith groups, charities and local businesses mobilise to deliver meals, supplies and donations for evacuees and frontline workers.
The Dawoodi Bohra community in Australia is relatively small but has an established record of civic and charitable participation, including food drives and community support programs delivered through Project Rise. A profile of the community noted it includes hundreds of families nationally and has run multiple Victorian initiatives under the Project Rise umbrella.
Project Rise, launched in 2018, describes its mission as strengthening community resilience and supporting those facing hardship, with programs spanning food security, health, environmental work and emergency relief.
As recovery continues, councils and emergency services are urging donations to be coordinated through official channels, and for volunteers to register via recognised organisations to avoid duplicating efforts and to ensure help reaches the areas of greatest need.
Residents seeking updates on local conditions and support services have been advised to monitor official emergency channels and council recovery pages, which are continuing to publish information hub locations, community briefings and available assistance.
Support our Journalism
No-nonsense journalism. No paywalls. Whether you’re in Australia, the UK, Canada, the USA, or India, you can support The Australia Today by taking a paid subscription via Patreon or donating via PayPal — and help keep honest, fearless journalism alive.
