Supporting local businesses in the Cassowary Coast FNQ to build capability and connection

Delivering a place-based approach to business community resilience 

Business communities are the economic and social heartbeat of any region.

That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Cassowary Coast Regional Council to deliver a tailored, community-led business resilience program for the Cassowary Coast in Far North Queensland.

Led by Renae Hanvin, this place-based initiative strengthens local capability through practical conversations, targeted learning and ongoing engagement with business owners.

Designed specifically for the Cassowary Coast region, the program brings together in-person discussions, bespoke online learning, and nudge-theory capability building to help local businesses prepare for disruption, adapt to change and thrive long term.

These programs are about helping local businesses do business better - before, during and after disasters!

Renae Hanvin
CEO, Resilient Ready

What the bespoke Cassowary Coast FNQ program includes 

1. Bespoke online learning bundle
December 2025 to February 2026

Based on discussions with the team at the Cassowary Coast Regional Council, we’re now developing a custom online learning bundle featuring 10 mini-modules most relevant to the Cassowary Coast business community.

Module topics to announced at the program launch!

These bite-sized videos and quizzes will enable local business owners to learn at their own pace, whenever and wherever it suits them.

Access to the full bundle is available for 12 months, supporting ongoing capability building.

2. Program launch
4 March 2026

On Wednesday 4th March 2026, the Cassowary Coast Regional Council will host an in-community event to formally launch the business community resilience program.

It’s a great opportunity for local businesses to connect and hear how this tailored local program can help build preparedness capability for all businesses across the region.

Details to be shared by the Council.

Access to the 10 mini-modules will be from the in-community sessions in March.

3. Community visits
23 to 27 March 2026

During the week starting Monday 23rd March 2026, Renae will be in the region for workshops taking place in Innisfail, Mission Beach, Tully and Cardwell to help local business people sign up to the program.

These discussion sessions provide an opportunity to connect with peers, learn more about the program and know you are not alone when it comes to getting your business resilient and ready for future disasters.

It’s a great way to hear of Renae’s personal experience and why she created this program to help others in business like her.

Dates to be confirmed and will be shared by Council.

4. Online check-in sessions
April & May 2026

To maintain momentum and provide additional support, Renae will host two online check-ins with business owners throughout the program. These informal sessions create space for local businesses to:

• Ask questions

• Explore challenges

• Discuss resilience actions

• Connect with peers

The sessions keep the learning alive while strengthening local ties and shared problem-solving. And of course, they’ve already met Renae so they know who’s there to help them at the other end of the screen.

5. Program wrap-up & insights report
June 2026

At the conclusion of the program, Resilient Ready will provide the Cassowary Coast Regional Council with a detailed wrap-up report outlining:

• Participation data

• Community insights

• Key resilience themes

• Recommendations for future action

These learnings will help inform Council planning and ongoing business engagement.

6. Module access and community conversations
until March 2027 

All local businesses can access the modules until the end of March 2027 (12 months post launch) and will have opportunities to participate in business community conversations – with a calendar of conversations being shared with the local council by Resilient Ready.

The success of this program relies on embedding the learnings and conversations into the local business community – building stronger connections and capability to operate well in the good times, and ensuring a confident, capable network is in place when challenges arise.

Why this program matters

Cassowary Coast’s business community is the backbone of the region’s economy, identity and visitor experience.

This tailored program helps strengthen local knowledge, confidence and connectedness – so businesses are not only prepared for disruption, but positioned to thrive.

It’s practical.
It’s local.

And it’s designed to create lasting capability for the people who keep Far North Queensland moving.

We’re also excited to be strengthening local #bridgingties and #linkingties.

Working together to build resilient and ready business communities

There is nothing we appreciate more than a local council who is focused on helping their business communities to thrive. Thriving businesses support thriving communities and many business people are local community leaders.

We commend the Cassowary Coast Regional Council for recognising the importance of building disaster resilience across the local business community in Far North Queensland and for their leadership in making this work possible.

This project is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.