Using the past to strengthen the present : intersections between oral history and community resilience

Community resilience has gained increased political and research attention over the past decade. However, it is a concept that has yet to gain the full attention of community oral history practitioners and historians. This paper outlines a community oral history project focused on exploring community resilience within a small regional Queensland town after it was impacted by two flood events in 2011. It draws out a strong social narrative of townsfolk being resilient in the face of adversity from the origins of the town. Synergies are explored between oral history and community resilience which suggest community oral history projects can play a role in supporting community resilience.