Sustainability
How does your community come together when water runs low?
Tell us how your community comes together when the water runs low
Click the link below to tell us more about how your community responds when the water runs low.
Why this action?
Why this is a challenge
Australia is the driest inhabited continent. The OECD's 2025 Global Drought Outlook found the average drought now costs up to six times more than in 2000, and costs are expected to rise by at least 35% by 2035.
In a dry year, growers, businesses, households on tanks and the tourism trade all feel it at once.
How this action helps
Each of them holds part of the story. When towns share how they respond when the water runs low, people in the same town hear from each other, and other towns can learn what helped.
How this action came about
The Sustainability focus area was identified during the Ready Communities Flagship Program in Stanthorpe QLD, a town with a vibrant tourism economy.
In the SIITR26 Impact Lab we learned: Drought impacts everyone in the community, and some more than others. We are looking for stories to learn about helpful responses to drought by those in our community and across Australia.
Sources: OECD, Global Drought Outlook (2025).
Key dates
- National action commences
- November 2026
- National action concludes
- April 2027
- Monthly webinars
- November, January, February, March
- Impact Report
- May 2027
Webinars
All webinars- November 2026Date coming soonSustainabilityCommunity of practice: Stanthorpe hosts (1 of 4)Ready Communities and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, hosted by Stanthorpe
- January 2027Date coming soonSustainabilityCommunity of practice (2 of 4)Ready Communities and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, with a host town to confirm
- February 2027Date coming soonSustainabilityCommunity of practice (3 of 4)Ready Communities and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, with a host town to confirm
- March 2027Date coming soonSustainabilityCommunity of practice (4 of 4)Ready Communities and the SQNNSW Innovation Hub, with a host town to confirm
Partners
- Challenge partner
- SQNNSW Innovation Hub
From Stanthorpe QLD to the nation
How this focus area developed
Host community
Ready Communities Flagship 2026, Stanthorpe QLDA drought-prone region with a strong tourism economy.
Challenge statement
May to July 2026How does your region keep tourists coming even when the water runs low?
Local stories gathered.
Read the July convening insightsSIITR26 Impact Lab
September 2026Participants told us the Challenge wasn't only related to tourism and they would prefer to have a broader conversation about drought.
Changed in November 2026 to: How does your community come together when water runs low?
National activation
November 2026 to April 2027Share your story. Tell us how your town responded when the water ran low.
Share your story
Transcripts and meeting insights
July convening insightsHow does your town respond when the water runs low? Tell us.
Share your storyFAQs
Who can take part?
Anyone in Australia: residents, councils, visitor centres, Chambers, growers, tourism operators, Landcare and community groups.
Do I need to represent an organisation?
No. Anyone can share a story. Add your organisation if you have one.
Can we use stories from other regions?
Yes. Every published story is on this page, open to all communities. Any community can use stories from any region.
Do storytellers have to agree to be published?
Yes. The storyteller agrees in the form, and we publish their first name and town with the story. If the storyteller is under 18, a parent or guardian agrees too.
What happens after I share a story?
We check it, then publish it on this page. You get an email with a link to it and social media tiles to share.