MADRA
Mallacoota and District Recovery Association Inc
New MADRA Committee
Thank you very much to all those who attended MADRA's Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 15 October - we appreciate everyone's ongoing support. We are thrilled to share the names and office bearer positions of the new MADRA Committee members elected at the AGM. They are:
Chair: Carol Hopkins
Deputy Chair: Phil Piper
Secretary: Ash Turner
Treasurer: Peter GiddingsAt this stage, we don't have any General Committee members, but that may well change - so watch this space! If you would like to be involved or to find out more, please contact us by email or have a chat with any of our committee members. The new committee is looking forward to continuing MADRA's work and building on the achievements of the previous four MADRA committees.
Click to view our AGM Reports
About MADRA
Welcome to MADRA's website.
Our community encompasses the localities of Mallacoota, Genoa, Gipsy Point, Wangarabell, Weeragua, Maramingo Creek, Wallagaraugh and Wroxham, collectively known as Mallacoota and District.
Like so many others in Australia, our district was ravaged by fire in the Black Summer of 2019-20. The fires reached us on 31 December 2019 when, in scenes relayed around the world, thousands of people sought shelter on our foreshores as the fires approached.
A total of 123 homes were destroyed and 83% of land area burned. Many more properties suffered damage including losses of outbuildings, water tanks and fences. We lost a much-loved local, Fred Becker, who passed away while fighting the fires. There was significant loss and devastation of wildlife and forest, and much of our wilderness coast infrastructure including boardwalks, lookouts and access steps was destroyed or damaged.
In our district’s living memory, there has been no comparable event.
In the immediate aftermath of the fires, a ‘Thinking Group’ was formed, which led to planning and consultation about implementing a community-led recovery program for Mallacoota. A proposed model for co-ordinating community recovery was put to a town meeting in February 2020, attended by an estimated 500 plus people. The proposal was overwhelmingly endorsed, and the Mallacoota and District Recovery Association (MADRA) was formed.
The first MADRA committee was formed in May 2020, after an election was held to vote for the 44 local candidates who had nominated. In August 2021, MADRA's first AGM led to its second (and current) committee being formed.
Go to Our History for more info about MADRA's early days.
Latest News
MADRA mentioned in Parliament
Representatives of MADRA met with the Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes and Tom McIntosh MP in Mallacoota last year, and in November 2023, Tom McIntosh raised a member's statement in Parliament mentioning MADRA and other local organisations.
To view the short segment (1:38 min) on video, click HERE
I joined Minister Symes in Mallacoota, where we met with Tracey, the leader of the CFA brigade, and where we met with MADRA, the Mallacoota and District Recovery Association, to hear about the work they have done post fires and ongoing for their community. We saw the new skate park; the new container deposit collection facility, which I am told filled a 20-foot container in its first week; the Wilderness Collective and the incredible co-working space that they have there; and Mallacoota Abalone, which is the biggest employer in town and after the fires was rebuilt thanks to support from the state government.
Tom McIntosh MP
