06/08/2026
7 MONTHS ON – REFELCTION & RECOVERY CONTINUE
What is the Longwood Resource Shed?
When the Longwood Bushfire started on January 7, we had no idea what the next few days, weeks and months would hold. The Longwood Resource Shed is a project of the Longwood Football Netball Club and has evolved from the volunteer work and donations that commenced right from the start.
While the flames were being fought, many of our club people, local people and others from further afield, started assisting with the staging area, with donations/supplies for travelling fire fighters and then for locals impacted by the fires.
A personal call out for private assistance to help defend our own property then led to many others in our club giving weeks of volunteer hours in the wider fire impacted area mopping up, clearing up and assisting with emergency response, including coordinating businesses that donated time and resources to the clean-up also. At the Rec Reserve, we had many volunteers (club members AND community people from far and wide) that were receiving, processing and distributing donated supplies. We had a HUGE support from personal, business and sporting clubs from so many areas. We were cooperating and coordinating with the other volunteer “hubs” across the fire zone, trying to share resources to where they were needed and still communicate and support each other in many ways. We have also been a space to drop in and chat and catch up with others too.
Our vision from the start has always been about supporting our local communities who have been impacted by the bushfires. For us this means ANYONE impacted – no forms – no proof. Locals have lost homes, businesses, sheds, stock, pasture, fences and others have lost their income in a secondary manner or their business has been impacted by the impact on the community. Many locals and people from the wider area have also been impacted emotionally and mentally, including our children and teens. We also support those helping with the recovery. 7 months on, some of us have our ducks in a row some days – but many of us are breaking and are exhausted.
This has been a huge effort and one that has evolved to meet the current needs of our communities. With volunteers that are running on “low”, we have had reduced hours over the footy/netty season. Now that the season is coming to an end, we will have more accessible hours in the Resource Shed and more events/meals and be able to recommence our Drive-Outs in some way.
We are OPEN TONIGHT 5.30pm – 8pm and FRIDAY 9am – 12noon. We currently have clothing and shoes for adults and children, warm coats and beanies, linen and towels, toiletries and pantry items. We also have other items in the works and can access some resources that we can’t store – please drop in or send us a msg if you need some resources.
Kathryn and Sheridan - Longwood Resource Shed
