Natural Hazards Research Australia is Australia’s national centre for natural hazard resilience and disaster risk reduction.
The Centre was funded for 10 years by the Australian Government on 1 July 2021 as a collaborative research organisation, to address the major challenges arising from natural hazards, including bushfires, floods, cyclones, heatwaves, storms and other hazards. The aim is to deliver usable research and knowledge that creates safer and more resilient communities.
The Centre works in the broad emergency management and disaster resilience sector with partners in all states and territories, federal, state and local governments, key industry bodies, the private and not-for-profit sectors, research and other organisations with a stake in protecting Australian communities.
Building upon the foundations of both the Bushfire CRC and the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, the Centre has refreshed its governance, hired new key staff and increased its national presence outside in Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia to focus on research with national impact. A collation of national research priorities has been finalised, based on extensive feedback, and the first round of projects is underway, with more starting throughout 2022. A postgraduate student program and a quick response research fund are now also open.