A year on from the horror storms that swept through Moorabool and Hepburn shires, destroying houses and leaving communities without water and power for days, residents have shared their own stories in a new book.
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Titled 'Moorabool's Storm Recovery Journey', it chronicles how residents lived through the events, with a mix of personal submissions, photos, and interviews detailing the night of the storm itself, and their journey since.
The book was launched and handed to residents recently, with support from Moorabool Shire Council, which received a grant from the state and federal governments for its production.
The storms, which hit the region in June last year, left many residents traumatised, with some still rebuilding - the book was suggested by residents who wanted a creative outlet for their storm experiences, and to share them with others.
The book project followed a similar initiative that followed the Scotsburn bushfires in 2015-16.
"The book points out how resilient the community have been, in coming together to deal with this major event that occurred. We're working out a way forward together," Moorabool mayor Tom Sullivan said in a statement.
"The impact of the storm is still being felt by our communities. It's almost like a communal diary - everyone has their own story to share."
The finished book has stories from 15 residents, including SES and CFA volunteers who were amongst the first to get on the scene and help in the recovery, and from other community organisations which played a part in rebuilding.
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Storm impacted residents from anywhere in Moorabool Shire can visit council's principal office at 15 Stead Street, Ballan, and collect a copy of the book for free.
The book is also available to borrow from the Ballan and Bacchus Marsh libraries.
It's understood Hepburn Shire Council is working on a similar commemorative book project, with a team seeking community submissions ahead of a planned release date at the end of the year.
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