Australia has always been at the mercy of the elements, with natural disasters often bringing out the best in communities as they band together. Yet, over the last three years, regional Australia has weathered an extraordinary storm: a rolling series of catastrophes including drought, bushfires, closed international and state borders, shut downs, and floods.
Regional Australia has never needed support more, and while road tripping can feel frivolous in light of disasters many towns are facing, tourism is one of the most practical ways to show your support. However, determining the appropriate time to visit can be difficult. When is it time to go back? How can you support the community? Where can and should you travel? What can you donate?
Should you travel?
If a natural disaster occurs just before your planned trip or tour, look to local emergency services and media reports for status updates on safe travel. Try to discern from social media posts if a business has been affected as not every business in a region will be impacted, and some operators may still be able to accommodate you. The local visitor centre can also be an excellent point of contact for information on what is open and accessible. As a one stop shop for all the need-to-knows ahead of your road trip, head to NRMA’s road trip to help for information on where to stay, what to do, where to shop, and what’s on, once you’ve chosen your destination and mapped out your trip.
What if your trip is impacted?
If your booking is affected, consider postponing it to a later date instead of cancelling. Postponment allows businesses to keep cash flow during times of financially vulnerability, allowing them a future forecast of what income and visitors to expect in the future.
“I think if you postpone, you're more likely to take the trip later, whereas if you cancel, other things come up, and then you might never actually get there,” says Tanya Brees, NRMA’s General Manager for Communications, Policy & Reputation.
Postponing can also help community and small business morale. The knowledge that outsiders have committed to supporting business owners and the community can be a vital boost mental health-wise.
“I think it gives small businesses a light at the end of the tunnel, as well as a sense that things will turn around in the future,” says Tanya.
With so much damage, it’s also important to manage your expectations as a visitor. Items such as fuel might be limited to smaller amounts to ensure there is enough for everyone in the community, cash withdrawals from banks may be restricted, or groceries may be limited or not available in-store due to logistical challenges. Telecommunications, mobile phone and internet services may also be impacted, limiting communications or navigation systems.
How can you help?
Put simply, the biggest impact visitors can have is by spending money. A takeaway coffee, a ceramic bowl from a gift store or a few gold coins in a busker's cap all have a trickle-down effect on the local economy. To make your trip have a deeper impact, consider spending an extra night in town, and doing something you wouldn’t normally consider while on holiday, like a tour of the local lakes or buying a piece of art for home.
“When you're on a road trip, it’s sometimes very tempting to just want to keep going, to not detour off the highway, to just want to get there. However, it really is simple and easy to just get off the highway, have a cup of coffee, grab a bite to eat and stop somewhere a bit different,” says Tanya.
“The more you can get into these actual communities, the more you understand and see how you can help and support.”
The question of donations
One of the biggest challenges flood-affected communities face is unsolicited donations, with second-hand clothes, toys and un-needed items being left at recovery centres, and creating a disposal and landfill problem during the critical aftermath of a flood. If you do wish to make a donation of goods, it’s recommended you contact on-the-ground organisations to see what may be needed.
“Try to keep it really simple: spending in the local community, detouring to small towns and buying coffee, something from the gift shops, anything that you can spend in that town and support those small businesses is going to be really helpful,” Tanya explains to us.
The human face
It’s also important to be mindful of the potential trauma that a flood, fire and shut down may have inflicted not just on businesses and the environment, but also on the people living there. Some regional communities have faced almost a dozen minor and major flood events this year, which can have a detrimental impact on mental health.
“Communities have gone through an incredibly tough time,” says Tanya.
“While some locals may welcome the chance to share their story, others might have lost their homes, their livelihood or loved ones. It’s important to act in a way that is compassionate and sensitive, being mindful that a lot of people are still recovering from this trauma.”
Getting there
One of the biggest impacts for travellers to flood-affected regions is infrastructure, with billions-of-dollars-worth of damage occurring to road infrastructure in New South Wales alone. Potholes, landslides and closed roads mean motorists can expect longer travel times, the need to take alternative routes, and potentially, more dangerous road conditions.
Beyond disaster
Globally, studies have shown that one of the biggest impacts a natural disaster can have is that it turns people off a destination. Media coverage of floods can often be the dominant image potential visitors have of a destination, even if the entire town is back open for business just days later. Visitors can help shift the public perception of a destination from the negative by sharing their experiences.
“Some of these communities do recover quite quickly, and getting that visitation back is an important reason why,” explains Tanya.
Word of mouth is vital, and posts on social media to both small groups of peers and to the wider community have the potential to share how a destination has recovered and moved past disaster, helping shape a new image.
“NRMA created the Why We Road Trip platform for this reason. It’s really about getting people to share their photos, share their stories, which then inspires and encourages other people to go and visit the same regions, or take the same trips,” says Tanya.
Follow the #WhyWeRoadTrip on your socials to stay up-to-date with inspiring local travel stories. Remember, your road trip isn’t just a holiday, for many communities, it’s facilitating a fresh start.
Image: Andrew Merry via Getty Images.
