In the wake of a pandemic, devastating bushfires and then floods, residents of the Central Coast hinterland were understandably feeling overwhelmed with the mammoth task of rebuilding not only physical environments but mental ones too. In partnership with the NSW Government Bushfire Recovery program, the Central Coast Council decided to create a ‘resilience journal’ as part of a broader recovery program. The journal brought together mental health tools, personal stories, practical activities and checklists as well as positive stories from the region.

 

With a large collection of disparate and differently-authored content, my job was not only to bring the journal to life visually but to act as editor and sub-editor, creating a coherent overall structure but also giving the journal a unified tone of voice editorially. What started out as a ‘simple’ design brief turned into a deep creative collaboration between the client, community and D&O and resulted in a valuable resource for community members.

 

Front cover artwork by Boyd McMillan