Three innovative, forward-thinking teams’ ideas to make Australia safer and more resilient to natural hazards will battle it out today to win the 2025 Disaster Challenge in Hobart.
Hosted by Natural Hazards Research Australia, the Disaster Challenge is a national challenge for early-career researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students across Australia to tackle real-world problems facing the emergency services and disaster resilience sector.
Livestream the final event from wherever you are by registering here. The final will be held 14 October 2025, 10:00am – 12:00pm (AEDT).
Andrew Gissing, Natural Hazards Research Australia’s CEO, believes this year's entrants are among the most innovative in the Disaster Challenge’s four years.
“This year, we’ve asked entrants how we can innovate our infrastructure — physical, social, green and other types of infrastructure, community and place — to enable effective and affordable community-led place-based disaster resilience?” Andrew said.
Meet the three entries that rose to this challenge and have been selected for the 2025 Disaster Challenge final:
A digital twin for real time flood insights – Ryan Turner (RMIT University)
With Australia facing more frequent and intense flooding, data-driven solutions are essential. This concept proposes a digital twin for urban floods: an interactive 3D model that integrates real-time data to inform flood response strategies and enhance community awareness. By visualising flood impacts dynamically, this solution aims to build both physical and social resilience.
Thriving coastal futures in southern Tasmania – Dr Malcolm S. Johnson (Huon Valley Council), Bianca Suarez (Australian National University), Edith Shum (University of Tasmania), Kianna Gallagher (University of Tasmania), Hevi Kurnia Hardini (Australian Maritime College), Rosie Katunar (Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania). All finalists listed for this entry are affiliated with the Centre for Marine Socioecology.
This project empowers the Garden Island Sands community to manage coastal erosion through an integrated approach where locally led nature-based solutions strengthen social wellbeing and improved governance. This Tasmanian pilot leverages innovative partnerships between Council and communities to develop novel infrastructure adaptation, creating a replicable model for coastal community resilience nationwide.
From verge to vital: People-powered green spaces for climate and disaster resilience – Evelyn Liew, Anjalee Panditha, Sebastian Bernal Garcia (Griffith University)
This idea transforms underused public spaces into smart, nature-based infrastructure that reduces disaster risks like floods and fires. Co-designed with communities and Indigenous groups, the solution uses native plants, smart technology and local stewardship to protect people and ecosystems, fostering safer, greener and more connected rural Australian communities.
“These entries stood out to the judging panel for their ingenuity, community focus and potential for real-world impact,” Andrew said.
Learn more about the Disaster Challenge and this year’s entries at https://www.naturalhazards.com.au/dc25-final.