Enablers of community‐led action in Australian climate disasters: recognising the role of pre‐existing social foundations and local knowledges

This study explores how disaster-impacted communities in New South Wales, Australia, mobilised during and after the bushfire crisis of 2019-20 and multiple catastrophic floods between 2020 and 2022. Interviews were conducted across three regions: Northern Rivers; Blue Mountains; and Hawkesbury. Our findings illuminate how community-led actions are driven by a broad range of 'local knowledges', based in and organised through long-standing networks and organisations. Supporting existing research, we illustrate why the 'spontaneous' label, which fuels negative perceptions of chaos and risk, remains inadequate for such organising. Furthermore, and crucially, we clarify the role and scope of 'local knowledges' and how they, and the networks in which they are embedded, refine an understanding of 'social infrastructure'. We argue that community knowledges and networks should be seen as essential for cross-sectoral disaster management and adaptation planning. Alongside the communities engaged, we advocate for their formal recognition and structural integration to reduce future disaster risk.