The resilience and community spirit demonstrated by residents of Greater Shepparton and surrounding regions during the October 2022 floods was officially recognised and celebrated at a dinner held at Government House on 13 June, hosted by the Governor-General.
Greater Shepparton City Council Mayor, Councillor Shane Sali, attended the dinner hosted by the Honourable David Hurley and Mrs Linda Hurley, alongside 20 other Mayors, which aimed to recognise the “tireless work and service” many Australian communities showed during their response to recent floods, fires and other natural disasters.
The dinner sought to recognise the contribution made through the response, relief and recovery process, with many communities, including Greater Shepparton, still working through their individual recoveries.
“Attending the dinner on behalf of Greater Shepparton was a real honour. It shows that our community’s impressive efforts were recognised on a national scale,” Cr Sali said.
“The October 2022 floods were an extremely devastating time for the entire region. Everyone was affected in some way and the community was truly tested. However, through this adversity our region truly shone and proved what a resilient and supportive community we really are.”
The Governor-General visited Greater Shepparton in October 2022, in the midst of the floods, to see the devastation caused to the region and to recognise the tireless work of emergency services, volunteers and community members during this time.
Cr Sali said it was fantastic to be able to repay the visit and have the region’s efforts recognised once again.
“The Greater Shepparton spirit is like no other, and the community should be extremely proud of how it handled the October 2022 flood event,” Cr Sali said.
“Residents came together, supported one another and did whatever they could to help people get back on their feet. We are all so proud of our Greater Shepparton community and to have the Governor-General acknowledge and recognise this, is fantastic for our region.”
Featured image: Governor-General David Hurley alongside his wife and the 20 mayors who attended the dinner. Image credit: Greater Shepparton City Council.
