In this video, cane growers, community organisations and local service providers came together at Harwood Hall to explore the Big Map and share their knowledge of living and working in one of Australia's most productive agricultural regions.
By standing on the map and locating their home, farm or business, community members can better understand flood risk while starting conversations about local experiences and future preparedness.
For generations, people living and working across the Clarence Valley have relied on local knowledge to prepare for floods. That knowledge has been built over decades but as communities grow and change, it's becoming increasingly important to share those experiences with others.
Big Map Community Event - Clarence Valley
For Ross Farlow from the NSW Canegrowers Association, preserving that local knowledge is essential.
"We must ensure that knowledge is documented and kept as a history bank but also have access to that for sharing."
Ross said those conversations are becoming even more important as new families, businesses and workers move into the region.
"There's so many new people, new visitors, new homeowners, new business owners to the valley. They can be and maybe will be affected by floods."
The Big Map isn't just about understanding where floodwater travels, it's about bringing people together before disaster strikes.
The interactive tool encourages communities to talk about what they've experienced, learn from one another and think about how they can prepare for future flood events. It also helps identify where roads may become isolated, which areas could be impacted and where safer, higher ground can be found.
For Samantha Osborne from the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program, those conversations are just as valuable as the map itself.
"We know connection is key in terms of psychological preparedness for floods."
She said events like the Big Map create opportunities for people to reconnect with neighbours while having important conversations that can strengthen community resilience.
"When I'm talking to a lot of cane farmers here today, it's isolating work when you're out on the farm. And to be able to just take a little bit of time to come into town and see neighbours that you haven't seen for ages... it's just been amazing to see the connection, people smiling and getting together and having important conversations around preparedness."
The event also highlighted the value of partnerships between government, industry and local organisations in supporting rural communities.
Michelle O'Neill from the Rural Financial Counselling Service said the strong turnout reflected the willingness of the local community to work together.
"We've got a lot of generational cane farmers down on the Lower Clarence and I think the engagement from them has come from the assistance that the Reconstruction Authority has offered and our local community providers."
Ross said flood preparedness is a shared responsibility.
"Cane growers, cane farmers, industry workers, mill workers, we're all part of the community and we all should work together on this. That's the whole point about it."
As the conversations wrapped up at Harwood Hall, one message stood out above all else.
"Small communities have thrived from having a sense of togetherness."
The maps can be used for community engagement activities, educational events, preparedness initiatives and research purposes (non-profit use only).
To find out more or apply to loan a Big Map, visit: Big Maps loan application form