THE Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) has launched a new online community aimed at keeping fire-affected communities connected.
The Piece Together website allows friends to stay in touch and reunite with others who may have relocated in the aftermath of the February 2009 Victorian bushfires.
It provides a free, safe space where people can share, reunite and reach out to one another.
VBAF chair Pat McNamara said the idea for the website emerged out of a number of community meetings which focussed on medium and long-term recovery.
“It’s a great way for people who might no longer be living in a bushfire-affected area to stay in touch with their communities,” Mr McNamara said.
“Users of the site can share stories, swap advice, post videos, and find out about events happening in neighbouring communities.”
The website has public and private areas and offers a discussion forum where registered users can raise topics of interest to them.
Mr McNamara said communities had expressed a strong desire to reach out to people who no longer live in bushfire-affected areas.
“This new website provides an accessible meeting place for people who experienced the 2009 bushfires, regardless of where they live now,” he said.
The University of Melbourne is currently undertaking research into bushfire recovery and will be partnering with VBAF to administer the site.
