From Bushfire Survival to Community Resilience
A small remote town has strengthened their bushfire resilience through establishing an off-grid Fireguard Shed following the extraordinary efforts of residents who came together to protect their homes during the devastating 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires.
Tamboon, a small settlement of around 20 houses in far East Gippsland, is enclosed by dense bushland within Victoria’s Croajingolong National Park. With only a single road providing access, the community can quickly become isolated during emergencies. When this road is cut off, Tamboon Inlet provides the only remaining way in or out of the settlement.
In January 2020, bushfires surrounded the township on all sides, threatening homes and cutting access routes. A small group of residents, later known as the “Tamboon Six“, worked alongside volunteer firefighters to defend the community using limited resources, including a small firefighting trailer and a single CFA tanker. Through determination, local knowledge and strategic firefighting efforts, every home in the settlement was saved despite extensive fire activity throughout the surrounding region.
The experience highlighted both the resilience of the community and the challenges faced by remote townships during major emergencies. In the aftermath of the fires, residents identified a need for dedicated emergency infrastructure that could support training, equipment storage and community coordination during future bushfire events. The goal of the shed was to improve remote off-grid bushfire resilience and continue providing a safe environment for residents that was ready to be protected when the environment called.
Industry Support Creates a Lasting Community Asset
The Tamboon Fireguard Shed was built at the end of 2021 with donations from various companies across the solar and energy storage industry. The project became a symbol of recovery and resilience, providing the community with a dedicated facility designed to strengthen local preparation and emergency response capabilities.
Working alongside Advance Energy Management, the project delivered a dependable off-grid power system capable of supporting the shed’s role as a training facility, equipment storage hub and emergency coordination point for the region.
The entire township of Tamboon is off-grid, with no mains electricity supply. Residents rely on their own standalone energy systems to support their daily needs. As a community, they can now benefit from the addition of the Fireguard Shed, which is powered by a reliable solar and battery storage system and can remain operational during emergency situations when it is needed most.
The installation combines 6.6kW of Canadian Solar PV with 12kWh of PowerPlus Energy lithium battery storage. The system incorporates three ECO4840P battery modules, paired with Selectronic and Fronius inverter technology to ensure stable performance and long-term reliability.
The entire township of Tamboon is off-grid, with no mains electricity supply. Residents rely on their own standalone energy systems to support their daily needs.
Building Energy Independence
Since its completion, the Fireguard Shed has become far more than a building. It serves as a central hub for community connection, training and bushfire preparedness while providing critical infrastructure to support emergency response activities.
The combination of solar generation and lithium battery storage delivers reliable renewable energy in a location completely disconnected from the grid. By ensuring the facility remains powered during emergency events, the system provides greater energy independence, resilience and peace of mind for the Tamboon community.
What began as a response to one of Australia’s most severe bushfire seasons has become a lasting investment in the future of the township, helping ensure that this remote community is better prepared for whatever challenges lie ahead.
