To receive important alerts and updates from Gold Coast Primary Health Network, please submit the form below.
Receive important alerts and updates from Gold Coast Primary Health Network.
"*" indicates required fields
To receive important alerts and updates from Gold Coast Primary Health Network, please submit the form below.
Start Time & Date: |
12/11/2026, 9:00 am |
End Time & Date: |
12/11/2026, 12:00 pm |
Location: |
Palm Beach Community Centre, Thrower Drive, Palm Beach QLD, Australia |
Contact Info: |
GCPHN Events Team Registration from 8:30am |
This is a disaster recovery and resilience event for health professionals and those who work in the recovery space.
Drawing on more than 40 years of experience consulting with disaster-affected communities throughout Australia and New Zealand, Dr Rob Gordon OAM will explore how threat, disruption and emergency can alter social bonds and community structures.
In the aftermath of an emergency, communities rapidly adapt roles, relationships and ways of working together. While necessary in the short term, these changes can reshape the social fabric and create stresses and tensions that complicate recovery.
Drawing on patterns observed across a wide range of disasters, Rob will examine the predictable social processes that emerge during recovery and how they intersect with the experiences of affected people. Through practical strategies and real-world case studies, this workshop will demonstrate how anticipating and understanding these processes can help manage community tensions, strengthen support and assist communities through the complex and often lengthy recovery journey.
Dr Rob Gordon OAM | Clinical Psychologist & Disaster Recovery Pioneer
Rob is a clinical psychologist and internationally experienced disaster recovery specialist who has dedicated more than four decades to supporting people and communities affected by trauma, disaster and loss. Beginning with the Ash Wednesday bushfires in 1983, he became a pioneer in understanding the long-term psychological and social impacts of disaster. His person-centred, trauma-informed approach has helped shape disaster recovery practice in Australia, informing the work of the Australian Red Cross, government agencies and organisations supporting communities through crisis and recovery.
Throughout his career, Rob has worked with communities affected by major disasters and traumatic events, including the Port Arthur massacre, Bali bombings, Christchurch earthquakes, and significant bushfires, floods and cyclones. In recognition of his contribution, Rob was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2021 and was a 2023 Victorian Senior Australian of the Year nominee.
Click here to download a printable flyer
Registration
By registering for this event you consent to GCPHN using your personal information in line with our Privacy Policy and for your details to be shared with City of Gold Coast and Gold Coast Health.
If you are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know immediately by emailing rsvp@gcphn.com.au to CANCEL your registration, as we may have time to offer your place to someone else.
CANCELLATIONS: Online registrations will be confirmed immediately in our booking system. This is our preferred method of RSVP. To cancel your RSVP please use the email link or call the GCPHN events team (PH. 07 5635 2455). In recent months a number of registrants to our events have failed to attend and have not provided cancellation advice. This often results in others, often on wait lists, being unable to attend. In addition, GCPHN resources are wasted as costs for catering and support staff are still incurred. Each event therefore incurs a cost per person ranging from $65 – $120. GCPHN wishes to continue to provide training and education at no cost to primary care providers, however for these reasons we may have to consider implementing fees to offset our costs in the future. Please ensure you provide at least 2 days’ notice if you need to cancel your registration
COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION: GCPHN collects personal information for the purpose of assisting its activities and functions in the primary health care sector. Your contact details may be used to forward information and notifications from GCPHN. In some circumstances we may provide your information to our funding agency (Dept of Health) or to service providers that enter into legal contracts with us which are bound by confidentiality. For further information on how we manage your personal information see our privacy policy.
So we can provide you with the most accurate information,
please tell us a little more about yourself
