This research highlighted the strong sense of community in rural and regional Australia and the commitment of communities to ‘bounce back’ from disasters. Within a resilience framework that emphasises positive adaptation in the face of disaster impacts, ‘bouncing back’ is not enough. Adapting to the ‘new normal’ needs to become an integral aspect of recovery planning. Despite the determination of these disaster affected communities, they faced and continue to face a multitude of challenges to long-term adaptation. The impacts of a disaster are never straightforward, nor are they generic. Each disaster impacts a community in different ways, as a combination of the intensity of the disaster and the pre-existing economic and social features of the community itself. The challenges of recovering are multifaceted, complex and long-term.