Bush Dance for Community Recovery
Published on 05 December 2023
Around 65 residents of all ages came together to share a meal and do-si-do at the Gleniffer Community Bush Dance on the Saturday 18 November.
The Hall was vibrant and bustling with activity as the community gathered to connect and celebrate the good work of volunteers in the Gleniffer Gathers initiative for their efforts to bring the Gleniffer community back together, grow social cohesion, and reinvigorate the community and hall.
With funding from the Community Recovery program, Bellingen Shire Council was able to support the event, with local community members and local Neighbourhood Care Network (NCN) coordinators organising the day.
“We wanted to organise something fun to bring the community together, something that any age could join in on and was a real leveller. None of us knew how to bush dance, so we all learnt together” said Joanna Dadd, one of the organisers of the event and an NCN Coordinator.
With entertainment from the band Tallowwood, new neighbours met with long-time residents to dance, eat and share stories. Bringing people together helps support wellbeing and safety in times of stress, hardship and disasters and Gleniffer community has a passionate group of residents who recognised this need and invited people to their homes and to the Hall.
“It went fabulously! People brought food to share, there were smiles on everyone’s faces. Old acquaintances met again, and new friendships were made. It really helped drum up interest for more community events.”
Mayor, Cr Steve Allan expressed his delight at the community effort “It’s great to see community members pulling together to ensure new residents feel welcome and know their community, and that longer-term residents still have friends and neighbours they can connect with. It’s really special to be able to support these kinds of events and we’re grateful to the community members who gave their time and energy towards it.”
In reflecting on the recent Gleniffer Gathers event earlier this month, where residents came together to discuss pressing issues such as forest conservation, the Never Never, protection of native wildlife, community support initiatives, and concerns related to fire and flood risks, Mayor, Cr Steve Allan underscored the significance of these community-led initiatives. “Supported by the Council, these gatherings not only address critical challenges faced by the community but also highlight the strength inherent in community engagement.” Mayor Allan concluded by emphasising the impact of working collaboratively with neighbours, stating “These gatherings not only problem solve issues affecting the community but also speak to the importance of social events that create connections among community members."