Rae Green knows North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) like few others.
Daughter to a founding member of the Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club, long-time island estate agency owner-operator, and now grandmother to sixth generation islanders, her connection to Straddie runs deep.
It’s this connection – and the memories tied to a lifetime spent on the island – that has helped inspire Rae and her family to answer the call when disaster strikes.
Emergency support is not necessarily seen as an occupation for the Green family, but rather a way of giving back to their island home.
Rae’s late husband joined the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service (QFES) in 1989 and served 16 years as Captain of the Point Lookout Station.
Her son, Dane, another long-time island local, joined QFES as soon as he was old enough and continues to be involved today around his work and family commitments (he is a FIFO worker but still serves as Captain of Amity Fire Station – further proof that emergency service runs deep in the Green family).
Dane was one of the heroes during the devastating North Stradbroke Island bushfires that broke out in the peak summer holiday season in 2013, burning more than 16,800ha of bushland.
Then a 25-year-old auxiliary firefighter, Dane braved treacherous conditions and worked 10-hour days to keep his community safe, earning him a nomination for a local hero award in 2014.
Despite the island experiencing several fires and other devastating severe weather events over recent years, including Tropical Cyclone Alfred in 2025, the memories of that new year blaze and the lessons learnt have stuck with the island community to this day.
Rae says it was thanks to the tireless efforts of emergency services personnel – and perhaps a little help from a higher power – that no lives or homes were lost in the blaze.
“The fire burned for two weeks and while we were relatively unscathed at Point Lookout, I know many families – particularly in Myora and Dunwich – had to evacuate their homes a number of times,” she recalls. “We have had many large fires over my lifetime of involvement on the island, and I believe it is probably our greatest risk [on the island].”
Rae’s daughter, Peta, is also heavily involved in volunteering on the island, confirming again that Straddie is a large part of the family’s life. Peta is a volunteer lifesaver at Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club and an Age Group Leader of the Nippers Program, where she teaches the next generation of islanders important skills about water safety.
The connection to Point Lookout Surf Life Saving Club is one of the family’s most intriguing stories. Rae says her father was a foundation member of the club in 1947. The legacy is now carried on by Peta, who, like brother Dane, has made the island home for her family.
The passion for Straddie has never waned, even after six generations.
For those who know Rae, she is in every sense an island champion, having spent years cultivating relationships with business owners, tourism operators, and other community members as the owner and operator of an island estate agency. Her approach has always been that in small communities like Straddie, it’s important for everyone to work together.
It’s fitting, then, that one of her callings in retirement has been to join the Community Champions program, where she provides support to her fellow island residents before, during, and after disaster events.
The Community Champions program was born out of the 2016 Russell and Macleay island bushfires, which burnt several hectares of land and forced some residents to evacuate. While no lives or homes were lost, there were many learnings taken from that year’s blaze, including that shelter and care could be provided to the community sooner with the assistance of trained volunteers based on the islands.
READ MORE: Blazing a line of defence against bushfires
The intent of the program has never changed, with volunteers working closely alongside the Redland Local Disaster Management Group to open evacuation centres and provide food, water and care for their neighbours when disaster strikes.
For Rae, the decision to join the program came after she retired from her estate agent job in 2023.
“I knew that I would like to do some volunteering but was unsure of what to do,” she says.
“I was aware of the Community Champions, so I contacted Redland City Council to find out more about it.
“When I discovered the link between Community Champions, Red Cross and disaster management, I felt I had found something which was of great interest to me.
“I soon found myself attending workshops and doing online courses to become accredited with Red Cross and Community Champions. I found the courses very interesting and since becoming accredited, I have done a number of deployments throughout Queensland to assist with disaster recovery.
“After Cyclone Alfred, I found myself manning recovery centres on Straddie for over two weeks.
READ MORE: Prepare now for severe weather season
“It was a very rewarding experience being able to assist my own community, which of course is how the whole concept of Community Champions came about.”
Rae has recently taken on additional responsibilities, becoming the Red Cross Emergency Liaison Officer to the Redland Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG).
“This role enables me the to sit on the LDMG in preparation for disasters and for any ensuing emergency which could arise,” Rae says.
“Through Community Champions, I already know all of the Council officers involved in the Disaster Management space and enjoy working with them.”
With only three Community Champions on North Stradbroke Island, Rae says the group is always looking for new volunteers – and Get Ready Week is an ideal time to get started.
Anyone living in Redland City can apply for the program.
“If you think you might like to volunteer time to something worthwhile, your community is a great place to start,” she says. “It is very rewarding both personally and professionally.”
Residents interested in becoming a Community Champion can complete the online Community Champion Expression of Interest form.
Further details about Get Ready Week, which runs until 11 October, are available at getready.qld.gov.au.
Key resources for severe weather season on Redlands Coast
- Redlands Coast Disaster Dashboard (view here)
- Council’s Disaster Management webpage (redland.qld.gov.au)
- Emergency kit checklist (click here to download)
- Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au)
- Queensland Fire Department (fire.qld.gov.au)
