As the summer fire season has approached, it’s been a busy few months for the Hunter JO’s Simtables –digital sand tables that display detailed models of natural hazards such as bushfires and imaging of historic natural hazards such as floods.  

Simtables are a powerful community engagement tool that help people visualise how a fire might occur in their local area, how it could impact their community, and the steps they can take to prepare and respond. 

The Hunter JO hosts two Simtables which are available for loan to councils, Rural Fire Service (RFS) and community groups. They have been in high demand over the year with 34 bushfire preparedness workshops and events including over 750 interactions with community members and RFS volunteers across the region. Over recent months activities have included:  

• MidCoast – Burrell Creek Youth and Community Association has delivered 13 Simtable workshops to over 230 community members since September 2025. Sessions have been held in Burrell Creek, Tinonee, Upper Lansdowne, Kundibakh, Kimbriki, and Hillville, ranging from community market days to small, localised scenario sessions and RFS training events (September – November).  

• Port Stephens – The Simtable supported RFS coordination training with Raymond Terrace Brigade (September). 

• Lake Macquarie – The Simtable featured in RFS community activations at the Lake Mac Living Smart Festival (September) and the Emergency Services Community Resilience Expo (October). 

• Singleton – Singleton Council used the Simtable as part of their Emergency Services Internship session at Bulga, helping introduce interns to bushfire management and RFS operations (November). 

• Central Coast – The joint Central Coast and Lake Macquarie Local Emergency Management and Bushfire Management Committees utilised the Simtable to test risk management policies and coordinate bushfire response and planning (November).

If you are interested in using the Simtable for an upcoming event or would like to find out more, feel free to submit an enquiry via our Simtables webpage or reach out to Mitch at mitchellh@hunterjo.nsw.gov.au. 

This ‘Disaster Resilience Capacity Building for the Hunter and Central Coast’ Project received funding from the Australian Government.