While climate change is often discussed on a global scale, some of the most powerful solutions are being pioneered in small towns and regional communities. Across Australia, locals are stepping up with initiatives that reduce emissions, protect biodiversity, and strengthen resilience. Here are three standout examples and how you can take inspiration from them in your own community.
Bellingen Shire: Building Resilience from the Ground Up
In 2019, Bellingen Shire Council in New South Wales declared a climate emergency, recognising the growing threats from bushfires, floods, and extreme weather. Since then, the community has embraced climate action with determination.
A Community Climate Action Plan, co-created with residents in 2022, lays out a pathway to net zero emissions and greater climate resilience.
The shire secured $4.2 million from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund to create a “Ring of Resilience,” a program focused on connection, preparedness, and sustainable land management.
During the Black Summer bushfires, locals launched the Neighbourhood Care Network (NCN), a grassroots communication system that became a trusted hub for sharing information. It later proved invaluable during the COVID-19 lockdowns when local news outlets shut down.
Bellingen shows how blending council leadership with grassroots energy can produce practical and lasting results.
Byron Shire: On the Path to Zero Waste
Byron Bay and its surrounding communities are known for their environmental activism, and their “Towards Zero” strategy makes this official. The shire aims to be carbon neutral by 2025 and send zero waste to landfill by 2029.
Key initiatives include:
The Byron Bay Bioenergy Facility, which will process around 28,000 tonnes of green waste each year into renewable energy. The project will power the local sewage treatment plant, export surplus energy to the grid, and produce compost for the community.
Grassroots programs like Zero Emissions Byron and Plastic Free Byron encourage local businesses and residents to cut single-use plastics and adopt sustainable practices.
Widespread use of community composting systems such as Subpod, now integrated into schools, resorts, and public gardens.
Byron proves that ambitious targets can be backed by practical solutions that benefit both the environment and the local economy.
Kakadu and Beyond: Indigenous-Led Fire Management
For tens of thousands of years, Indigenous Australians have managed the land through cultural burning, small, carefully timed fires that maintain biodiversity and reduce fuel loads. Today, these practices are being recognised as essential to climate resilience.
In Kakadu National Park, traditional owners work alongside park rangers to conduct controlled burns during the dry season. These cultural burns:
Reduce the risk of destructive bushfires.
Protect wildlife habitats and regenerate plant life.
Cut greenhouse gas emissions, with Indigenous fire management projects across northern Australia reducing about 1.2 million tonnes of emissions annually.
A 2024 study in Science confirmed that pre-colonial burning practices kept shrub cover far lower than today, reducing the likelihood of large, destructive fires. Experts are calling for cultural burning to be integrated into national fire management policies.
This is more than heritage; it is a proven, modern climate solution.
How You Can Make a Difference
Inspired by these examples? Here are simple steps to get started in your own community.
Start conversations: Host a local workshop or meeting to raise awareness and brainstorm ideas.
Collaborate widely: Work with schools, councils, businesses, and community groups to build momentum.
Begin small: Launch projects like tree planting, composting hubs, or neighbourhood emergency networks.
Learn from Indigenous knowledge: Support and engage with local Indigenous communities to understand sustainable land practices.
Push for policy change: Encourage local governments to adopt climate emergency declarations and invest in green infrastructure.
Final Thoughts
From Bellingen’s resilience planning, to Byron’s zero-waste ambitions, to Indigenous-led fire management in Kakadu, small communities are proving that grassroots action can make a big impact. Their success shows that meaningful climate solutions do not just come from parliaments or boardrooms; they often start with neighbours working together.
Every community has the potential to lead. The question is, will yours be next?
