Families display strength as support given door-to-door
The perseverance of Aurukun families shone brightly in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Narelle, as Cape York Partnership (CYP) staff delivered a coordinated, door-to-door disaster-recovery response throughout the community.
At the recommendation of Shire Council, CYP was contracted to deliver hardship assistance and deployed a team to the remote Cape York community in the days following Tropical Cyclone Narelle’s impact in late March 2026.
The deployment was supported by the Queensland Government’s Community Recovery team, the Australian Red Cross, UnitingCare and local, on-the-ground O-Hub staff in community.
The team went out into community and met people at their homes, where they were assessed under the Personal Hardship Assistance program. This program is delivered by the Queensland Government and is available to anyone living in a disaster-affected area who has experienced hardship as a result.
In Aurukun, households went without power while the cyclone crossed the Cape, causing widespread food spoilage, so each member of the household was entitled to $180 through a voucher system that they could use toward food, fuel or power.
Cape Operations Manager Alicia Nas said CYP was contacted to support the Aurukun recovery effort following its previous success assisting Wujal Wujal after the devastating floods caused by TC Jasper in late 2023.
“Our work in Wujal Wujal showed that CYP could move quickly, work respectfully with community and deliver practical support when people needed it most,” she said. “That experience gave us plenty of confidence to assist in Aurukun following Cyclone Narelle."
In Aurukun, the priority was to get on the ground quickly, listen to families, and make sure support reached people in a way that was clear, respectful and community-led.
Cape Operations Manager Alicia Nas
The Aurukun recovery response was delivered across two trips. The first took place just a week after TC Narelle’s impact, with the follow-up a few weeks later. It focused on households and families not reached during the initial response.
During the first trip, more than one tonne of fresh produce was flown into Aurukun through Cape York Partnership’s fresh food initiative, Mayi Market, which community members were able to use their vouchers to purchase food through. produce was distributed within hours, helping families replenish their fridges, pantries and freezers with fresh, nutritious food.
The short-notice response required teams to mobilise quickly, coordinate supplies and move through the community household by household and also at the local community centre. Across Aurukun, families welcomed teams with patience and cooperation as recovery support was assessed and delivered.
Cape York Solutions Regional Community & Operations Lead, Audrey Deemal, led CYP’s on-the-ground response in Aurukun and said the team’s priority was to reach households quickly while delivering support in a practical, respectful and easy-to-access way.
“Our focus was on moving quickly and making sure households could access help directly, respectfully and with as little burden on families as possible,” she said.
“In disaster recovery, speed matters, but so does the way support is delivered. Our team was able to get on the ground, work door-to-door, listen to families and provide practical assistance where it was needed most.
“What stood out most was the strength of the Aurukun community. People had been through a difficult experience, but they showed patience, resilience and care for one another throughout the recovery response.”
One Aurukun community member, said the door-to-door support helped make the recovery process easier for families.
“The cyclone was hard on families, but we stayed strong and looked out for each other,” they said. “Having this support makes things easier. People could ask questions and understand what help was available.”
CYP thanks the Aurukun community, Aurukun Shire Council and recovery partners for their cooperation and support.
MAKE AN IMPACT
Your support will empower Indigenous Australians in Cape York and beyond to create positive change in their communities. Every donation, large or small, can create a ripple of change that will span generations.